“This is it,” Mortem says, nudging me to get up.He hisses at me and jerks away from my body, his fur harried and sticking on end like someone rubbed a balloon on him and made him static.His tongue sweeps out and licks at his nose.
“What the—” His eyes widen as he takes in another group of wraiths surging towards us.
My body runs cold.If this doesn’t work, we’re screwed.I don’t think I can fight that many wraiths.At least not on my own.
“GO,” I scream.
He lurches forward and runs towards the wraiths.The Veil fabric rips, a squelching sound that ripples around us as the wraiths surge into Ora City.
“Wait, there’s one more,” he says.
I halt, waiting for the last wraith to slither into my home world.
“Now,” I say and give his butt a shove.He trots forward full speed and slips through the rip, vanishing.
I follow.
Only I don’t.Because I find myself flat on my back staring up at the Veil tear from the ground.
“Lucy?”Mortem says, appearing above me.
“Do not even think about lic?—”
His sandpaper tongue licks my face.
“You little shit.”
He purrs but it sounds more like a laugh than contentment.
“You need to hurry up, there’s more wraiths coming and the Veil is closing,” he says, pawing at my arm.
I get up, my brows furrowed, a tang on my tongue.“The thing is, I did try.I don’t think I’m getting through, not as I am.”
“Oh shit,” he says, padding backwards.Shrieks fill the air as the second group of wraiths approaches.
I lurch forward, not willing to give up my chance to reach Ora City.I fling myself at the Veil tear one last time, only to crash into the fabric and bounce backwards.
The wraiths shriek and holler as I clatter to the floor.Most of the group push through the tear but it closes, leaving two of them behind.
And now they’re pissed I got in their way.
They turn on me, all hollow gaping mouths and necrotic limbs.The air fills with the scent of stale coffee, stagnant water and decaying mushrooms.
I want to throw up.
They stalk across the earth towards me.Mortem is bouncing on his toes, unable to do anything other than hiss like a snake.
“Move,” he says.
But I can’t.I’m frozen, my feet leadened.They leer over me, mouths opening so horribly wide it makes my fingers tingle.
My body reacts, vibrating harder, louder, faster.At first, I think my skin grows hot, but as I stare at my arms, I realise it’s the runes.They glow like the centre of a winter fire.
Mortem backs up, no longer hissing, but his fur is on end again as if I’m the one making him all static.
“Lucy,” he breathes.“Stop it.Whatever it is, maybe don’t do that, ’kay?”
“I… I can’t control it.”
