Page 84 of Haunted Hearts

“Theo?”

Willow’s voice pulls me out of my dark thoughts. I turn around slowly to face the others, my shoulder stiffening as I brace myself for a confession. Meeting Willow’s beautiful green eyes, I admit,

“Fulton is hiding in my family’s vacation home.”

I swallow as her eyes widen and the others gasp. “It sits about thirty miles away from Everlast. We used to go there when I was a child, when my parents wanted a reprieve from their duties while still being close enough if they were needed. If I’m not mistaken, it’s probably just out of view in the scrying waters.”

Everyone is silent while they process this information.

And while they do, Willow and I stare at one another. The surprise on her face shifts. The smile that pulls at her lips is short, sweet, and full of understanding. She doesn’t blame me for my family’s wicked intentions and deeds. Why I expected condemnation, is beyond me. Has Willow ever faulted me or tried to hold me accountable for the things that are out of my control? Never. And if this woman can so selflessly love someone with baggage like mine, why must I hold onto the disgust that doesn’t belong to me, but to my family? I have nothing to do with Fulton and his relationship to the Fae, that is all my family’s doing.

But I can certainly be the one to try to end all ties with him.

“That house is heavily warded with protection spells. It alerts the residents when a presence tries to step onto surrounding property. If Fulton is there, Death Magic or no, the Brotherhood is well aware of it. In fact, I’m sure the Brotherhood are the ones who respelled the place so Fulton can come and go.” I look around at everyone in the room. “Their relationship must have picked up right where it left off before he left them high and dry to come here to the Realm of the Dead. If that’s the case, the Brotherhood will make sure Fulton is watched and protected by Ghosts to make sure he holds up his end of whatever bargain they must have made.”

Viktor groans as a vein throbs in his forehead. “Lovely. Fucking, lovely.”

“But why would Fulton help them?” Jonah shakes his head, “Doesn’t he want to be this all-mighty and powerful warlock? What would helping another, who wants the same thing as him, do for the warlock?”

“He’s not really helping them, Jonah,” Viktor mutters as his eyes fall back to the scene in the scrying pool. “He’s using them. Fulton now has a roof over his head, a protection detail, and all the resources he needs to continue to figure out how to absorb more Death Magic. Trapping spirits in those stones to use whenever he needs to power up won’t be enough for long.”

I nod in agreement.

“Ok, well, none of this sounds like too much of a problem for us,” Jonah shrugs. “Willow’s magic nullifies magic from the Realm of the Living so she can just cut through whatever protection spell is around Theo’s house—”

“That’s not my house.” I bristle.

“Whatever,” Jonah rolls his eyes. “Willow can wave her hand and her magic will take down the barrier easily. And because we’re dead, we’ll be unseen by the Ghosts who may, or may not, be protecting the property. We can slip in and out unnoticed, no problem. Hell, even Fulton may not be able to see us. I say we go now and capture him.”

“Capture?” Willow repeats sharply, drawing our attention. “Oh no, there is no ‘capturing’ when it comes to Fulton. I’m going to kill him.”

The growl that comes from Kwil says he’s very much down with that plan. Gauging everyone’s expression from around the room, we all feel the same way. Before we can kill Fulton, however, we have to get to him and as safely as possible.

“I have a sinking suspicion it won’t be ‘easy’, Jonah.” My index finger lifts and taps against my lips as I begin to strategize how to go about taking care of the warlock. “Fulton still has Death Magic, and I am willing to bet that he’s infused that magic into the protection spells to keep him safe from us. I’m certain he knows at least something from the Realm of the Dead is after him since Willow broke his victims free. He’ll have taken precautions to keep us from getting to him.”

Brock nods. “And I’m willing to bet that he probably has weapons and traps laid all over those woods to capture anything from the Realm of the Dead should it come poking around.” He pauses as he scowls. “I think we should really consider the fact Fulton may have given the Brotherhood Death Magic as a type of peace offering.”

I frown as I try to follow along with his train of thought. Then it clicks, “You think that if there are Ghosts protecting Fulton, they may have weapons that have Death Magic infused into them.”

The reaper nods. “And if they do, not only will they be able to see us, they could do some damage. Hell, they could probably even destroy our souls depending on the attack.”

Well… shit. That’s certainly something we’ll have to consider. Brock places both hands on the scrying pool and leans forward. When our eyes meet, his glitter with excitement.

“I think I have an idea.”

I raise a brow expectantly. “We’re all ears.”

“What if we severed Fulton’s connection with the Brotherhood? Without them, Fulton won’t have an army to protect him. And I doubt the Brotherhood would let Fulton keep possession over the house that belongs to them if they no longer wish to work for him. He’ll be forced to go on the run.”

Kwil grins, “And that will leave him vulnerable.”

Hope warms the center of my chest. “You know… I think you may be on to something. We’ll have to be smart about this.”

Brock agrees with a sharp nod. “Tell me everything about your people and the Brotherhood. Maybe having an outsider looking in might give insight you haven’t thought of before when it comes to besting the organization.”

I haven’t givenanythought, until now, to attempting to best the Brotherhood. Looking at the organization from an internal and external point of view might be exactly what we need in order to figure out where their strengths and weaknesses are. That damn stone in my stomach grows heavier. Who knew it would come down to this? Us versus the Brotherhood. We’re no longer runningfromthem. We’re talking about runningtothem.

How the hell did it all come to this?

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