Cormac steps back, satisfied. He turns away from me, his robes swirling.
"Finish the preparations," he says.
The men scatter, moving to the edges of the room to do God knows what. I can hear their footsteps, the rustle of fabric, the clink of metal, but I can't see them.
Suddenly, I hear gunshots.
The sound is muffled at first, distant, like fireworks going off blocks away. But then it gets louder and closer together.
My chest tightens.
Callum.
One of the hooded figures runs to Cormac, his voice high and panicked. "He's here!" he says.
Cormac doesn't even turn around.
"Light the fire!"
No. Please, no.
Stupidly, I try to sit up, but the blade holds me down and I cry out, my voice breaking.
"Don't. Please!"
Then I hear a loud whooshing sound, and a ring of fire ignites around the room.
The flames burst to life all at once, climbing the walls in a perfect circle. The heat hits me like a punch. It feels like it's searing my skin, stealing the air from my lungs.
"The Morrígan is ready for her sacrifice," Cormac says, arms outstretched.
He stands in the center of the room, bathed in firelight, his face twisted in rapture. He looks like a prophet turned madman.
"Bring him to me!"
I hear windows shatter and the gunshots are louder now. I can hear shouting, the sounds of something breaking, and men running out of the room.
The fire roars, crackling and hissing, consuming everything in its path. Smoke rises in thick, black plumes, curling toward the vaulted ceiling. I turn my head, trying to see the entrance, but the flames block my view.
All I can see is orange. All I can feel is heat.
And all I can think is that Callum is walking into a trap.
He's coming for me, and he's going to die.
36
CALLUM
The bulletproof glass spider-webs as rounds slam into the windshield.
I duck down, pressing my back against the seat. The glass holds. It's done its job, but another volley punches through the driver's side mirror, showering Tommy with shards.
I don't wait. I shove my door open and jump out, landing on the asphalt in a crouch. I bring my gun up and start firing.
The first shooter is maybe twenty feet away, hiding behind a dumpster. I aim and squeeze the trigger twice. The first shot hits him in the chest and he jerks backward, his gun clattering to the ground. The second shot drops him completely.
I fire three more times into the dumpster, making sure I get anyone else hiding behind it.
