Free Soul Cage by Phaedra Weldon Page A

things—he didn't believe in coincidences. "I just…I
see things sometimes. I can do a few spells, like Rhonda and Nona.
Simple magic. I used it to help get Dags out of the old
house."
    "I remember."
    True. Azrael had been
there. "Right. So the bigger stuff is more like… " he sighed. "Well
I know what I want to achieve and I sort of wish for the outcome
and the means to get there just…happens."
    Azrael didn't say
anything.
    "So when I was in the
kitchen and Rhonda was PMSing—" he shrugged. "I wanted to stop her
before she hurt Nona, or me. So when the answer came to me on what
magic to use to stop her—I remembered a dream I had the other night
of that damned dragon. I remembered the thing from when those two
freaky disembodied spirits kidnapped Nona's soul and put it in the
dragon before they put it in that puppet," he glanced at Azrael.
"You know, before you showed up and took Nona out of
it."
    "I'm not going to defend
my previous actions. I had my reasons." He frowned. "And if I
remember correctly—you kissed Zoë at that time."
    Joe's expression reflected
his inner turmoil. And a bit of irritation. "What I did or didn't
do with Zoë isn't a part of this—"
    "Sorry," the Phantasm
said. "You're right. I'm just…a bit at a loss as to what's going
on. Rhonda's not been herself. Her actions leading up to removing
the Grimoire's memories," he leaned back. "Damn it Joe, it just isn't
her."
    "I wouldn't say that." Joe
exited off Piedmont and then turned off toward Ansley Mall. "I
dated her, remember. She's been obsessed with Dags since she met
him. But he's always been fascinated with Zoë, and I seriously
didn't think she'd ever give him the time of day. I didn't think she'd ever
leave Daniel."
    "And if she did, she'd
choose you?"
    Joe didn't
answer.
    "Halloran—I'm going to
need your help. As well as Nona, my sisters and brothers still
living, and Zoë. We need to bring her and Daniel back from
Canada."
    "Not yet. Let's exhaust
everything before we interrupt them, okay?"
    "You're quiet an honorable
man, Joseph Halloran."
    "Yeah…" he sighed. "A real
fucking saint."
    Once they arrived at the
shop in Little Five Points, Joe pulled the truck into the driveway.
The place was locked up. Jemmy only opened it three times a week
and sometimes on weekends with Nathaniel's help. He parked the car
as Azrael vanished. Keys in his pocket, Joe held up his hand as he
opened the ward so he could cross through. He grabbed the mail
piled on the floor just inside the door and stepped in to the
house. It smelled musty and there was a faint hint of incense.
Tossing the stack on one of the tables, he hit the light switch and
moved through the hanging mosaic fringe into the botanica
part.
    It wasn't
there.
    He stood in the center of
the room and stared at the fireplace. Azrael appeared beside him.
"Joe?"
    "It always sat up there,
even after we got it back from the police. It was right there," he
pointed to the mantle. "Nona said she believed it was there." He
moved forward and put his hand in the spot. Cold. Not even the
trace of the thing. "It's been gone a while."
    "The purpose of the dragon
is to capture souls," Azrael said.
    Just like it had taken
Nona's soul, and then Tim and Steve. Joe frowned as he looked away
from the mantel. Zoë had freed the ghosts after she broke
it—
    "Joe?"
    "Azrael—Zoë broke that
dragon. I remember her doing it in the basement."
    The Phantasm crossed his
arms over his chest. "You sure? I mean…that kiss probably drained
all the blood from your big head…"
    "Fuck you, Phanty," Joe
rubbed at his face. "How can this be possible—it was here long
after that. In fact, I remember it being here when Daniel was
possessed by the Horror. But…I saw it broken…"
    "Maybe there's more than
one?"
    "Yeah…"
    But why was it
important?
    Joe leaned on the mantle.
The thing captured souls, so why had he dreamed about it—and it had
eaten him? Why had he seen it when he was wishing for a way to stop
Rhonda? There