Page 120 of Haunted Hearts

As if he can hear my thoughts, Kwil’s head whips around to face me. Our eyes meet as his shoulders heave up and down. He flashes me a bloody grin before he turns his attention back on the creature weakly thrashing around beneath him.

“Well, that’s one way to do it,” Brock mutters as he pulls me away from both monsters.

“Brock, Willow, look!” Remy rushes up to us, pointing at the house. We turn as one as power crackles in the air.

The barrier around the house shatters.

It falls down like broken glass, evaporating before it touches the ground. Above us the Purcians let out loud, agitated shrieks before dropping lower. Their hunger for power is palpable.

The sound that comes out of my mouth is something like a squeal of delight and a snarl of revenge. It belongs to someone like Kwil or the creature he has just finished mauling. Without even thinking, I’m taking a step towards the house.

“Willow, no!” Brock grabs my wrist and yanks me back. “You don’t know what other spells he has closer to the house.”

I yank my wrist free to glare at him. “I’m willing to risk it.”

“You may be, but we’re not,” Kwil snarls, his arm coming around my waist and pulling me back. “Look at the ground.”

I do as he tells me. The bones that have fallen from the sky begin to shake and roll together. They fuse at the joints and slowly, skeletons begin to rise from the ground.

Caveman chuckles nervously behind us. “Oh, well, this is creepy.”

I want to point out that he’s a reaper, people findhimcreepy. I’ll have to tease him later; we don’t have time now. Without waiting for them to attack, I turn at least ten of them into ash before throwing a stream of fire upwards at the flock of Purcians that try to grab me while my attention is elsewhere. The flames keep them at bay. They veer away and head towards the house. Several land on the roof and tear at the shingles, trying to bust their way into the house.

No! They can’t get to him first.

“He’s mine! Leave him alone!” I struggle in Kwil’s grasp, trying to escape.

Caveman and Remy leap forward, their scythes swinging through the air, destroying the army of skeletons that have now risen from the ground. Brock steps in front of me, power from his scythe shoots upwards, blasting the creatures from the sky.

Over the madness, a sharp whistle cuts through the noise. I barely hear it, but Kwil tenses and listens as a few more follow the first.

“It’s Theodon,” he says, letting go of me. I step away from him as my Mystery Man brings his fingers to his lips and lets out a string of short and long whistles.

While he converses with the others, I protect us from the threat from above. With the shield down, it’s like a free for all for these monsters. They slam into the house and try to rip us up off the ground. Some fight amongst themselves, tearing each other to pieces in the hopes to be the last one standing.

“Viktor…” Kwil starts but stops as he listens.

My stomach drops in horror.

“Viktor what?” I turn around to face Kwil, ignoring the threats on the ground, in the air, and coming from the house. “Talk to me Kwil!”

“He caught sight of Fulton inside the house.” Kwil tilts his head to the side as he listens. “Theo has joined Viktor, and Jonah is now with them. The reapers are keeping the skeletons off of the three of them while they creep up on the house from behind. They need us to hold the warlock’s attention.”

Brock grunts as his blade slides through the under belly of one of the Purcians as it swoops down towards us. “You got that all from a bunch of whistles?”

“We’ll have to teach you one day,” Kwil jumps forward and tackles a skeleton to the ground. He rips the skull off its neck and tosses it towards the incoming army of undead. It hits another skeleton square in the face, causing it to stumble back.

“Good luck trying to teach me.” Brock chuckles, stepping close to me. “I can’t whistle.”

“It’s all in the tongue and lips.”

“Trust me, I know how to use my mouth to make pleasing sounds. Willow’s divine whimpers are a testament to my skill with my tongue and lips.”

Kwil chuckles. “She does know how to make some wonderful sounds doesn’t she? If you can elicit those noises, then you can certainly whistle.”

“Can I not be a part of this conversation?” Remy groans as he cuts two skeletons off at the knees before dismembering them.

“I don’t know, sounds interesting,” Caveman ducks as monsters from up above tries to grab him. “It’s good information to have in case we run into any other goddesses in the future.”

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