I set Alex on the weight bench. Tying him up didn’t appear to violate the “do no harm” rule, though I couldn’t pull the ropes quite as tight as I wanted to. Nothing that would bruise or abrade the skin or cut off the circulation. “You sound like my therapist.”
YOU CARRY TOO MUCH GUILT AND TOO MANY REGRETS. THEY MAKE YOU UNCERTAIN. SLOW TO ACT. GODS AREN’T BURDENED WITH SUCH SELF-DOUBT.
“I’ve read the stories,” I said. “A lot of gods could use a healthy dose of self-doubt.”
SO IMPERTINENT.
“I’ve missed you, too.”
She paused, then said,IF YOU SURVIVE THIS, IEXPECT MANY HOURS OF MUSICAL TRIBUTE. AND AN OUTING FOR MILKSHAKES.
“Agreed.” I turned toward the two thralls and the burning portal on the south wall. The sight of this infection destroying the foundation of my home filled me with revulsion. “Any chance you could do something about this, too?”
THE POWER WITHIN THAT SPELL IS UNNATURAL AND FROM BEFORE MY TIME. IT WOULD BE, AS YOU USED TO SAY, MY KRYPTONITE.
I approached the closer of the two thralls. They didn’t respond, not even when I dug my fingers around an arm and tried to peel it from the limestone. I felt Artemis draw back. I wanted to do the same. The skin squelched and wriggled, and an eyeball on the shoulder blinked up at me.
The thing wouldn’t budge.
R’GNGYK FEEDS THROUGH THEM. ALEX THOUGHT HE COULD CONTROL THIS, BUT NOTHING WILL STOPR’GNGYK FROM SUCKLING.
“First of all, I hate you a little for that image.” I released the rubbery-slick arm and backed away. I wanted to boil my hands to wash off the feel of alien skin and slime. “We have to get Morgan and Sage out of the house.”
ISEE YOUR THOUGHTS, JENNIFER.
“I don’t know how to stop this!” Fear and frustration turned my words sharper than I intended. “I’m not Temple. I don’t have a library’s worth of magical spells and knowledge at my fingertips. You think Iwantto destroy our home? But Ronnie was right. It might be the only way to stop R’gngyk from coming through.”
ITHINK YOU ANDRONNIE UNDERESTIMATE THE DAMAGE THE DESTRUCTION OF THIS PLACE COULD DO.
I paused. “How much damage?”
THIS HOME WITH ITS ACCUMULATED MAGICS RIVALS THE OLD TEMPLES. NO PUN INTENDED. IF ALL THAT POWER WERE RELEASED IN SUCH AN UNCONTROLLED WAY, IT WOULD DEVASTATE MUCH OF THIS TOWN.
I sagged against a bare patch of the wall. Blow up most of Salem, or let Alex’s new best friend eat the world. “That’s still better than letting Ringo come through.”
THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, HUNTER. CHOICES BEYOND VIOLENCE AND SACRIFICE. YOU’VE SPENT THIRTY-THREE YEARS PROVING THAT. LIKEALEX, ITHOUGHT YOU WEAK WHEN YOU LEFT ME. BUTIWATCHED YOU. I’VE SEEN THE STRENGTH OF YOUR PATH.
Despite my despair, warmth filled me at the knowledge that Artemis had watched over me all that time. “You were right,” I admitted. “I was weak and afraid and ashamed. I cut out a part of myself.”
MORTALS ARE IMPERFECT. YOU’RE NO EXCEPTION. BUT PERHAPS SUCH TALK IS BETTER SAVED FOR AFTER YOU’VE SAVED THIS WORLD?
Rude. “If you have a suggestion, tell me.”
ALEX OPENED A WOUND IN THIS PLACE. HEAL THE WOUND.
“Oh, sure. I’ll just grab the giant metaphysical band-aids from the closet. That and some Neosporin should—” I stopped myself. Sassing a goddess was never smart, even when you were on good terms with said goddess. “Forgive me. In the past, the house has always healed itself. Or else Temple has taken care of it. But Temple is too weak. The effort would kill him before he could fix this.”
HEAL IT YOURSELF.
“How?”
Her presence faded, leaving me once again in full control of my body. A body that felt better than it had in years. She hadn’t just healed the gunshot; she’d taken the edge off my arthritis. The tightness in my lower back had eased. I even had full motion in my neck.
I felt more like myself, morewhole, than I had in decades.
Artemis’s laughter filled my thoughts. It was my favorite sound in the world, and it had been too long since I’d last heard it.DO YOU THINKTEMPLEFINN IS THE ONLY ONE WITH A BOND TO THIS PLACE?
CHAPTER26
