CHAPTER FORTY-TWO #2
‘Do it now,’ said Casimir. ‘While they’re casting. Those women are vicious and they are powerful. I’ve never seen blood magic before. They forced my hand.’ He gestured to the open cabinets.
The witches’ chanting grew louder. Wind howled around the space. Uncanny shadows began to dance along the walls, the same as the ones that had possessed Rupert so long ago.
‘Why did Acanthi think you would have Opal’s contract?’ asked Dot, ‘Perhaps Cate Saw it?’
‘Perhaps she Saw me with a contract, but it wasn’t Opal’s.’ Casimir rose slowly to his feet. He hobbled toward Salamander’s desk, then placed one bloodied hand on the drawer and muttered an incantation. The drawer sprang open.
‘One last little bit of defiance,’ said Casimir. He smirked over at Theodora. ‘Salamander hasn’t noticed yet. It seems he’s distracted. The parliament is preparing to debate Article Thirteen – the amendment is near.’
Casimir reached into the drawer, rifled for a moment, and took out a bundle of papers.
‘He’ll have me for this,’ said Casimir. ‘But I no longer care. Take it, Theo. A thank you for the tea.’
Theodora came to him and took the bundle with shaking hands. ‘Cas,’ she whispered.
‘Is that it?’ asked Dot, kneeling beside them. ‘The original?’
Theodora’s eyes watered as she looked at her contract. She nodded.
‘If you’re going to do something to stop Salamander, it has to be now,’ said Casimir, watching Acanthi. Their chanting continued.
‘What about your contract?’ asked Theodora.
Casimir smiled. ‘I found a loophole. I took mine home this morning. I’ll break it myself afterward.’
He looked away from Theodora, and Dot alone must have caught the flicker of falseness in Casimir’s eyes. There was no contract at home. Whatever was about to happen, it would be the end of him.
Yet, Casimir cleared his throat and said, ‘You’ve no time. Salamander is in his study below us, waiting for the amendment to be passed in parliament. He is on the very edge of getting his magic back. You’ll need to stop him right away.’
‘We need to find a spirit who can help us,’ said Lio. ‘Thistlethwaite. Is she down there?’
‘Why would you need her?’ asked Casimir.
‘To break Theodora’s contract,’ said Dot. ‘We need a spirit older than Salamander.’
Casimir gave her a deadpan look. He seized her afflicted wrist, the magic of the Ancient Spirit made manifest. ‘What do you think you are?’
Dot’s mouth dropped open.
‘Why in hell’s name did we not think of that?’ demanded Lio.
‘Quick,’ said Theodora, grabbing them both and tugging them toward the door behind the tank, but before they reached it, a blast of magic erupted from Acanthi and the three of them toppled over.
The room now reeked of the witches’ magic: incense, gunpowder, woodsmoke, elderberry, hemlock and blackberry.
Opal, glistening and monstrous in her white scales, was on her feet. The blast had thrown Cate and Moira to the ground.
‘You took my memories,’ said Opal, glaring at Lio. ‘You took who I was.’
‘Go!’ said Lio, shoving Dot and Theodora toward the space behind the water tank. Casimir was beside them, doubled over, clutching his bleeding arms and chest. He opened the door. Theodora and Dot were almost inside when Lio let out a scream. He was ripped backward and out of sight.
‘Lio!’ cried Dot, leaping back into the room.
Opal was upon him.
‘Opal,’ shouted Lio, wrestling her, ‘we were trying to spare you.’
Theodora threw a repulsion charm at Opal. She toppled from Lio as Theodora and Dot flew to his side. They dragged him back toward the door, but Opal rose to her feet once more.
Lio took out his chalk and brought it to his hand.
‘Opal, stop,’ cried Cate. ‘They are not important. We need to break your contract.’
‘I no longer have a contract,’ shouted Opal, glaring at her mother. ‘It ran out! Years ago! Casimir knows that, you imbeciles! And it doesn’t matter because I can’t fight the conduence. The only way out for me is through, Mother – I want Salamander’s magic. I want the talent you taught to Tessa.’
‘I will find a way,’ said Cate. ‘Please, let me fix it. Leave them.’
‘Leave me,’ shrieked Opal, lurching at Lio again.
Lio threw his hand in Theodora’s coat pocket and pulled out the bread knife.
‘Lio,’ cried Dot from beside Theodora, but the young man shoved his palm at the pair of them. A repulsion rune was scribbled there. Dot and Theodora soared behind the tank and through the door.
‘Casimir,’ said Lio. ‘Seal it.’
‘No!’ shouted Dot, scrambling forward.
Their eyes met for only a moment, but in it was held a small lifetime. Dot saw Lio looming in the shadows of Saint Penelope’s Cathedral. Lio furiously cleaning the tea shop. Lio teaching Rupert in the courtyard. Lio kissing her hand.
He smiled at her.
He nodded at Theodora.
And then the door was shut by Casimir and the two women were gone and sealed away.
Opal slammed into Lio, wrestling him to the floor.
‘Why did you bring this cursed thing?’ she shrieked as she snatched the bread knife. ‘Are you taunting me, Lio? Is this why you and Tessa turned me into this? Turn me back. I just wanted a talent. Why did you—’
‘You did this,’ shouted Lio, tugging the knife back. Opal slapped Lio across the face, her talons drawing blood. Lio began to cast a portal, but Opal seized him with her magic, the force pinning him against the concrete floor.
‘Opal,’ begged Cate, her voice shaking as she approached. She grabbed at Opal’s shoulders. ‘Darling, please. This violence is not you.’
‘Be quiet, Mother.’
‘What can we do?’ hissed Moira.
‘Sweetheart,’ said Cate, ‘how can we help?’
‘You can go away and die.’
Casimir sent a slice of violent magic at Opal but Cate dove before it, blocking the spell.