Page 97 of To Dwell in Shadows

Lead us through!

“Vanthee will be back soon,” Selene replied in a raised voice. “Don’t go too far.”

The spirits continued to grumble until, moments later, Vanthee returned with the usual horde of the recently dead. She began sorting them as normal, but the action made the once-joyous energy of the lost souls that Selene brought to turn frantic. They began to swarm Selene, just as they had in the maze.

It’s our turn! We were here first!

Unlock the gates!

I want peace!

“No, wait! Vanthee will help you through in just a moment,” Selene cried. Zetta began herding some of the insistent souls away from her, but not all obeyed the hellhound.

Vanthee’s face twisted with panic. “No! I’m going to lose them all! Get yours to wait by the Afterworld!”

Selene waved her arms and pleaded, “If you came with me, wait over here!”

Zetta backed her up, steering some of the drifting souls in the same direction, but it wasn’t enough. Her fierce barking startled some of the newly dead, making them scatter like birds, colliding and mixing with the lost souls into a great swirling mist.

Selene found herself in the middle, shouting directions and gesturing wildly to the two groups, but no one was listening. Then they began to flock to Vanthee.

“I can’t take you all at once,” Vanthee cried, even though they couldn’t hear her. “I have to unlock the gates one by one!”

The horde that had surrounded her was beginning to break apart and Selene watched helplessly as some of the newly dead drifted toward the palace, about to join the multitudes of spirits who hadn’t crossed over. She continued to shout and gesticulate to any spirit who would listen, but it was all turning to chaos.

Then, without warning, Zetta darted protectively in front of her, a blur of black fur and canine muscle. Her lips peeled back to reveal glistening fangs, snarling more viciously than Selene had ever heard. The growl rumbling from her throat made the hairs on the back of Selene’s neck stand on end.

Startled by the hellhound’s reaction, Selene leaned down to whisper, “Hey. Zetta, it’s okay. We’ll bring them back?—”

Her words were cut off as something slammed into her chest like a battering ram. Hard and brutal. The impact stole the breath from her lungs and sent her reeling backward. Instinctively, her fingers latched onto Zetta’s thick coat, grasping for balance. Her eyes scanned the valley, but it was difficult to see anything through the murk of spirits.

Then shesaw him.

Mammon.

His face loomed in front of her, bathed in the blue glow of the Afterworld gate. His features were contorted with triumph and spite.

She heard Vanthee scream, “NO!” just as her body was jerked back, and the world around her began to dissolve.

Sound dropped away.

The ground vanished beneath her feet.

Light bent and folded inward.

And before she could stop it, the blue haze of the Afterworld enveloped her—swallowing her and Zetta whole.

And everything went still.

TO BE CONTINUED…