Shadow's End by Keri Arthur

Author:Keri Arthur
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: KA Publishing PTY LTD
Published: 2024-07-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter

Eight

The force of the explosion tore Monty’s hand from mine and sent us both flying through the air. I hit the ground with a grunt and slid forward several feet. I swore, but nevertheless twisted around to see what had happened. The front corner of the house—the section containing the smaller bedroom and the stairwell down into the cellar—no longer existed. There wasn’t even the skeletal remains of joists or wall, though, rather weirdly, the roof remained intact. The stumps supporting that section of the house were also gone, as was the stone wall link. In their place was a crater.

Fuck—Roger.

I scrambled upright just as Ashworth and Eli reached me. “I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding,” Ashworth said, “so that’s obviously not true.”

I glanced down and saw that I’d skinned not only my palms but also my knees—the latter fairly badly. I accepted Eli’s offer of a handkerchief and wiped away the worst of the grit. It hurt, but it could have been far worse—would have been far worse—had Monty not thrown that knife and saved my ass.

I motioned toward the house. “Where the hell is Roger?”

The two men studied the remains, their expressions grim. “Well,” Ashworth said, “if he was in that cellar, we’ll probably find bits of him scattered all about the yard.”

“Why would Marie kill him like that, though, when him being alive and slowly draining Maelle of strength plays to their benefit?”

“I would think the explosion was aimed more at you than Roger, given only you and Jaz even heard the incoming spell,” Eli said. “They gave you just enough time to get out.”

“Um, no, they didn’t,” Monty said, returning my rather beaten-up pack to me. “The magic in the cellar was somehow thickening the air and slowing her movements.”

“And I’m only standing here thanks to my clever cousin’s quick thinking.”

“I can do quick when the occasion calls for it,” he said with a grin.

Belle dropped a kiss onto his cheek. “From the bottom of both my heart and hers, we thank you.”

His eyes twinkled devilishly. “You can thank me in a more appropriate manner later.”

“Now that Monty has his evening activities booked,” Jaz said, her tone dry, “is it safe to approach that house and examine what’s been done? Or is our ghost going to retaliate, given what’s happened?”

Belle’s gaze went to the house and after a moment she said, “He’s pissed about the destruction but he can still watch his show, so he’s not going to lash out at us.”

“Well, I’m glad he’s not been put out at all.” Jaz’s expression was amused. “Though how on earth did the explosion not affect the wiring?”

“Apparently his mom had things rejigged when she went into the nursing home so that the electricity is only connected to the front room,” Belle replied. “She didn’t want to risk kids or mice causing damage in the disused portions of the house and causing an electrical fire.”

“Sensible mom,” Jaz said. “What about the magic?”

I scanned the broken remnants of the house. “I’m not feeling anything.

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