And then, finally, there was silence.
The Necromancer was dead.
Mercury ceased her chant and collapsed, dropping the book on the ground. “Okay, remind me never to do magic again.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem,” I whispered.
Mercury slowly crawled to her feet, clutching the Necronomicon against her chest. “John, the things I saw you do—”
“I’m sorry.”
Mercury said, “I don’t care.”
She walked over and dropped the book before clutching me. “Just promise me we’ll pretend to be human from now on.”
“I promise.”
I looked over at the glowing white orb in the Cthulhu idol’s hands. It was glowing even brighter now and I saw Ward’s soul was now imprisoned within. He was living the life of a human scientist in the 19th century. He had a wife, children, and an entire circle of friends all conjured from his dreams. The perfect heaven for a man who wanted nothing more than to be in absolute control of his destiny—it was close to my hell.
Oh and Katryn’s body was missing now.
Lovely.
“What do we do about Jessica?” Mercury said, looking over at Jessica’s fallen form. She still hadn’t awakened from her dream.
Inside, I saw her with her husband and children. They were in a still-standing New Arkham, living a life where peace and democracy had been restored by the General’s ascension to President. The R&E Rangers went out on missions but no one died, and it was the beginning of a new age for humanity. I was there, with Anita, Martha, Mercury, Stephens, Parker, Garcia, and others.
An impossible dream.
But a beautiful one.
“Take her with us,” I said. “We’ll keep her until she wakes up.”
“And if she doesn’t?”
I closed my eyes. “We let her dream.”
THE TOWER OF ZHAAL
The Cthulhu Armageddon Series, Book Two