Chapter 17 #3
An unexpected prideful smirk lifted Corrine’s lip. She gave Darby a nod of approval. Corrine’s lips parted to speak, but Darby supplied the answer. “Kaden’s pride is the only thing seriously hurt.”
Darby addressed me, her hands moving so fast I had to tell her to slow down.
Abandoning the signing, she spoke, “I’ll do it.
You cared enough for me to do what was necessary to save me.
I need to do the same for you.” She glanced at Corrine then back at me.
“If Amelia dies, you won’t be the same. If you’re changed, your friendship with Amelia will change as well.
I know how she feels about vampires. She’ll try, but it will be different. ”
I had no idea how she knew about the request. But it was more unsettling how easily she could read me.
Corrine moved to Darby, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Corrine’s lips were pursed into a tight line.
Darby went on. “Kara said the chance of us being hurt was low. It’s like the possible side effects they have to provide on medication packaging.
She’d never put our lives at risk, and the fact that she told you there was a chance of failure should make you trust her.
I need to do this. And I plan to, with or without your approval. ”
Corrine’s brow arched. It was clear she didn’t approve of Darby’s challenge, but she wasn’t able to hide the look of satisfaction similar to the one she’d given in response to Darby’s acceptance of the violence and terror she’d inflicted on the House of Pelling.
“I’ll do it,” Corrine said. Facing me, she added, “This is as a favor to you, but if at any point I feel as if my life is in jeopardy, yours will be as well.”
Not really a favor if it’s accompanied by a threat.
Thanking her, I led Corrine and Darby upstairs. Midway, Corrine stopped and turned. “You declined, so why are you still here?” she asked Belham and William, who had taken up the rear.
I agreed with her but decided not to intervene.
As with anything that came from Corrine, Belham’s body stiffened, taking her inquiry as a challenge.
William, allowing a cooler head to prevail, sent a sympathetic smile in my direction.
“Call us when it’s over.” Placing an urging hand on Belham, he guided him away.
I missed what William whispered to him, but it brought a smile to Belham’s face.
It was probably a reminder that there was a chance Corrine wouldn’t survive.
No matter how small the chance, it was sure to provide some modicum of joy to Belham.
I wished getting rid of Cirrian was just as easy.
The furtive glares I hurled in his direction only encouraged him.
He sank into the corner as I combined ingredients to create the blend for the spell.
Once the paste was made, I placed the symbols as indicated by the spell from the grimoire over Amelia and then Corrine, while her eyes tracked my every movement with an expression I couldn’t make out.
“You have quite the talent with this,” she said, looking down at the markings on Amelia.
I’d practiced this a million times in my head because failure wasn’t an option. Directing Corrine to touch Amelia, I put out one hand ready to touch them both, while the other held the Syphr tighter.
Just as Jonah said would happen, the moment I whispered the first line of the spell, magic flowed through me. Powerful, turbulent, and tenebrous. Was this what pulsed through him and the witches of his house?
It was uncomfortable and left a putrid feeling in me. Needing to be disconnected from it, I invoked the spell as precisely and quickly as possible. Magic smothered the room. Black threads pulled from the curse, twining around Corrine’s arm, eliciting a sharp exhale from her.
Darby’s teeth sank into her lips, puncturing them. Corded muscles bunched at Corrine’s neck. She hissed. Screwing her eyes closed, her mouth moved slowly, probably sending entreaties for the spell to speed up.
Corrine was rendered helpless as dark veins showed on her arm and her skin turned a sickly yellow.
Her eyes eclipsed to black, and before I could react, she’d locked a hand around my throat.
Cirrian pushed from his position. I shook my head at both of them for entirely different reasons: asking Cirrian to stand down and Corrine to stop.
“Corrine,” Darby pleaded.
Magic pounded through me, and tears of pain spilled down my cheeks.
I maintained contact, fearful that a break in connection would stop the magic.
Corrine’s hold loosened as her body relaxed.
Slumping into herself, her color returned to normal.
The black veins disappeared, and the marks on Amelia receded.
Amelia let out a shocked exhale, and her eyes snapped open. I was flooded with relief before it all went to hell. Amelia’s eyes closed. She took a few sharp breaths before she stilled again.
The markings on her returned, and the Syphr disappeared. I couldn’t even begin to stop my tears. The failure took everything from me. I sank to the floor, resting against the bed, and sobbed.
A hand pressed against my back. “Kara,” Corrine managed in a strained voice, “stand up.” Her touch was firmer, as if she was trying to loan me her strength.
It wasn’t enough. Another shadow fell over me.
I lifted my head enough to look at Darby, who’d crouched next to me.
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears that had been there since Corrine’s response to the spell.
When she whispered, “I’m sorry,” another shudder of pain ran through me. Corrine took my hand, guiding me to stand. Once I was facing her, her thumb ran over my face, wiping away the stream of tears I couldn’t control.