“As necromancers, our natural state is to tread lightly between the world of the living and that of the dead. The veil is not an obstacle for us the way it is for most. If a soul is coaxed from a body with the correct potion, it will simulate death, and we may be able to guide it across from this side. However, should his soul linger there for too long…” Her voice lowers in a warning.
“He won’t be able to return,” I finish for her.
She nods.
Dominic’s eyes widen as he watches me.
Turning to him I say, “Abigail thinks it can be done. But it’ll take time. We need to create a potion, I guess. Something that will force your soul from your body.”
Dominic’s face pulls in tight and he reaches into his jeans pocket. “You’ve gotta understand, I’ve felt this coming for a while. Okay? But today, I went into a trance trying to find my way to make this work and when I came to, I had written some ingredients on a piece of paper,” he says, grinning sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure what it was, but I figured I’d use it as my last resort if you didn’t help. Guess that wasn’t why I was called to create it.”
He reaches his hand out, dropping a small vial into my palm. I pick it up, spinning it between my fingertips. The liquid glows with a strange purple, glittery energy. Holding it out to Abigail, I ask, “Does this look like the potion we need? Or is this something else?”
Abigail steps forward, peering into the depths of it. After a moment, she nods. “It appears to be so. Does the Crane boy remember its contents?”
“She wants to know what’s in it,” I say, relaying the message.
Dom shrugs. “Not much, really. Lavender, lemon mixed with holy water, and powdered belladonna root. Oh, and a drop of my blood, for some reason.”
Abigail watches him closely. “What of its creation? Was it warmed with the Necrosis Flame?”
“Did you use the Necrosis Flame to stew the ingredients?” I ask, sighing heavily.
“What the hell is the Necrosis Flame? That sounds like it should be your area of expertise, not mine,” he sputters.
Immediately, any hopes that we might have an easy way out of this are dashed. I turn back to Abigail, who says, “All is not lost. The Crane boy is right; this is more our area of expertise.”
“Okay?” I say, enclosing the vial in my palm.
“The Necrosis Flame can be summoned by a necromancer for various reasons. Some are intentional, while others are not. In a necromancer, it often springs forth as visual indicator or warning system that someone’s life force is in a state of active disturbance. But when used intentionally, it produces an ethereal flame capable of brewing the Feign Death Potion,” she says, tipping her chin high as she clasps her hands behind her back.
“The Feign Death Potion?” I say, practically laughing at the name.
“Is that what this is?” Dominic asks.
I nod. “Almost.”
“Because I am no longer of the living, I cannot spring forth this flame, but you can, my dear. You simply need to concentrate on it to make it happen,” Abigail says, beginning to pace.
“Concentrate? Like with the astral projection? Or—?”
“Have you never felt a time when the Necrosis Flame was triggered unintentionally?” she asks.
Shaking my head, I snicker. “Not that I can think of.”
But suddenly, my wry laughter is cut short as I think of all those times with Colton.
“What is it?” Abigail asks, narrowing her gaze.
Inhaling a deep breath, I tilt my head, shifting through all of the times the flames erupted with Colton. “I think maybe I have, actually.”
“Good, then you know its vibration. I want you to close your eyes and call upon it.”
Doing as I’m told, I close my eyes, thinking about Colton and the flames. I have no idea the flames were a warning about his life force—and it suddenly has me worrying that he might not be as immortal as everyone thinks he is.
However, when I open my eyes, I look down to find my hand consumed by the same orange and blue flames. And though it’s fully engulfed by it, my hand is completely unscathed. However, inside my palm, the contents of the vial begin to boil.
I stare down at the bubbling liquid until, abruptly, the flames go out.
“I believe we can now proceed,” she says, her face stoic. “But do so cautiously.”
Nodding to her, I turn to Dominic and hold the vial back out to him.
“I have no idea what just happened. You know that, right?” he mutters, accepting the small glass object.
“That’s okay. All you need to know is we’re ready to go now,” I say.
“He will wish to be lying down before drinking the potion. It takes but seconds to work,” Abigail says, continuing to pace around the room like a caged animal.
“Dominic, lie down on the floor, then drink the potion,” I say, pointing to the middle of the room.
Without another thought, he tips his chin in acknowledgement, then moves to sit down. Uncorking the top, he doesn’t even verify the timing or go over the plan again. He just slams the contents and lets the empty vial clatter across the ground.
He opens his mouth, probably to say something, but his eyes immediately roll to the back of his head. I dash over, reaching him just in time to ease his torso to the ground.
“Now, you must focus on summoning his soul from his body. See in your mind’s eye walking with him through the veil from this world to the next, but do not allow yourself to be pulled with him. You must stay on this side in order to awaken him,” Abigail says, her furrowed eyebrows scrunched in thought.
“Nothing to it,” I whisper to myself, unsure any of this is a good idea at all. But at least it’s in motion and I have no
