Page 42 of Hollowed

“Youdo not need to tell me that,Dullahan.Youcould have stayed.”Thedisappointment was clearly visible in his face, and that only made me feel worse.ButIshouldn’t feel bad, coming face to face with my past.Howcould he expect me to suddenly be fine while interacting with them?Quickly, anger took the place of embarrassment, andIfelt my fire flickering to life beneath my skin, begging to be unleashed and scorch whatever was in its path.Mywords were venom as they came out. “Andif the town’s survival was truly your concern, you would have stopped the sacrifices centuries ago.”

“Ido not accept them.Thetownspeople sacrificed to me are all still alive,” he said, raising his eyebrow; his voice was sharp to counteract my own stinging words.

Iscoffed, clenching my fists asIcrossed my arms over my chest. “Weare devolving to semantics now?Howcharming,Horseman.Weboth know that if you had wanted to stop the sacrifices, you would have.”

Witha growl, his presence seemed to grow larger.Asmoky darkness pulsing out around him in thrumming waves as he glared down at me.Fora moment, his eyes flashed, changing from their normal blue to a burning red.Butas quickly as it had appeared, it was gone, leaving behind a darker blue and flickering tendrils of violet shadows that snaked toward me.Mypulse quickened and fear clawed at my throat asIcontinued moving backward until his magic pinned me against the wall.

Trappedbetween an angry mythical being of death and the wall, fire erupted from my fingertips, sending the shadows skittering toAlexander.Theycoiled around his arms and neck as the darkness of his eyes faded, and the bright blue returned.

Hiseyes widened, and he took several steps back, holding his hands up. “Staycalm,Katrina.Iwill not hurt you.”

“Whatwas that?”Iasked, thankful my voice was not shaking, though my knees were.Isucked in a breath through my teeth, not lowering my hands or pulling my flames back into myself yet. “Whatwere you going to do to me?”

Hetook a step closer to me and my body flinched against the wall involuntarily.Thehurt that spread across his face almost made me feel bad, but not bad enough to lower my hands.Iknew that if he wanted, theDullahancouldkill me with his magic, butIhad no desire to find out if hewould.

Hecrossed the room to sit down on the bed. “Iapologize,Katrina.Ilost my temper for a moment, and my magic responded.Iwould never hurt you.Ican promise you that.”

Istayed silent, the pounding of my heart steadily slowing until it faded entirely, along with the flames at my fingertips.Onlythen didImeet his gaze. “Donot do that again.”

Oureyes locked for a second before he nodded. “Ofcourse.”

“Whatdid you learn from the meeting tonight?”Iasked, still pressed against the wall.Iflexed my fingers, slowly continuing to work up my arms and then down my torso and legs asIunlocked my muscles.Myshoulders slumped as the terror finally dissipated, taking my energy with it.

“Idon’t believeBromis summoning the sluagh,” he said, still watching me from the bed. “Nomatter how annoying he might be.”

“Idon’t think it isIchabodeither,”Iagreed, crossing my arms behind me and leaning back against the wall, rocking on my heels. “Butwe should not be so quick to dismissBrom’sfamily.”

“Why?”Heremained stoic, the only movement coming from his eyes and the rise and fall of his chest.

“Bromis too concerned about finding someone fool enough to marry him, though that may very well have led him to turn to magic as a solution.Itis unlikely to meet anyone who is dense enough to willingly tie themselves to the man.Ichabodis too concerned with his school and his gossip, but beyond that he is too… gentle.ButBrom’sparents are very concerned with staying in the good graces of my parents and the otherElders,”Iexplained, my surety of each word slowly replacing my anxiety.Iknew this town and these people. “Iwould not put it past them to summon a sluagh and get rid of anyone in their path.”

Henodded. “Thatwas the impressionIgot as well.Ichabodis likely not the summoner.”

“Nowwe are down to my parents or the otherCiallmhar,”Isaid with a sigh, reaching up to rub at my forehead. “Theywill be far more difficult to question.”

“ThenIsuppose we will have to be creative at the party tomorrow.”Hegrimaced. “Butwe must not be too quick to dismiss anyone.Withthe right spell, anyone can summon anything, no matter their reasoning.”

“Isuppose we will,”Isaid, pushing off the wall and bending to unlace my boots, ending the conversation.Ihad wanted to get away from my parents, and nowIwas running right back into their stronghold.

Whatcould possibly go wrong?

Nineteen

JustasIhad fallen asleep,Iwoke up alone.Iwas not certain where, or even if, theDullahanslept, but he had not joined me in the small bed.Iwas not convinced he would have fit if he wanted to.

Risingfrom the bed with a sigh,Iwondered if my life would always be like this: alone.

“Didyou sleep well?”Alexander’svoice startled me from a darkened corner of the room.

Squintingin the direction of the voice that had made me flinch,Iexhaled.Alexandersat in a chair, one ankle crossed and resting on the opposite knee, watching me.Hadhe been watching me sleep?Mycheeks flushed at the thought.Icleared the grogginess from my throat, pressing my hand there to feel as my pulse returned to normal. “Yes, thank you.”

Hehummed, and the sound rumbled through my chest as his body remained still, like a gravestone in the cemetery.Hishead tilted slightly to the side, studying me more intently thanIhad expected this early in the morning.

“Didyou?”Iasked, disliking the silence and the attention.Belatedly,Iwondered if an old childhood habit of talking in my sleep had recurred.Mycheeks further reddened at the thought and whatIcould have possibly said to result in this much attention.

“Irarely sleep,” he said.Hisboot thumped against the floors as he straightened and stood beforeIcould ask what kept him awake at night. “Weneed to go somewhere before we go to your parents’ house this evening.”

“Where?”Iasked, still standing awkwardly beside the bed.Withoutwaiting for an answer,Ibent down to pick up my bag at the foot of the bed.Iset it down on the blanket, careful not to make eye contact withAlexanderasIpulled out a clean dress.