Page 69 of On Wings of Blood

“It can, absolutely. Necromancy is usually associated with raising the dead. House Mortis’s armies were powerful because of the necromancers that traveled with them.”

I cringed at the implication.

“But a soul can be even more powerful than a body,” Jia continued.

“Did necromancers ever use souls in... bodies that weren’t their own? The soul’s, I mean?”

“I’m sure it’s been done before, though I can’t think of an example off the top of my head. My! What an interesting paper you must be writing,” she said brightly, reminding me of Florence. “Is this for Restoration?”

“Yes, for Professor Rodriguez’s class,” I lied. “He has me doing some extra work for him.”

That was entirely true. Just not the subject matter it concerned.

“Fascinating. There is always so much to learn, isn’t there?”

I could think of topics I’d much rather read up on than necromancy, but I wasn’t about to say that. I smiled in agreement as I followed her down the stack, careful not to knock the trolley where she had parked it at the end of the aisle.

A little while later, I sat alone at a table near the main aisle, armed with a stack of books with titles likeBlood Magic Unveiled,The Necromancer's Codex,Arcane Revenants,Bloodmancy for Beginners, and, my personal favorite,Soulbound Secrets: The Art of Making Friends and Influencing Spirits.

That last one sounds promising,Orcades said, as I flipped through the books.I like the sound of that.

Aren’t we already friends?I teased.Or should I be worried?

Oh, darling,Orcades replied.You’re my daughter and I love you, but you’re sadly lacking in finesse when it comes to dealing with souls. That’s all I’m saying.

I bit my tongue and flipped the book open, trying to settle back into the hushed ambiance of the library.

But the silence was abruptly disturbed by a burst of laughter.

I glanced up from the book, my attention distracted by insistent, high-pitched giggles.

My heart sank as the source soon became clear.

Blake Drakharrow was walking up the center aisle. He was flanked by a girl who clung to his side, her arm draped possessively around his narrow waist.

Regan.

She giggled loudly again and I flinched as the grating sound echoed off the walls. Regan tossed her glossy silver hair around her shoulders. Her face was lit up with a smile that looked too practiced to me, as if she were putting on a show for anyone watching.

Blake’s eyes met mine and he smirked, as if he were enjoying the spectacle he and Regan were making.

As they passed by my table, Regan turned her head slightly and shot me a glance that was icy and dismissive.

My cheeks flushed with irritation.

I tried to redirect my focus back to the books in front of me, but the disruption had left a sourness in the air.

For the next few minutes, I flipped angrily through book after book, trying to find something that didn’t involve simply summoning a spirit or putting a soul into a cat or dog or anotherperson but instead would get a soul out of someone. Preferably without killing them in the process. Or losing the soul.

But from everything I read, summoning a soul and even imbuing a soul into another living creature was one thing. But giving such a spell permanence was another. Usually the soul summoning only lasted a short time and when the soul faded away back out past the veil into wherever souls went, the creature it had inhabited usually didn’t survive.

Well, that’s disheartening,Orcades observed.

You can say that again.I closed the book glumly.Did you ever stop and think that entering me might kill me in the process?

I was trying to keep you alive. I had absolutely no idea what the outcome would be. You know that,she chided. But her voice was gentle.

I know,I admitted.It’s just... disturbing. To think this new life might not even last.

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