Page 103 of Haunted Hearts

“Damn it!” Kwil roars. “What the fuck was that?”

He grabs a vase of flowers off the side table next to a wingback chair and chucks them across the room. The vase shatters, sending porcelain, water, and flowers everywhere.

“Nice, real nice, Kwil.” I glare at him. “A mess for Willow to come back to.”

“Ifshe comes back!” He rounds on me, his teeth baring like a rabid dog. “She’s never been gone this long, and she’s never returned looking likethat! Fuck the vase, Jonah.”

I step back, not entertaining his madness. Kwil snarls again and paces away from us. I turn my attention to Theo, who is running his fingers through his hair, messing up the auburn strands.

“We need to get her back, Theo. Now, she needs us more than ever.”

“Yes, I know.” Theo lets out an exasperated sigh. “I think it’s safe to say we’re all trying.”

I shake my head, “’Trying’ isn’t working, is it? We need to do more!”

I move away as Viktor stomps towards the bedroom. There has to be some way to get Willow back. Why is the realm doing this? Why won’t it let her free? Where is Death? Can’t he feel Willow suffering if he’s part of the realm too? Could… Could Fulton be behind Willow’s suffering? Has he found a way to manipulate the Realm of the Dead? Is that even possible? I don’t even know what’s possible and what’s not anymore. My life…ah,death,has really thrown me a curve ball.

My hands curl up at my side as I turn around to glare at Theo. “Figure something out.”

He looks over at me, his pupils narrowing. “If I could do something, I would. I don’t want this any more than any of you.”

I know this and I feel the heat rise in my cheeks, but still, we can’t just stand here. Before I can open my mouth to apologize there’s a sharp knock on the apartment door. Viktor gets to the door first and flings it open.

“We’re in trouble,” Brock announces as Viktor steps aside for him to enter. Theo lets out a sigh as Kwil stops his pacing.

As Viktor shuts the door Brock walks over to stand in the middle of the room, between all of us.

“What is it? What’s going on?” I ask before Theo can.

Brock’s been gone for two days. Where has he been? What news does he bring? Does he have answers on how to get Willow back?

Brock looks around at all of us, his expression grim. “I met up with Caveman and Remy yesterday. They told me that Death was sighted in the newer sector of the Realm of the Dead. Apparently, the newer realms are still crumbling in on themselves. It’s practically apocalyptic. Death is trying to do what he can, but things are getting worse by the hour and it’s spreading. He can’t help Willow when so many spirits are at a risk of blinking out of existence. The Realm of the Dead is unstable.That’swhy Willow is trapped. The Realm of the Dead is trying to fix itself and is pulling at whatever it can to be whole again.”

I swear and throw up my hands. “Well, we know whythatis. Fulton is up in the Realm of the Living, living his best life and using Death Magic. He’s the cause of all of this.” I whirl around to face Theo. “We have to go kill him. Now. There’s no time to wait.”

Theo’s brows come together, deep in concentration.

“We can’t do that, Jonah.”

“Why not?” I demand. Clearly, that’s the answer. Stop Fulton, stop the disturbance. “We can go now and take him by surprise. Death gave us armor to protect us, and Fulton won’t just throw what Death Magic he has lingering around at us all willy-nilly. If we come at him from all different angles, he won’t be able to stop us. I know I’m not much of a fighter, but I can—”

Theo is already shaking his head before I finish.

“No, Jonah.”

“Tell me why not!” I roar, throwing up my hands in frustration. “Theo, Willow is sufferingagainbecause of this warlock.”

Her terror still comes and goes but when it’s here, it’s full blown. Time has done nothing to lessen the emotion. It mixes occasionally with what I think is despair, but I can’t be absolutely positive.

Brock sighs, “None of us want this for her, Jonah. But we have to be logical about this. Leaving to kill Fulton would be unwise.’

“Because?”

Theo glares at me, “For one, can you imagine the type of strain you would put on Willow if even just one of us tried to go to the Realm of the Living? Quadruple that pain if all four go?”

Brock shakes his head, “Her soul could shatter.”

I cringe.

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