Chapter 25
Mori
Moonscale London
I woke up ravenous and Snowy was happy for the feast that I ordered in from a local place because we missed dinner at the B&B.
It was just burgers and fries, but there were plenty of them.
I ordered a few plain, bunless patties for him.
He also ate more than a few fries, but as an occasional treat I assumed he’d survive them.
After eating, I took him for a quick walk and grabbed a shower when I got back.
He sat just outside the stall watching me as if he feared I might turn up my head and drown from the inside rain.
About the time I killed the water and stepped out to grab a towel he zoomed out of the room and started barking.
“Hello?” I called, hoping I didn’t have to fight anyone tonight. I was too tired for all the bullshit.
No answer. Only Snowy’s snappy, little barks. I pulled on my robe and padded out into the room. Pras’s book lay open to a middle page on the bed.
“Hello?! Hello! Mori?! I know you can hear me!” A woman’s voice called out from inside the pages. For a fraction of a second, I thought it was Sharon Claudis. Only it wasn’t. I knew that voice just as well, though. I watched Sharon kill her before dying at Annila’s hand.
“What do you want?” I grunted, grabbing a pair of sweatpants from the drawer.
“Uh… That’s no way to talk to a spirit who is here to help you.”
“I need your help like I need a second asshole,” I rolled my eyes.
“I wouldn’t be so quick to say that,” Pami said.
“I know that we’ve had our differences in the past, but Pras said you’d want to get rid of Sharon Claudis too.
That fucking bitch!” Pami swore and took a deep breath.
“My brother was going to free me to lock her in a well, but fucking Pras wouldn’t hear of it. ”
“I don’t want you free either,” I said. “If you have a point, you have sixty seconds to get there or I’m shutting the book.”
“I want to get rid of her! I don’t want the dragon man around either!” Pami said, but it sounded like the same bullshit anyone in her position might say.
“So you killed innocent people to get that done?” I asked.
“That was an oversight! Besides you don’t want her to come back to life either!” Pami said.
Every word coming out of the book sounded more desperate than the last.
“What do you think I can do for you?” I asked.
“Help me get rid of her!” Pami said.
“If I knew how to do that, don’t you think I’d have done it---” I stopped in my tracks.
If Pami was serious, we could do it. There was always a risk Sharon Claudis wouldn’t stay banished forever but the spell I was reluctant to tell Venal about might just work here.
If Pami was willing to give up all her ties to Earthside to get her revenge it just might work.
“There is a spell, but you won’t like what else it does,” I told her. “You can banish her, but you’ll be banished to the Other World as well.”
Silence echoed out of the book. That’s what I thought. Exactly what I thought.
“Wait!” she said when I went to slam the book shut.
“I need stuff first. Like a promise you won’t let Ferrick kill my brother or his baby!
” she spat out the words and I paused, holding up the book’s front cover.
“Seriously. I need you to promise. I know he wouldn’t be easy to kill but he’s a fucking bleeding heart.
Couldn’t even kill me when I did all the things he hated! ”
“He’s safe where he is and we don’t plan on letting Ferrick stick around any longer than Clarence draws this out,” I said. “What else?”
“I want to write him a letter. I think it’ll be better for him if he doesn’t know what I’m planning to do until it’s time,” she said. “Also, will it hurt? Being destroyed?”
I laid the book down flat and sat at the head of the bed. Being destroyed? What was she talking about?
“That’s what happens to the spirit who performs it, right? That’s why you think it’s such a big deal,” she said.
“While I admire your willingness to be obliterated from existence for revenge, no, that’s not what happens.
I’d never touch on a spell that did that.
Not even to get rid of Sharon. I don’t know that magic like that exists but I sincerely hope it doesn’t.
I don’t think I’m capable of that level of hate. ”
“I am,” Pami said.
“And that’s why I have to do some research. I’ll also have to go to the GGB. That will take planning. We have a few weeks until the next full moon. You’ll just have to sit tight until then. I’ll let you know a few days ahead of time.”
“And the letter?” she asked.
“I’ll make sure you have time to write your letter, but if you try to fool me, I swear to all the gods known and unknown and upon the resting souls of all my ancestors, Pami of the Fallen Star, I will find a way to make you miserable.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, but life has already done a fine job of that!” Pami said and let out a bitter laugh.
I shut the book. I didn’t trust her, but what other spirit would be willing to make such a sacrifice. Maybe Venal. He’d be my back up if Pami turned out to be a liar once again.