Neck-Romancer: A Neck-Romancer Novel Page 16
“Jaz,” Cauldron shouted from across the room. “Jaz, what are you doing?”
I had to save him. I couldn’t be useless. There was a reason I existed, no matter what that demonic spirit had said to me, no matter what anyone thought. The world needed a necromancer, and by the Goddess, I would do whatever it took to rise to my place here.
The Centaur’s listless eyes brought a cold feeling over me with the memory of my father’s corpse, but I pushed it aside without a second thought. His intricate braids, the necklaces he wore, the crest on his shoulder, he was someone worth saving. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t my kind, I didn’t care. It wasn’t his time to die.
“What’s his name?” I yelled out to the herd, the words coming from me without me even thinking them. Why did I need to know that? Alec’s shield was still there, but the Centaurs had stopped all thoughts of battle as they watched me examining their fallen comrade.
“Theseus,” one answered, and I reached into my bra where I’d stashed my lipstick, just in case I needed to reapply it, as unlikely as that would be. I put a charm on the tube so it wouldn’t run out and started drawing in red lipstick the words and designs that were becoming easier to perfect every time I drew them.
“I need my bag,” I called behind me, not looking up and swiping a curl out of my eyes as I crawled around the floor, drawing like I was possessed.
“You can’t possibly attempt to resurrect a Centaur,” Halace scoffed in her typical fashion.
“Either help her get the bag or shut up,” Alec warned from above me. I took one second to look up at him, and we shared a smile before he nodded for me to continue.
I’d just finished the circle, one much more intricate than my previous ones, when wolf Pierce appeared, carrying my bag between his teeth, and he sat down next to me, watching me pull my herbs and candles out to start arranging them. When I finished, I stood and surveyed my work, making sure everything felt right, and I glanced at Alec again.
“I don’t know what will happen when I attempt this, Alec, but I want you to know something. I’ve decided to trust you.” I put my hands together like I was praying, summoning my power to begin the spell of resurrection. “I know I said it before, but don’t make me regret it, Claus.”
He grinned and dipped his chin in another nod. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Neck.”
My power rose higher and my hair started to lift with a swirl of magical wind that burst from me, enveloping my circle in it.
“Theseus,” I called out, lifting my head to the ceiling, looking for his spirit. “It’d be dope if you came out to play right now. Kinda need you to show up for this to work right. I know it’s weird having a witch talking to you. You’re probably like, ‘new state of being, who dis?’ and I totally get it. I wouldn’t trust me either. But for reals, I want to bring you back.”
Nothing happened.
“Jasmine, why are you shouting at the ceiling?” Wisniewski asked me, and I waved for her to be quiet.
“Theseus, don’t be like that,” I continued, and finally I saw something on the edge of the room, a grey presence that slowly formed into a Centaur and floated up to me.
“Witch,” he addressed. “I don’t appreciate being shouted at.”
“Yeah well, grow a pair. I’m trying to resurrect you. Ungrateful equine.” He crossed his arms over his massive man-chest and glared at me. “Fine, sorry. So, you up for this, or what?”
“Are you speaking to Theseus?” one of the Centaurs asked, looking up where my eyes were staring but seeing nothing. “I would see my friend returned to me. Please, Witch.”
“I can’t guarantee anything, but I promise I will give it everything I have.” Both seemed resolved, so I started chanting. The magic strained against my novice hands. I’d drawn so much, it was almost impossible to control, but I knew I needed much more magic to resurrect the Centaur than I’d used with the small animals.
Alec touched down beside me and something jumped onto my shoulder, his pink fairy Armadillo. “Astella, help her. Keep her steady.”
My chants grew in power and volume, and I felt a small difference with Alec’s familiar assisting me, enough where I felt confident enough to raise my hand to the Centaur. He reached out to me and we clasped hands, letting me drag his spirit back down until I could shove it into his chest.
I stepped back, falling into Alec, and I waited. Any second now, Theseus would come back to life. Any second now. The seconds passed to minutes, and nothing happened.
“I don’t…” I scrubbed a hand down my face and studied my work. “I don’t understand. I did everything right. I conjured his spirit, I put it into his body. I don’t…”
Theseus’ friend clomped up to the barrier. “Let us through.” The blue light dropped as Alec put his arm around me in my shocked state, and the Centaurs carefully picked up their comrade from my circle. The friend removed one of Theseus’ necklaces and carefully approached, dropping it into my hand.
I stared up at him through a curtain of tears. “It should’ve worked.”
“Don’t confuse failure with lack of trying, Witch. We appreciate you ignoring the rules of war to try and bring him back. The Centaurs owe you a debt.”
I scrubbed at my face and opened my hand to study the necklace charm. It was a golden horseshoe. I continued staring at it as the Centaurs left as quickly as they’d come.
The Incantation Express whistle blew, signaling our departure from the station. My soulmates and I sat in a compartment full of uncomfortable silence. I hadn’t spoken since the Centaurs were gone, unable to form words about how I felt.
I felt worthless. Useless. A complete waste of magic. I was wrong about my abilities, wrong about my place in this world, and now someone was dead for real, and I was to blame. Theseus would never come back to his family, to his friends. That was my fault.
My fault.
My fault.
My fault.
What was the point in trying to improve when I couldn’t perform a proper resurrection? There wasn’t, that was the answer. I was never going to attempt a resurrection ever again.
“Stop it.”
Alec’s sharp tone didn’t bring me up from the golden horseshoe I still had in my hands. He could say whatever he wanted, I was resolved. There would be no more chalk circles, no herbs and candles, no summoning a spirit. Not ever.
“To hell with this.” Alec got up and grabbed the necklace as I grasped at him to give it back, and he thrust his hand through the train window glass, opening his fingers so the necklace fell away to the countryside, gone forever. I should’ve shouted, complained. Anything. I remained silent. Complacent. Resolved. “For Christ’s sake, Jaz. You tried to bring him back, and it didn’t work. So the hell what? At least you tried. I refuse to sit here and watch you have a pity party over a goddamn Centaur, and if that’s what you choose to do, then I won’t stay to watch.”
Without looking up from my empty hand, I spoke for the first time in hours.
“Then go.”
He stormed out, slamming the compartment door behind him.
Pierce reached out for my hand, having stayed at a respectful distance before then. He didn’t speak, he merely reached for me and gently laid my head on his shoulder, stroking my tangled hair with his hand. Gilbert floated over to sit beside me, and even though I conjured nothing to do so, when I reached for his hand, it was there for me, as real as Pierce was, and we sat that way during the long train ride home.
12
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Book Two in the Neck-Romancer Series
Neck-Rological
COMING SOON
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