57 Catching Prey, Removing a Soul, and Mint (3/3)

Rowan couldn't help but feel like he'd crossed a line, but he would do it over and over again if it meant saving someone from the fate these creatures promised with their poison and whispers of fear.

The familiar weight of reality lifted, and he floated somewhere between the worlds as he ripped the soul free. With a sight that no longer belonged to him, he watched Alaric topple to his side as the second creature exploded.

The soul screamed in Rowan's ears as it attacked him. For a brief moment, the sound of Ciprian's voice floated above the scream, begging for something in words Rowan couldn't understand. A sour taste filled his mouth, and his heart raced with a fear that didn't belong to him. He drew the soul into his palm with his voice as it thrashed against him, stinging his face and arms with black needles of energy.

He didn't know what any of it meant, but he'd had enough. How dare this thing fight back?