Belly of the Beast

Chapter 38

"He's dead." I sobbed over Willem's lifeless body while Vincent and Christoph flanked me. Despite their hulking frames and lethal claws, they looked-on with helpless expressions.

"It's going to take more than that to kill him," Christoph said. "Just give him a few minutes. He'll be back."

"I've seen it happen before, Reese," Vincent added. "Both to gollums and demons. It's like our bodies just take a time out."

"He's not breathing, and he has no pulse." I brushed my fingers gently over Willem's eyes, closing the lids.

Vincent knelt beside me and unbuttoned Willem's shirt, pulling it open to expose his chest. It was slightly bruised but nothing that could have killed him. "It doesn't look like he's sustained a fatal blow, which means he has probably succumbed to some kind of magic."

"That could be a problem," Christoph said, his face pinching as he used his torn shirt to dab at a wound on his cheek.

I scowled up at him. "Not helpful."

"Sorry. We probably should just return the cube and let the necromancer resurrect Willem. He's got us by the balls."

I ignored Christoph's vulgar remark and glanced down at the box sitting in my lap. I'd been holding it since we entered the chamber, yet my fever hadn't spike. At least, I didn't think it had.

"Touch my forehead, Vincent. Do I feel feverish?"

I lifted Vincent's bloody hand and pressed it to my head. "It's too hard to tell," he said. "You've been standing in front of the fire."

"Well, I don't feel feverish, even after holding the cube. Maybe Isis is telling the truth." I glanced at the pyre where Isis still sat on her throne. The fire had vanished as soon as I left the circle to check on Willem, and the voice of the goddess had vanished with it. "Help me up, please. I need to talk to Isis again."

Vincent helped me stand, whispering in my ear as he escorted me back. "Don't let compassion override rationality. We have a plan in place."

"And you know I have hated that plan from the beginning." I reached up and rested my palm on his cheek, hoping the gesture would comfort him, but I knew there wasn't much I could do to calm the storm I saw behind his eyes. "Just give me a minute with the goddess. If we can't come up with something less dangerous, we'll stick with the original plan."

With his jaw held rigidly, Vincent released me, and I entered the circle. As soon as I crossed the threshold, the flames burst forth again.

"Oh, dear. That was not at all pleasant." The voice of Isis offered unexpected comfort as I clutched the cube to my chest. "I am very sorry about your grandfather, child."

"Do you know what kind of spell he's under? He doesn't appear to be injured."

"I'm afraid his spirit has been expelled from his corporal form through powerful magic. Zenthophelius has the ability to separate the two, but he cannot restore them without the cube."

"So, if I give up the cube, Willem's spirit will return to his body? Or will he become a zombie like the others?"

"If you make haste, the necromancer could reunite your grandfather's spirit with his body, and he will be as he once was. I believe this was Zenthophelius's intent, but only if you do his bidding."

"But I don't want him to have all that power. I want to stop him...if I can."

"Reese. You're in no condition to stop him." Vincent's tone came across both soft and forceful, a skill he could wield like a blade.

"Your mate is right," said Isis. "Your expectant state compromises your strengths, but there may be another way. Someone has joined me here, and he wishes to speak with you."