Nerissa stayed pressed to my back as we ran into the heart of the volcano. One of her hands gripped my hip to steady me when the tunnel dipped. Her nails clicked anxiously against the stone. She hadn’t taken his eyes off me since we left the clearing. We rounded a bend into a small chamber and she stopped me.
“Here. We are right under it.” She pointed up into the stone ceiling.
I would have to believe her when she said we were under the volcano; one slab of stone looked the same to me.
“Here, stand here,” she said. “I will be drawing a rune circle around you. Youmust notleave it at all costs, or it could kill you.”
I took that in as she grabbed my forearm and sliced it open with her knife. I barely flinched, watching in fascination as she took my blood and used it to draw a circle around us.
“Now, the runes.” She made a mark on her own forearm,bathing us both in the golden glow of her own bloodmagicks activating. She mixed our blood on her palm, and started drawing runes on her forehead, then mine. Then my chest, my back, my shoulders, and even my wings.
“Be careful of my wings,” I grumbled,\ before remembering they were drakens and knew to do that already. I wasn’t used to being around other drakens. I had to constantly guard my wings from my overseers in the pits.
She shot me a look, smirking slightly.
“Bloodmagick is about intent,” she lectured. “When I say, you will take this knife and trace along the runes you can see. I can do the ones on your back. You must not let the knife leave your skin at any time. We need to connect the runes with lines between each across your flesh. And yes, you will have to cut into your wings.”
My nose wrinkled at the very thought, but I could handle pain. I could do this. I would do this.
“Alright, now when I say–”
“Veskor! VESKOR!” a young, high voice carried through the lava tube, amplified by the stone.
My heart slammed into my chest.
No. Nonononono?—
But Perri came anyway, her small arms flapping, hair wild, eyes huge. She bounded into the clearing, pleased as punch for finding me.
“STOP!” bellowed Nerissa, freezing Perri in her tracks. “Donotmove any closer or you could kill him. We are in the middle of bloodmagick!”
Perri’s eyes got round and large. She understood bloodmagick. Good. She pointed at Veskor. “I followed him! He smells like rocks!”
“Oh stars,” Nerissa mumbled.
“Perri, it is not safe. Go back!” I begged her.
“I missed you. You said you’d visit me but all you do iswork.” Her sad face broke something in me. “Is Queen Wren OK?”
I glanced at Nerissa, who looked caught between rage and helplessness.
“You must stay there!” she shouted at Perri. “Are you trying to kill us?:
Perri froze, little face frozen in terror, so I tried another approach.
“Perri, would you like to help with our ritual?” I asked desperately.
She perked up immediately, beaming. “Yes! I wanna help!”
Nerissa shot me a look, but jumped on board immediately.
“Find ten black magma rocks that are perfect circles, and keep them in the corner,” Nerissa instructed.
Perri busied herself immediately.
“Hurry, start making the marks,” Nerissa whispered furiously.
I turned my back to Perri so she wouldn’t see. I breathed out, and cut down into the first mark on my chest.
