Page 73 of In Between Death and the Devil

Another low growl was the only answer. It reverberated through me, making me tremble.

I felt more of Fen’s shadows twining around me, tugging, trying to pull me away from the creature, but it refused to let me go.

The creature’s mouth worked furiously, snapping against its gag. I felt its head thrash from side to side, trying to find the right angle to free itself. I shrieked as the gag shredded, saliva spraying onto my skin. Its head snapped forward, only for a new gag to slip into place before it could sink its teeth into me.

Tears ran down my face. I couldn’t see a way out of this. It hurt so much, I just wanted it to end, but I didn’t want to end up dead, my soul destroyed forever.

An image blossomed in my mind: light pouring from my hands, burning the creature until it turned to dust. It was from Fen. A way to save myself.

I reached for a thread of power, but I couldn’t grasp anything. Pain made it impossible to concentrate. Every time I thought I’d caught hold of what I needed, it slipped away. Weakness pervaded my limbs the more soul’s essence dripped from my wounds. I felt dizzy, like I couldn’t breathe deeply enough.

“Come on.” Fen’s words were a snarl. His shadows pulled the creature and me towards him, but it bucked and thrashed, resisting with all the strength it had. Fen’s jaw worked as he braced his feet. Even in my hazy state, I could tell he was straining to reel us in.

The air in the room seemed to shiver; I felt a subtle vibration against my skin. A split second later, a rent appeared next to us and Death stepped through, her hands already illuminated. I caught sight of her steely expression as she reached for us, before a flash of light engulfed me and my captor.

A furious muffled scream sounded in my ear. The scent of burnt hair filled my nose. And then the pressure around my chest and the sharp pain in my arms disappeared.

My legs gave out and I fell to the floor. Clutching my arms, I curled in on myself, the acute sting turning into a persistent throb.

“You’re losing your touch.” Death’s voice was ice cold.

“Nice of you to join us,” Fen said, his tone almost bored. “I hope it wasn’t too inconvenient.”

I peered up at the two of them. Around us, everyone swept into action. The shadows had vanished, the room clear and arches open again. Tempters raced down corridors and stairs into the Dungeon to check on things, while others comforted the trainees who peeked out of the room they’d been herded back into.

“I’m not the one who let a Wraith loose,” Death said.

“You know as well as I do that’s now how it works.”

She glared at him and knelt next to me.

I resisted the urge to shrink back as she placed her hands above the wounds on my arms. A small flare of light from Death’s hands and they started to close. My skin knit together slowly in a way that reminded me of Fen filling the crack in the wall yesterday.

“That’s the fifth one in six months,” Death said. “And the tenth trainee I’ve lost.”

I followed her gaze across the room to a pile of clothing a Tempter was kneeling over, their mouth moving silently in what looked like a prayer. It was all that was left of the trainee the Wraith had drained. Without its soul essence, the body had faded away.

“If you can’t do your job, I’ll do it for you.” She looked back at Fen, her gaze hard.

“Also not how it works. If you’d been here sooner⁠—”

“Nothing would be different.” The healing complete, she stood.

“There’d have been one less injury.”

“All that power and you’re saying you couldn’t prevent it?” Death smirked at him. “If my people aren’t safe with you, I won’t send them to you to train.”

I felt the blow land; Fen’s shame was impossible to miss through our connection, but his outward expression was unperturbed.

“You’re not the only one who lost people.”

“See that it doesn’t happen again.” She cupped my chin. “You need to see a healer for the essence you lost. Come with me.”

I hesitated. It was stupid; Death demanded obedience, but I didn’t want to leave. I couldn’t. Everything in me rebelled at the idea of being separated from Fen right now. Not after what had happened. I couldn’t leave things unresolved with him. This was where I needed to be. I’d never been so sure of anything in my life.

My eyes darted to Fen’s face and then back to Death’s, my mind spinning. I needed a reason to stay. “I haven’t received Daphne’s response to your message, my goddess.”

“After what you’ve been through, it can wait.” Death’s tone was motherly. Did I imagine a thread of steel in it?