Evengi snaps his mouth shut and tilts his head as he studies me. “I’m not sure what mind games you are trying to play with me, but I won’t give you the satisfaction.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask and at my words the skeletons tighten their hold on Evengi’s arm.
He winces before he glances up at me, shaking his head to move his hair out of his face. “You’re not letting me go, not now that I know your little secret.”
I work my jaw as I stare into Evengi’s defiant gaze. I’ll admit, I’m not sure what to do with him once he tells me where Brom is.
I may play with the dead, but I’ve never actually killed anyone before. That’s my father’s and Corallin’s territory. My mother always kept Bronwyn and I away from that part of his business saying we were too young to have any business killing.
I always knew eventually that would change; one couldn’t remain too young forever. I’ll admit, I never put too much thought into it.
I certainly never thought I’d hesitate when the time came to do so. I even have a good reason to kill him, to protect my secret andyet I can’t help but find myself trying to reason out a way that I can get out of this without having to kill Evengi.
I could keep him here until I have the spellbook. Once I’m back with my family, I’ll be safe from Evengi’s accusations. Then he can tell Sunder Hollow all my dirty secrets.
But none of that will matter until I find Brom and make certain he is all right.
Then I’ll have to figure out just what to do with this Evengi Ichabod.
Chapter Fourteen
Evengi
I’ve run into quite a few situations during my time as a ghost hunter. Like the time I discovered a man had become a vampire by stumbling upon the ghost of the neighbor who was his first meal. Life as a priest of Neltruna has never been boring.
But I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a situation suite like this.
I pull on my arms, testing what appears to be skeletal hands holding me in place. I count at least three resurrected dead which means I’m in the presence of a very powerful necromancer.
The dead are raised and controlled by the force of their will, so I’m not sure why I’m so surprised. If there’s a word, I’d use to describe Natasya, it’s willful.
She eyes me warily as she leans up against the wall of the tomb. I’m not sure what game she is playing in accusing me of making Brom disappear. It’s obvious she’s used him in some sort of dark ritual. I was right to suspect her. She’s a necromancer after all.
But it begs the question of why she is putting on this act. Who is she hoping to fool? The skeletons?
I flex my fingers, deciding that my best chance of survival is to keep her talking. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure why I’m still alive now that I know her secret, but it’s probable that she needs a living soul to sacrifice to her demigod for more power or something equally evil.
Maybe it’s the fate Brom had, but for now, I’m still alive, and I intend to keep it that way. I will not force the other priests of Neltruna to ship my remains back home to my parents.
“Why do you think I have anything to do with Brom’s disappearance?” I ask, tilting my head.
She raises her brow. “Don’t start playing innocent now. You broke into my house.”
“Because I suspectedyouof Brom’s disappearance.”
“You say that now because you’re worried of what I’m going to do when I find out that you killed my betrothed.” She steps forward narrowing her eyes. “But that’s nothing compared to what I’ll do if you don’t tell me where you buried him.”
I can’t help but snort. “In case you failed to notice you’re the necromancer, if anyone is responsible for Brom’s disappearance, it’s you. What did he do? Did he find you out?”
“Was it jealousy?” she counters folding her arms. “Because you couldn’t have me.”
I snort at this. “Hardly.”
She reaches into a pocket in her dress, pulling out the crumpled note which she holds up between her two fingers. “He knew a secret about you, something I would wager you didn’t want to get out.”
I roll my eyes. “It would just be an inconvenience I’d have to take time out of my day to explain away. I’d never kill a man over my true name.”
Natasya raises her chin. “Let’s see how much you declare your innocence after being trapped in here with the dead for a few hours.”
