“We capture her,”Mama whispers in my ear, using a communication spell.
“Got it…” Aunty Delsanra breathes as she braces herself, spreading her arms as she begins chanting.
Calindra’s eyes widen, rage flitting through them as she snarls and jumps backwards. The poison only slows her slightly, but she doesn’t get far. A shadow appears behind her as Ahren materialises out of nowhere and slams his hand to the back of her neck. She stills as chains spring around her, and Mama and Aunty Delsanra begin chanting louder.
Then Ahren disappears and reappears to the left, with a witch who places something on the ground. Then he’s gone, reappearing northeast with another witch. Then he disappears again until he’s repeated this five times, as five witches place herbs, candles, and draw symbols around Calindra. Her eyes widen as she realises what’s happening, and for the first time, I see uncertainty flash in her eyes.
“Aldona, be ready!” Mama shouts, “You know the spell!”
She wants me to cast the containment spell…
I nod, my heart thudding, but I can do this.“I will guideyou, if you shall need it,”Isolara’s voice comes in my head.
I take my place at the highest point and begin casting the spell. Symbols begin to spin and expand, locking around Calindra as she snarls and slams herself against the forming barrier, her movements sluggish, her power momentarily dulled.
“Mordana, we need you!” Mama shouts, her voice thunderous. “And one more witch! Ahren, where is Saana!”
“She’s dead,” Ahren shouts.
We need five witches to maintain the corner points.
“Shahira!” Sienna shouts as she flies towards us. “She’s here!”
“Ahren, fetch her!” Aunty Delsanra orders, even as Calindra pounds against the barrier, realising brute force won’t break it, and so she begins to chant instead.
“On it,” Ahren says quietly before vanishing.
Sienna lands to my left. The huge demon form that was embodying her earlier is gone. Mama and Aunty Delsanra take one point of the star that has now formed.
“The moment we drop the chains, we must activate the barrier!” Aunty Delsanra shouts.
Ahren reappears with Shahira, and she instantly takes in the situation and falls into position instinctively, each of us anchoring a point of the star formation without needing to be told.
“What are we doing?” she asks, her face pale.
“Capturing the bitch, just follow us,” Mama says. “Ahren, for a few seconds, you need to watch her, keep her from moving! Aldona, now!”
Mama’s eyes are blazing, and I close my eyes, focusing as I begin.
Power erupts to the sky, and Calindra screams, but there’s something off about it. It’s not a cry of despair. Wait, is it a signal?
Mama and Aunty Delsanra drop the chains as they instantly fall into position, and they too begin chanting with Sienna and Shahira joining in.
I have to focus and not worry about her calling for backup. This spell is my priority right now.
Ahren’s here, it’s going to be ok… and Jayce is still engaged in battle with Velasara with Allie by his side. Velasara can’t come to help her.
Focus!Endora snaps.
She’s right. I pull deeper on my power, the chant vibrating through me, through all of us, as I focus everything into the spell.
“Il Messia will come for me,” Calindra whispers, her eyes burning straight into mine. “He will come!”
Il Messia… she means their leader. But Dante’s here…
Then voices carry on the wind, sharp and urgent, slipping into my awareness now that Isolara has awakened something new inside me: my hearing is better.
“We have several tomes. Let’s retreat, our job is done. The Adonai is here; we cannot afford to lose anyone.” The voice is eerie, and something about it feels off.
