The only way my brothers and I had escaped the creature before was with Shadow magic.
“Jonas, can you talk to it?”
“No. It only responds to those of Shadow, not Darkness.” Pain bracketed Jonas’ mouth, and his aura flickered as he struggled.
I needed Shadow magic, and I knew of only one woman capable of helping me now. Quickly casting an emergency spell, I caught my brother.
Aerolus answered my mental call with his own. “Brother, what plagues you?”
Startled at the clarity of his speech, I glanced around, expecting to see him close. I sent back, I need your help. We’re under Nocumat attack.
He swore, then his affai spoke.
Alandra’s husky voice was more than welcome. You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you, Cadmus? Nocumat attack, hmm? Just repeat after me. “Afwel Sava otol.”
I repeated the foreign words, relieved beyond measure when the Nocumat immediately dropped Jonas. Alarm replaced relief, however, when the thing advanced on me.
Alandra? What now?
Tell him I said hello.
This is no time for niceties. Jonas is dying!
Cadmus, tell the creature to return to Lord Sava before I report a Nocumat working with Sin Garu. Remind him of Oxcen’s punishment and he’ll leave you alone.
I swore I heard her mutter, “I hope,” but repeated her words anyway.
The Nocumat seemed to understand me and cringed, for the lack of a better description. Then it shot back into the wraith’s mouth and disappeared.
The wraith jerked and glared at us, lifting its arms as it gathered a strange ball of blue energy. Bracing myself and Jonas with an energy shield, I felt sure the wraith would have attacked had it not been thrown off balance by the monster it caged inside itself.
Taking advantage, we unleashed our magic.
The wraith burst into blue fire, its body as insubstantial as the dying flame. The Nocumat had disappeared, nowhere to be found.
Panting, I bent over to catch my breath. When I could speak, I rasped, “By all that’s Light, what was that thing?”
Jonas shook his head. “I have a bad feeling we’ve just seen one of Sin Garu’s latest hybrids.” He clutched his belly and fell to his knees as he flashed back into the form of a man.
“Jonas?”
“Ellie’s not safe,” Jonas said in between breaths. “Not if they’ve found you here. They’ll know where she lives. They’ll definitely be watching this place. We have to bring her back.”
“Back?”
“To Foreia. Where she’ll be safe, at least for the time being.”
“She won’t go.” I knew she wouldn’t willingly visit Foreia. Not if she held so much animosity towards her father.
Jonas wheezed, “She’ll have no choice, and neither will Amanda. Fuck.” He rubbed his abdomen and stood with my help. “I really hate the stupid Shadow-dwellers.”
“Aren’t they your people?” I walked him to the door and accepted the keys he handed me. We left Ellie’s place a mess. I felt bad, but we needed to get Jonas first aid. Now.
“My people? Hell, Cadmus. That’s like calling humans Light Bringers because they walk in the sun. Dumbass.”
The insult relieved me. If Jonas could rail at me, he couldn’t be too injured.
“So I’m finally going to meet Mrs. Ethim il Ruethe,” I said as we left the house and neared his vehicle.
