Frosted Torment (Marked Mortals Saga #1)

Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

“ W here is it?” The sound of my voice reverberated off the towering walls.

Jossy flung open a pair of majestic oak doors to my left as I was about to step into the living room. “What’s wrong?” he inquired, concern etching his brow.

Desperation surged through me as I grasped his shirt. “Where’s the dagger, Joss? I need it!”

He clasped my trembling hands, his thumb tracing soothing circles in my palm as he guided them away from his chest with care. “Breathe, Noa. We have it in here,” Jossy assured me.

He led me through the grand foyer, the air thick with the scent of aged wood and dried herbs. The whitewashed wood floors creaked beneath my feet as we walked, the sound echoing through the house like ghostly whispers.

I trailed him deeper into the house, my eyes darting to every shadowed corner. Ena and Lex followed closely behind, and as we entered the expansive living room, Nevaeh met us with a bottle of water extended toward me.

“You could use this.” She offered a warm smile as I gulped down its contents.

“Thank you,” I replied, my hands still trembling as I wiped my parched lips.

“There’s bannock bread on the kitchen counter, and I opened a jar of my homemade chokecherry jam. Help yourself if you’re hungry,” she added.

I nodded in appreciation. She glided to the center of the room to join Dawson, where he was sorting ammunition. Knives and an array of medieval weapons were strewn across the floor in front of an oversized stone fireplace. There were maces with intricate designs, various war hammers, and what appeared to be several customized firearms.

A metal garage door had replaced a section of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that comprised the back wall of the house. My understanding deepened when I spotted Baz standing beside the fireplace, focused on Dawson’s work.

To my right stood an imposing wooden table that once hosted family dinners but now lay strewn with ancient maps and tomes steeped in history. Father O’Neil paced back and forth, thumbing through one of the worn volumes, clad in white gloves that contrasted against the pages’ yellowing edges. He peeked over his glasses and smiled before returning to his reading—a picture of scholarly dedication.

Behind O’Neil hung a painting of The Last Supper , timeless and poignant on its canvas backdrop. Jossy approached the table and reached for the dagger resting precariously on its edge. I hadn’t realized he was offering it to me hilt-first until it warmed my palm. I’d been too caught up in my inner turmoil.

The dagger was carved in the shape of a wolf’s head—something I had overlooked before releasing my grandmother from her pain. The sheath encasing the blade was crafted from weathered leather adorned with delicate engravings on either side. Leather ties dangled from its top.

I unsheathed the blade and set the empty case back on the table, mindfully running my finger along its spine while avoiding the sharp edge. No traces of blood marred its surface. Any evidence that I had used this very weapon to end my grandmother’s life remained absent, rendering Jossy’s act of cleaning it a compassionate gesture.

I’d keep the dagger close to serve as a reminder that adhering to my plan was paramount. Reach the cherry blossom tree to help the angel and learn the steps of the ceremony, then hunt for Vallen. After that, Vincent and Maros were mine.

I didn’t know how, but I was grateful for the few angels who hadn’t betrayed me. I prayed we could find a way. As I tucked away the weapon in its case, Nakoma rounded a corner, clutching another map in his hands.

“I think I found it,” Nakoma gushed with excitement. He lifted it high with gloved hands before spreading it across the table and beckoning us all closer.

“What is that?” I asked, peering at markings no one but Nakoma seemed to understand.

With raised brows hinting at his amusement, he replied, “One of the earliest maps of this land.”

Dawson and Nevaeh halted their organizational efforts and ambled toward us while Baz took his place beside me. He scrutinized the timeworn paper with an intensity that intrigued me.

“Let’s get to work,” Dawson declared as he retrieved a clear map case alongside erasable markers. He glanced at Jossy and Lex before asking, “Do either of you have any idea where we should begin?”

Without warning, Uno’s cheerful voice jolted me from my thoughts. I was close to dropping the dagger in surprise when she chirped, “Hiya, doll! Is this a bad time?”

I instinctively scanned above as if she had materialized from thin air. “Not a bad time at all!”

“Dos and I weren’t sure if we should interrupt or not,” she continued in a rush. “But we’ve gotta.”

The room fell silent as every gaze turned toward me as though my sanity were in question. But Lex and Jossy dismissed their scrutiny and returned their focus to the map. Father O’Neil and Nakoma slid the map into the protective case as I walked toward the front of the house for privacy.

“Anyone talking over there?” I implored under my breath, desperate for insight into Vincent or Vallen’s next moves.

“Well,” she began casually amidst what sounded like gum smacking against her teeth. “It’s bumpy on this side, doll. Things aren’t thrilled you’re all juiced up with the cosmos now.”

“Things?” I sounded it out deliberately and with emphasis for clarity. My experience talking to ghosts in the past educated me on never leaving anything to chance.

“Things,” she reaffirmed before cautioning me further. “Watch your back, doll.”

“You can’t elaborate more, Uno?” Panic clawed up my throat as fear tightened around me like a vice while I clutched my dagger.

“Sorry. I’m risking myself as it is to warn you.” She smacked her gum again, then I heard her take a breath and blow it out as the pop of a bubble followed. “But you’re in good hands there. Trust your friends, and I’ll catch ya later.”

Before I could pry for more answers, she vanished. Nausea grew in my stomach, forcing out an exasperated sigh. Trusting my friends is what got me into this mess. It was bad enough that angels, demons, and the church of all churches might be after me. Now other creatures were out hunting for blood.

If there were any chance for me to stay alive, without other entities siphoning me off for all eternity, I needed to reach that tree sooner rather than later. When I rejoined everyone in the living room, I couldn’t see Ena anywhere, and someone had drawn a circle on the map.

Father O’Neil scratched hasty notes into an old journal as Dawson combined weapons into several duffel bags on the living room floor. Lex and Jossy leaned over Nakoma, comparing markings on the map to some recent satellite images they had found online.

As I stepped closer, I saw the ranch property with sections marked and a legend scribbled out on paper. Vincent’s cabin, the totem pole, and Nevaeh and Dawson’s house served as landmarks. They were all woven together with dashed lines representing the fence lines placed around the land. The circle was northeast of Vincent’s cabin and close to the mountains.

“How’s the spirit world?” Lex asked as he offered me a cup of coffee, and the aroma of hazelnut hit my nose.

I shoved the dagger at his chest and half-smiled. Letting the mug warm my hands, I mouthed ‘thank you’ to him. “It’s turbulent over there, so we want to find that tree soon.”

In a heartbeat, Baz was next to me, worry deep in his voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Uno mentioned we may have greater threats beyond Vincent and Maros.” Sipping leisurely while digesting the flavors, the coffee flooded my cheeks with warmth.

Jossy drew in a deep breath, sensing the weight of the information. “And what does that entail?”

“She didn’t elaborate,” I began and placed the coffee mug on the table, “but things know what’s going on with me over here, and they aren’t happy.”

“Then that,” he said and turned back toward the map schematics, “doesn’t give us a lot of time to find the tree.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Baz suggested as he cautioned, shaking his head.

“Me neither,” I stated and leaned into him for support. “None of you know where the tree is?” I asked Jossy.

“Vincent warded it and after we fall, we’re never allowed to go back. The ones chosen to guard and nourish never leave it until it’s their time.” Jossy pointed to the circle drawn on the map. “We believe it’s in this area close to the Valley of the Fallen.”

“Valley of the Fallen?” My expression shifted when I heard this information.

Lex moved my dagger back and forth between his hands and said, “Remember when I told you about that burial site? That’s the valley.”

I cleared my throat and stepped up to the map to get a better look. “So, you want me to walk through a fallen angel burial ground to find this tree?”

Lex handed me back the knife as his lip curled into a teasing smirk. “You can always wait around here for hell to drag you under.”

I snatched the dagger from him and slapped his arm with the back of my hand. “Not funny.”

Ignoring us, Jossy placed my coffee cup on the kitchen counter and walked back over to the map. “There’s nothing but mountains around our burial ground.”

“Lovely.” I threw my hands up in frustration. “Now what? Because if the wards aren’t stable, we’re exposed, and if that angel dies,” my breath shook. “I’ll never get my soul.”

“You will, Noa.” Lex raked his hands through his hair as he stared hard at the map. Then, turning to Jossy, he asked, “Will you and Nakoma stay here and help guard the house?”

Jossy nodded and gave Lex a reassuring pat on his back, letting his hand linger. “Of course, but what are you up to?”

“We need to split up. The wards failing isn’t safe for any of us, but if there is a lull we may have an opportunity to see the tree,” Lex admitted with a smile.

“And that’s why you’re one of the best leaders we have here, Lex!” Jossy slapped his brother’s back with a nod.

“Nevaeh,” said Lex, walking away from us and into the living room. “I need you and Dawson to assist Father O’Neil. Secure everything back in the vault downstairs and add whatever supplies you can muster.”

“Sure,” she acknowledged, pulling one last gun from a bag. “But I’m telling you, only one other angel ever knew the location of the tree and the steps to perform the soul ceremony. ”

“Who’s that?” asked Jossy, tilting his head with a quirked brow.

Everyone stood tall as we waited in suspense for her to tell us.

Nevaeh glanced at me, her eyes worrisome. “Vallen,” she said.

“Fuck!” I exploded and started pacing, clasping my hands behind my neck. “I’m screwed. We’re all screwed.”

“Breathe, Noa.” Baz stood in front of me, his breath of pine and lilacs brushing against my skin.

“Not that easy,” I argued as fists formed at my sides. “Dark angels and demons have completely ruined my life and my family’s lives, Baz.”

“Noa,” Lex interjected, “Ena should be back any minute with some clean clothes and a coat for you.”

“I don’t need a coat,” I said, walking back and forth in front of them.

“Didn’t look that way to me earlier,” Baz remarked.

“Chilled, yes, but it’s like sitting in an air-conditioned house. I’m not freezing,” I retorted.

“Strange, but it could be everything you’ve experienced today,” offered Jossy with a smile. “It’s got your blood pumping.”

“Regardless,” Lex continued, “Baz will take you to his camp for the night while we plan the trek.”

Nakoma placed his hand on Jossy’s arm. Inclining toward him, Nakoma whispered, “I’m going to prep Lulu. Let me know when you need me.” He smiled and walked off, leaving Jossy and Lex with me and Baz.

Lex wrapped his arms around me and placed my head under his chin. It stopped me from pacing and stilled the twinges of electricity running through my body.

“Ena and I will meet you both in the morning and head out,” he reassured me.

A calm settled over me, and I began to think of Ivy and how she calmed me after I killed the Lurker demon. But she betrayed us because I couldn’t feel for her the way Jossy and Nakoma felt for each other.

She was the key for me to open my mind to these secrets and learn about my family. As angry as I was, it terrified me to think about what Maros had done to her. But it was Vincent and Vallen I needed to focus on destroying first.