CHAPTER 173

She needed to rest. There was a good spot not far from the entrance, a smooth one that looked borderline comfortable. The others guided her as she slumped over, her eyes on Abella. The gargoyle wasn't moving, but the two of them had made it.

The earth rumbled once more, and the cavern belched out stone and dirt from where they had come. Gasping, Velvet turned her attention to the shades who had guided her.

"Daddy?" She let out a chuckle. "There are two of you."

My Velvet. Her father put his hand against her cheek. She was surprised at how warm it felt. I'm so proud of you.

"I'm tired," she mumbled, her eyes closing.

I know, he replied. Rest now. You're in good hands.

With a sigh, she let the strength leave her body as the darkness swooped in to claim her. Her father took her by the hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I missed you," she whispered to the darkness.

Nobody is ever truly gone, fluffy girl.

She wanted to say more, but couldn't. Somewhere in the darkness, she heard singing and knew it was just for her.

Reggie took the lead at the top of the steps, ducking low just in case Neferisfet was waiting to strike at the top. Beth held her breath, half convinced that the rat king would get punted back down the stairs. The mummy had seemed to be in rough shape, but the fact that she had sprinted up the stairs meant that appearances were deceiving.

"Clear!" Reggie reappeared in the doorway. "The kitchen is empty, but I think she is armed."

"What makes you think...oh." Beth stepped into the kitchen and saw that several drawers had been opened, their contents on the floor. The knife block next to the sink had been tipped over, and several blades were missing from it.

Stabby stabby, Jenny commented.

Hide and go seek was far more appealing without the possibility of being stabbed. Nervous, she looked around the kitchen for something to protect herself and settled on a cast iron skillet.

"You could use the book," Reggie offered. "Both to find her and to defend yourself."

Smacking herself on the forehead, she pulled the Grimoire out of Tick Tock, then set the mimic on the counter.

"If you see that bitch, feel free to eat her." She set the book on the counter and took a deep breath. "I need a spell to track someone," she stated clearly. "One that doesn't alert them that I'm watching."

She opened the book and watched the page fill with information. As she read it, she frowned.

"Okay, same spell, but one that doesn't require a piece of their hair," she repeated, then turned to the next page. "Or body heat. I suspect she's room temperature."

It took a few tries, but she narrowed down her options to a spoken spell. Picturing the priestess in her mind, she carefully recited the words while summoning her magic.

Glowing footprints appeared on the floor.

"That's step one," she declared, then paused. Was there a spell in the book that she could cast to just kill the priestess? Maybe something that would force her to cross over, or...

Jenny kicked the book shut, then put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." She picked up the book and held it tight against her chest. If Jenny of all people thought she was about to cross a line, then she knew to listen. Still, the book itself was practically indestructible, and far easier to wield than a skillet.

They followed the footprints through the house. Unfortunately, the prints only manifested a few steps out, meaning that Beth followed them into the office, the lounge, then back out to the living room. The prints took her up the stairs, and she slowed down as she neared the top.

The attic was open, the steps pulled down. Footprints glowed on each of the rungs.

Reggie and Jenny led the way, the rat king stopping on the last step to toss Jenny into the darkness above before following her. Beth was two rungs up when she heard the door to Mike's bedroom open.

Whirling around, she was surprised when Neferisfet came at her, not with a knife, but with a floor lamp. The priestess whipped it around like a staff, catching Beth in the shoulder and knocking her free of the ladder. With a wave of her hand, the priestess sent a ball of blue energy at the ladder, causing it to retract and close.

Bladed hands popped free of Tick Tock, but Neferisfet used the lamp to swat them away. Beth struggled to get to her feet, but Tick Tock's shifting weight kept throwing off her balance. Through the ceiling, Beth heard Reggie shouting.

Neferisfet whispered something under her breath as she attacked, coating her hands in an eerie green glow. She dropped the lamp and put her back against the wall.

Beth stood just as the glow coalesced around Neferisfet's palms and flared outward.

"Shit!" She raised the Grimoire in time to block the magical bolt, but the force of it knocked her backward and through the railing. Screaming, she fell a couple of feet before Tick Tock's blades slammed into the wooden floor, halting her descent. The magical tome tumbled to the floor below.

Up above, Neferisfet was summoning green light into her hands again. Her decaying face twisted into a grin as she pointed her fingers at Beth.

Kisa appeared in the corner of the hall and leaped onto Neferisfet, causing the spell to fire into the wall and send green flames along the wallpaper. Neferisfet cried out in alarm as Kisa scratched her face, causing the flesh to hiss as if being burned.

The priestess pulled a knife out of her belt and tried to stab the cat girl, but Kisa dropped to the floor, scrambled forward and picked up the lamp. Beth grunted as she and Tick Tock pulled her back onto the third floor.