Page 60 of Into the Abyss
Amalia
We found a mass of wraiths hovering over the redblocks of a wrecked building. Most of the blocks were singed black,and many of them had disintegrated to ash, but some were untouchedand a deep red hue.
The wraiths here were healthier than any ofthe wraiths who slipped inside the seals and been fed on by thoselurking within. By the time most wraiths made it behind the seals,they were fed on to the point of barely being mobile anymore.
They’d kept me alive, but since coming toEarth, I’d been feeding on far healthier wraiths. Healthy ordepleted, I loathed the spirits. They didn’t deserve to be free ofHell. There were others who would say the same thing about me andthe jinn, but there was little redeeming about the hideous humansouls sent to Hell, and seeing so many wraiths in one place wasusually a sign of a lot of death.
“Why are there so many wraiths here?” Iasked as I studied the twisted, malevolent spirits darting throughthe air, plummeting into the ground, and rising again.
“It looks like this was a big place, aschool perhaps. My guess is many of the humans gathered here afterthe gateway opened to seek comfort from each other and findstrength in numbers, but something destroyed the place, most likelykilling them all.”
“How horrible,” I murmured and lifted myhand to the sky to draw one of the depraved souls toward me.
The wraith’s fathomless eyes stared out of agray face, elongated into a grotesque mask. This wraith was newenough that I could still make out human characteristics such asits nose, cheeks, and flaking lips. The wraith squirmed in mygrasp, but I held on as I drained more of its life from it.
Unlike many other demons, I took no joy ininflicting pain on it. I had to feed on wraiths to survive, but Icouldn’t stand the coldness of their spirit or the clammy way theymade my skin feel and its vile emotions battering me as I drainedit.
By the time I finished, it no longer hadlips, and its face had extended and become grayer. When I releasedit, the wraith faltered until its flapping, black ends draggedacross the ground before it swooped toward the sky.
No matter how much I despised feeding onthem, when the wraith darted away from me, I felt rejuvenated andbetter prepared to return to the Abyss. I shuddered at the idea ofthe lost lives touching my flesh again, but I would deal with itwhen the time came.
Beside me, Magnus released his wraith,turned toward me, and claimed my hand.
“Let’s get back to the others and theAbyss,” I said.
CHAPTER 26
Amalia
When we returned to the others, we discovered Lixstanding by the entrance of the cave with his head bowed and hisshoulders hunched. At his side, Erin gazed morosely at thenight.
“What happened?” Magnus asked.
“Two more humans and the other skellein havedied,” Erin replied.
My breath caught, and I resisted offeringcomfort to Lix. He wouldn’t want it, and he may cut off my hand ifI touched him. I shouldn’t have any pity for a demon who wouldprefer to see me sealed away again or dead, but I hated not beingable to ease his despair.
“Shit,” Magnus muttered. “I’m sorry,Lix.”
“To everything, there is a season,” Lixmuttered and uncapped his flask to take a drink. It was a differentflask than the one he had earlier, and I suspected it had belongedto his friend.
“Will the Faulted help us?” Erin asked.
“No. They don’t condone what the others havedone, but they won’t help us,” I answered.
“They intend to stay out of the fightcompletely,” Magnus said.
“Fools,” Lix hissed.
“Maybe,” Magnus replied, “but the calamutsare protecting them, so they aren’t fighters, and after learningtheir history, I understand why.”
Lix’s head rose, and despite his sorrow,curiosity emanated from him. “What do you mean?”
“The jinn and fae have been keeping secretsfrom us,” Magnus replied. “And I think you, with your penchant forpuzzles and riddles, will appreciate this deception.”
Lix’s head turned toward me, and though hehad no eyes that I could see, I felt his attention boring intome.
“She knew nothing of it, good chap,” Magnussaid in a cheerful tone that didn’t quite fit the moment, but atrickle of amusement emanated from Lix. He may be grieving, but heenjoyed this banter. “The jinn were waiting until they believed shewas ready to hear the tale and decided now was as good a time asany.”
