Page 56 of Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie

Ray placed Sylvie’s body on the ground, face down. While he wasn’t rough with her corpse, he wasn’t overly respectful either.

Crouching, Erasmus placed his elbows on his bent knees. “I’m assuming this is the witch you want brought back. I thought there was a troll too.”

“If necessary, will retrieve him when we are finished with the witch,” Ray answered.

“Whatever. Makes no difference to me.” Erasmus shrugged but remained crouched where he was.

We waited, standing in silence as we ringed the dead witch and necromancer.

“Do you require anything else?” Ray calmly asked.

“Nope. Just me,” Erasmus answered. “No chicken sacrifice, blood, verbal mojo, or anything else. Quiet sometimes helps, but I don’t think that’ll be a problem with you lot.”

Erasmus wasn’t wrong. No one seemed willing to speak, not even Peaches. He’d flown back to Lucroy’s side and was snuggled in close. I don’t think any of us were looking forward to today. Curious, yes. Eager, not so much.

“Okay. Times not really wasting, but I think we can all agree the sooner this is done, the sooner everyone can relax.”

“Anytime you are ready, necromancer,” Ray said. Erasmus bristled but didn’t contradict what he was.

Eyes slipping closed, Erasmus took two large breaths, exhaling deeply. I was no necromancer, but he appeared to be centering himself. When he said, “Gotcha,” I wondered if what I’d thought was correct or not.

“Time to wake up and spill what’s left of your guts, Sylvie Tabitha Danube.”

I’d been unaware of her last name, let alone middle. When Sylvie’s body jerked, it took every ounce of self-restraint not to do the same. It was incredibly unsettling.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Parsnip said and when I glanced up, he did look a little green. Vander wrapped his arm around Parsnip’s waist and took a couple of steps back. Given Parsnip’s reaction, I was glad he was to her back. I had a frontal view and couldn’t say it was pretty.

Standing on shaky legs, Sylvie slowly rose. Head lifted, her glazed eyes traveled the area, attempting to make sense of the nonsensical. The hole Leon punched through the center of her chest continued leaking. If I lowered myself to just the correct angle, I’d probably be able to see clear through to the other side.

“Who are you?” Sylvie asked, and this time I did shiver. I knew she was dead, that Leon and I were safe, but I couldn’t forget the casual way she spoke of ending Leon’s life or her plans to sell me to the highest ogre bidder.

Sylvie’s eyes locked on me. “I know you.” Confusion gave way to recognition, and she drew in a hissed breath. Hands flying, she began chanting words that sounded familiar and yet remained foreign.

“Ah, ah, ah.” Erasmus waved a naughty finger in front of Sylvie’s face. “None of that if you please.”

Sylvie’s hands dropped and her mouth hung open, words lost. She stared. I think we all stared, waiting to see what Erasmus would do. His crossed arms and causal stance were underwhelming and more than a little disappointing.

“Thank you,” Erasmus said, sounding endlessly polite. “Sylvie Tabitha Danube,” Sylvie flinched when Erasmus spoke her full name. “These individuals are going to ask you questions and you will answer them.” Erasmus’s tone changed when he said the wordwill. There was a weight to that singular word that wasn’t present in the rest of them. Sylvie must have felt it too if her full body shudder was anything to go by.

“Who are you?” Sylvie asked, teeth gritted. The twin bloody trails leaking from the corners of her lips made her appear even more macabre.

“Someone who’s in control of your very essence,” Erasmus answered.

Sylvie’s sucked in breath wheezed through her damaged body. “Necromancer.” The word came out more curse than statement.

Erasmus gave a slight bow. “I take it you have some idea the situation you’re in?”

Mouth slamming closed, Sylvie’s jaw worked from side to side. I wasn’t sure if she’d been aware she was dead when Erasmus brought her consciousness back or not. If she hadn’t and just figured it out, Sylvie didn’t seem nearly as disturbed as I thought she should be.

“I will answer nothing. Send me back across the vale.” Sylvie’s lips twisted with hatred. “You are a vile, unnatural creature. Your warlock sire should have put you in the ground when you were born.”

I flinched at her words wishing Leon was next to me, holding me like Vander held Parsnip, like Ray placed a comforting hand on Wendall’s shoulder, like Lucroy ran his hand up and down Peaches’s back, easing his wing muscles. I’d never felt the need for another so sharply as I did in that moment.

Far from visually offended, Erasmus rubbed the back of his neck and let loose a weighty sigh. “You seem confused, Sylvie Tabitha Danube. You are not the one in control. I am.” Again, those words carried weight. It was difficult to tell in the sunlight, but I thought I saw Erasmus’s eyes gleam when he said those words. “Now, they will ask you questions, and youwillanswer them truthfully.”

“Or what?” Sylvie sneered. “I’m already dead. You can do nothing to me, necromancer.”

Erasmus was quiet for a few seconds. He stood there, hands stuffed deep into his pockets, eyes locked on Sylvie’s corpse. When he finally spoke, his words were laced with underlying confidence. “Looks like you wanna do this the hard way. That’s okay. It’ll take more time and it’ll be hell on you, but I don’t really care. The opinion of a witch who’d participate in a pixie trafficking ring means nothing to me.” I’d yet to hear Erasmus’s voice so cold. “Now, as for whatIcan do to you…” This time, the glow lighting Erasmus’s eyes was unmistakable.

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