Page 55 of Dead End

A gasp of recognition escaped me as they reached the porch. “Libby?”

“I was out for a run in the woods when I saw someone crawling through the crossroads,” Anna said. “She was calling your name.”

I ushered them inside. “Quick. Bring her to the parlor room.”

Nana Pratt materialized beside me. “She’s bleeding,” the elderly ghost objected.

“Then it’ll match the sofa,” I said.

West set the goddess on the sofa with a pair of gentle hands. “I’ll call Sage.”

“Thank you.” I kneeled beside Libby. “What happened?”

The goddess curled into herself like a porcupine hellbent on protection. One word and my world spun.

“Unas,” she whispered.

I heard Goran thunder down the steps. “What’s happening? Is the bird back?”

“It was so awful,” Libby whimpered.

I smoothed back her hair. “Don’t try to speak right now. Save your strength. I’ll do what I can until Sage gets here.”

Claude brought me a damp washcloth. I thanked him as I wiped Libitina’s face.

“Sage is on the way,” West said, stuffing his phone in the back pocket of his tight jeans.

“Unas,” Libby repeated. “I was in the cafeteria. Everyone started running. I got trampled. I only survived because Ademir…” Libby squeezed her eyes closed. “It’s all my fault. He was trying to help me.” She pressed her lips together, as though the release of one small breath might deflate her.

“And he did help you. You’re here now, aren’t you?”

Libitina opened her eyes and looked directly into mine. “Did you send him? Unas?”

I broke out in a cold sweat. “No. Absolutely not. I considered it, but I decided it wasn’t the right call. I would never want to hurt you, Libby.”

“How many are dead?” West asked.

“I don’t know.” Her lower lip trembled. “I had to step over bodies to reach the exit.”

My chest tightened at the image of sweet Libby climbing over blood-soaked bodies to escape the carnage. This was exactly the scenario I wanted to avoid when I opted not to utilize Unas as a weapon against them.

“Looks like Sage is here, and she isn’t alone,” West announced. “I’ll let them in.”

I was too focused on Libby to fully process his statement. “I’m so sorry this happened, Libby.”

Sage appeared behind the sofa, along with another familiar face, although this one was far less bloody than Libby’s. She hugged a messenger bag to her side.

I sprang to my feet. “Kami!” I skirted the sofa to embrace the prophecy goddess. “Are you hurt?”

“No. I hid in the stables until the coast was clear.” Her gaze darted to the sofa. “Is Libby all right?”

“She will be once I can get my hands on her.” Sage marched around the sofa and began to unpack a variety of lotions and potions from her rainbow backpack. “I wasn’t sure what her injuries were, so I brought what I could safely carry.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“I’m sorry about Ademir,” Kami said, her voice barely audible.

Pink splotches formed on Libby’s cheeks. “I know how he felt about me, although I didn’t feel the same for him. I feel guilty about that now.”

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