“Anexorcist,” he clarifies, slower this time.
“Well, unless you’re callingshooting it in the facean exorcism, then no. Don’t think so.” Before he can reply, a woman appears at his side, seemingly out of nowhere. She’s petite, deadly looking, with a sharp blonde pixie cut and…
Wait.
Are thosepointed ears?
I stare.
What the actual hell is going on?
“Brackwell, we’re ready to go,” she says, her voice calm but commanding. Then, turns to me and adds, “Avilyna, right?” She approaches slowly, hand raised.
I take a cautious step back, “What are you?”
“I’m an elf,” she declares matter-of-factly, letting her hand fall. “I’m… an old friend of your father. We served together in the Legion.”
“Ah, what?” My voice is edged with disbelief.
“An elf,” she repeats, her tone patient but firm. “I see your father never brought you through the veil.”
“Do I look like I’ve been through the veil?” I snap, frustration bubbling up.
She sighs, “I know this is overwhelming, but it isveryreal. The creature that attacked Theo is a demon. Unfortunately, the remedies we have on hand won’t work… his condition is too precarious. We must transport him to the Institute while he still has a chance.” The elf stops talking, giving me a small reprieve to barely acclimate toallthis.
“Kai, give her the elixir, just in case,” she instructs. The masked figure nods, stepping forward with a vial. Could she be the person my dad was speaking to on the phone?
Is this connected to my nightmares?
“I’m going to take your father to the Institute,” she continues. “Kai will stay with you so you can gather your essentials before joining us. We don’t know how long it will take for your father to heal, and it’s not safe for you to stay here. Norous travel in packs.”
She places a hand on my forearm, her touch surprisingly gentle. “I know this is a lot. But we need to move quickly.”
“Wait,” I protest, stepping away from her touch. “Who are you people? What’s the Institute? My dad needs to go to the hospital! Now!”
The Kai guy speaks up, his tone sharp. “Your father can’t be treated by mundanes. It would be a waste of time. He needs the aid ofrealhealers.”
“Kai is correct,” the woman agrees. “To address your other question, I’m Isolde, the Sergeant of this regiment. However, we’re pressed for time; your father requires immediate assistance. Corporal Brackwell will answer all your questions while he assists you.”
“You have one hour before this place is swarming with demons,” Isolde declares, urgency creeping into her voice. She turns away, joining two other figures dressed in identical black gear. Together, they guide my dad toward the back of the SUV, his body limp between them.
Isolde slides into the driver’s seat, her voice steady and commanding as she calls out, “Let’s go. We’re running out of time.” Without a pause, the others climb in, and the vehicle disappears into the night.
My gaze locks with an unreadable steel-blue that glares back at me.
“It’s just you and me now,Princess.Let’s move,” my insufferable escort announces, already striding toward the house like he owns the place.
“Don’t call me that,” I snap, quickening my pace to catch up, but now that the moment has stilled, I feel every scratch and bruise. “What do I even need? And how long am I supposed to stay there?” Without bothering to look at me, he tosses the reply over his shoulder.
“The essentials. As for how long? Could be a day, could be forever.” Kai throws me a wink like this is all some kind of game. I roll my eyes so hard it hurts.
The house is eerily quiet, but the destruction screams louder than any words. The front door hangs crooked on its hinges. The entryway looks like a war zone, with splintered wood, broken glass, and deep claw marks carving the floorboards. This was my home, my safe place. Now it looks like something out of a horror film.
"You planning to take a picture,Princess? That thing had friends, and if you don’t move, you’ll be dead before the flash." Gritting my teeth, I step forward, pushing the image out of my head. Painfully climbing the stairs two at a time toward the bathroom. His heavy footsteps follow behind, annoyingly steady. The second I step inside, I slam the door in his smug face, hearing him chuckle from the other side.
“Hurry up. We’ve got fifty minutes left,” Kai calls out, his voice muffled.
And I can’t help but mutter, “ferme ta gueule.”
