Perception (Apparition Investigations #1)

Case #2: Hell's Gate: Part 16

For a moment, no one moved.

Then Camilla launched herself forward.

Rose reacted first, darting to stop Camilla before she reached her sister. "No! It's too dangerous!"

Camilla ducked out of Rose's grip and ran for the swirling wind. It bit at her, tossing her jacket around, causing Camilla to falter as she struggled to get closer.

Noah's hand slapped up over his eye.

"You can't use that against Esperanza," I snapped. "What if it hurts her with the ghost inside?"

"Do you have a better idea?" he snapped back.

No, not really. I had a stupid idea, but that was about it.

"Esperanza!" Camilla shrieked. The wind grew stronger, tossing her around. Her legs gave way and she collapsed down, the wind pulling at her hair, her clothes, all while throwing twigs and leaves into her face.

"Double crap," I muttered, running toward Camilla.

Behind me, I heard Rose call out. But her footsteps didn't sound behind me. Not that I expected to hear them over the roaring winds.

With each second that passed, they became stronger.

I tackled Camilla, throwing her to the ground and using my body as the best shield I could manage. The wind tore at me, as if with claws.

And the deep scratches on my back seemed to hum with remembrance.

I tried to look up through my windswept hair and the maelstrom swirling around Esperanza. It was difficult to see her, even though I couldn't have been more than a few yards away. Dirt clouded my vision, stinging my eyes, my skin.

Rocks joined in the storm. They pelted along my arms, my legs, my back.

Underneath me, Camilla squirmed and yelled to be let go.

I pushed down on her even harder.

"Triple crap," I muttered, trying to throw my hair out of the way and see Esperanza. "I'm trying to help you, you idiot! Tell me your name!"

"Where is my home!" Esperanza roared.

Only it wasn't her voice.

The voice was deeper, older. Hoarse as if it'd been tinged with years of smoke. And definitely, absolutely, without a doubt masculine.

Camilla stopped fighting.

"I can help you find it!" I yelled. "Just tell me your name!"

Scared sobs came from beneath me. And my body shook with Camilla's crying. "No, no, no, not my baby sister, no."

The wind continued to roar, drowning out everything except Camilla's cries.

"Let me help you!" I shouted, my hair once again pulled into my eyes. I tried to fight it back out of my face, but it wasn't working. I couldn't see. "Just tell me what you want!"

"Where is my home?"

The shouting pierced through the wind. It boomed, as if shouted through a megaphone, and rattled my bones.

Camilla's cries grew louder. "Not my sister, not her, please."

"I'll help you find it!" I shouted. "Just tell me your name so I know where to look for it!"

Camilla's shaking grew more intense.

"Where is my home? Where is it? Where did you move it?"

"Not my sister..."

"Camilla," I shouted, my voice layered with power, "just shut up!"

She hiccupped, then stopped crying.

I froze, stunned. It was a moment like after you've slapped someone, or when you've dropped your mother's priceless antique plate and it's shattered on the floor. A moment of pure astonishment, when you're just starting to register what you've done.

I had ordered her to shut up. I had ordered her to shut up.

Her shaking increased when she realized she couldn't speak anymore.

What did I do? Oh my God. I'd commanded her to shut up because I felt frazzled. I'd taken away her free will, prevented her mind from coping with what was happening to her sister, because it was inconvenient to me.

Noah was right. I'd taken it too far.

A rock smashed into the side of my face, jarring me from my surprise.

"Forget that, Camilla," I said, layering my voice with power again.

She let out a shuddering breath and I felt a wave of relief when she started mumbling under her breath. "No, no, no, no."

Another rock smacked me and I pushed down harder on Camilla, so nothing could get past me and hit her.

"Where is my—"

"I'm trying!" I snapped before she/he/it could finish.

Somebody above me grabbed at my arm, trying to get me to my feet.

I looked up to see Rose struggling to lift me up. I pushed off from the ground, rolling so that Camilla had room. Rose let go of my arm and grabbed hers, yanking her backward, away from Esperanza and the wind.

We scrambled back a few steps and the wind died suddenly.

Blinking, I realized we'd stepped into Noah's ward.

Rose dropped Camilla, letting her fall into a sobbing heap on the ground. "Oh Stel," she whispered, dropping to her knees and touching my cheek. She drew it back so I could see the blood on her fingertips.

I rubbed at it with the back of my hand. "It's fine. What are we going to do about her?"

She swung around to see Esperanza. The wind continued to whip around her, growing stronger and larger. It spread out, nearly touching the closest row of tombstones. Much longer and it would reach the point where it picked up things heavier than rocks and twigs.

"Maybe I can reach her?" Rose said uncertainly.

Noah's hand came down on her shoulder. "No. Not happening."

"We can't just leave her like this," Rose said, rising to her feet. She brushed of Noah's hand. "We have to do something."

Noah stared at Esperanza for a moment. Then his eyes fell on me.

No. Not on me. On the cut just under my eye.

Suddenly conscious of it, I reached up to wipe it again.

He looked back toward Esperanza. "I will. You two stay here."