The Soul Ripper (Twisted Souls #1) Read online

tomorrow. Please go attend to the entrance now."

  Bishop started to put down his shears, but Samuel motioned for him to keep them. "Take those with you. The Head Master also said to use whatever means necessary to keep any unauthorized personnel or Residents out of the garden."

  Then Samuel turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Bishop gaping at him.

  EVE

  The car ride seemed to be taking forever. Occasionally Malcom would reach over and squeeze her hand, which on any other day Eve would have found sweet and endearing. Today she just wanted to swat his hand away and tell him to drive faster. Although Eve was scared to death of what they were about to do, she couldn't go another day staring at her soulless daughter's face.

  Eve sat stiffly in her seat and refused to turn around even as she heard Cameron starting to fuss. The baby was hungry again. Since Malcom wasn't around their daughter as often, he hadn't noticed the increased frequency of Cameron's feeding cycle. She had tried to mention it once, but Malcom brushed it off, saying the baby was growing. But from what Eve could see Cameron was still the same size she had been since the day she was born. The difference was that she was eating almost twice what she had eaten then, and her hunger didn't appear to be satiated. Eve didn't want to even try to think what that could mean.

  Before Cameron was born, Eve rarely thought about the soulless ones. She knew that the adults were kept behind closed doors at the Soulless Asylum. It was only after Cameron was born that Eve found out that parents often left their infants there too until their Soul Distribution Day. Malcom and Eve didn't have a lot of extra money, and sending Cameron to the Soulless Asylum was simply too expensive. So without anyone else to help, Eve had been sequestered at home per regulation with her ugly soulless baby.

  Today signaled the start of their new life. Eve started gnawing on her lower lip, a tick leftover from her childhood. As long as Cameron didn't end up with a bad soul, they'd be home free. But there were no soul guarantees. You got what you got, and sometimes you wouldn't know that your child had a bad soul until it was too late. Eve shuddered and rubbed her hands together. It wouldn't do her any good to keep dwelling on that. She hoped that she would never feel the need to lock her bedroom door at night.

  "Do you want to talk through the ceremony steps again?" Eve asked. She needed something to distract her mind. She looked down at the open manual in her lap.

  Malcom sighed. "Again?"

  "Malcom, we have to do everything right if we want to make sure that Cameron attracts the best soul in the fountain. I'd hate to think that your daughter got stuck with sloppy seconds just because you forgot to say an incantation right," Eve snapped.

  "We don't even know if any babies other than Cameron are getting implanted today," Malcom said patiently.

  Eve hated how calm he always was; nothing ever seemed to faze him. "They called four names on the public announcement, and I don't see anything in this guide that says they'd go through all of this formality for just one infant."

  "Well, the Office of Souls isn't exactly forthcoming with details about any of this stuff," Malcom said.

  "Everything is right here," Eve said, holding up the Official Handbook of Soul Implantation Procedure and shaking it at him. "You are always so skeptical. It seems very straightforward as long as you don't deviate from the protocol."

  "Do you ever wonder why there is a “protocol?" Malcom asked. "Haven't you wondered why the whole soul implantation process is so secretive? I bet Before they didn't even have procreation procedures. What don't they want you to know that you should know?"

  Eve let out a short sigh of frustration. She and Malcom had had the same philosophical argument since the day their names had been called as winners of the procreation lottery. She couldn't believe they were having this discussion yet again at this particular juncture, when they were finally getting their hearts' desire.

  "Malcom, it isn't for us to question the Office of Souls. And personally, I couldn't care less if there is a protocol, ten million steps, or the sacrifice of a limb. I would do it to get Cameron a soul."

  "That's because you'd give them one of my limbs, isn't it?" Malcom asked solemnly.

  Eve let out a long burst of laughter and felt the tension leave the car. "Of course. I'm glad we're on the same page," she finally managed to sputter.

  Malcom turned toward her with an expression of mock pain and then looked back out the windshield. Eve felt all of her worry dissipate. She was being silly. Everything was going to be fine.

  She reached over and squeezed Malcom's arm. "Our daughter is getting her soul today. I can't wait to celebrate tonight. I love you."

  Malcom met her eyes and smiled. Eve relaxed into her seat. In just a few short hours, it would all be over.

  SAMUEL

  Samuel hurried between each of the groups of acolytes scattered across the garden. His message for each of them was the same: The Head Master asks that you complete your meditation as soon as possible and return to your rooms for the duration of the ceremony.

  He knew that the acolytes were surprised. Soul Distribution Day was a special day, and being able to observe it helped the acolytes see the fruits of their labor; it connected them to their reason for service to the Light. The magic of the transformation and seeing a soul choose and take hold in its human host made all of the ambiguity of life inside the compound worthwhile.

  The ceremony itself was powerful and electrifying. It felt otherworldly, and if you looked at the fountain instead of the Chosen, you could even peek into the other realm where the souls resided during their recuperation between hosts. Samuel regretted taking this away from the acolytes attending the garden, especially the ones who had risen high enough in rank to be able to observe since the last Soul Distribution Day.

  "But why, sir?" asked Advanced Junior Acolyte James Myer.

  James had applied and been accepted to the Office of Souls less than a year ago. His superiors quickly noted the fervor with which he served and his dedication to his tasks. Less than six months later, he had been invited to join one of the Circle of Meditators who facilitated the garden preparation for Soul Distribution Days. Today was supposed to be the first time James observed the ceremony.

  Samuel felt a twinge of satisfaction, even though he knew that to feel so was mean-spirited. He had taken James under his wing after the third report of James' excellence crossed the Head Master's desk. The Head Master showed great interest in the reports, and declared that he had uncovered Samuel's successor when Samuel passed on. As Samuel had no intention of passing on anytime soon, he had been keeping James close to him ever since. It wasn't unheard of to have an "accident" pave the wave for a promotion in the Office of Souls; especially as a benefit of service was an extended life cycle. That meant there was very little room for movement into the upper ranks of the administration.

  "We don't question the Head Master's wishes," he said to James. He noted the expression of annoyance on the younger man's face. It was something that James needed to learn to control. "The Head Master realizes that this request will be disappointing to many. But the Head Master is only looking out for the best interests of the Chosen, and it is our duty to obey him."

  "There is evil in this garden," he heard a voice whisper behind him. Samuel whirled around. Bishop stood behind him, but his eyes were unfocused. Samuel often wondered about the man's stability. He had tried to tell the Head Master about his concerns, especially when Samuel found the notebook that proved the gardener's interest in the fountain remained well after the "incident", but the Head Master wouldn't listen.

  "Bishop, you have your orders," he barked. He was relieved to see the man blink and then seem to realize where he was. The gardener shrunk away with his shears gripped in his hands. He needed to speak to the Head Master. He turned back to the group, ignoring James's glare. "The ceremony starts in less than three hours. I would hurry. You need to complete your meditation as soon as possible."

  He started to move away when he fe
lt a hand on his arm. Touch was forbidden in the Soul Garden, and he jerked his arm away to find James toe to toe with him.

  "Sir, I must speak with you," James whispered. "I don't mean to be insubordinate; sir, but the Head Master promised that I would be able observe this ceremony."

  "James, I understand that you are eager to learn as much as you can and advance your career within the Office of Souls. The Head Master has his reasons, and you know there will be another ceremony soon. There are extenuating circumstances around today's ceremony and the Head Master feels that it is most prudent to have only required members of the Office of Souls present with the Chosen for soul implantation. I am sorry, but this is his wish." Samuel was amazed at the young man's imprudence, and then wondered why he was bothering to go into such detail over a request that should be easily obeyed.

  "He promised," James insisted.

  "He changed his mind," Samuel said. He was tired of catering to this brash young man. He was tired of worrying about constantly having to watch his back. He nodded toward the group. "The meditation circle is not as effective when all the members aren't participating. Today of all days, the Head Master would be displeased to hear that the integrity of the safety net was compromised because some junior acolyte decided to pursue his own interests."

  He saw James's eyes narrow as he caught Samuel's unspoken threat.

  "Of course, sir. I didn't mean to overstep my bounds."

  At that moment, Samuel saw something dangerous in James's eyes. He would have to keep a much closer eye on the young acolyte, he thought. He nodded, "As you were. If anything changes I will let you know."

  James walked back to his group and joined the circle. Soon his head had dropped and he was deep in the meditation trance. Samuel drew a quick safety symbol in the air and then headed down the path towards the administrative offices. He didn’t know if any of the unusual things happening were because of the unseen dangers the Head Master had warned about, or because they were deviating from the normal routine, but either way he needed to find out.

  MARIUS

  Marius retrieved the book from his room and hid it under his jacket. As he stepped outside the Soulless Asylum, he looked both ways to see if anyone saw him. The Asylum residents weren't supposed to leave the building, but Marius had tested that rule a few times over the years. After the last time, when his sudden appearance at one of the acolyte resident halls had caused an uproar, the Head Master threatened the door of the Asylum to keep him in. But as with all things in the Asylum, the acolytes got lax and the door was left unlocked again. Marius was just a lot more careful in his excursions outside the Asylum walls.

  As Chim had promised, the Office of Souls’ staff was non-existent around the grounds since the majority of the acolytes were required to prepare for the soul implantation ceremony. Marius had never understood why it required all the hoopla that it received. But he didn't care. Once he was souled, he would be the master of his own destiny. And that destiny involved getting as far away from the rule of the Office of Souls as possible, even if that meant leaving Malm.

  He quickly made his way down the path that led to the administration building. He counted off five benches on the side of the path and then stepped beneath the heavy shade tree next to it. He didn't dare sit down. Behind him the high shrubbery marked an exterior wall of the garden. The shrub was at least twenty feet high, and was such a thick density that a human would look like a bloodied pin cushion if he attempted to push through to the other side. But even if someone was crazy enough to try it anyway, the protection spell that encircled the garden was potent enough to