The Templar's Curse by Sarwat Chadda (classic books to read TXT) 📕

come this far so she might as well take Erin all the way. “Faustus is one of those specialists. He’s working on translating the scrap book you slipped in my bag last time I was over.”

“The scrap book?” Erin stared at Billi, looking confused, then she jerked back and nodded. “I gave it to you. I remember.”

Do you? It didn’t seem like you did a second ago.

Cut her a break, SanGreal. She’s just found out that demons exist, that her ancestor has sought to become an immortal and her new best friend belongs to an ancient order of knights.

Erin rubbed her temples. “I wanted to talk to you about the book, but things were so busy with the others visiting I just popped it in your bag. I’m sorry. I was going to text you to explain. You seemed like you were interested, that’s all.”

Billi felt lightheaded, unsure of how to put it into words, worried about how Erin might react, and what she might tell her. This was the ultimate betrayal. Billi closed her eyes but that only made it worse. “Reginald found some form of immortality, but he’s after this vessel. I don’t know why and hoped you’d be able to help. Your dad died trying to make sure he never got his hands on it.”

“My dad? But he committed… you know what happened to him. How’s this all connected, Billi?”

“I don’t know it all,” Billi admitted. “But those demons prove I’m right. Only Reggie could have summoned them.”

Erin’s cup rattled as she put it on her saucer. She was shaking badly and couldn’t bear to meet Billi’s eyes. “This is all insane. I thought I was insane. So did everyone else.” Erin laughed bitterly. “Look at the medication she’s taking. Look at the type of hospitals where she’s been. Dad killed himself and the mum drank herself to death. Poor little rich girl.” Erin made a twisting gesture. “Lock her up and throw away the key.”

Billi felt sick. Her head was swimming. She could feel Erin’s pain. They’d said similar things about her dad. That he’d killed her mum, that he beat Billi, how else had she got all the bruises? Her eyelids felt heavy, but she had to stick with Erin, show her she supported her, whatever way this went. She reached for her cup but her own hands were shaking. “Erin, you need to be honest with me. If you know anything else then please tell me so I can find a way to stop Reggie before he does anything…more.”

“How can you stop him? You said he is immortal.”

Billi thought about frail, ancient Lawrence. “Immortality has its limits.”

Billi’s mobile phone buzzed. It was Faustus. “Sorry, I’ve just got to take this.”

Erin stared at her cup, saying nothing.

Billi got up. She felt unsteady but walked to the hall and took the call, leaning against the wall. “Faustus? What have you got?”

“A lot. All of it bad. You have got to get away from Erin.”

“I... she’s in a bad way. I can’t just leave her like this.”

“She there?”

Billi closed her eyes, trying to take control of the heavy pounding in her head. That fight had taken more out of her than she’d expected. “Other room.”

“The Vessel of the Anunnaki isn’t a jar or pot or mug or anything like that. It’s a ritual. And it’s in Erin’s scrap book.”

“What?” This was important but Billi could barely think straight. What was happening? Could it really be because of the fight? She pushed, or tried to, the fogginess away and concentrate. “Say that again, Fautus.”

“The clue was in the title. The Vessel of the Anunnaki. Reggie couldn’t extend his life. But he found another way to live. He found a way to transfer his spirit, his soul into another. It’s all laid out in Erin’s scrap book.”

“You can’t free your soul unless you die.”

“And that’s exactly what he did. Lawrence did find Reggie’s body, life all gone. Lawrence burnt it and scattered Reggie’s ashes but it didn’t matter by then. Reggie had transferred his soul into another. Into his son, Edward,” said Faustus, sounding breathless with excitement and a little fear. “He’s survived through his descendants. Poor Edward had his father’s soul within him, both fighting for control. It was too much. So he killed himself. But that didn’t stop Reggie. He just hopped straight into Simon, his grandson. And when Simon couldn’t take it anymore and committed suicide —”

“He moved into Erin. Oh God, Faustus. She’s had him in her mind all this time.”

All those times Erin thought she was insane, that she was hearing voices, she was actually hearing her great-grandfather from inside of her, trying to take charge.

“Get back here as fast as you can.”

“But what about...” Billi swayed. The mobile dropped from her hand. She felt... disconnected. She could hear Faustus calling for her, but he sounded like he was down a deep, deep well...

Why was her head pounding so hard? She could hardly focus, the floor began spinning. Erin stood there now, facing her, smiling. “What’s wrong, Billi?”

Something. Something was wrong but her head was so fuzzy.

Why was Erin smiling?

Billi’s body felt as heavy as lead.

Erin’s smile broadened. “Ah yes. It wasn’t sugar I added to your tea. Just ten milligrams of Erin’s favourite sleeping pill. It’s a little more than the recommended daily dose but you’re a big, tough girl, so I had to make sure.”

Why was Erin referring to herself in the third person, as if she was someone else? “What are you doing?” The words were slurred and hard to push out through her heavy tongue.

Erin tapped her own forehead. “I’m sorry, but Erin’s not home right now.”

A shock of understanding briefly burst through the heavy drowsiness. “Reggie?”

Erin nodded. “You were so, so close, Billi. We do pass ourselves down through our DNA. That is our immortality, written in cell structure and protein helixes. The ritual though allows me to transfer my spirit into my descendants. My son, then my