Chapter Thirty

 

Siena pulled over ten minutes later, plenty far enough from the hospital to not worry about the swarm of monsters overrunning them, and gave up the driver’s seat to Eric. As soon as he was moving again, he withdrew his cell phone and dropped it into the cup holder where he could see it.

BEING INSIDE YOUR HEAD IS TERRIFYING SOMETIMES

“Tell me about it.”

I MEAN IT. THE ALTRUSK HOUSE WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO YOU

“Thanks.”

IF I HAD A PULSE, I SWEAR YOU’D GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK

“Okay. I get it. Do you have anything useful for me?”

NOT REALLY. THOSE UBER IMPS ARE JUST AS INVISIBLE TO ME AS THE REGULAR ONES

“But you could sense that thing in the basement even when I couldn’t.”

THAT THING WAS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT. MAYBE IT’S LIKE CHARLOTTE SAID. MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE BOTH ME AND IT WERE PSYCHIC

Eric considered this. “What about all the things we’ve encountered before. The golems. The projections. How well could you sense those things?”

MOST OF THEM ARE LIKE THESE IMPS AND OGRES. I CAN’T REALLY SENSE THEM. I ONLY KNOW THEY’RE THERE BECAUSE YOU SEE THEM. I COULD SENSE THOSE AGENTS, THOUGH

The agents of the nameless organization.

AND I CAN SENSE THE MAGIC MAN, ALTHOUGH THEY DON’T FEEL QUITE THE SAME

“I’m sure there’s some sort of connection.”

PROBABLY

Siena leaned over his shoulder. “Who are you talking to?”

HI SIENA

She gave the phone a puzzled look and lifted her hand in a distracted wave. “Hi…”

“Sit down, Cee,” said her mother. “Buckle up. It’s not safe.”

Siena sat down obediently, the puzzled expression still on her face.

“What’s going on?” Shondra asked. “You said you’d tell me.”

Charlotte was sitting in the back row with Holly and Alicia. She leaned forward and squeezed her shoulder. “We will. But… Well, it’s all probably going to sound a little crazy.”

She stared back at her. “Crazy like that army of little monsters that just chased us out of the hospital?”

She shrugged. “Okay… Maybe not quite as crazy as it would’ve sounded before that happened…”

I HATE TO SAY IT, continued Isabelle, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT’S WEIRD THAT YOU KEEP GETTING OUT OF THESE SITUATIONS SO EASILY

Eric raised an eyebrow. “You call that easy?”

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN

He didn’t reply. He did know what she meant. Sure, it was no picnic running from all these monsters. He was bruised and bleeding. He was overwhelmed. But this guy was supposed to be a powerful wizard of some sort. He could conjure imps by the hundreds. He could conjure ogres by the pack. He could conjure a giant as tall as a tree. And he apparently spewed fire from his hands. From what he’d seen, this guy should be able to kill him any time he wanted. He’d had ample opportunity. He’d managed to get inside the Wordsley House. Why didn’t he torch the minivan? Why didn’t he just stroll into the room and burn them all alive? Why did he only send eleven imps into the house? Why not hundreds like the horde they just escaped? Why not ogres? Or super imps? Each encounter was more challenging than the last, but why? Why not just give them everything he had the first time and be done with it?

It was like this guy was testing him. Almost like…

IT’S LIKE HE WANTS YOU TO GET AWAY

Eric frowned.

Behind him, Charlotte was telling Shondra about Delphinium.

The phone rang and displayed Paul’s number. Eric picked it up and answered.

“Thank God!” exclaimed his brother. “I was worried when you didn’t answer before.”

Eric had to think for a moment, but then he remembered. The phone rang as they were running from the monster-infested hospital. “It wasn’t a good time. Where are you?”

“I don’t even know anymore. We got the tire changed. We even found the exit Isabelle gave us. Now we’re on the side of the road again. My truck’s overheating.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. I don’t get it. It’s like I’m cursed or something.”

Eric glanced up into the rearview at his passengers behind him. The thought had definitely crossed his mind. Even Isabelle had mentioned it once. “Magic man…” he breathed.

“What?”

Eric fixed his eyes forward again. “You may be right. I’m starting to think the magic man might be doing something to keep you out.”

“What, like some kind of magic spell?”

“Yeah. Something just like that.”

“That’s…weird.”

“I know.”

“Like something out of The Blair Witch Project weird.”

“Yep.”

“But if that’s true, then it’s not my fault, right?”

Eric smiled. “I guess it’s not.”

“I was sabotaged.”

“If that’s what’s really going on.”

“So Karen can’t yell at me anymore, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

Paul sighed. “Yeah. Me either.”

In the background, Eric heard Kevin shout, “You should just let me drive.”

“Shut up!” Paul shouted back. Then, speaking to Eric again, he said, “How’s it going out there?”

“I’m still alive.”

“Well that’s good.”

“I think so.”

“Monsters still chasing you?”

“Hordes of them.”

“I’m trying to get there to help.”

“I know. But I’m starting to think you’re not showing up this time.”

“Yeah… Me too.”

Eric glanced up at the rearview again. Five women sat in the seats behind him, depending on him, expecting him to save them. That was nine people in total, with one more left to find. With time running out, it looked more and more like he was going to be on his own this time.

“But I’ll keep trying,” promised Paul.

“I know you will.”

Eric said goodbye and returned the phone to the cup holder.

YOU’LL DO FINE, Isabelle promised him. I KNOW YOU’LL SAVE THEM

He smiled wearily. “Thanks.”

JUST LIKE YOU SAVED ME

“You saved me,” he reminded her.

BUT YOU SAVED ME BACK. AND I KNOW YOU’LL SAVE THEM, TOO

He desperately hoped she was right.