Chapter 360
“H–How is this possible?” I shifted backwards, stretching my right hand toward the bastard who had caused me so much pain.
The bastard who had succeeded in tarnishing my reputation in more ways than one.
Marcellus tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into an amused smirk. “What? You don’t believe in miracles?”
My teeth ground so hard I thought they might break from the pressure.
“Speak now you devil!” I sneered, my fingers already tingling with my magic. “I destroyed you. I–I reduced you to ash.”
He raised his hands slowly, clapping. “And what an impressive feat that was. I would’ve given you a medal but—”
“You’d better go back to whatever hellhole you crawled out from.” I clenched my right fist which was still pointed at him.
My right hand glowed with a bright violet light as the wind picked up speed. The blue lightning rumbling through the sky intensified and grew in power.
As for Marcellus, my telekinetic spell took hold of him. He gasped, rising into the air with his limbs stretched out to their limits.
However, just when I was about to add more pressure, the most shocking thing happened.
Marcellus glowed with a faint blue light, his body becoming transparent like glass. His eyes flashed briefly with blue light as he forced a chuckle.
“Still as fiery as ever.” He managed to speak, his chest rising and falling. “If you had allowed me to speak… You would’ve heard me trying to explain that I’m not alive. You indeed succeeded in killing me.”
I blinked, confusion surging through me.
Huh?
Hesitantly, my fingers relaxed, cutting off the telekinetic spell. Marcellus fell to the ground with a grunt but wasn’t down for long, rising back on his feet and snapping his neck.
“Phew.” He stared at his body, checking out his suit. “Fortunately for me, a ghost’s suit can’t get stained by dirt. I don’t have the magic to clean it.”
He paused, squinting thoughtfully. “Or do I?”
I watched as he closed his eyes, raising his hands. He snapped his fingers, probably expecting something to happen.
Nothing did.
“Oh, bloody hell.” He cursed. “I guess that’s fair. I was an ’artificial’ hybrid after all.”
’Are you really going to let mister spiritual psychosis here stand for hours and bore us to death?’ Sirena snarled in my mind just then, snapping me back to reality.
That’s right…
“How did you come back, Marcellus?” I asked, stepping down the stairs. “Did… Did Ryker summon you?”
He froze at the mention of Ryker. Slowly, he raised his head, flashing a sarcastic smile. “On the contrary. You see—”
“You have ten seconds to talk before I decide to reduce your ghost to nothingness.” I interrupted, cracking my knuckles.
I had no idea why my spells were able to affect an intangible ghost… But I’ll roll with it.
“Oh, come on.” Marcellus flung his arms into the air. “I’d need at least fifteen minutes to tell you all about my experience in the great above.”
“Hell? I didn’t know the place switched locations to the sky now.”
“No, the werewolf afterlife. I think—”
“Six seconds.” I interrupted again, raising my right hand and counting. “Five… Four… Three—”
“You summoned me, Dessa!” He waved his hands hurriedly.
His words were like a cannon, ringing in my ears.
I… I did what?!
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I dropped my hands, but the wind still reacted to my emotions, picking up speed yet again. “Out of all the ghosts from any fucking afterlife. Why the heck would I willingly summon you?”
Silence.
Marcellus gawked at me but seemed utterly speechless. And I was utterly full of his bull crap.
“The Vein.” He finally muttered, his eyes distant. “I felt the energy before I slipped into the mortal plane. I don’t know how to explain it but
His eyes focused on me now, filled with contemplation. The Vein is making the layers separating the Earth from the spirit realms thinner. Can’t you feel it?”
No… I don’t think I could feel anything other than a burning desire to whoop his ass. Fresh chapters posted on
’Let’s concentrate for a second, girl.’ Sirena whispered, grounding my emotions.
She was usually the first to lead me to violence.
Hesitantly, I drew in a deep breath until it filled my lungs. My eyes flicked to the sky, scrutinising the incoming storm.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Until—
Lightning flashed again, rumbling with raw chaotic power and lighting up the land.
I dimmed my eyes, staring at the sky.
Blue light…
And not just whitish blue. Pure blue.
“Hold up.” I pointed at Marcellus, my fingers glowing.
My magic held him again but this time, all it did was add pressure on him.
“Gods below He cursed, his body twitching as I heightened the pressure without saying anything.
And just like before, he glowed with a bright blue light, his eyes also flashing with the same colour.
I withdrew my hand, blinking erratically. “What does blue signify? The spirit realms?”
Marcellus placed his hands on his chest, glaring at me. “Jeez, girl… I ain’t trying to kill you! You couldn’t find that out without choking me again?”
I arched an unimpressed brow, tapping my foot on the ground impatiently.
When he saw my expression, he sighed. “I’m not certain but I think the blue lightning is because of the thinning barriers between here and the spirit realm. And as for how you summoned me… You’re the Vein Born, Odessa.”
I didn’t say anything, waiting for him to continue speaking.
“You’re the key to the Vein. Not to mention you’re the one who… You know He made a slicing motion on his neck, referencing that I killed him. “So it makes sense that my ghost will be drawn to you.”
Typical Marcellus.
“Good for you then,” I remarked. “But I don’t need you lurking around here. Or anywhere else on this planet. I—”
“The feeling is mutual, Dessa.” He took a few steps forward, his expression stoic. “But before I died… I realised how fickle my existence was. How I’d let myself get controlled by him who shall not be named for so long.”
I couldn’t believe it.
Gods, please wake me up from this absolute nightmare.
“Are you seriously trying to make me feel sorry for you right now?” I chuckled dryly, my voice getting colder with each word. “You orchestrated the murder of my baby, Marcellus!”
He frowned, shaking his head. “As much as it would be cool to take credit for that… I didn’t.”
My shoulders dropped when I heard those words. That and the plain honesty in his tone.
“But… But you mind-controlled Layla, who poisoned me.” I blurted shakily, refusing to believe it. “Accept the truth, god damn it! Getting rid of the baby—”
“Was not my doing,” Marcellus repeated, his voice firmer now. ” And Layla didn’t poison you that night, Odessa.”
Time seemed to slow down the more he spoke.
If… If Layla didn’t poison me that night that would leave Caroline as a suspect. She was the one who brought the tea to me after collecting it from Layla.
But it couldn’t be Caroline. That’s ridiculous.
Which left only one more person. Someone close enough to the special tea that night. Who had recommended it to me and made it herself.
I shook my head, my breath hitching in my throat.
N–No…
“Odessa?” Marcellus called but I ignored him, turning away from him and trying to catch my breath.
My whole world felt like it was crumbling.
If what Marcellus was saying was true then that means—
Aunt Althea.
“H–How could she?” A sob broke out of my voice harder than the weight of the realization.
As if to mock me, the lightning crackled even louder above, rain trickling seconds later.