Page 11 of Cursed Shadows

“A master healer who couldn’t successfully rid her of her poison?” returns Baron as he crosses his arms against his chest and regards Cambion with little interest. Then, he gestures to me. “Clearly, she’s still suffering.”

Cambion’s nostrils flare. “I’ll have you know—” he starts.

“Have me know what?” Baron interrupts. “Iam a master of poisons. I’ve used every concoction known to the three realms and developed immunities to over half of them. I own poisons that can kill a man the moment they touch his skin, others that can make him speak the truth no matter how badly he wants to hide it, poisons that can paralyze, cause hallucinations and produce nightmares the likes of which you’ve never seen. I can tell you, with complete conviction, thatAtacomitedid not do thisto the angel’s memory.” He clears his throat as he shoots a quick glance in my direction. “To Eilish’s memory.” Then, he walks over to me, but Dragan immediately intercepts him with a cold expression. Baron glares up at him.

“I won’t hurt her,” he says.

Dragan inhales deeply, but steps aside. Baron faces me and leans over, reaching for my arm. He attempts to slide the cloak up but as soon as his fingers touch my wrist, something happens.

I feel a chilling cold ripple through me. My chest feels tight. Images I don’t understand drop in front of my periphery.

“Arise, my Revenant,” a melodic voice chimes.

And when I open my eyes, I see that I’m trapped in something wooden and confining.

“Come, my Shadow Knight,” the voice continues. “Call on your shadows, Revenant, tell them to free you.”

I push against the wood and it splinters beneath my hands and breaks away. And then I’m surrounded by an avalanche of dirt, cold and wet.

“Open your eyes and behold a world you have not seen in far too long,” the voice announces. “You have arrived, Revenant.”

I don’t understand where I am. Surrounding me are headstones, broken and crumbling.

“What has happened?” I demand, and my voice is deep, a man’s voice.

“You have returned upon my dictate,” the woman answers. “I have awoken you from your forever sleep, Revenant, because I have need of you.”

I blink and find the vision gone. Instead, I’m looking into Baron’s eyes and he’s staring back at me with an expression of shock. He doesn’t release me, and I don’t pull away from him. Instead, we both just continue staring at one another.

It’s then that I realize I just witnessed Baron’s rebirth, the moment he woke from the grave. Everything I just saw was through his eyes.

“We still have questions, Baron,” Cambion says from where he stands beside the door. “You haven’t answered anything.”

“That’s because he doesn’t have any answers for you,” I tell him slowly, still not taking my eyes away from Baron’s. I understand now. I understand why he doesn’t know the name “Baron” and why he doesn’t recognize Dragan or Cambion. As far as Baron knows, he’s only just met them.

“And how would you know that?” Cambion nips at me.

Dragan is eyeing me with interest. Baron still appears shocked, but he hasn’t released me.

“Did you see it, too?” I ask in a soft whisper, meant only for him.

“Yes,” he replies, and his eyes are wide.

“See what?” Dragan asks.

I clear my throat and I feel Baron finally pull away from me. He stands up straight and appears as though he has more questions for me, but he doesn’t voice any of them. Everyone else is looking at me expectantly.

“I saw a vision of Baron’s rebirth,” I explain, glancing at him with an apologetic smile. I’m not sure if he wants me to share what I saw, because it’s incredibly personal and I can’t imagine it’s a happy memory for him. But I also know the others have questions and until those are answered, no one is going to trust anyone. And right now, we need to trust each other.

“His rebirth?” Dragan asks, eying me narrowly.

I inhale deeply. “Yes, he was called back to this world for a purpose.”

“And what purpose was that?” Cambion asks.

“I don’t know,” I say as I face him. “All I can tell you is that he was dead, but he’s been brought back for a reason. Andthat’s why he can’t remember anything from before, including his name. As far as he knows, there is no before.”

When I look at him again, his eyes are full of something—pain, maybe? I suddenly want to take him in my arms and hold him, to let him know everything will be okay. But I can’t make him that promise and, furthermore, I know Baron wouldn’t welcome my pity. He’s like a feral animal, lost and confused and ready to lash out at anyone and anything.

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