“Analla!” I push out of my chair and dash her way, but Seferin rushes in front of me, holding me back with a solid hand.
“Before you reunite, I need you to take the crystal, Zaira, and bind your soul to it.”
I stare at the crystal briefly before eyeing him.
“Take it.”His smile fades, and his nostrils flare. “If you want your sister to live, you’ll take it. But you must know that once you have it in your hands, you will become my source. You won’t die, I’ll be sure of it, but you will become weaker over time as I draw from you. You will become the mortal who strengthens my magic. You will fuel the land I reign in. After all,” he sneers, “the braver the heart, the stronger the magic.”
“But can’t you get that kind of strength from the tome?”
“I could…but why bother when you’re right here?”
I look from him, to Analla, to the crystal.
“You’ll let her go?” I ask.
He gives me a subtle nod.
“Zaira, don’t.” Analla steps away with the crystal and holds it close to her chest. “I won’t let you do this.”
“Analla, I’m doing it for you.” I move around him to grab her arm and give it a gentle squeeze. “You heard him. I won’t die.” I swallow, peering at Seferin. “Will I still get to see her, at least?”
“No.” His answer is firm. Final. He narrows his eyes.
I’m stalling. I think he can sense it.
Maliek pushes Analla forward, and she trips over herself. Her knees slam to the marble floor, but that doesn’t stop her from raising her shaking arms in the air with the crystal in her hands.
“I’ll end it here,” she declares. “It’ll end right now with me. I won’t let you have my sister!”
My heart drops once again. She’s going to smash it and probably destroy the parts of her soul inside it. She could die if it breaks.
Seferin sighs and rolls his eyes, clearly bored and growing impatient. He bobs his head at Maliek, who marches toward her and grips her throat.
“No!” I yell.
She groans as he elevates her by the throat and chokes her.
“Stop!” I scream. “What are you doing?!”
“Take the crystal,” Seferin growls, side-eyeing me. “Take it and your sister will be restored. She’ll live the rest of her mortal years in peace, however long that lasts.”
“Okay, I’ll take it! Just stop choking her!”
Analla still clings to the crystal, struggling to shake her head behind Maliek’s grip as a vein bulges out on her forehead. Maliek only squeezes tighter, though, curling his fingers, ready to close them in a fist and end her life.
He’ll do it, too. I know he will. Seferin isn’t bluffing. Whether Analla is dead or alive, he’s going to make me take that damn crystal.
Anxious, I rub my forehead hard to get the mindflare going. Now!
I snatch the crystal from her hands before Maliek can choke the life out of her. Analla lets out a broken cry. The crystal is hot in my hands, pointy and light in weight.
Maliek lets Analla fall to a heap on the floor. As if the curse is fading as it transitions to me, Analla’s hair goes from brittle gray to voluminous brown. Her cheeks plump just a bit, too, and the dark rings around her eyes disappear.
With a sinister smile forming, Seferin does a gesture with his hand and directs the tips of his fingers at me.
I immediately think it’s too late for the other half of my plan to work.
I expect something to happen from Seferin—for some kind of pain to seize me, or for my body to weaken…but nothing comes.
