The three of them moved closer, forming a triangle around the circle, its edge glowing faintly red beneath their feet.
Incense coiled in lazy spirals above their heads, the silence settling thick in the dark hours of the night.
For all his usual smugness, Hale stayed silent, taking in every movement with caution.
The shaman held the soulstone out in both hands, chanting something in a low voice. Terry stood firm, his jaw set tight, still avoiding Adriel's gaze. Ein watched it all unblinking, bracing for action if it came to it.
As the chanting deepened, something in Adriel's expression snapped. Sharp, panicked.
"You're trusting him to help you?" Hale blurted out, jerking his chin toward Ein.
When the shaman looked up, he flashed a wicked smile. "He's a killer. He kills people for a living. What makes him any better than me?"
The words landed like a gut punch.
Ein froze. His gaze flicked to his grandmother. Terry glanced at them from the corner of his eye.
