“You…will be heard…now rise, my follower.”
The pain overwhelms me, blasting me into wakefulness.
“Agh!”Bolting upright, I hyperventilate.When I recall I’m safe at home, I feel my bare chest.The room is dark, and everything seems in order.
But my right arm feels heavier.When I turn on the light, a gasp escapes my lips.
I’m wearing a piece of le gantelet des ténèbres.
The next evening, I’m at my bookshop desk perusing through as many magical history books as I can.It’s a slow day, with hardly any customers, and the agents of SPELL don’t need me right now.So I’m able to do my own research.
That voice…Vik…and now I have a piece of the gauntlet.Each of my books details experiments with the Other Side.This gauntlet could be, no, definitely is the key to opening a portal.I have geo arcanum and enough magical skills to temper the potential instability of the portal.Still, the High Council would lose their minds if they heard about what I’m even considering.
They don’t know I have a piece of the gauntlet.I didn’t ask for it, but it’s here, in my bedroom, in my possession.
Yet, when I think about entering the Other Side of my own volition, all to save my brother, I picture one face, and I stop.Luther would be furious, but also disappointed.I might break his heart.Do I really need to choose between my boyfriend and possibly rescuing my brother?
I close the books and sigh.It just isn’t fair.Maybe I need to do what I need to do to fix my life again, and that means using this dark relic.All good things come with risks, right?
Before I can go upstairs, Luther’s name pops up on my cell.“Hello?”
“Hey,” he says over the phone.“What did you end up doing tonight?”
Gazing around the shop, I reply, “Just catching up on books and inventory.”
“Ah.Well, I wanted to call and say I’m so sorry I had to cancel our date night.My mom needed help moving her stuff, and…”
“Don’t sweat it,” I say with a smile.“I can’t occupy all your time.”
“I know.I was just looking forward to dinner and a movie at your place.”
I snicker.“You can’t get enough of me, can you?”
He pauses, then I can almost hear his smile when he replies, “Honestly?Facts.I really do enjoy spending time with you.”
My smile falls.“I do, too.Look, babe, I’ll see you tomorrow.We’ll have our time together, I promise.”
“I promise, too.I’m committed to balancing our relationship with work.Unless you think I’m smothering you!”
I laugh softly.“No such thing, Luther Westbrook.”
“Goodnight, Taz Devries.”
“Night.”After I hang up, the silence is deafening.
Alone.I’m alone in my bookshop, like I often am.But Luther makes me feel less alone.We fought as kids, but now we’re together.He makes me feel like a priority.He takes away my loneliness.
Is he worth potentially losing if I travel into this dark dimension?
CHAPTER 16- LUTHER
CHIEF TUTTLE STEPSup to the podium, and the whole room quiets down.Almost a dozen of us are piled into the room, waiting for the debrief.We used to have very few people come to these SPELL meetings, but this cultist case is serious business.The past several weeks have had some close calls, but when I glance at the gorgeous man to my left, I can’t say I regret these missions.
Seeing him unconscious last week, near yet another dead body, frightened me more than I can describe.I don’t know what I’d do if I lost Taz in the line of battle.Therefore, this meeting is extra important.
“As you all know, we’ve been working on tracking the dark magic organization known as the Cult of the Unheard.”Chief Tuttle points to the screen displaying various images of our recent case files.“Between Max’s memories returning and all the information on their victims across the continent, we’ve managed to profile a motivation.The cult is using blood sacrifices, be they kidnapped victims or active members, to fuel the ability to access the Other Side.”
“These sacrifices are being used as resources for whichever warlocks are leading this violent magical movement.But they need more involvement, hence gathering followers.So far, the group has preyed on both mortals and mages who feel slighted by society.Those who lack tangible success.All of the victim profiles are lower income, with friends and family stating common themes of isolation, lack of life fulfillment, and anger at the world.”
