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Chapter 1

"Inhale Slowly…That’s it Now…exhale in one, two, three" Morio’s voice was low indown, his hands on ers, intoa filmy black dress, my arms extended to the sides In rasped a yeand, carved with intricate symbols etched in silver

"Focus on the spirit Keep your gaze on it" Again, his soft whispers caressed my ear We were in tune, ht sky, in the hidden shadows of a long-forgotten graveyard The borders of the Circle were ablaze with ic--and I was doingtoon

We were in a slect The ss across the groundet they were there as I stared at the spirit hovering in front ofabove us, spiraling up froround by my feet I had no idea who the spirit had been, or why it was here My task was to break through its barriers and destroy it, setting it free to rest, or--if it would not go willingly--sending it into oblivion

I gathered the rush of energy Morio was feeding h les sparked, crackling throughlarge before the spirit, I struggled to keep control--both of the flahthe power through me faster than I’d ever been able to take it before, and I struggled to keep atop of it I loweredbehind a ard spark, there it was

All nature Control the key, control the force

Reaching out, I latched onto the signature and the flames flared up At first they resisted le, they surrendered and quit fightingthee forth at my command

The spirit see

I raised o now or I will destroy you"

The spirit refused to move but instead shrieked and ai intently

I tried once ain, nothing, but it was obvious the ghost was planning so nasty I sucked in a deep breath and flippedforward

"Death took you once; let death take you again" And then, I summoned the release word "Atataq!"

The sound of the fire roared throughwith the pulse oflike a purple phoenix to blot out the ht ride a lover, the rush of orgas for the spirit As the fiery arrow barreled down to knife through the ghost, exploding the spirit into vapor, I ca out a sharp, short screaled to shake out of my sudden passion-filled daze

Still astride the phoenix, I realized the leahtly rattled, I heard Morio shout, "Control it! Take control or the fire will go after you next!"

Quickly, I brought ainit back now Damn it, do what I say! Roll the power back now--there…you’ve alood teacher’s should be

I shookit back I worked it, coaxing it, stroking it As it began to suble and the fire finally obeyed, receding like a tide, rolling back to the Elemental plane froht and then vanished in a bright flash

I felt as if a fine dust of ash coated every nerve I was vibrating, polished and cleansed froic reachedit back out of ht, back to the haunted moon overhead

Exhausted, I collapsed Morio leaned over ht, and I longed to run h it, to feel the silken strands between ers I wanted to pull s, and quench the fire that had built within me

"Do you kno ry for you I aicit on I’ll take whatever you have to give ht there inside the Circle of fla It was in ical circle The ring tone played out "Demon Days" by the Gorillaz, which meant it was Chase Which meant it was probably i position "Get that, would you?"

Morio opened the Circle, stepping over the flarabbed my phone out of the purse and answered "Hello?…Morio" After afroathering our things"

"Bad?" I didn’t want to hear I really didn’t

He nodded "Bad" And with that, ere out of the Circle, back to a reality I didn’t want to face But the fact was, reality was growing more and more deadly with each week that passed

"Camille?" Chase sounded out of breath The detective was physically fit, so the fact that he was panting worrieddown? Where? And how bad?" I didn’t spare any words Phone calls like this were always terse

"Robbery at one of the graveyards And we have a handful of bone-walkers running around"