Page 32 of Phoenix Academy: Mayhem

The second says, "Not faceless."

"Soulless," adds the third.

I inhale sharply. "You mean the Heretic."

"He has many names," says the Salem witch. "His is a power that must be stopped. For the dead to walk the earth without a tether to their spirits, immutable laws must be violated. He has broken them all. His continued presence disturbs the Spirit Realm and leashes the dead to their eternal pain and fury."

Suddenly I'm at a loss. It never occurred to me that the mysterious presence the Blue Phoenix warned me about in my dreams was him. I assumed it was the trickster demon or something else completely disconnected from my past.

My father has been many things to me: the monster who gave me nightmares, the shadow in the dark, the reason why Mom moved me and Lizzy around so often, and eventually the Heretic, the name I've thought of him as the most.

"You want me to fight him? To... to kill him?"

The eldest Blue Phoenix speaks. "He must be vanquished."

"Found."

"Destroyed."

"It will be a mercy," says the Salem Blue Phoenix. "His soul is corrupted and trapped. Once his flesh is put to rest, he will be free to move on. To be what he once was before he was risen."

Before he was risen."Do you know who did that? Who—who brought my father back from the dead and turned him into a soulless man?"

A look passes between the women. "Some things are not for you to know."

"But one day perhaps you will."

"Or another in your place."

I frown at them. "Okay. So I'll fight my father. In order to do that, I need to get out of Hell. Think maybe you could help with that, since you're currently giving so many answers?"

I'm frustrated. It leaks into my voice. The Blue Phoenix elders give me a look, as if they're aunts of mine seeing reproachful behavior.

"Help will come," says the first.

The second, "Time will heal."

The third, "You will find the way."

And the fourth Salem Blue Phoenix, "She will pass you the torch."

As I open my mouth to ask them what the ever-living fuck that means, they begin to fade. The dreamland changes, smoothes over. And bit by bit it disappears.

This is all the time they'll give me. All the answers. And it wasn't enough—it was basically nothing when you get down to it. I already knew my father was a threat I would need to one day face; and as for their words about escaping Hell, just wait and something may happen isn't exactly the advice I was looking for.

I prefer to make my own way through the world instead of sitting around hoping rescue will come. In this case, I have to do the rescuing myself. To prove to my guys that I care for them. To show them I would never leave them behind.

Opening my eyes, I face the door. Force myself up to my feet. And stretch my fingers, thoughts coalescing in my head.

"Step back, Nehamae. Or—fly back or whatever. I'm going to try a few things."

The fairy gives me a look, but she swoops away from the door and comes to land on the golden path. I can feel Xavier's curiosity on me as I step towards the door with my hands out, as well as David's bitter unhappiness burning into my back. Reggie lounges near the door on his back, hands stapled behind his head, only his eyes moving to track me.

I hope this works.

Taking a deep breath in, I run through all the runes I know. And pick one that seems likely to work: unlock. It's a simple rune, given, but sometimes simplest is best.

I draw it in the air just above the door's latch. Nehamae snorts derisively, but I ignore her. Even if this doesn't work, it's worth a shot.

---