Page 24 of Frosted Torment

“Ivy’s right,” added Lex. He scanned the area as if they had already found me and Jossy’s wards weren’t strong enough to hide us.

“You’re the last of your family,” Ivy continued. “They want you, and they’ll do horrendous things to you for eternity when they have you.” Her words hung heavy in the air, each syllable a reminder of how vulnerable I was.

“Which is what exactly?” I asked. “To start Armageddon? Bring it on.” Defiance surged within me like a tidal wave. “I won’t run. Besides, with the three of you, they can’t touch me. Right?”

Ivy grabbed Jossy’s arm, her voice laced with fear. “No. Please, talk some sense into her.”

“You’re taking me to Vincent, Jossy,” I insisted, refusing to back down.

“I agree with Noa. There’s more to this,” Jossy continued, his gaze shifting toward the wreckage that surrounded us. “And if that Lurker is dead, then?—”

My eyes widened in realization as dread seeped into my bones. “Then what?”

“Its master will know about it soon and come for us,” Jossy warned. The weight of his words felt like an iron cloak draped on my shoulders, pressing down with immense force. “You’re safer back at the ranch with us,” he decided.

Ivy’s eyes exposed her worry when she looked at me. “Noa, the Baneful is an entity of the purest evil,” she warned.

“I’m not hiding,” I declared, my voice stronger than I felt inside. “For years, you made me believe arsonists killed my mother. You knew who I was and lied about it. Now, I want the truth. I’ll deal with the consequences later.”

Ivy groaned, throwing her hands by her sides. “You always do this.”

“Thought this was what you wanted, sis?” Jossy said roughly. Then, nodding at me, he pulled out his phone. “I’ll request a car.”

“Yes, I am selfish,” Ivy snapped with a shrug. “Knowing about us and charging into a cursed war are two different things.”

Lex gave a disapproving shake of his head. “Will the wards hold for us to get far enough away from here before demonscome looking?” asked Lex. He grew more paranoid by the minute, expecting an evil horde to attack us on the road.

“Long enough to get us to Whitefish,” Jossy answered him. He began entering our location into the ride-share app.

“Sorry, but I’m not skilled in how to portal, or else I’d have us there sooner,” I announced, a hint of sarcasm rolling off my tongue. “You can find me in the church when the car arrives.”

The sun had nearly vanished, casting long shadows around me as I stood in the empty church. I could feel the tension crackling in the air. The solemn silence enveloped me, amplifying the terror and uncertainty gnawing at my insides.

I paced back and forth, my mind racing with questions and doubts. I didn’t know how my family got tangled up in this supernatural world or if I was even ready to face the forces that sought to harm me. I took a deep breath, readying myself for what to do.

Then, Ivy peeked into the door and gestured for us to leave. I nodded, my resolve masking what I felt. As I walked down the stairs of the church, the night seemed to press in on us, amplifying the dread.

We climbed into an idling black SUV. I didn’t know what ride-share Jossy called, and I didn’t care. He sat up front in the passenger seat while Ivy and Lex sandwiched me between them in the back. Their expressions were unreadable in the dim light, and none of us spoke.

The car pulled away from the wreckage, tires crunching on gravel as we headed toward the ranch that my friends called home.

And Vincent.

Ivy unlocked her pink crystal-encrusted phone and began scrolling through social media. Of course, hers was in perfect condition.

I leaned forward to get her attention. “Hey, do you mind if I text Jack and Claire? I’ve avoided them long enough.”

“Sure.” She handed it to me, but her fingers gripped the phone longer than necessary as she studied me.

I placed my other hand on her wrist, and she relaxed beneath my touch. “This was going to catch up to me, Ivy,” I said, as a flutter of anxiety twisted in my stomach. “Besides, I still need you to keep me safe.”

She released a long sigh, her breath escaping like a deflated balloon. “We didn’t call first, so Vincent is going to be pissed.” Her eyes darted toward the window, watching the blurry landscape flash past us. I could almost see the gears turning in her head, calculating the repercussions of our actions.

Jossy turned in the front seat to look at us both, his expression shifting from concern to strength. “I’ll handle Vincent, but it’s safer the longer we wait.” The driver peered over at him with a raised brow, and Jossy turned his head to meet the driver’s gaze. A flicker shot across Jossy’s eyes, then the driver focused his eyes back on the road. Jossy continued, “He’ll sense us the closer we get.”

“What did you do to that guy?” I pointed to the driver, who remained focused on the road ahead, oblivious to our mounting drama.

Jossy faced forward again, adjusting his ponytail with practiced ease. “We can’t have everyone know about us, Noa,” he clipped.

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