Chapter 28

Bree was going to get herself killed if he didn't do something. She'd at least agreed to wait for him to try sneaking back into the castle to try to get Vesuvius to leave and come talk to her here, at the tree house. Bramble would stay with her, for as long as she could, but there was no guarantee that the witch wouldn't suddenly turncoat on Bree.

In short, he neither liked nor trusted Bree's cousin. There was something about her, like a charming criminal that was exceptionally good at hiding their true intent.

"This is stupid," he muttered under his breath as he stalked through the forest. "She's going to get herself killed, and then I'm stuck with her forever? That seems like a raw deal for me."

At least, that was what he kept telling himself.

He swatted at branches and bush, but of course his hand swept right through the plants.

With his mind engaged in thinking about how stupid this whole situation was, he reached the barrier again in what seemed like no time at all. Phillipa stood at the edge of the barrier, staring at the castle, holding her mother's hand.

"Are you sure there is no way around the barrier?" He blurted out. "I mean, there must be a weak place somewhere. It can't be impenetrable.

Phillipa shook her head. "None that I know of. But most of us have just stayed close enough to see the castle. Watching for Evangeline to make an appearance."

God above, did no one do their due diligence. "Have you actually checked the entire border?"

Again, she shook her head. "Why would there be a way in? They blocked us out so that we would not disturb Evangeline."

Why, indeed?

He moved to the left, keeping one hand on the barrier as he walked. "Maybe because loopholes are a way of life. I would know, I was a lawyer. I found loopholes in everything—in every contract. In every court case. And you know what? I don't like Bramble. I don't think she's telling the truth. That's what I think. Wiping someone's memory is a pretty shitty thing to do. And what about Gran? She paid me off to take her granddaughter away. She didn't know what an ass I'd turn out to be! Who does that to a granddaughter they love?" He pushed harder on the barrier, the angrier he got. "And now look at the mess Bree is in! All because other people keep trying to make her do what they think is right, instead of trusting her."

Where in the hell had those words come from? Because he was one of those people. He'd never believed she could see monsters. He'd never trusted that she really loved him. He'd never trusted her until…until after he'd died.

Better late than never was not a phrase he liked, particularly in this situation.

"Why didn't I trust her?" he muttered under his breath, and a surge of emotion welled up in him. Love. Sadness. Regret. And a hope that he could make things right. He had to make things right.

He tumbled through the barrier as the thoughts and feelings washed over him. Alan turned and looked back. He put his hand out tentatively. Touching the barrier. His hand went through, but he pulled it back to himself.

It looked like he'd found the loophole, even if he wasn't sure exactly what that loophole entailed. Straightening up, more than a little pleased with himself, he dusted off his clothes.

"That's what you get for not checking every possibility." He nodded to himself.

A low chuckle behind him spun him around, stealing the pleasure he had at outsmarting whoever had created the barrier.

His eyes widened, and he didn't feel so smart as he stared at what approached him. Creeping across the land between him and the castle was…he'd say it was a person, only it was on all fours, the joints bent at awkward angles as it inched toward him. No eyes, no nose, but a mouth that opened, showing only darkness in its maw, interrupted by a tiny pinprick of light. "Excellent," the creature purred. "I have not eaten a ghost lately. I thought they were all caught on the other side of the barrier. I've been hungry. Waiting. Searching the castle grounds, but not allowed inside."

Alan took a step back, feeling the cool shadow of the barrier that would protect him, right there at his back. But if he stepped through…what would happen to Bree? He had to get to Vesuvius. He had to prove that…that he could do what he'd said he would do.

What was he best at? Convincing others he was right.

"I am a lawyer!" He pointed his finger at the creeping creature. "And to be clear, there is no legal way for you to eat me. Even as a ghost, I am quite sure I have rights to not be eaten!"

The creature tipped its head as it slowed. "You are a funny one. You think you can stop any of us?"

Alan looked past the creature to see that there were more of its kind creeping along toward him. So many more. "What…what are you?"

"We are the demons who have emerged to take our place in this world. We are the army that will flow over the land and into the human world." The darkness circled out of its mouth and around Alan, tugging him forward as if the tendrils could dig into his ghostly form. "Our master will tear open the veil between our realm and the humans. And we will be free to feast."

He had to buy himself time, he had to find a way past this thing. He drew himself up straight and tucked his hands into his pockets as he rocked ever so slightly front to back. And then he forced out a laugh, a smirk on his lips. "Well, I doubt that's true at all. Have you checked your contract with your boss? Freedom is often a price that no one really understands. I've defended many, many people, and only because I helped them understand what their rights were, pertaining to the contracts they'd signed, were they able to be free."

Not that he was going to explain that most of his clients had still ended up in jail, albeit with shorter sentences than they would have had if not for his help.

The creeping dark creature took a step closer. "You think we might not be freed? You think our master would lie to us?"

Alan cleared his throat and took the stance he'd always used in court when he wanted to be particularly convincing. Arms to the side, open as if he were prepared to hug the demon. "Is it to the benefit of the person you signed the contract with for you to be free? Likely not. Which means you need someone to look at that contract, to make sure you're really going to get what you were offered."

The creatures surrounded him now. All he had to do to get to safety was to step back. Away from all this.

But for the first time in his life, he pushed the fear down and held his ground. He knew that Bree needed him to be stronger than that.

"And what do you want in turn?" The creature whispered the words, and yet they felt as if they were right in Alan's ear. He forced himself to not move, to not choke on his own terror.

"Ah, well, not being eaten would be excellent," he said.

The creeping creature scuttled back and the other creatures with it drew closer. He tried to count them, but it was like trying to count ants in a hill. They kept moving and shifting, limbs splayed in every direction. "How did I not see you when I…left earlier?"

"Our master called us forward through the portal after her new pet escaped," said one of the creatures. He assumed the same one as before, but there were no distinguishing features.

Before he could say anything else, the demon lunged for him, grabbing him by the arm and tugging him forward. "You will look at what we have agreed to. And then we will decide if we eat you or not."

Alan looked over his shoulder at Phillipa, staring at him with wide eyes. He mouthed two words to her.

Tell Bree.

And he hoped it would be enough to keep her out of this place. He didn't trust Bramble. He didn't trust her at all…but if she could get Bree back to Savannah, then that was what should happen. Because there was no way Bree could face down all these monsters and slip back inside.

No way at all.