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Dannika exited the shadow pathway in Raine’s room. The one Julius had converted to a cell. It was his doppelganger, but she could converse with him easily here.
She placed her hand on Raine’s shoulder, only to have it move through his body.
“You know I’m not really here,” Raine said.
“I know, but the doppelgänger looks so real. I honestly can’t tell unless I touch it.”
Raine glanced at the bowl in her hands. “You retrieved the demon caller. I’m surprised Killian left it in your hands.”
She ran her finger along the rough surface of the bowl. “I’m not positive, but I don’t think he can touch it. He was practically drooling when I showed it to him, but he kept his hands behind his back.”
Raine’s eyes narrowed on the symbols carved into the bowl. “They carved your symbol on the rim. That can’t be a coincidence. I’m not positive a shadow warrior could touch the chalice without consequences. I think you should hide it.”
“Where?”
Raine glanced at the walls. “Shift it to the shadows and place it inside the wall. You will be the only one who can retrieve it.”
Her eyebrows arched. “I didn’t realize we could do that.”
“They made the chalice of bone. The walls are rock. Natural elements will accept one another. Don’t try this with man-made products.”
“I won’t.”
She moved to the wall, shifting her body to the shadows. The darkness swallowed her in a comforting embrace. It was strange moving her arm into the rock, where no pathway existed. Her body fought to stay in the cavern’s safety, fearing she planned to enter an oblivion. She forced her hand further into the rock, feeling the fissures and every tiny air pocket between the particles. She released the chalice, embedding it in stone.
She removed her hand but could feel the chalice calling her. Was this why the priestess had hidden it in that cave? Not just because it was dangerous, but because it needed the Priestess. Her blood.
Dannika’s blood.
She returned to Raine’s doppelgänger. “Killian wants to perform the ritual tomorrow.”
“Why tomorrow? I would think he would push to perform the ceremony now,” Raine said.
“He said to wait. There’s a specific time to call a demon or you risk opening the entire portal. Surprisingly, Killian is being responsible about the portal. He only wants to create a crack to call one demon in order to retrieve its blood and save him. What’s concerning is he had this planned out before I poisoned him. There was something else he wanted, but I still haven’t figured out what it is.”
“Any ideas?”
“He wants something from the demon world, but I don’t know what. He planned to have a reaper with special abilities slip into the demon realm and retrieve an artifact. He will wait one more year to acquire this item.”
Raine frowned. “Why? What is significant about tomorrow?”
“It’s the day the Priestess entered the demon world.”
“Why is that important?”
Dannika shook her head. “The wards around the portal are stronger. The veil between words thinner. All I can tell you is that he needs me. I’m her descendent. Not sure how, but her blood made me different.”
“The connection to the priestess makes sense, but she has other descendants. Unless you are the first female of her blood to attempt transition. We avoid the Bokor and Priestess bloodlines. It’s a line we have never crossed.”
“If that’s the case, then it’s possible other—”
She stood up as Julius entered the room.
“Come with me, now.”
Dannika nodded and followed her brother from Raine’s room. “What’s the problem, Julius?”
“There is no problem, provided you are sticking to the plan.”
