Shadow Detective, Tome 8: Crimson Circle

Chapter One

The Hummer I’d stolen—I mean borrowed—from the White Crescent cut through the snow-covered city, the streets wet and slick with melting ice. At each turn, plumes of grey slush splashed the sidewalks, and the wind howled down the urban canyons.

A witch’s spell had transformed the Cursed City into a winter wonderland during the night, but with her magic gone, the snow was quickly evaporating. The first rays of sunlight had already lanced the awakening city, and the temperatures were returning to normal for this time of year. By noon, most of the slush would have vanished down the city’s storm drains.

Malcasta, the witch in question, had escaped, but at least we had thwarted her plan of turning back the clock on mankind’s technological progress. I shuddered as the skinned features of the monstrous witch slashed through my mind. Her bloody visage joined the rogue’s gallery of evil beings I’d faced over the years. The memories of those battles haunted me every time I closed my eyes.

Hey, I never said this monster hunting gig was easy.

Beside me, Archer pointed to the early morning commuters bustling to work. Judging by the city dwellers’ sleepy expressions, they remained blissfully unaware of last night’s horrors.

“None of them have any idea what happened?” she asked.

“It’s better that way. Life has to go on.”

I shifted my attention to the glowing crystal orb nestled in Archer’s hands. Despite our victory, our greatest challenge still lay ahead—returning Skulick’s soul to his comatose body. The witch had imprisoned my partner’s soul in the crystal. I’d successfully reclaimed it from her during our final battle in the park. Waves of faint blue light bled from the orb, lending Archer’s features a wax-like quality. It made her look like a stranger, and I fought back another shiver.

“Relax, kid,” the demon inside of me chimed in. “We still have time to save Skulick.”

According to my demonic partner, we had forty-eight hours to reunite Skulick’s soul with his body. I had managed to defeat the infernal coven in half that time, so we were still in the clear.

At least in theory.

I couldn’t be certain, but I thought the light from the orb was growing dimmer. And I still had no idea how we were going to return Skulick’s soul to his physical form. I was secretly counting on Cyon’s magic. The grimoire tucked in the pocket of my trench coat gave off a burst of heat, almost as if it knew what I was thinking about.