Thief of Souls by Emma L Adams

Author:Emma L Adams [Adams, Emma L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-03-07T22:00:00+00:00

12

I flew through the node’s current, fixing an image of the Death King’s castle in my mind’s eye, its spired roofs growing closer. Then I flew out of the node, the air buffeting me in all directions and the shape of the giant castle looming over my head. The structure looked positively prison-like from this angle, all turrets and towers and crenelated walkways. Dark grey in colour, it resembled a medieval fortress transplanted over here from the Middle Ages, while the gates stood behind me, sharp and uncompromising.

Nobody stood waiting to accost me. Dex was right. The lich guards must be on the outside of the gates, not the inside, while the army was mostly concentrated around the edges of the swamp. They knew the thief was in the city, but they couldn’t possibly know I’d flown through the nodes and skipped over the swamp altogether.

I rotated on the spot, breathing hard. I’d made it past the army. Now I just needed to return the amulet.

Dex appeared at my side. “Time to storm the castle.”

“I thought you were too scared to come near the place,” I commented. “We’re in. Now I need to find…”

I reached for the amulet, but no longer felt its weight around my neck. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“What?” said Dex.

“The amulet. It disappeared.”

“Maybe it went back to its owner.”

Somehow, I doubted we’d be that lucky. I scanned my surroundings, wondering when it had fallen… and then I realised I was floating several feet up in the air, above the swampy ground. No wonder the castle didn’t seem quite as looming and tall as it did from a distance.

“Uh, Dex, is there anything different about me?”

“New haircut?”

“Seriously. Look at my hand.” I extended my right arm, and it passed straight through Dex as though I was no more substantial than he was.

“Fuck me,” he said. “I mean, don’t. That’s metaphysically impossible for both of us at the moment.”

“Dex, I’m a ghost. A phantom.”

“Most phantoms can’t say one-syllable words.”

No… but the Death King’s defences had done something to me. When I’d hopped through the node, I must have left my body behind. I’d made it in, but the amulet hadn’t.

“Bloody great.” I sighed. “How do we get out of here, then?”

“Presumably, the same way we came in.” Dex flew up into the air, admiring the towering shape of the castle. “Don’t you want to take a look around? It’s not like anyone can see us.”

“Famous last words,” I said quietly.

A shadowy figure emerged from the castle, passing straight through the oak doors as though they didn’t exist. The breath punched from my lungs, and against my will, I found myself being dragged towards the ground as though pulled by an invisible force. Now the castle seemed to loom taller than ever, yet my eyes were fixed on the person drawing closer, clothed in shadowy armour.

The Death King closed the distance between us, silent and fearsome. His shadowy hood and dark mask were all but fused to his face, hiding his features, yet from this angle, the Death King looked more… present.

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