“What do you mean, extinguished power?”
“I mean it is dead power,” Enoch told her. “Something or someone made him vomit up his own personal store of power.”
Gavril gaped. “That is not possible.”
“I assure you, it is,” said Enoch. “I haven’t witnessed such a thing before, but I’ve heard of it. Some demons allegedly possess the defensive ability to purge others of their powers.”
Gavril whirled on Thea. “What exactly happened at the stadium?”
“Lane used his gift to steal Asher’s,” Thea replied. “Something jumped from Asher into him. I thought it was the toddler’s abilities.”
Gavril flicked his hand in the air. “He is now useless to me. He’s as good as human. Did you do this to him, Thea? Did you do this to escape the deal we made?”
Her eyes widened. “I didn’t do anything! It was the Thorne kid!”
Ciaran’s mind touched Khloé’s. Larkin came through for us—she found that Gavril has a Victorian house a few miles away from Harper and Knox’s estate. We’re going to pay a visit to the nearest ghost towns. If you’re in none of them, we’ll check the others.
Relief fluttered through Khloé. You need to look inside the saloons, she told him.
Just then, another mind touched hers—young, powerful, familiar. Recognizing Asher’s touch, she smiled to herself. How he’d managed to bypass the psychic shield keeping her from telepathing others, she had no idea. Hey, kiddo, she said, keeping her tone cheery. I’ll come see you soon.
There was a small movement beside her. And then she could only gape. Asher was there. Yet he wasn’t. His body was partly transparent, which meant she could very well be seeing shit. Either that or he was truly—in some sense—beside her in the crate, smiling shyly at her.
She glanced at the others to see if any could see him, but none were looking her way. They were observing Thea and Gavril, who were arguing yet again.
Turning back to Asher, Khloé flashed him a smile and reached out to her brother. Ciaran, what’s Asher doing right now?
He was sleeping a few minutes ago when we left him at the estate with Meg, Dan, Larkin, Martina, and Beck. Why?
Because I’m looking right at him.
What?
He’s partly transparent, but he’s here. Sort of.
“What the fuck?” burst out Gavril.
Khloé tensed as the others crowded the crate, their mouths open wide as they stared at Asher. Only Enoch’s two puppets and Lane—whose demon was still in control—remained far back.
Enoch squinted at Khloé. “You create illusions, do you?”
Gavril crouched. “This is no illusion. The boy must have the ability to astral project.” His eyes narrowed, glittering with sheer cunning. “How interesting. He should not have been able to get inside that crate—no one should, whether in astral form or any other. Hello, little boy.”
“Want Kooey,” Asher said around the finger he’d stuffed into his mouth.
Gavril’s brows raised. “Then you should stay with us. I’m sure she’d like your company.”
“Kooey go home.”
“I’m sorry, young one, but Khloé won’t be going home.”
The air chilled as Asher’s eyes bled to black. The demon—so unbelievably cold and callous—curved its lips into a dimply smile that held an edge of arrogance. It opened its small hand, and a gold spark flickered to life on its palm.
Thea gasped. “What’s it doing?”
The entity looked at the ceiling, and then the spark on its palm became a stream of gold power that punched a hole through the top of the crate and through the roof of the building, sending bits of wood flying through the air … and breaking the containment spell.
Khloé’s heart leaped and, hearing a chorus of caws, she peered through the hole in the roof. She felt her lips part in surprise. Crows were flying and dancing there, as if drawn by the lingering energy of the power display … or by Asher himself, she wasn’t sure.
Asher’s form shimmered and then disappeared. The others spun, searching the room with their eyes. Khloé figured he’d returned his astral ass home, but then he reappeared near the bar. Or, more to the point, his demon did. And it was still wearing that arrogant smirk.
She felt power gather in the air as the others braced themselves to attack. Her stomach sank, her demon tensed, and a shot of pure adrenaline rushed through her. She didn’t know if Asher’s astral body could truly be hurt or not, but she wasn’t about to risk it.
You guys need to get here fast, bro, she told her twin.
We don’t know where “here” is yet, he pointed out.
Just look for