Victor rushes over to Wren, explaining,“We can’t leave yet. Derek is lying about something, but he won’t admit it.”
“I’M NOT LYING!”Derek shouts as he desperately struggles his way out of the bush.
“What are you lying about?”Wren asks Derek.
“Florence Maryweather,”Victor responds.
Wren gives Victor a confused glance.“That’s impossible. She’s dead.”
Derek becomes furious.“NO, SHE’S NOT! She ordered me to kill the witch who cursed his fucking grandmother! Now, she has me trying to kill him too!”Derek turns his anger on Victor.“But for whateverfuckingreason, you justWON’T DIE!”
“He mentioned he gets his order from his contact,”Victor informs.“But he won’t give me a name.”
Wren holds Derek’s face in her hands.“What is the name of your contact?”
Derek tries to break free from her hold.“I already told you, I don’t know.”
Wren’s hands start to glow.“You do know. You just don’t remember. That memory was taken from you.”
“What are you doing?”Derek demands as he struggles in Wren’s grasp.
“I’m linking our abilities together,”Wren responds. She looks at Derek’s left hand and notices a tan line on his finger.“He’s missing his wedding ring.”
“So. Why does that matter?”Victor comments.
Wren lets go of Derek’s face.“The memory of his contact’s name is in his wedding ring. His ring is a focus.”The dead souls are pounding away at the barrier. The barrier’s glow starts to weaken.
Victor holds his dagger to Derek’s neck.“Where’s your wedding ring?”
“I don’t know,”Derek says before shouting in agony. The thorny bush is halfway up his thigh.“FINE! Fine.”Derek sighs deeply and places his hand in his left pant pocket. He pulls out his wedding band and places it back on his ring finger.
“The name,”Victor demands.
“Superior Morgana Crimson,”Derek responds.
As soon as Derek answers, the dead souls break the barrier. Victor’s mother jumps in front, and a flash of light emerges fromher hands.“I can’t hold them for long. You need to get out of here.”
Victor looks worried at his mother.“Will you be okay?”She turns her head to look at Victor and gives him a wink. Victor holds up his hands and pauses.“Fuck! I forgot the words. We’ve been here too long.”
Wren holds up her hands and chants in Latin.
Victor and Derek simultaneously open their eyes, gasping for air, and start coughing as they regain consciousness. When Victor sits up, he opens his eyes again, and they are black. Quickly, he pounces on top of Derek and holds his dagger to Derek’s neck.
“VICTOR!” Leo shouts as he leaps over to try to get Victor off Derek.
Derek looks determined as he stares into Victor’s black eyes. “Do it. You know you wantto.”
Victor doesn’t blink as he looks back into Derek’s eyes. He takes out a bracelet and slapsit onto Derek’s wrist. Victor stands up, hovering over Derek. Derek tries to kick Victor but hurts himself.
“That charm prevents you from hurting anyone,” Victor comments. “Any attack you try, the effects harm you instead. Also, if you try to run, I can pull you back with a snap.”
Leo looks at the bracelet. “Where did you get that?”
Victor blinks a few times, and his eyes go back to normal. “Wren. She placed it in my pocket while everyone was getting things ready.”
Superior Charles walks over and stops above Derek’s head. He looks down at Derek’s aggravated glare. “Derek Hernandez, you will be sent to trial with the council for the crimes you have committed.”
Derek looks at the bracelet and tries to pull it off. “Looks like I don’t have much of a choice.”
