“Come,” I said.
Summoning multiple Spirit Spheres, I opened up nine cylindrical containers made of the purest crystal mined especially for filing. I first coaxed the Hallowed within their respective cylinders, letting them hover into the air. WhenI began coaxing the Fallenspawn spirits into their cylinders, Kaelthos’s nostrils wrinkled in a nasty curl.
“That won’t be necessary.”
I snapped my gaze at him, my starry body shimmering under the descending suns.
“I’m…sorry?”
Before I could process what he was doing, Kaelthos shot out three fiery, smoke tendrils from his palms, latched them onto the spirits of the Fallenspawn, and began choking them out.
“Farasee Kaelthos!” I screamed.
Stars! This was puresacrilege.
“Have you lost your mind? What are you doing? Desecration of spirits is an abominationandforbidden before the Infinite!”
I tried reaching for the spirits, but Kaelthos dodged my futile attempts. Before I could stop him, he used his sunfire mixed with some dark majik I didn’t recognize, and completely burned out the spirits until they were gone. Without their spirits being filed, the Fallenspawn were dead for good.
I blinked, absolutely horrified as pure rage colored Quazar’s face. Then Kaelthos set the Fallenspawn bodies on fire.
Without thinking, I shot out a blast of starfire. But it didn’t work. The fire wouldn’t light out. I thrust out more starfire, but the flames wouldn’t die. Quazar added in his shadows. But the bodies kept burning. And all we could do was watch until they turned to ash. I stumbled back, mouth hanging.
“What have you done?” I whispered, fresh tears stinging my cheeks.
Never in all my life had I ever seen the spirit of the dead treated so carelessly. I thought Tharic was cruel. Kaelthos was a bonefide monster. Tharic learned every bit of his savagery from his Papi.
Quazar blinked over and over as if he was holding back tears. He clenched his fists, clearly fighting to rein in his rage. Shadows spilled out of him, tumbling all around us.
“Control yourself, Fallendog,” Kaelthos sneered.
Then he turned to me.
“As for you, careful with the spirits of the Hallowed. You’re dismissed from here. Take them to be filed.” He sniffed the air around me. “Then go purify yourself. You smell like the Hèls.”
He turned around, waving his hands. The bodies of the Hallowed lifted into the air, as Kaelthos began maneuvering each through a tomb portal, where they would be laid to rest. Where the Fallenspawn were robbed of the honor.
My mind was unraveling. I’d expected many things from the temple, but I never thought I’d witness this. I blinked through my tears. If Papi were here, he’d be so ashamed. Hating Fallenspawn was one thing. Destroying their spirits was something else entirely. I couldn’t move from where I was. I glared at where the Fallenspawn were, as Kaelthos disappeared into one of the tomb portals.
Then his voice rang out.
“Fallen will never have a place among the Hallowed. Remember that, Safah Anathelle. Never forget it if you wish to Ascend.”
Chapter 24
Itilted my head back, looking up at the two elephantine pillars of gold. Wide as a cathedral and taller than I could visibly see, it seemed the entrance to the Spirit Filing Hall had no end. As an Incense Fuser, I’d be spending a good deal of time here with my Order, just like I’d done back home with Papi.
I floated, rolling a stiff shoulder as my wings hung limp. I didn’t have it in me to look at Quazar. My mind had remained relatively quiet.
But I’d gone snooping into the tendrils of where we were connected by temple-bond. Where the veil that marked where I ended, and he began, was. No shadows crossed over. No husky voice spoke through. But the veil vibrated with tension. As if it was being barraged on the other side.
We’d flown to the Spirit Filing Hall in silence. Not like I had the energy anyway. How in the stars was I supposed to make it through whatever this Purification ritual wasanda Titombwe service without first being mended?
“Disciples first.”
Quazar’s voice gave me chills. I snuck a glance at him and found him glaring at the pillars. They were etched in carvings I’d seen throughout the Pasaille Scrolls when Papi would let meread his copies, but I hadn’t a clue what they all meant. I bet if I had been assigned to Scroll Order I’d have to learn them.
“Any dawn now,” Quazar grumbled.
