Page 85 of Rites of Passage

Runes sparked in the shadows. They floated up toward her, as if rising from a deep ocean. The spell took shape hazily.

Mae forced herself to stay calm, not wanting to rush the process. It finally crystallized into something she could grasp. Cognition blazed through her mind. Her pulse quickened.

She inhaled and voiced the incantation she had just learned. “Reveal!”

There was a sensation of movement.

Mae blinked. Her breath locked in her throat.

She was floating in the air high above a city, Charlotte’s soul fluttering gently inside her cupped palms.

I dislike heights, Brimstone groaned.

Mae’s head snapped around. The fox was levitating next to her, a distinctively green tinge on his furry face.

Hellreaver was doing cartwheels through a thin bank of clouds to their left, faintwhoopeenoises leaving him.

The fox eyed the weapon darkly.He is such a child.

“Wait!” Mae’s heart pounded heavily as she looked at the metropolis spread out beneath her feet. “Is this real?!”

Brimstone heaved a sigh of relief as he found purchase on her shoulder. “It’s as real as you want it to be, my witch.”

The cool breeze ruffling her hair and the moisture soaking into her skin reaffirmed her suspicions that this wasn’t an illusion.

“Did we just—teleport above Philadelphia?!” she squealed.

There was movement to her right.

Alicia’s reaper form blurred into view. “There you are! We wondered where you’d gone.” She glanced at the city below and made a face. “You better return soon. They’re all freaking out down there. I’ll go tell them you’re okay.”

Mae nodded jerkily and watched her vanish.

She focused her attention on Charlotte’s soul and what she had intended to do.

* * *

Vlad pacedthe floor of Bryony’s room, his stomach a tight knot. Tarang walked back and forth beside him, the tiger brushing against his leg and letting out comforting rumbles.

It had been several minutes since Mae, Brimstone, and Hellreaver had vanished along with Charlotte’s soul, leaving the rest of them in a blind panic as to their fate.

“I can’t believe she just did that!” Nikolai scowled, jaw so tight the incubus was surprised he hadn’t cracked a molar. “Barquiel and Oscar are still out there, dammit!”

Alastair nudged the sorcerer’s cheek gently.

Vlad’s nails dug into his palms. Their familiars were doing a damn better job at keeping cool than they were.

He stopped and glowered at Alicia. “Are you sure she’s fine?”

“The only one who looked like he was having a hard time was the fox.” Alicia sighed at their sour stares. “I don’t think she’ll be long.”

“Maybe we should put a leash on her,” Violet suggested bitterly.

“Don’t tempt me,” Nikolai growled.

A cool wind swept the room. They stiffened.

Mae, Brimstone, and Hellreaver reappeared in a whoosh of air.

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