Chapter 833 A Sacred Order

• Aris
• I’m not sure why the fact that she didn’t text me back weighs on me when I kick the suitcase in front of me down the long, narrow back hallway leading to a second, then third, staircase that will eventually lead to the foyer. The spirit of the house follows, hurrying me along, impatiently bringing sconces to life like he’s begging me to just leave already.
• “What do you do when the whole family is gone?” I ask out loud, making a show of slowly bending to tighten the laces of my shoes, just to aggravate him. I always think of the spirit as a him, though I suppose I don’t know for sure. A soft, breathy groan rattles the foyer, including the crystal chandelier older than my great-grandfather Westfall. The castle of at least three generations of Shadowsyngers who came before him, rests in peace, trembling like the building itself has the ability to breathe.