Chapter Eleven – Edan

"Where is she?" Edan had to stop himself from shaking Josef or letting loose a bolt of flame.

"I don't know." The man's brow furrowed in the dim light. "I've never seen anybody be gone for this long . . . and she entered the light. It stayed for her. She has the power. After all these years . . . "

That brought a puff of smoke from Edan’s lips, though he attempted to swallow it down. As soon as Isobel had stepped into the light, it had changed from a forest-green to blood red. Strange pulses kept emanating from it. It had been hours since Isobel had gone in, but Josef warned him that trying to pull her out or entering himself because the light would disappear and she'd be gone forever.

"Just tell me if this is normal."

Josef shook his head. "None of this is normal. Usually, a child begins to show talent as soon as they begin to speak. I've never heard of a case where a medium doesn't see spirits until they're full grown. All these wasted years when I could have been teaching her. I've never felt this sort of power before."

"Maybe you should have paid more attention to your daughter, then."

If he found the suggestion offensive, Josef didn't make any indication of it. He stroked his goatee, eyes distant. "She never gave any indication of being special. My mother always told her she was, but I didn't believe in building a child's false hopes. I told the truth as I saw it."

More smoke. "Isobel told me how you shared that 'truth.' She never felt good enough for you."

"She never was," Josef said, and there wasn't a hint of regret in his voice. "She was always such a disappointment—"

"You're the disappointment," Edan burst out, unable to stop himself. "You were the one not good enough. And I don't think you ever will be."

Josef turned shocked eyes on him, but at that moment, the light flickered. It turned green again and Isobel stumbled back. Edan caught her as her legs buckled. Wide eyes turned to him and a smile spread over her face. One of her hands caressed his face but the moment was short-lived. She pushed herself away from him and jumped to her feet.

"What did you see?" Josef pressed forward. "What did—"

"We have to get back to the palace before it's too late."

Seizing her harness, she started away from the light. Josef grabbed her hand and she pushed him off at once. She shoved her arms into the harness.

"Too late for what?' Edan asked, following after her.

"To save the kingdom."

***

A change had come over Isobel, that was for certain. She didn't stop for anything on their way back through the maze, and when they reached the helicopter, she barely took the time to explain what she had seen while she was in the light. Her words made Edan's fires flicker low. He shifted at once and, with Isobel in his claws, headed back for the palace. Josef and the helicopter could follow after them.

Edan landed on the roof. Isobel was already halfway to the entrance by the time he shifted and caught up with her. They ran together, Edan holding her hand to help her keep up with him – or, if he was honest, to give himself comfort. His heart thudded in his throat, choking him. What if they were too late?

The guard outside Clint and Zoelle's apartment tried to stop them, but Edan shouldered his way through and smashed open the door. Inside, Zoelle straddled Clint on the couch. She gave a surprised yelp and twisted off as the guard jumped on Edan, pinning him to the ground.

Isobel slipped between them and grabbed a handful of Zoelle's hair. She yanked the queen back, earning a sharp yelp and a growl in response.

"Did you kiss him?" Isobel yelled.

"Get off of me!" Smoke seeped from Zoelle's mouth as Isobel dragged her backward. Claws sprouted on her fingers and she swiped at Isobel. The human kicked the queen in the back of the knees and as a guard rushed in, Isobel sprinted for the king.

Edan roared. "Did you kiss him?"

Zoelle scrambled to her feet. "What are you talking about?"

"Edan!" Isobel's voice pitched high.

His head swiveled to find her over him, her hand on his chest and forehead. Clint's chest heaved. Sweat dripped from his skin, which had paled to the color of sandstone: an entirely unnatural, bloodless look. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his limbs started to shake, head flopping back and forth. The guard seized Isobel around the waist as Zoelle screamed.

"What did you do to him?" She rushed to Clint's side and gripped his shoulders. Her eyes were wide, terror shining from her face. "Call the doctors! Now!"

Edan yanked the guard on his left, driving his forehead into the guard's nose and threw him into the guard on his right. Tearing himself free, he pounced on the man holding Isobel and tore him away from her. Zoelle threw herself over Clint, baring sharp fangs as Isobel approached.

"She's trying to help him," Edan called, dodging a punch to jump over Zoelle. His arms banded around her waist and he dragged her back, giving Isobel access to the king, who was still convulsing. Pink-tinged foam started to form at his lips.

Zoelle screeched like an animal, clawing at his arms. "Clint! No! Stay with me! Get away from him, you witch! Clint!"

Isobel's hands glowed red. Zoelle screeched again and the guards lunged forward.

Both of her hands plunged into Clint's chest. Everything seemed to stop as the light pulsed. Sweat beaded Isobel's forehead, her gaze locked onto the place where her hands moved inside of Clint's body. Edan's flames roared and then went out as he watched his brother's eyes roll to the back of his head and his body still. Utterly limp, like the life had been sucked from him.

And then with a triumphant cry, Isobel yanked back. Her hands slid free effortlessly, dragging a shadow with them. A squawking, shrill noise filled the room and Clint's back arched, a rattling breath filling his lungs. The shadow in Isobel's hands writhed. Tendrils lashed out, wrapping around her arms.

Edan elbowed a guard in the face and lunged. He grabbed the demon from Isobel's hands and threw it across the room. It spread out like a spider creeping towards its prey. His fires roared to life again and he dropped his jaw, sending a red burst towards the shadow.

It burned with screams of pain and when his fires were emptied, all that remained was a smoking, charred heap on a scorched floor.

A moment of silence was broken by Clint's gasp. Edan turned to see Zoelle throwing herself down beside him. Her hands patted his cheeks as tears streamed down her face. Terror and awe filled her eyes as she looked up Isobel, who was standing over her.

"What are you?"

Isobel shrugged. "I'm a psychic. That was a demon. It entered him when you kissed him and would have killed him if I hadn't gotten it out. Do you understand?"

Zoelle shivered. "Yes."

"And you know how it got into him."

"Yes."

Isobel dropped to a knee beside the queen. "Then tell us how it happened."

Edan inched closer. This was one thing that Isobel hadn't told him. How did the demon get here in the first place? When she told him that there was a demon trying to kill Clint, he hadn't hesitated. Believing her was as natural as breathing in that instant. But now . . . How did she know? How had she known any of it? How did it happen and how did Isobel find out?

"I can't . . . You can't know what happened," Zoelle rasped. "It's impossible. Nobody knew. I didn't even remember until . . . "

"Remember what?" Edan pressed.

Clint groaned. His eyes fluttered and Zoelle turned back to him. Her fingers stroked his chest. The guard hesitantly tugged both Edan and Isobel away, but the queen stopped them with a single command. Her expression was resigned, fearful.

The doctors came and took Clint to the hospital wing. Edan dismissed the guards and locked the door. "Nobody is leaving until I have answers."

"My grandmother told me." Isobel took his hand and squeezed it. "When I was in the light, I saw Gran and she told me everything. The demon that's possessing Brant . . . This demon that tried to kill Clint was branched from it. A shade of its master. And that demon was released when . . . "

Edan's gaze traveled to Zoelle. Her arms wrapped around her middle and her tears started anew. She knew. She knew what this was about . . .  He found it difficult to pull in a breath but somehow managed to ask. "What did you do?"