Prologue
“HURRY! We have to go!“ Dad called from below.
“I’m coming!“ Emily answered, searching her room with rising nervousness. Where had she put her bag? Nancy had prepared her for this, but her death had left Emily so emotionally shaken that she had struggled to keep her everyday life in order. After the argument between Papa and Kellan, she had no longer believed that he would actually find it after all. Thus, she had been completely unprepared when he had brought the book home earlier.
She found her satchel under the bed. It was enough for light travel, and she reached for her little notebook to pack first. Then she froze mid-motion. In a sudden flash her guardian spirit appeared before her mind’s eye, and she felt the force of an attempted attack. Yet it dissolved into the aether before it could manifest.
Something has happened!
Nausea overwhelmed Emily, and a sharp pang struck her heart. Her parents! Sick with worry, she ran to the hatch and came hurtling down the ladder.
“Mom! Dad!“ she cried. No answer. The living room was empty. Her gaze fell upon the book on the table – the very reason Dad had gone back to the library at all. The book Nancy had begged him for. The book that must not be here in Fenhole.
Driven by impulse, Emily slipped the Keymaster into her bag and ran to the bedroom.
“Mom! Dad!!“ She flung open the door and screamed. “No!!“
An icy hand seemed to squeeze her heart, and tears streamed from her eyes. “No!!“
Her parents stood in the room, but all life had been torn from them. They had not seen it coming, nor had they noticed how it drained every last drop of life from their bodies.
Emily dropped to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Why had she not protected them?
Why had she not foreseen that She would do it!
“Mom…“ she sobbed. “Dad…“
Dead… they are dead…
Someone stepped onto the veranda, the wooden boards groaned under the weight.
Emily flinched, clapping both hands over her mouth to stifle any sound. Wide-eyed, she followed the steps that moved across the porch toward the bedroom window.
A massive black shadow appeared at the opening, staring in with malevolent glowing eyes.
Panic-stricken, Emily staggered back, only to whirl around as the front-door handle pressed down behind her.
They are here!
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