Page 93 of The Girl Who Inherits the Dead

“Where is he?” Chloe asks, behind them, her voice breaking through the chill air.

“I’m right here,” Maison says, panic reeding through his words. “I’m right here, what’s going on?”

“You’re okay,” Delina says, then tosses a glance to the other two. “He’s here, he’s disappearing and reappearing, things are weird.”

Maison straightens, and he’s not in pain, per se, but his body is…weird. Off.

“You commanded him to stop, what did he stop?” Gurlien asks.

“I’m not, I’m not…” Maison disappears, but doesn’t move away, appearing once more in the exact position, stuttering in place. “What’s going on?”

Delina takes a step towards him, and he recoils, still in one place, holding his arms up.

“Stay there,” he says, and if it wasn’t for the fear in his voice, she would’ve disregarded them. “I’m hurting you, I’m taking from you, I can’t stop it, I don’t—”

Delina stares at him, as he gapes, before he stares down at his hands.

“Am I a demon right now?”

“Okay, that’s new,” Delina says, but he doesn’t give her a smile. “It’s okay, you’re fine.”

“What’s happening?” Gurlien demands sharply. “Tell us—”

“You, shut up, let me handle this,” Delina commands, pointing at them, and miracle of miracle he closes his mouth. “Maison, look at me!”

His eyes snap up to hers, like he’s fully unable to stop.

Right. She can command him.

“Do you want me to untie it?”

He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I don’t want you to come close to me.”

“Okay,” Delina responds, and she takes a deliberate step back, and his shoulders ease a bit on their tightness. “I need you to answer me, understand? Are you in pain?”

He shakes his head immediately.

“Tell me if I ask something you don’t want to say,” she says, and he nods unsteadily. “What do you see right now?”

“You,” he replies, fast, like he doesn’t even need to think, “just you, there’s nothing else, I can’t see the world, I can’t see the trees, I can’t see anyone, you’re just…just you.”

Delina exhales, and whatever happened that made her head swim is slowly clearing away.

“Can you control the teleporting?” Delina asks, and he blanches. “I think you were teleporting.”

“I don’t know,” he blurts out, and he’s scared. He’s so scared. “Delly, I was hurting you—”

“Look at me,” she says again, and he does. “I’m okay. Breathe.”

He does.

“Command me to not hurt you,” he says, voice lilting up. “Command me. Please.”

“Whatever you do, don’t hurt me,” Delina repeats, and his shoulders slump. “Don’t take from me, don’t feed, whatever it is that was.”

Behind her, Gurlien stirs, then grabs Chloe by the collar, hauling her back.

Good. Means he figured it out.

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