Almost Demon (The Sigil Cycle) Read Online Free PDF

children and ran to the exit. Ms. Halle remained composed, uninterested in the melee and remained focused on her weapon. 
    Ian hurried towards the front, herding the patrons out the door while I speed-walked unseen to the far end of the room where the media centers were. I looked left and then right, making sure that there were no more people in harm’s way.
    I was shocked to find Ian when I back-tracked to where Ms. Halle stood, in the hopes that I could placate her. 
    “Put the gun down, Ms. Halle,” he said, his voice strong in the face of danger, his posture unthreatening but firm.
    “You’ll do just fine.” Her voice was not her own. She aimed the barrel of the rifle at his forehead. The sweet-hearted librarian was definitely off her rocker. 
    I looked to the left, expecting to see the two spirits, only to find they were gone. 
    “I said put down the gun.” This time, Ian’s voice held an extra layer that I couldn’t identify. It reverberated with power and I watched as Ms. Halle hesitated. With a quick yank, Ian pulled the rifle out of her hand and tossed it to the far end of the room. 
    The sound of sirens grew closer and I remained frozen in place as Ian grabbed Ms. Halle by the legs, sending her onto her behind. Her ass hit the desk with a loud smack, followed by a high-pitched shriek as she resisted Ian’s requests to calm down.
    The doors burst open and the rush of footsteps beat across the navy commercial grade carpeting. “Police. Hands in the air!”
    I let out a sigh of relief. 
    Two officers were by my side in a flash, hustling me away from the crime scene. Outside, I tried my best to answer questions in spite of being distracted beyond belief.
    When Ms. Halle was escorted out of the building, hands behind her back, her eyes full of tears, she cried out, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
    A group of onlookers had already flooded the street from neighboring buildings. I leaned away from the black and white squad car, hoping to catch Ms. Halle’s attention. When she passed by, I craned my neck between the wall of patrolmen. Our eyes met and the shadow passed over her eyes. She was possessed.
    “Miss? Can I give you a ride home?”
    “Huh?” If one of the spirits was inhabiting Ms. Halle’s body then where was the other one?
    “We’ll probably need you to come down to the station for some questioning but that can wait until tomorrow. Your father will need to bring you in. I can give you a ride home if you want?” 
    “No. It’s okay.” 
    At last, I saw Ian come out. He nodded to me and turned down the street, heading west in the direction of Main Street.
    “Are you sure?” one of the detectives asked, not noticing Ian slip past.
    “Yeah. I’m fine.” I smiled for good measure, hoping that the officer would feel comfortable enough to let me leave. When he gave me the go ahead, I pulled the ends of my jacket closed in one hand and held on to the shoulder straps of my bag with the other as I rushed away from the scene. 
    “What happened in there?” I asked, my breath visible in the air. The temperature had dropped a considerable amount since the sun had gone done. Soon the clocks would go back and the nights would last even longer. 
    “Come on. Let me take you home,” Ian answered, ignoring the question, frustrating me to no end.
    We walked through the parking lot of a convenience store in companionable silence. No questions about my well-being or how my father was “holding up” like I got from most people around town. No awkward pauses. No forced chatter. We stopped in front of an empty block of land, which was overgrown with weeds and surrounded by a chain fence six feet high. 
    “Where are we going?”
    “You’ll see.” He yanked at the master lock, which easily gave, and swung the hinges open. Placing his hand at the small of my back, he ushered me through, closing the gate behind us.
    The dandelions, quackgrass, and woodsorrel fell beneath our feet as we