Page 29 of Realm of the Wicked

‘Damien… Damien didn’t lie to me,’ I stuttered, doubting if that was indeed a lie. ‘He told me Grace would be fine. She doesn’t remember me.’

Do you believe that, or do you just believe whatever you want to hear? they purred. Maybe… I could show you Grace. If you wanted.

‘You could show me her? Really?’

The pulsing grew wilder, and I found myself taking a step toward the shadows. I was in the Fringe with the Devil; surely, a coherent shadow wasn’t the weirdest thing I could come across. Damien said things here wanted to hurt me but somehow, the voice was soothing to my frayed nerves, a welcome distraction.

Yes… step a little closer, and I’ll show you anything you want to see. Anything your heart desires.

‘I just want to see Grace,’ I whispered. I took another step, and the light dimmed further. The candles were nearly out, the shadows inching closer.

Come closer, and I’ll show you. She’d love to see you.

‘Stella?’

I jumped back against something hard as my heart rattled. I spun around to face Damien. ‘Oh! It’s you.’

‘Expecting someone else?’ His face remained entirely impassive as he held me at arm’s length. ‘Agatha told me she informed you what time dinner was, so I was concerned you might have gotten lost. Who are you speaking to up here?’

‘Um.’ I was suddenly grateful for the dim light as my cheeks flushed. This was Damien’s house after all, but informing him I was speaking to shadows was still embarrassing. In the end, I didn’t need to tell him myself.

Devil’s whore, the shadows hissed, shaking frantically from the corners where they swirled.

Damien’s gaze narrowed, something dark growing in them. ‘Did they speak to you?’

‘Uhh… did who speak to me?’

‘Don’t play dumb, Stella. It doesn’t suit you.’ He released my arms, storming closer to the corner of the hall, and the shadows appeared to tremble as he drew nearer. ‘The Nihil. The shadows. Did the shadows speak to you?’

‘Yes.’ I winced. It sounded ridiculous, putting it out there. Nihil. At least they had a name.

But Damien didn’t seem to think it was ridiculous, or look at me like I’d lost my mind. His attention was focused on the swirling darkness, still behaving as if it were alive. ‘Go. Now. I promise I will make your sorry existence more atrocious than you could ever imagine if you come near her again.’

My eyes widened until I realized he wasn’t speaking to me, but the shadows.

She sold her soul to be your plaything. Surely, you won’t mind if we play, too. The voice that had spoken so sweetly to me as it had offered to show me Grace reverted back to the bone-chilling tone that sank through my body like ice. How had I ever found myself tempted?

Damien growled. ‘Last chance. By now, you know I don’t mince words. Leave, or regret it.’

The ice in my veins grew at the absolute command in Damien’s voice, demanding to be heard – and obeyed.

The Nihil must have heard it too, because with a final hiss, they pulled themselves back into the corner. The dimming candles flickered back to their full strength, leaving me blinking at the sudden brightness around me.

Damien stepped in front of me, glaring. ‘What did they say to you?’

He’d already told me not to lie. Was there any point in even trying? My words came out like a croak, and I cleared my voice before I tried again. ‘They… they told me I abandoned Grace. That you were lying to me.’

He ground his teeth together, a muscle twitching in his jaw. ‘Is that all they said?’

I sighed. ‘They told me they could show me Grace. If I came closer,’ I whispered.

He cursed under his breath, mumbling something I couldn’t quite catch, before stepping closer. I was overwhelmed by him: his size, his aura, the dark way he looked down at me, through dark lashes that were incredibly unfair.

‘I told you the house could be dangerous, and I meant that. The Nihil would’ve consumed you alive if you’d gotten close to them. They’ll stop at nothing, and say anything once they’ve pinned you.’ Damien opened his mouth, looking like he was about to say something else, but merely shook his head.

Tell me, I thought. Tell me what you’re really thinking. ‘What are they exactly?’ I looked over to the corner, half-expecting to see them coming back to life once more.

Something fractured in Damien’s face before he spoke, something small and sharp that he carefully put back together. Down the hall, Luna howled, sending a shiver down my spine. ‘They’re souls. Souls who left Earth, and don’t really have a place elsewhere either. Not good enough for Heaven, and too weak to power Hell. Unfortunately, they’re dead set on haunting me.’