Page 30 of Soul of a Witch

“It always is. I don’t usually sleep this much.”

I was used to long nights, aching eyes, and drowsy days. When the world was asleep, that was when I found freedom.

There was another long beat of silence.

Then he said, “When my mind will not calm, music helps me. If you would like, I can play for you.”

Perhaps this truly was a dream. The difference between waking and sleeping seemed utterly insignificant in the dead of night, in that tiny room with a demon at my side. Silently, I nodded, and watched his shadow cross the room to sit on the bench before the piano.

His clawed fingers moved soundlessly over the keys, exploring them, as if refamiliarizing himself with something long forgotten.

Then, he began to play.

The melody that poured out of his fingers could have been written by an old master of the instrument. Slow and gentle at first, it soared into a complex crescendo. His fingers moved with inhuman speed and ease. The song was unlike anything I’d ever heard, and yet, it was familiar too. Like a memory from early childhood, impossible to remember clearly but imprinted on my mind.

It wasn’t long before I was asleep again.

When I awoke the next morning, I was alone. But a blanket lay over me, and my books had been carefully stacked on the table nearby.

It wasn’t a dream.

Hesitant as I was to wander the halls alone, I desperately needed to find my way to a bathroom. Cautiously, I poked my head out into the hall, looking to and fro for any wandering wraiths. I’d left Grandma’s radio in the library, but I could feel her presence nearby in a lingering scent of patchouli and a cool, directionless breeze. It made me feel a little bolder.

“Callum?” I winced the moment I called out. I really didn’t like raising my voice, but this house was so vast and I didn’t trust myself to find my way alone just yet. There was no answer, and I took a few cautious steps down the hall toward the staircase. “Callum? I don’t really know how to summon you, but uh…appear, please?”

A prickly feeling went up the back of my neck, and I glanced over my shoulder. Nothing but a long, empty hallway. My fingertips tingled, heat trickling through my veins. My magic was so close, more accessible than ever before. But the weight of it was intimidating, like waves crashing against the walls of a dam, threatening to break through.

Turning back around, I came face-to-face with black eyes and sharp teeth.

Sparks burst from my mouth as I shrieked, stumbling backward. Clapping my hand over my mouth in disbelief, I took deep breaths for several moments to calm my racing heart, glaring at the demon who’d snuck up on me.

“You called?” he said, giving me a crooked smile that was hardly innocent.

It was remarkable I hadn’t pissed myself. Folding my arms, I grumbled, “You should wear a bell so you don’t give me a heart attack.”

“A bell? Like the one’s humans put on their cats?” He tipped his head to the side curiously, seeming to give the idea some thought. “Only if you promise to drag me around on a leash. Then I’ll gladly wear your collar.”

My face bloomed with heat. That wasnotthe kind of thought I needed right now, but it was too late — he’d planted the seed and all I could think about was this monstrous being crawling toward me on his hands and knees, as I pulled the leash taut.

The demon drew in his breath, suddenly turning his face away from me. “Stop that, Everly.”

“Stop? Stop what?”

“Stop fantasizing.” His voice was sharp, but not with anger. It was desperation. “It arouses you, and that is incredibly…” He paused, his throat visibly moving as he swallowed. “...distracting.”

Part of me was embarrassed he could tell. But another part of me, in a deeper and practically unexplored part of my mind, felt a sudden rush of power.

“Where were you?” Maybe conversation would distract me from the fantasies still roaring through my mind.

“I was clearing the house of wraiths for you, lady witch. The halls are now safe for you to wander. I would suggest familiarizing yourself with the layout, but remain cautious. This house holds many secrets, and not everything is as it seems.”

The idea of being able to finally explore these halls safely, whenever I wished, brought an immediate smile to my face. “Thank you! I will, I’ll be careful. Maybe I should make a map, if my sketchbook isn’t completely ruined…”

“It isn’t,” he said. “Your books are a bit waterlogged but readable. You have some interesting choices in literature.”

He said it so casually, with a mischievous smile. Shaking my head in disbelief, I said, “You went through my bag?”

He blinked slowly, as if my irritation confused him. “Yes, I did.”

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