The horrible banging began once again, and Sol could now see it was something pushing against the front door, causing it to shake.
At that moment, Sol wondered why her mother had left these things alive. Why had she chosen to flee from her purpose and leave those creatures to roam Erriadin if she was the one charged with extinguishing them?
“I’ll hold them off,” Cas said, turning to the door. Sawyer and Alix flanked it, both with equally tense expressions.
“It’s no use, child.” Lora caught his arm. “They won’t stop. You can kill these, and new ones will sprout out of the Void itself to get to Sol.” Lora turned to face her. “Now they know you live, they won’t stop until they kill you. All of you must leave.”
Panic rose in Sol’s chest as she gripped Lora harder. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You must.”
“I will not??—”
A rattle resonated from Sol’s room, tearing the words from her mind. Instantly, a gentle hand eased her closer to the Wielders. Nina smiled sadly at her as she positioned herself between Sol and her room, then Sawyer stepped in to guard their backs.
Everything was wrong.
Too many people were putting themselves in the way of danger for her, and she felt herself begin to unravel at the thought of her being at fault for any negative outcomes.
She couldn't process that again.
“Listen to me, Sol. If you die, if you get hurt, everyone pays. Everyone. It’s not the time to be selfless and try to help or ease people’s pain, it’s time for the opposite.” Lora reached into her pocket and gathered materials she proceeded to drop into Sol’s satchel.
“I give it maybe five minutes before they start gnawing at the walls,” Sawyer muttered, her fingertips sparkling. “Then maybe thirty seconds until they start charging.”
“Sawyer, don’t invoke them,” Nina chastised. “They can hear you.”
In response, a lanky Jinn with a gaping hole in its cheek tapped on the window, smiling from rotting ear to ear.
Sol shuddered. “I’m not leaving you here with these things, Aunt Lora. And Leo—” Leo. Mina.
Sol couldn’t leave her town and everything she loved in the claws of those demons. The people were innocent.
“No offense, dove, but you won't be much use here without your magic.” Lora gave her a long look, as if memorizing her, then retrieved a small dagger from her skirt pocket. It was delicate but stunning, the kind of craftsmanship that had to be from overseas. The steel shone in the stray moonlight and the emerald jewels encrusted along its handle winked as Lora sliced the blade along her palm.
Blood dripped onto the wooden floors, and with each drop the pounding on the door increased.
“Yarrroooow,”the things hissed in unison.“Let us innnn.”
“I don’t think the seals will last much longer, Lady Lora,” Nina warned, pointing to the foot of the front door where Alix knelt, inspecting what seemed like glyphs.
He shook his head. “They’re deteriorating.”
“You will leave. You will finish what Irene started.” Lora clasped Sol’s hand and sliced her palm without warning.
Sol winced and watched in wonder as Lora joined their wounded hands together and closed her eyes. She didn’t know what to say, only knew she felt everything all at once in a debilitating wave as a golden mist illuminated the darkness. The mist wrapped around their wrists and slid up their arms until Sol felt it melt within her chest with a warm sigh.
It felt as if she were in a dream, floating along muted streams of consciousness.
"What is this,” Sol asked, slightly breathless. “What did you do?”
Nina’s face paled as she beheld their still joined hands. She looked at Lora. “A blood bond.”
Her Aunt nodded. “A very simple bit of Dark Magic so we can be connected while you’re gone.” Lora placed her forehead on Sol’s. “I will not leave the people here unprotected. And I cannot focus on both them and you, dove.”
The front door splintered open with a piercing boom, the sound so violent it shoved Sol back into Nina and Cas.
“Take her. Now!” Lora spun to face the entrance.
