Page 82

“Maybe it’s something we could dig into?” I said.

“We’ll have to request some of the files from MPD, but sure, I’m game,” Hardy agreed.

Jude sighed. “Once again, I’m little more than a ghost.” He was pacing now, restless, his form flickering with every step. “And it’s not like I can go hang around the guy’s grave—if he even has one—and see if his specter lingered. The dead only stick around when they’ve got unfinished business.”

He paused.

“Maybe.”

I wanted to reach for him. Wanted to pull him close and tell him it would be okay. But my hand would pass through him. It always did.

Hardy stood a few feet away, silent. He couldn’t hear Jude. Couldn’t see the way his shoulders slumped, the way his form wavered like he was about to dissolve.

“We should definitely look into it,” I agreed, thinking if Jude’s instinct said he’d missed something, we needed to pull out the old records and start dusting off any connections between an old serial killer and this cult. Though I was pretty certain we’d be kicking a hornet’s nest.

34

JUDE

Angel and Chris returned to the office after loading up on pastries, armed with new clues and determination, while I was stuck haunting the other side of the Veil like a ghost with nothing to do. Which to be fair, was accurate. The sheer number of Spooks in the SED building left me on edge. I knew, somehow, that they were looking for me.

My fan club was growing. New achievement unlocked. Next goal, K-pop level stardom. If only.

It took a tiny bit of prodding to find the SK’s grave. Not that it was anything unusual or even hidden. He’d been mostly forgotten. And as suspected. Nothing lingered. I spent a few hours stalking the graveyard, looking for anyone, or even a hint of someone to talk to, but ended up giving up just before midnight.

I popped back to the library, getting really good at traveling distances, at least to places I’d been before, with the barest thought. Was that eating at my energy too? I sure hoped not. I was running low enough as it was without adding teleportation to the list of things slowly killing me a second time. When I looked at my hands, they still appeared solid, a gift from Beau, the grandson of legendary Baba Yaga.

My life had officially gone from interesting to insane.

And I wasn’t even alive to enjoy it.

Nat was nowhere to be found. On a job? I’d spent a few hours running back and forth with him, escorting folks to their doors. Honestly, it was mostly peaceful work. Those ready to move on didn’t argue or fight to remain. They accepted our hands and let us take them to the door they’d disappear through. I couldn’t see anything beyond, but the second we entered the hall with a spirit, a door opened.

Nat mentioned the majority of his work was this way.

Mostly uneventful.

Until me.

I heard a click from above, and wondered if Nat had returned with someone. I headed up the stairs, out to the long hall of the dead. Or at least that’s what I’d named it. Sounded dramatic, which was kind of my brand.

But strangely, the hall stood long and empty. No sign of Nat or a ghost other than me. Except one door on the far left gaped open.

That’s not ominous at all.

I sucked in a worried breath, locked in place at the beginning of the hall. The thought struck me all at once.

I was the only ghost here. And a door had opened.

For me.

Fuck.

Motes swirled around me in a lava lamp rise and fall of dancing soot sprites, and I’d never been so frozen in my life. Indecision and horror battled for control. If I walked through that door, it was over. For me, at least. On to whatever reward, or ending, or void. Whatever.

But that left Angel—hell, our whole team—and Ivan, unprotected. I was certain the shield I’d woven around them would snap. Likely Angel’s careful control too.

Nox snuffled up from his place along my spine, hiding as a ghostly tattoo, and nudged my cheek. I’d nearly forgotten about him. I hoped his tie to Angel would remain. Would that snarl unravel too? Reweaving reality wasn’t giving me the predictable results I might have hoped for. Playing god, not as fun as it had been in video games. How could I save everyone when I couldn’t seem to save myself?