Gwen and I were just staring at each other. I shook my head. “The best way to a man’s heart.”
She grinned at me. “Is through his fifth and sixth rib.”
I laughed. “Only you.”
“Majesties!” The guard skidded into the room just behind his words. “You are needed in the command center! There are—”
Gwen and Bel were out the door in the next moment, Gwen tossing her words back at us, “Finish the spell!”
“That can’t be good.” Dorian stared after them.
“Not our job,” Rilen said. “Our obligation is here.”
Dorian took a breath. “Yes. Right.”
I jerked back. “That was reasonable.”
“One of us has to be,mi espada sangrienta.”
“No. No more nicknames, dammit,” I grumbled.
“Hey, could someone help me out here?”
We all turned and found Aiko in the center of the pentacle, looking confused and trapped. I gasped and ran forward, careful of the lines.
“I’m sorry! I forgot the magic would block you from walking back out.” I held out my hand, he grabbed it, and the pentacle released him.
“That was unnerving.” He looked at the floor. “Does it always do that?”
“Just to vampires,” I said. “Nothing would have happened to you. It just held you there.”
“Where’s the rest of the centerpiece?” Roran asked.
“Here,” Rilen said, walking over with the silver tray.
“Shoes off,” Dorian said. “Everyone take what they need and hold on to it. Kimber is last.”
I tossed my shoes to the side and took my little vial of oil. “Say the name as the spell had it, as you place it with the bone.”
Nodding, Roran picked up the sweet woodruff, giving Rilen a chance to put the tray back on the table. He and Rilen placed it on the floor near the bone. “Master of the woods.”
They stepped back and stood at two of the points.
Aiko walked forward and laid down the branch of bay laurel. “The lauded branch.” He took another point of the pentacle.
Dorian stepped up and placed the five pieces of frankincense with the rest. “The tree’s heartsblood.” The fourth point of the pentacle waited for him.
I walked up with the little vial of argan oil and uncapped it. I poured it out slowly, making sure to drizzle it on each of the objects. “The oil of gold that grows on trees.”
Once each of the objects in the circle was touched with the oil, I traced the chalk lines, making sure to touch each piece of chalk and each candle with it. Recapping the vial, I placed it with the objects in the center and sent a small wave of power to light the candles.
I took my place at the last point and held my hands out. Aiko grabbed my right hand, and Dorian my left. The twins joined hands, and then each took Dorian’s and Aiko’s.
Together, we all touched a bare foot to the piece of chalk in front of us.
The surge of power that shot through us was enough to tear a scream out of us.
As much power as when I broke the Spine.
