CHAPTER 81

There was a grinding sound that filled the basement. She pointed her light at the Vault and saw that the wall had been smoothed over. There were still gaps in the stone, and she could hear things bouncing off the other side, but nothing else was coming out to get her.

"Yes!" She pumped the Grimoire in the air and the sword whipped by, slashing open her forearm from elbow to wrist.

Beth cried out in pain and tumbled off of the freezer. She let go of the flashlight, choosing to hold the Grimoire instead as she crashed into the floor. The flashlight spun in place, revealing that the sword was turning around to come at her again.

Tick Tock, who was on the floor now, stumbled to get up, then vanished inside one of the shadows. There was a shriek of rage, and the shadow exploded, sending the mimic clattering across the room. For just a brief instant, Beth saw dozens of bladed legs and hands withdrawing into the shield, but they were gone once she blinked.

When the sword came at her again, Beth used the Grimoire to deflect it into the wall. The invincible tome worked like a charm, though the impact knocked her back a little. When the sword pinged off the cold concrete, she grabbed it by the handle and felt an electric shock run through her body.

"I've lived with Quetzalli too long to give a shit," she mumbled, then stuck the blade into the closest shadow to her. A shadow hand grabbed it, then pulled it inside. The shadow quivered, then withdrew. The tip of the sword kept trying to emerge from the ground, but clearly, the shadows weren't picky about what they ate, aside from Tick Tock.

"Lily, are you about done?" she shouted, then looked at her arm. She was bleeding quite a bit.

There was a loud thud, then Lily's ass appeared out of the ground, her tail whipping around. Beth grabbed onto Lily's tail and pulled, grunting with exertion. The Grimoire nearly slipped out of her arms, so she pinned it against her chest with her bad arm.

Lily's tail whipped about, then pressed itself against Beth's mouth, forcing her lips open. Surprised, Beth froze in place as the glass vial was deposited in her mouth.

The succubus was pulled back into the floor, and Beth spat the vial into her bloody hand.

"Run!" Lily shouted through the wall. "I'll be fine, get that out of here!"

Beth knew better than to argue. She dashed across the basement and closed her eyes as she reached for Tick Tock. The mimic shifted into a messenger bag, and she stuffed the Grimoire and the vial inside as she stepped onto the stairs.

The infinite stairwell effect reappeared, but only in the downward direction. The door to the kitchen wasn't far, and Beth tripped at the top of the stairs and fell down.

"Help!" she shouted, then kicked the basement door shut. In a matter of moments, Cecilia phased through the wall, concern on her face. Death appeared shortly after, a mug of tea in his hands. On the mug was a picture of a cat hanging from a rope with the words "Hang in there, Kitty!" underneath.

"Evil spirits in the basement!" she cried as the basement door rattled. She planted her feet against it to hold it shut. "They have Lily!"

Death frowned. "Have is a relative term, Princess Bethany, and I must ask for clarification—"

"Bad! It's all bad!" Beth braced her feet against the hallway as the door opened an inch and a dark hand tried to slide free. The air filled with ominous whispering, meaning the painting was free.

Cecilia passed through the door and shrieked. The door rattled then stopped. Beth's ears were ringing, and she tried to stand but slipped in her own blood.

"Ah, geez." She scooted away from her own mess and stood with Death's help.

"I should perhaps assist Lady Cecilia. Excuse me." Death, still holding his teacup, opened the door of the basement. The sound of banshee screams filled the kitchen as he casually descended the stairs.

Beth listened as the air filled with unholy shrieks and screams. The walls of the house creaked and the floor vibrated beneath her feet. She used a towel to make a compress against her arm, hoping that the sword wouldn't give her tetanus.

Kisa checked in with her just long enough to hear the cacophony from below. She stayed long enough to close the basement door, then ran off to find a first-aid kit.

Beth moved to the table and sat with a groan. Her back hurt, and she was feeling dizzy. She lifted Tick Tock onto the table and used the mimic as a makeshift pillow.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" She patted the bag. "Thanks for saving my life down there. I owe you one."

Tick Tock's zipper slid open and the vial popped out.

Beth picked up the vial and held it up. In the dim light of the kitchen, the crystalline structure was filled with tiny rainbows. It occurred to her that Lily had been attacked after retrieving the vial from its cage. Had the spirits in the basement been trying to get their hands on it?

There was a hair on the vial, so she tried to pluck it off. After several attempts to grab it, she realized that the hair seemed to be on the inside. Wondering how a hair got inside, she used the light on her phone to get a better look.