Page 118 of Haunted Hearts

Chapter38

JONAH

Ithought the hail was hazardous enough.

But when bones start to descend from the black clouds overhead, I reassess the level of danger that comes with the falling ice. Getting hit with a kneecap will probably hurt worse than being struck with hail even with Death’s armor protecting me. I duck and jump out of the way of both, attempting to avoid unnecessary injury. Dodging the projectile missiles is what I’m focusing on when the groaning and creaking of something big captures my attention.

My head snaps upwards, not sure what to expect next. When my mouth falls open, it’s because watching a house descend in half speed, rotating on an invisible axis, isn’t what I am expecting. It’s not just any house. It’sTheo’sfamily’s house. The wind picks up and seems to catch it, slowing its progression downwards. With the wind whipping around the house, it looks like a scene from a movie. I half expect Fulton to be riding on a bicycle, cackling about red sequin shoes and a girl and her dog.

Willow brought awhole houseinto the Realm of the Dead? Is this intentional, or is this Willow struggling with her power? I mean, either way it’s effective, if not a bit overkill. Around me the four reapers that Theo put me in charge of, are shouting in excitement. Or terror. I’m not quite sure over the roaring of the storm.

I’m so wrapped up in watching its descent that I’ve forgotten about the projectile missiles. I’m pretty sure it’s a half of a humerus that hits my nose as it whips by at sixty miles an hour. The pain that flares up is followed by a spurt of blood.

“Fuck!” I grab my face. “Don’t forget to duck and dive, guys!”

“Kind of hard to forget when a skull just slammed into my leg,” one of them yells back.

My body jerks backwards as an arm, with hands and fingers still attached, flings by. It’s then that the world is rocked. The impact of a three-story house into the ground, no matter how slow it goes, is still enough to throw dirt and rock, clay, and dust upwards. The debris is caught up in Willow’s storm and makes visibility difficult. My tail braces itself against the ground, keeping me upright. The other four end up on their butts or faces.

“Come on, get up!” I roar, reaching down to grab the thin, ageless woman with blond ringlets in her hair. I think her name was Agatha, though I can’t be sure.

Around us, the air shifts. The wind slows down, though it doesn’t stop. Bones stop falling from the sky and the hail becomes smaller and less destructive. From where I’m standing, I’m facing the side of the house. There are four windows that I can see, but they’re dark. Are the curtains closed? Or is the interior of the house just as dark as Fulton soul?

I turn to look for Willow. The group has clustered together. From here I can’t tell if they’re conversing or simply waiting. What do we do now? Charge? Wait for Fulton to emerge,ifhe even emerges? Who knows if he even survived his trek into the realm? I hadn’t. Then again, I hadn’t been playing with Death Magic. I turn my attention back to the house. Nerves flutter in my stomach. I don’t know what to do. Shit, I really wish Theo was here. Or even Viktor. When I glance over at Theo, he has his group spread out in a loose line with their scythes, and his sword, out.

Ok, if he’s preparing for a fight, we need to, too.

“Come on guys, let’s copy what they’re doing,” I nudge my head in Theo’s direction. “It’ll, ah, be harder for Fulton to attack us if we’re not so close together.”

The reapers move without question or comment.

I’m both relieved and nervous. If one of them has a better suggestion, I’m all ears. None come. They must trust me. Weird. Why would these people trust me with their lives? It’s a huge responsibility. I glance at each of them as they spread out and brace themselves. My heart races. I’m not cut out for this. After this battle, I’m handing over the reins to someone more qualified. Like Theo. How does he manage this type of stress? Looking back at my time with him in the Realm of the Living, I realize this is probably why he was such an asshole. He had to deal with this type of stress all the time when he was looking out for Kwil and Viktor. He was in charge of seeing them through their missions in the Third Realm. When Viktor was cursed, Theo was in charge of finding out how to uncurse him. And he was hiding Kwil from the Brotherhood, so they wouldn’t kill him.

The constant worry that Fae must have carried around on his shoulders… I understand it and don’t envy it at all.

I look back over to his group as a whistle pierces the air. If I’m not mistaken, it’s coming from Willow’s group. Theo responds with his own whistle. It sounds exactly the same as the one that came before it. As if he knows what I’m thinking, Theo lifts his hands and makes the signal to hold.

“Alright guys, we’re waiting. Keep a look out for any signs of life… or, ah, death, I guess,” I tell my team.

The lanky reaper beside me chuckles. “You’ll get used to the verbiage the longer you’re here.”

I shoot him a short-lived smile. “Good to know.”

I hope you don’t die again, I want to add but bite my tongue.

A shriek overhead draws my attention away from the house and up towards the sky. Something moves in the clouds. Something large and somethingdangerous. The shrieking grows louder and multiplies into dozens and then hundreds of shrieks.

“Looks like the Purcians are here,” Agatha states unnecessarily. “We’re going to have our hands full.”

“They’re going to go for Willow,” my feet spread apart as my tail whips around in agitation behind me.

“Maybe, but whether the warlock is alive or if his spirit is inside, he’s going to see his fair share of trouble from them too. I can feel Death Magic all over this house.” The lanky reaper’s scythe catches the flash of lightning as it moves in his hand.

I glance over at him. “Wait, you can feel Death Magic?”

“Yeah, it’s surrounding the place.”

I look from him to the house. There’s no way there are protective wards still around the place, right? They couldn’t have made it through the Veil… could they? Slowly, I lift my hand and reach out. I don’t feel anything. I shuffle forward. My hand still doesn’t touch anything. Could the reaper be wrong? I take five, lengthy steps forward with my hand outstretched in front of me. On the last step, my hand hits something solid.

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