Chosen Fool (Forever Evermore #5)(84)

Sin’s voice cut into the conversation, drawling in an idle tone from where he sat comfortably on the floor watching the show. “While I agree that your appearance is much better live than on the internet,” he tilted his head, “I agree further with Elder Venclaire, love.” He winked. “Pay attention.”

I choked as a sneaky Shadow’s hand grabbed my neck from behind, gripping tightly.

It took us for a ride straight into the air, my daggers dropping from my hands. I heard multiple people inside the golden protection shouting. I grappled with the hand against my throat, unable to breathe. The ceiling was coming at me far too fast and instinct had me sending a pulse wave behind me, a blast of air ruffling my wet, bloody hair. A shriek followed as the Shadow released me.

I was falling, tumbling back toward the floor.

Until another Shadow slammed against my side. It was deja vu all over again as we hit the protection wall hard. I sent a pulse wave…then I slid down the curved wall. The blood was still slick on my body. I was tumbling way too fast, side over side, and heading right for a rock fireplace.

I hit it.

But the rocks felt like silk as I sunk down into them, cushioning me before I was gently raised up even with the ground. The rocks turned solid under me. I sucked in air, holding my ribcage where the bastard Shadow had nailed me.

His face level with mine behind the golden protective wall, Elder Fergus hissed in a quiet tone, “I agree with them. Pay f*cking attention.”

“Thanks for the save.” I glared at his squatting position.

Must be nice back there, all protected…and still giving orders.

A head tilt to the side. “Go get your weapons before another Shadow grabs you.”

“Fuck off,” I groaned, holding what was definitely a bruised rib as I got to my feet. “You’ve read the report, then?”

“I have,” he murmured, his voice eerily calm as he straightened with me.

“Wonderful. I think I’ll go fight now.” I brushed sticky, wet hair out of my face and moved around the protection wall, grabbing my knives from the ground. I assessed the situation and a small grin lifted my lips. I stared at the bookshelf at the side of the room, pretty sure I could climb to the top easily. “And I do believe I’m going to fly again.”

I sliced through Shadows until I reached the edge of the room.

The other spirits fought, and I climbed onto the bookshelf.

I dove straight into the air and rode the mass of swarming Shadows.

I killed each and every one I came into contact with.

Once my weapons had been safely put away inside my treasure trove, releasing the evil wasn’t any easier than it had been before. I had been hoping it would be, praying it was some type of game, or even spell, that Jacob Angel had been playing on me. But instead I knelt on the ground, forehead to the carpet, and gripped my hair as I screamed bloody murder. Tiny black insects of madness were bubbling under and directly over my skin, trying to keep control.

“Get the One,” Roselle ordered someone. “She’s too young to handle that much.”

“No!” I shouted, my voice sounding demented. I slammed my hands onto the ground and shook my head, lifting on my hands and knees to stare blindly at the floor. “I can do this.”

Roselle squatted directly in front of me, lifting my chin. I ground my teeth together to keep from attacking her, and she stated softly, “The fact you’re able to control it at your age is a remarkable feat, Ms Jules, but you won’t be able to process as much as you took in.”

“Walk. Me. Through. It.” I leaned my forehead again on the ground, my body trembling as my Core pulsed erratically. “I can do this. Just walk me through it.”

She sighed then leaned down. “Try pulling it through your Core in smaller doses. Concentrate on one part of your body instead of the entire mass. Start with your arm or your leg, rope it in, and ease it through your Core…slowly…gradually.”

Focusing was a feat in itself. I aimed at my arm, working through the darkness there and dragging it through my body like it weighed a ton. I screamed, unable to hold it in. The pain of fighting the evil was building up inside me like a bomb wanting to explode. But I pulled the darkness through my Core, even as I heard multiple masculine voices shouting from inside the protection. And I exhaled. Stars escaped past my lips onto the carpet. It was a purity being released, the equal and opposite of the evil that had run rampant throughout the world.

“There you go,” Roselle murmured, petting my head softly. “Try it again with another body part.”

I did, over and over again, the agony excruciating.

But I still did it.

I fell onto my side, my body trembling in exhaustion and remembered pain.

My body was soaked with sweat, and my tears were only just starting to dry on my face.

Roselle continued crooning softly to me, wiping hair out of my face. She stated loudly to the enraged group behind the protection, “You won’t understand this, but what she just did is amazing. It’s something you should be proud of her for.” A gentle smile down at me. “And you should be proud of yourself, Ms Jules.”

My voice was a mere croak. “I am.”

She flicked a hand at the cursing group. “You can come out now.” Her gaze went to Reese. “Don’t bother trying to make them forget. The One already told me half of them have protection against it, and I saw Elder Farrar a half-hour ago adding the protection to the rest.”