In that moment, every trace of fear left in me disintegrates. Instead, I’m left feeling raw and disappointed.
It needs to stop.
I want to fix this, to help in any way I can.
I don’t want to hide anymore.
As that final thought enters my brain, the silvery light starts to hum within me, growing louder and louder, until finally, light explodes from me.
It feels as though my entire existence shatters with it.
Chapter 19
Rule nineteen:When offered a three-way as pain relief, the answer is always yes.
The crushing weight of the forsaken is off me in an instant.
Slowly, I uncurl from my protective ball and pull myself to standing, blinking at the brightness. My usual silvery wisps of light have been replaced by a solid silver sphere. But the light isn’t stagnant. I watch, transfixed, as it pulses outwards from me. Within the sphere, every forsaken is enveloped by the silvery light.
The humming sensation inside of me continues like there is a battery powering this energy.
I don’t think I’ve even taken a breath yet. I may not be capable of it. I’m paralyzed, watching the light spread further and further. Until finally, whether hoursor seconds later, the light comes violently crashing back toward me.
I only have a second’s warning, but it makes no difference as the bright silver glow slams into me, its crushing impact knocking me back to the ground.
Everything goes dark.
When my consciousness trickles back in, my immediate thought is that I really hope there are no more forsaken around. All I can picture is a pack of them feasting on my innards while I was blacked out.
My imagination is not my friend.
Thankfully, when I open my eyes, I only see a few freed spirits circling me. They don’t seem violent, and though they’re silent, they keep gesturing to each other, repeatedly pointing to my leg.
Frowning, I sit up, only to realize the entirety of the forest still retains a faint silver glow. My jaw drops once I realize its source. Every last forsaken has been replaced by a freed spirit. Beyond the few directly around me, the others all wait, standing at attention, forming a circle around me. There are thousands of them.
One of the spirits closest to me kneels, pointing to my thigh. He looks concerned. Following his gaze, I catch sight of the scratch left by one of the forsaken. Blood is oozing out.
I grimace. It looks deep. And it will undoubtedly start bleeding more when I start walking. Still, I can’t just sit here all night with my new ghostly entourage.
The spirit doesn’t move, and I smile weakly at him. “It’s okay. I can patch myself up.”
He nods, accepting my answer before returning to stand with the others.
The scratch starts just below my hip and ends halfway down my thigh. I need to slow the bleeding before I can get out of here.
You’d think fighting outfits would come equipped with mini first aid kits, but I’m high and dry. That’s a serious workplace safety hazard.
Instead, I pull off my belt and tighten it around the top of my leg, making it so tight I want to scream. It’s excruciating, but does the trick, slowing the blood loss.
I don’t think about the matching scratches on my arm and back or about the possibility of supernatural sepsis. Instead, I stand, testing my weight on my injured leg.
It hurts like hell, but I can walk.
I look at the huge crowd of spirits waiting all around me. “Will you walk me home? In case there are more threats?”
The spirit in the water outside Leon’s castle didn’t leave until I told her to go. Hopefully, these spirits will be similarly inclined because I don’t think I have enough energy even to light a match.
Thankfully, the spirits look like they’re willing to help. Some nod, while others place their fist to their chests in a show of solidarity.
