My eyes opened, and I pointed into the maze of sugarcane. “He’s in there.”
Guillermo and Elena exchanged looks.
“It makes sense,” Guillermo said. “There aren’t any workers in this field. It must be cloaked.” He pointed two fingers at me and Elena. “You two canvass the area. I’m going to Port to the other side and meet you back here.”
With a small pop, he disappeared.
It’s so weird he calls it Port instead of Jump, I thought to myself. In my time, we called Teleporters “Jumpers.” I jerked my head behind me. “I’ll go to the right.”
I turned to leave, but Elena grabbed my elbow, her brown eyes wide with concern. “Don’t do anything reckless, okay? Wait for us.”
I frowned. “Of course.”
We parted ways, and I slowed my steps to a stealthy creep, my feet barely brushing the dirt as I slid along the edge of the sugarcane. Whispers surrounded me, taunting me. A phantom slice of pain slithered into my chest—a reminder of the sacrifice I’d almost made to empower El Diablo. To save Oliver.
A stench of demon stung my nostrils so intensely that I stopped, my head jerking toward the sugarcane. It smelled of blood, black magic, and hot metal.
“Howard,” I whispered.
The sugarcane bristled in response.
He’s in there. I know he is.
My nostrils flared as I stepped closer to the sugarcane.
Elena said to wait, I reminded myself. If the demons outnumber us, we’ll need backup.
The sugarcane hissed again. El Diablo’s fiery red eyes seared through my vision.
I had to know if he was back. And if he was, Howard would tell me where El Diablo was so I could end him once and for all.
My feet slid forward as I vanished into the tall stalks of sugarcane. It felt like slipping into a corn maze. The long leaves clawed against my forearms as I weaved in and out following the stench and the whispers.
I’d become stronger in the last six months. My senses had sharpened, and I felt powerful. Unstoppable. If the demons outnumbered me, I knew I could handle it. And if I couldn’t, Elena and Guillermo wouldn’t be far behind.
I brushed past the tall plants surrounding me. Their sweet scent mingled with the filthy demon smell, creating a sickly perfume.
Flames flashed in my eyes. My skin burned from the fiery assault.
Faster. My legs pushed harder through the sugarcane, my curls flying as I sprinted.
I have to end this. He can’t be back. He won’t haunt me anymore.
I stopped short as a figure came into view, his red hair contrasting against the green fronds of the sugarcane.
His head whipped toward me, his eyes wide with terror. His body shimmered, but I thrusted my arms forward, Pushing him before he could Jump.
The force of my magic hit him in the chest. He tumbled, knocking over several stalks of sugarcane. I rushed to his side and planted my foot on his chest.
Howard coughed and wheezed. Dirt was smeared along his cheek and in his mustache. His nervous eyes flew from me to the surrounding plants.
“Where is he?” I growled.
“He’s not here,” Howard said quietly.
“Then why are you here?”
Howard’s nostrils flared as he looked at me, his eyes blazing. “I’m a member of the Council. I’m neutral. I’m not his slave.”
“That’s not what it looked like last time I saw you.” I pressed my foot harder into him, and he grunted in pain. “Tell me.”
“I’m here . . . for Oliver,” he gasped.
I eased my foot off, my jaw dropping in surprise.
Howard shimmered again, Jumping just far enough to evade my hold on him. My arms flew forward, my magic catching him mid-Jump as I Pulled him toward me. The effort of dragging a Teleporter brought me to my knees as if he weighed as much as a bus. I Pulled and Pulled, and we both screamed from exertion.
Finally, he toppled over at my feet. I sucked in huge gulps of air, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Don’t . . . do this,” he panted.
I Pushed, slamming his face into the dirt. He groaned, his head lolling and his eyes blinking dizzily at me.
My chest heaved with my breaths as I pointed a finger at him. “Why—”
Something heavy slammed into me, crushing me against the earth. Dirt and rocks scraped my cheek, and a small pop told me Howard had vanished.
I swore and grappled with whatever had slammed into me. Then I froze.
Oliver’s face stared back at me, his green eyes wide with fear and his blond hair disheveled.
My heart stopped, and I shrank away from him, but he pressed harder against me.
“Look at me,” he whispered.
The soft caress of his voice made me shiver. It’s not him. It’s not him. I turned my head away from him, pressing my lips together. Without looking at him, I forced my hands onto his chest and Pushed him off me.
He flew into the air, landing several feet away from me. While he staggered to his feet, I drew my athame.
Oliver’s green eyes shifted to gray, and he cocked his head at me, smirking.
I knew it. “Shapeshifter,” I spat. I swiped my athame at him, and he dodged. His body shifted and rippled until he vanished into nothingness.
I closed my eyes. They wouldn’t be much help anyway. I sniffed the air. Demon stench tickled my nose just ahead of me. It floated closer and closer until . . .
My hand shot forward, embedding the athame into the shapeshifter’s chest.
A hollow gasp rippled through his body as the shapeshifter’s scaly gray figure came into view. He wriggled and writhed until he collapsed. Blood oozed from the wound as I yanked the athame from his flesh.
Then, something sharp cut into my arm. I hissed as slice after slice dug through my skin.
“What . . .?” I gasped. My eyes closed against another stab of agony. I screamed and sank to my knees.
Beside me, the shapeshifter cackled and then gurgled, choking on his own blood. Then, he fell silent.
Teeth cut into my flesh. Needles of agony tore through me.
