Page 2 of Wraithwound

“What?” she asked, tearing her gaze away from the stain.

“Mom’s journal, she—there’s a lot in there that will help you,” he said.

“Help me? Henry, I’ve been infected, too,” she whispered. Saying it out loud made the nightmare real, but where she should feel a sense of worry for what would inevitably become of her, she could only feel despair for Henry.

“Fight it, Lena,” he said.

“Fight it?” she asked, dumbfounded.

“Yes, fight it,” he said again, his voice weaker.

“Nobody fights this, Henry. Nobody fights this and wins,” she said, tears welling in her eyes.

“You can,” he said.

He sounded so sure, like they both hadn’t just been handed a death sentence. Not many survived the initial wraith attack, but of those who did, they all turned. Their autonomy surrendered to darkness, to evil; their bodies ravaged by a disease so vicious many ended up taking their own lives before the turn was complete. Those who completed the turn ended up attacking others, or they disappeared, never to be seen again.

Henry’s breathing slowed, and Lena put her hand on his face. His honey-brown eyes, fair skin, and golden hair were always such a stark contrast to her own green eyes, brown locks, and tanned complexion.

“Take it,” he said.

“I will. I’ll take the journal, but let me try to fix this,” she tried again.

“Not that, me,” he said.

“You?” she asked, confusion creasing her brow. Had the blood loss made him delirious?

“I don’t know what you mean.” She tried to keep her voice calm.

“Promise me you’ll fight it, that you’ll find a way,” he said again.

“I—I promise,” she lied.

There was no way to fight this. They both knew that, but she wasn’t about to deny him this. Henry took one last shuddering breath, peace settling into his features, and then he was gone.

Shock hit her like a wave, the impact so devastating she felt her consciousness detach from her physical body. Lena looked down at the scene before her, like a neutral observer, where Henry lay dead, his head leaning into her touch. Time ceased to exist, and yet she could feel the devastation hollowing her already broken heart, wrecking her irrevocably.

Even in death, she could see the little boy he’d been when her mother had brought him home. Covered in filth and terrified of everything, he’d been found by Marisee wandering the streets of Sunsur alone. Lena had been delighted to have a sibling and had sat with him for hours and then days. Initially, he’d been painfully shy, opening up only after learning he’d be safe with them. He would tell her fantastical stories about imaginary lands with golden hills and spirits that could endure flame and heat. That was fourteen years ago. After her mother disappeared three years ago, he’d become the only family she had left.

The memory of her mom bringing Henry home faded in her mind, and she found herself back in her body. She blinked back tears, unsure of what to do next, when a rippling mass appeared around him.

Stunned, mouth agape, Lena reached out to touch it. The shimmering mass sucked into her skin. Lena started at the sensation, scrambling backwards until her back hit the wall behind her. She scrubbed at her arms furiously, trying to shake the echo of the mass off. Her body responded to Henry’s soul, the pain of her wounds easing slightly. The stiffness in her muscles lessened and the exhaustion lifted. Horror struck as a slow realization set in. Everyone had heard the rumors. Wraiths fed off souls, and she had just consumed one. With that thought, Lena felt the infection inside her wake up.

Chapter

Two

Her stomach turned at the thought of what she’d just done, and she vomited all over the floor. The air in her lungs evaporated, causing an unbearable tightness in her chest. Lena gasped for breath, the horrible noises puncturing the silence, until they turned into broken sobs.

A numbness overtaking her senses, Lena stared at her brother’s lifeless body. Henry was dead, the beautiful spark that had been his life extinguished forever. Now, she was well and truly alone.

Lena wasn’t sure how long she sat there. Eventually, the sun, hot and insistent, crept into her field of vision through the window. As if it was thawing the numbness that had settled deep into her bones, pain slowly crept into awareness, and she began to feel the ache in her body after sitting for so long. She reached for Henry but froze midway. She couldn’t bear to look at his corpse, even though she’d seen many. Gaze averted, she unclasped the medallion he wore around his neck. It was the only thing he’d carried with him when he was found. The small metal disk warmed in her hand, and she squeezed it tightly before dropping it into her pocket.

She had to remind herself his soul wasn’t in there because now it resided within her. The thought brought about a jarring mixture of comfort and torment.

His last words echoed through her mind. Lied. She had lied to him and promised she’d fight the turn. The ridiculousness of that promise almost brought her to hysterics. Tears streamed down her face until despair swallowed her whole once more.

Henry’s life had been worth ten times hers. She was useless, had been for months, having given up on healing, her friends … life, when the grief overwhelmed her. She had lost too much, and yet now she’d be forced to endure the loss of self. Would her final promise to Henry be empty words borne of desperation? An attempt to placate the one person in the world of Eteris she would have gladly given her life for? Lena could feel the bitter laugh bubbling up her throat.