Black Holes - The Mors Mortis Trilogy Book 3

Chapter Twenty Seven

"No, I haven't," Seth said, frustration filling his voice. "I'm the one connected to this world, not all of you. I'm the one who can feel what's actually happening to it. This world is only going one way, but you're all being too stubborn to admit it."

He'd hoped his argument would make Tai's resolve falter, but he could only see it hardening, becoming more righteous.

"Fine," Tai said. "Come and make that case to Sophie and Andrew, then."

Seth scoffed. "Nice try. I know the moment I get anywhere near Sophie or Andrew they're going to take the knife away again."

Tai's gaze was dark.

"You don't have the right to make this decision for all of us."

"And you think you do?" Seth asked.

Tai stayed quiet, his hand steady, but Seth could see the stubbornness in his eyes.

"Drop the knife, Seth."

Anger churned in his gut, ugly in it's fury. He was sick of being treated like child, like someone who had to be protected and managed and overruled. He knew the S.I.S was scrambling. They'd been scrambling ever since Danny died and Leah disappeared. He was tired of being told what to do by people who clearly didn't know themselves.

He twisted the knife in his grip, pointing it towards his chest.

Tai's face twisted. "Drop the knife, Seth. Now."

The words were ground out through teeth, and Seth knew he wouldn't get any more warnings.

He gave Tai one last look, hoping that wherever they ended up after this, Tai could forgive him.

"I'm sorry," he said, and then he launched his hands up, away from his chest, and plunged the knife towards his heart.

Tai exploded into action, diving for him, but Seth knew he wouldn't make it. The knife was already too close.

He felt a rush of something, everything. Relief, panic, sadness, fear.

And then the knife embedded in flesh, his hands coming to a jolting halt.

Tai screeched to a stop, gaping, and Seth blinked.

He waited for the pain to hit, for his body to realise the fatal wound it'd been dealt. But his breathing stayed steady, and he looked down, his heart thundering.

The tip of the knife was just grazing his shirt, plucking at a few threads. He let go of the hilt and it hovered there, mid-air, as if he'd embedded it into a tree trunk.

"What..."

"Fuck," someone groaned and Seth jerked back.

It was only then that he realised what had actually happened. Around the knife, only clear from further away, there was a translucent arm. He followed its shimmer up towards a torso, then a neck, and he came face to face with Riley, her expression set in a grimace.

Behind her, Cassandra also hovered, her eyes wide and fixed on the knife embedded into Riley's forearm.

Tai swore, his gun swinging up again, pointing at the ghosts.

"Wait, wait!" Seth exclaimed, jumping in front of Riley before Tai could shoot. "They can't hurt me."

"You expect me to believe that after the stunt you just pulled?" Tai yelled.

He tried to veer around Seth, but he darted between the barrel and Riley again.

Only once Tai had calmed down, did Seth spin around, eyes wide on Riley as she pulled the knife out of her arm, letting out a low groan as she did.

"What the hell?" he asked. "Why did you do that?"

"There's been a change of plans," Cassandra said, eyeing Riley.

Seth could see a ghostly waterfall of silver blood trailing down Riley's arm and splashing to the ground. Where it landed, the concrete sizzled, burning away like acid had drenched it.

"Well, a delay of plans," Riley said, her voice strained. "Jared and Leah think they might be able to find another way to fix things."

Seth just stared, his eyes shifting between Riley and Cassandra.

"You helped him plan this?" Tai demanded, his eyes focused on Riley, but his gun thankfully stayed pointed at the ground.

Riley shrugged, and Seth could see a vein working at Tai's forehead. It looked like it was about to pop.

"Look," Riley said, her voice exhausted. "We really don't have time for—"

She cut off and spun around suddenly, staring at the portal.

Her whole body had gone tense, her hand flying to the weapons belt around her waist, and for the first time, Seth realised the portal had started shifting, it's surface churning like a black sea in storm. Cassandra turned too, staring at the portal, and then Seth heard a sound that made the hair rise on the back of his neck.

It was a thud, one that shook the floor beneath him and vibrated bass-like along the walls, that made pressure rush into his ears.

Tai moved in front of him, stepping between him and the portal quickly.

"What's happening?" Tai asked, his voice strained.

Neither of the ghosts responded, but somehow, Seth got the sense that they'd grown even paler.

"You two need to get out of here," Cassandra said quietly. "Now."

Tai started backing up, pushing Seth along with him, and Riley and Cassandra stepped in front of them, blocking the way to the portal.

For a second, Seth hesitated, staring at the knife, still held in Riley's hand.

"Wait," he said, coming to a stop, but before he could grab the knife, the surface of the portal bulged outwards, straining.

Riley didn't even have time to dart back before a massive, many-fingered claw tore through it and grabbed her, dragging her in with a scream.

...

Next chapter out in two weeks! Hope you're all enjoying it 😊 

- Skylar xx