Page 6 of Ghostly Touches

Though the man didn’t raise his voice, he’s most certainly given an order. I have to bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling. What I wouldn’t give for Mr. Handsome to givemean order.

Kwil doesn’t move from beside me. There is a short stretch of tense silence as the two eye each other up. What’sthisabout?

“Can we hurry this up?” the spirit of their friend, Viktor, snaps. “We must get moving.”

“I thinkyouhave all the time in the world,” I point out.

The spirit turns its attention towards me. “I’m not fully dead yet.”

I shrug. “Alright, if you say so.”

No point in arguing with a spirit. I turn to the other two, who are having a stare down.

“If I’m going to help you guys, can I get your names? It’s clear you know who I am… and where I live.” I give both living men a pointed look. “I think the least you can do is introduce yourselves.”

The auburn-haired Fae sighs and looks at me.

“You’re right. I apologize for my poor manners. It has been a while since we’ve conversed with others. My name is Theodon of Windom, though you may call me Theo. Beside you is Kwil of Glenwig, and our friend who needs your assistance is Viktor of Fowlmor. Thank you for not kicking us out of your home, Miss Harvest.”

I wave a dismissive hand in his direction.

“Call me Willow.”

I move over to Viktor’s spirit and body to take a look at what I’m dealing with. Kwil moves with me like a shadow. I’m not sure if it’s because he doesn’t trust me to look after his friend or if it’s something else, but I try to ignore the mysterious Kwil to focus my attention on the task at hand.

“So how did Viktor get into this predicament?”

There’s a short pause before Theo says, “The three of us were on a mission when we followed a Shadebroode back here into our world. We stumbled upon—”

“Wait, a mission?” I ask quickly.

Theodon makes a face. It’s not necessarily one of annoyance. He seems much too refined for that, but he’s clearly not a fan of being interrupted.

“Yes, we are a part of an elite Brotherhood called—”

“Oh my god, you’re Ghosts!” I interrupt once again as things start falling into place.

The fancy white cloaks, a rare Fae, and the ability to capture a monster... Who else could they be except Ghosts?

The legendary group is more a myth now than anything else. The Ghosts are a group of high-ranking warriors of unknown origin that were, long ago, tasked with the mission to keep monsters from breaking through to this world from some unknown land. I never dreamed that Ghosts were real. None have been seen in… well, ever. It’s rumored that is why they are called Ghosts: their ability to do their job without ever being seen.

Holy shit.

These are the men they tell us about when we’re children, assuring us the monsters in our closets or under our beds aren’t there because the Ghosts that walk between worlds have already come to destroy them. I have Ghosts inmyhouse. As a necromancer that shouldn’t be unusual, I suppose. But these Ghosts are not only legendary, they’realive.

Theodon nods once and continues, “We were on a mission when things went south. This Shadebroode here did something to Viktor. The only reason it’s still alive is because we were not sure if he would be needed in order to fix this situation. Viktor looks dead, but he’s not. We were hoping that since you have experience with death that maybe you could… do something, I suppose.”

The concern on Theo’s face is touching.

“Of course, I’ll help you guys,” I assure him with a half-smile. “You do so much for our world and yet you’re thought of as myths. It’s the least I can do to say thanks.”

“I appreciate that, but it is as it should be,” Theodon says. “We are myths because we wish to keep the alarm to any danger at a minimum.”

I nod in understanding.

“So you, what? Want me to put your friend back into his body?” I ask as I glance towards the monster who bares its teeth in my direction.

Theo nods once. “If that’s all that needs to be done, yes. Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated.”

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