Itzal didn’t feel like eating, but Sunshine made him have some fruit, pancakes, and a glass of orange juice. They were curled up on his sofa, and he’d just finished filling her in on what Secondo had said about the plan. She sat in silence for a while, clearly turning it all over in her head. He drank the last of the juice as she processed it.
“Okay. So you’re basically saying Secondo wants to kill you to cut the bond and get rid of Santos, and then Papa’s going to try and bring you back to life. But there’s no guarantee it’ll work, because it might send you back to your home dimension. Or it might not even work at all, because he’s never actually brought a ghoul back. He might just be killing you. That’s it? That’s the master plan?”
Her voice was sharp with disbelief. Itzal swallowed.
When she put it like that, yeah, it sounded reckless.
“Well, that’s the bare bones of it...yes,” he said. “But there were still things they needed to research...”
“And you’re just okay with that? You’re happy for them to slit your throat, or however they plan to do it? You’re just going along with it?”
Her eyes sparked violet now, fierce and beautiful.
“Well, I wanted to talk to you about it first. Omega thinks I should go for it.”
“Oh, so Omega’s in on this too. Seriously?”
She crossed her arms and glared at him. He winced.
Fuck, he thought. He’d hoped she’d be relieved, happy, even, that he had a chance at freedom. He hadn’t expected her to be this furious.
“Sunshine, there’s no other way out of this bond. Death is the only option. That’s it. If there was another way, they’d try it. We already altered the collar once, and it worked for what? A day? Santos won’t let me go that easily. As far as he’s concerned, I’m his property. And he wants his property back.”
Sunshine growled, the sound all frustration.
“I wish I could rip his throat out. I’m so freaking angry right now! I finally find someone I connect with, and he’s got some evil sorcerer trying to enslave him! It’s so unfair!” She punched a cushion and stared at him. “I can’t lose you, Itzal. It would kill me if they can’t bring you back. Why can’t you just stay here at the Abbey with me? We can block the bond...”
He gave her a small, lopsided smile.
“You know we can’t. Santos will find a way. He’s already proving that. He’ll never give up. As long as I’m alive, so is he. He’s a stubborn bastard. He put everything into summoning and training me. He can’t just summon another ghoul. Not without that collar. And as far as I know, it’s the only one. Even if he could summon someone else, he couldn’t control them the way he controls me. He won’t stop, Sunshine. Not ever.”
Tears welled in her eyes. She buried her face in his chest, and he held her close, rubbing slow, steady circles on her back.
“This is worth the risk to me,” he said softly. “If there’s even a chance I get to stay here, with you, then it’s worth it. And I think I want to go ahead with it.”
Her fingers clutched his shirt tighter.
They sat like that for a while in silence, until she sniffed and lifted her head to look at him.
“I will never forgive Secondo, or you, if this goes wrong. Never.”
They called in on Shay before heading down to Secondo’s study that afternoon. The old ghoul was writing something when they entered his office. He looked up and smiled warmly, gesturing for them to sit.
“Ah, my children. I hope you’re well? To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“We were just checking the arrangements for the summoning later,” Sunshine said.
“Ah yes, it will be around seven p.m. here, I believe. Papa has selected three ghouls to donate their blood for the circle.”
Itzal blinked. He hadn’t even thought about the practical side of a Clergy summoning. The circle had to be drawn in blood; ghoul blood, ideally. Back when Santos summoned demons, Itzal had been the only ghoul available, and they’d nearly drained him dry every time. He’d pass out, and when he woke up, he’d be stitched and bandaged, wrists aching and his head pounding.
They’d never let him bleed out, but they’d always taken him to the edge, then left him to recover for a couple of weeks before the next one. From what he’d heard, his own summoning had used the blood of thirteen humans and had drained the witches so badly, they needed weeks to recover.
But here, the ghouls volunteered. They got to choose. And they had the option to say no.
“We’ll prepare one of the side rooms off the chapel for you,” Shay said kindly. “You can wait there while she’s being summoned. I thought you wouldn’t want to be in the chapel itself.”
“Thank you,” Itzal said. “I’d rather not.”
They said their goodbyes and continued on to Secondo and the witches.
Secondo nodded when Itzal gave his answer.
“I want to go through with the plan,” he said.
A faint smile played on Secondo’s lips as he glanced at Sunshine.
“Do not worry, piccolo sole. I know you will never forgive me if this goes wrong.” He’d clearly read her thoughts on the matter. “I’m using every tool at my disposal to make sure it doesn’t. But I need to speak with Itzal privately now, if you don’t mind?”
Sunshine nodded and brushed her hand down Itzal’s arm.
“I have a couple of errands to run anyway. I’ll go get them done.”
He gave her a grateful nod, and she left.
“Take a seat, Itzal,” Secondo said.
He sat.
“I see you and our little Sunshine have grown quite close.” Secondo’s tone was light, but Itzal tensed, bracing for a warning. He smirked. “Don’t panic. I’m happy for you both. She’s good for you. Her heart is pure.”
Itzal sighed.
“I know. Too pure for me.”
Secondo tutted and shook his head.
“You’re too hard on yourself. She’s a fully grown ghuleh. More than capable of knowing her own mind. She sees you for what you are. Never doubt that.” Itzal winced but said nothing. “We’ve made good progress with the plan,” Secondo went on. “And now I need to ask something of you. I don’t know how you’ll take it, and I want you to think before you answer. Because it will be a profoundly important decision. Sì?”
Itzal frowned.
“Okay…”
A few minutes later, he left Secondo’s office with his mind spinning.
So, he did the only thing that ever helped when he felt like this.
He headed for the woods, and started to run.
YOU ARE READING
Nameless Ghoul
ParanormalA ghoul is summoned illegally and enslaved by a rogue sect of the Clergy. For the past twenty years, an evil Satanic sorcerer has held Itzal captive. He took control of his will, subjecting him to unimaginable horrors, and forced him to commit acts...
