What price are you willing to pay? the ghost asked on the barest of breath.
I swatted by my ear. It was really cold, which made me wonder why ghosts were always cold. They had to mess with the air molecules. “Kayla,” I called. “This ghost wants me to pay it for help. I have no idea what to do. How do you pay a ghost?”
You set me free, the ghost answered.
“That’s fine,” I said. “I have no idea how to do such a thing, but I have somebody who can help you. In fact, I have two people. There’s a necromancer upstairs and a reaper outside this piling. Both of them could help you, if you decide to accept that as your form of payment.”
You will set me free now, the ghost insisted.
“We’re not getting anywhere with this, buddy,” I told it. The hallway abruptly ended. There weren’t any doors, just a solid rock wall on all sides. I flashed my phone around, looking for an opening somewhere. I turned around and stifled a gasp. Using a flashlight in a dark hallway and then turning to see a bunch of skeletons bunched up behind you was a heart attack waiting to happen. It didn’t matter that I’d known they were there. It was still unsettling. “Kayla, I need you to back these guys up. We ran into a dead end.” As they started to shuffle backward, I glanced around for any opening or doorway I’d missed. Ray had said he’d seen windows, so I was certain there was more to this place than I could see right now.
You will set me free, the ghost said once again, brushing by my ear with a little more thrust.
“Ghostman, you’re a broken record. If you tell me how to set you free, I’ll do it. But I have no idea how to do it on my own. On the other hand, if you show me where the other living person is down here, I can get somebody to help you.”
There is one…
I stopped, the ghost snagging my attention. “There is one what? A person? Are you talking about another living, breathing soul down here?”
This way…
I chuckled. “I can’t see where you are—”
A small orb of light flashed in front of me, taking me by surprise. It began to move, floating into the wall straight ahead.
I walked forward and placed my hand on the stone and pushed. It was solid. “I can’t follow you!” I called. “You’re going to have to show me a real, honest-to-goodness corporeal way in.” I waited. The ghost didn’t emerge.
This could be Enid, toying with me again.
Kayla had backed the bodies down the hallway so I had room to move. I ran my hand over the wall, searching for a way through, while still holding my flashlight. “Danny!” I shouted. It couldn’t hurt to try. “It’s Jessica! If you can make some noise, I can find you.” I sent out my energy, searching for our Alpha-wolf connection.
It hit something. I stopped moving. It had been a bigger tug than last time.
Did you feel that? I asked my wolf. We just have to find out which direction it’s coming from. “Danny, do it again! I felt it, but I need more!”
This time it was a double tug.
He was conscious, and he could hear me!
I frantically drummed my fist on the wall, standing on my tiptoes, and then going down on my knees. Nothing gave way. I should have been able to hear him or scent him if he was this close.
“Enid!” I called angrily. “You’re masking a doorway, aren’t you? Why? I’m here alone, just as you asked. I know Danny has information you want me to have. It’s time to be done with this! Show me the damn door.” I refrained from cursing more, which was what I wanted to do.
All of a sudden, I was shoved backward, my spine smashing into the wall, followed by my head.
My phone clattered to the ground, the flashlight instantly blinking off. I couldn’t move. My teeth gnashed together. “What…do…you want, Enid?” I grated. “Are you going to kill me now?”
Cold air brushed by my neck, and a different ghostly voice whispered, I want you to pay for what you did.
I had no idea if the ghost was Enid or if Enid was channeling the ghost. It was a little beside the point at the moment. “I’m trying to make it right,” I told her through a clenched jaw. “Your sister believes there’s a way to fix this. I’m sorry about Bianca. I really am. Search my heart and you’ll know I speak the truth. I had no idea that ending Ardat Lili’s life would have such a dire consequence. But I’m willing to make a sacrifice to get us back on track.” The pressure on my chest increased, instead of decreased. Any more and I would lose all ability to breathe. She could easily kill me right here, but she was holding back. I grasped on to that. I sputtered, “If you kill me now, that glimmer of hope dies along with me and you know it. Along with a whole lot of innocent people. I don’t know if you’re a sadist, but if you’re not, give me a chance and I will do everything in my power to make it right. I swear!”
All the pressure let up at once, and I collapsed to my knees.
I rubbed my neck, gasping for air.
Fists began to pound on the stone wall across from me. “Jessica, is that you?” Danny’s voice was frantic. “Bloody hell, get me out of this tomb!”
I jumped up, searching for my phone in the dirt, my fingers finally brushing it. Luckily, it was still working. I flipped the flashlight on and scanned the wall. “Danny! I’m here!” There was no door to be found. “How did you get in there? Is there a door on your side?”