“Yes,” I said, my voice shaking a little.
“What will it be, then, Mrs Lynn? Will you sacrifice yourself for your friend?”
It was a horrible choice to ask of anyone, but Giselle didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Amber struggled against the invisible binding around her mouth, tears spilling from her eyes. Giselle tried to look at her, but she couldn’t turn her head.
“I’m sorry, my love,” she said to her wife. “But I couldn’t live with myself if I let him die in my stead.”
Part of me understood her. Part of me was frantically reaching for a solution where she didn’t have to die either.
And then Kane made the choice for us.
“I’ll be your sacrifice.”
“No!” Giselle and I yelled. Amber frowned with fury, struggling to add her voice to ours too.
Blackhart sneered. “Thank you, Mage Kane. I must say, I’d much prefer you as a sacrifice. Unfortunately, I need you yet. Though not with a voice.” He flickered his fingers, and even though I could see Kane’s mouth moving, nothing came out. “Mrs Lynn, if you will.”
He made a yanking gesture with his hand and Giselle flew across the floor, coming to an abrupt stop right in front of him. Her eyes were large with fright, and sweat glistened on her forehead.
“Yes … you’ll do.” He glanced at Ida. “Prepare her.”
With that, he walked out of the room, not glancing back.
If it annoyed Ida to be left with the mundane task again, she didn’t show it. She made a motion with her hand and Giselle fell on her back, halting inches from the floor, before levitating onto the altar above me.
Ida’s hold of my binding spell broke.
My body was suddenly subject to gravity again. I felt heavier, and I only barely managed to keep a gasp in as air escaped from my lungs.
I lay stock still, not wanting to draw Ida’s attention, contemplating my options. Could I take Ida if I surprised her?
I had no fighting skills to speak of and no magic. I couldn’t rely on the others to break their spells either, because they were most likely controlled by Blackhart, and good luck with his strength weakening.
Even if I could defeat her, there was Blackhart to reckon with. He wasn’t large and strong looking, but I knew he had tricks in his arsenal that he could use for defeating me without even breaking a sweat.
I had to bide my time, then, and use it wisely.
Above me, Ida began to prepare Giselle for the ritual. Her attention was on her task, but I couldn’t risk it.
“Do you need me down here?” I asked her, and she paused, as if she’d forgotten I existed. With a sweep of her arm, she sent me gliding across the floor with such force that I didn’t stop until I hit the wall.
At least this time I was able to bend my body so that I didn’t hit my head again.
I lay on the floor, on my side for a change. I kept pretending I was still bound by her spell, and she ignored me again. Once I was sure her attention was on her task, I inched closer to Kane and Amber, so that I would be shielded by their prone bodies.
“I have a plan,” I said in a low voice. If they heard it, they didn’t react. Of course, neither of them could speak. “I’m calling in the cavalry.”
Or whatever the werewolf equivalent of it was. Lupinery.
With the clicking of her heels, Ida headed to the other end of the large room, which I could finally see properly, thanks to my new position. Workbenches and shelves full of books and other items necessary for spells filled the narrow end, and she began to collect what she needed.
Keeping one ear on the handy sound of her heels as she walked up and down the shelves, I dug out my phone from my back pocket. Amazingly, it hadn’t suffered from the constant drops, it still had juice left, and there was good reception.
As fast as possible, I composed a message to Ashley: Head to Highgate Cemetery. Terrace Catacombs. Save Luca bf sunrise.
Ida returned to the altar before I could hit send, and I had to lay still. She began to purify Giselle—or something involving burning herbs—and the moment her back was turned to me, I sent the message.
Then I remembered the state she’d been in when we left home. She could recover fast, but maybe she was sleeping and wouldn’t see the message until morning.
The mere thought turned my body cold.
I hit the call button and let it ring and ring, and when it stopped, I hit the button again. On the third round it connected, and I ended the call hastily, before her voice sounded in the room. I could only hope she read the message before calling back, but just in case, I kept my finger ready if the mobile began to ring.
And ring it did, though only on vibrate. Since I was holding the phone, the sound was barely audible, and Ida didn’t have supernatural hearing, but I disconnected hastily. A moment later a message arrived.
Da fuck?
Short and to the point as always. I had to wait until Ida headed to the other end of the room again, this time to fetch huge black candles, before sending an answer.
We’re in deep trouble. Do not call. Save Luca.
I hoped it was enough, because I had to switch the phone off. I couldn’t risk it ringing again.
After that, there was nothing I could do but watch Ida prepare the ritual. I flexed my muscles every time her back was turned, willing them to be ready for action.
The altar was tall, and solid marble, like I’d suspected; long enough for a person my height and wide enough for Giselle to fit on it properly. Giselle remained silent while Ida drew a series of geometrical symbols around the altar with black chalk, but her breathing was ragged.
Once the symbols were done, Ida placed the candles on several spots over the altar. Then, with frightening efficiency like a trauma nurse—and wasn’t that ironic—she cut Giselle’s shirt open at the front, including the bra, baring her chest. She fetched two jars of salves and began to anoint her chest with them. They had such a pungent smell it made my nose itch all the way over on the side of the room.
Giselle began to cry softly. I wanted to console her, tell her we would rescue her, but I couldn’t risk Ida noticing that I was free.
I had no idea how we would free her, but we would.
Finally, everything was ready. Ida left the room, trusting her spells to keep us in place. The moment the door closed behind her, I shot up. My legs held, which was pretty much the only thing going for me.
I rushed to the other end of the room and began to search for weapons I could hide on my body. I briefed my friends as I did.
“I’ve contacted Ashley. She’ll save Luca.” I had absolutely no doubt about it. Even if she couldn’t move yet, she’d send someone else. “That leaves Rupert.”
I stashed a flick-knife into my pocket, and slipped a longer knife up my sleeve where it sat snugly. I hoped it was the one Blackhart needed in his ritual.
“And us,” Giselle noted in a teary voice. “Let’s face it, with Kane’s voice and body bound, there’s nothing we can do against Blackhart.”
“I can bloody well try.”
“You can’t attack them,” she pointed out.
“No, but I can stall the ritual.”
Just then, Kane growled. “I can speak again.”
Relief washed through me, making my knees weak as I returned to my spot next to him and Amber.
“Thank God. Can you unbind yourself?”
“I can bloody well try,” he echoed my words.
“But don’t let them see,” I hastily added, when I heard sounds outside the door. I settled back down, making sure my braid wasn’t stuck under me.
“Why the hell not?” he demanded.
“We need the element of surprise. Keep quiet.”
I’d never ordered my boss around like this, but then again, we’d never been in a situation quite like this either.
The double doors at the other end of the room flew open, probably moved by magic. The chandeliers that had illuminated the room with blinding force died,
plunging the room into darkness. The candles around the altar flared to life, as did several other candles around the room.
Dramatic much?
Despite my sarcastic attitude, my palms turned sweaty with fear when Blackhart and Ida entered. They’d changed into black, floor-length robes, and covered their faces with black half-masks, as if we didn’t know who they were. Both were barefooted.
They progressed to the altar at a dignified pace, and I half expected Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor to blast from a hidden organ somewhere.
Blackhart took position on the far side of the altar, facing us, and Ida paused at its foot. They stood silent for a moment, concentrating. Then she presented him with a silver dagger—so mine wasn’t it after all—offering it with both hands.
He accepted it silently, turned to Giselle, who was crying again, and lifted the dagger above his head as if preparing to strike.
“No!”
The shout was out of my mouth before I had a chance to consider the wisdom of it. But I hadn’t thought he’d just kill her. Weren’t there any preparations? Spells or incantations first?
An invisible punch in my stomach left me gasping for air. “Do not interrupt me. The slightest distraction will assure that the ritual won’t work and then your friend will have died for nothing.”
I gritted my teeth, forcing the words out. “Her cooperation rests on knowing that Luca is freed.”
“I lied.”
Bastard. I should have seen that coming.
“But you still need Kane’s cooperation. If you kill Giselle, he’ll never concede the council to Ida.” I paused when a realisation hit. “That was never your intention, was it? You want to rule London without her.”
“What?” Ida looked stunned, then angry. “You would exclude me?”
“Of course I won’t,” he said impatiently, and I snorted.
“Of course he will. Why else would he make sure that you’ll have no chance taking over London?”
“He’ll die and she’ll rule,” Blackhart stated.
I pushed on my knees, no longer caring if they knew I could move. “That’s not how it goes and you know it. The magic that protects London has to recognise the leader. And it’ll rule for the winner of the challenge.”
I stood up, straightening my spine. “And as you can see, she’s not even strong enough to control me. How do you think she’ll best him?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Kane squeeze his hand into a fist, preparing an energy ball. Knowing that he could move again bolstered my confidence, but I couldn’t let him attack her just yet. I needed a portal to London.
“I’ll defeat him now,” Ida stated with confidence, stepping closer. Her hand formed a fist too, signalling an immediate attack.
“That won’t help you,” I halted her hastily. “The magic isn’t here. It’s in London. You’ll have to defeat him there.”
She glowered at me. “If you think I’ll travel all the way to London now, you’re delusional.”
I sneered back, amazed she hadn’t tried to bind me with the spell again, but I guess she needed to conserve her strength.
“And here I thought you can conjure portals.”
“Enough,” Blackhart shouted, and I felt my mouth being sealed with magic.
Bugger. But at least my body still moved.
He took a tighter hold of the dagger again, preparing for the strike. I tensed, trying to judge if I could rush at him in time to stop it, but before I could move, Ida spoke:
“I want you to open the portal to London before we proceed.”
Chapter Twenty-two
“Excuse me?” The look on Blackhart’s face didn’t promise anything good for Ida, but she stood her ground.
“Phoebe’s right. Kane won’t concede the council to me, and I can’t fight him here. I need to be sure you value my contribution to the cause enough to grant me this favour.”
He stared at her with contempt. “And why would I want you to rule the council? I won’t even need the council once I’m the archmage.”
“You need the council spell to recognise you. It won’t do it once you’re the archmage, because that’s how it’s supposed to work. You need me to rule the council.”
“I could use Jack.”
Ida’s face distorted with anger. “He already challenged Kane and lost. He won’t be able to try again for another two years.”
The flames of the candles surged up with his flaring rage, but he gained control immediately.
“Fine.”
With a circle of his open palm, he opened the portal, choosing the cemetery again. The scene was still the same, Luca lying unconscious on the grass. Ashley hadn’t reached him yet, but it hadn’t been all that long since I alerted her.
A yank of his hand sent Kane flying through the portal. He landed on his feet not far from Luca, facing the portal. He didn’t move, and I feared Blackhart had tightened the binding spell on him again. He would never be able to release himself in time before Ida attacked.
“I’ll keep your friends on this side to make sure of your cooperation,” he said to Kane. I felt myself being yanked through the air to stand behind him. Amber landed on his other side.
I was on my feet again, and fortunately for me, Blackhart hadn’t thought to renew the binds. I considered surging through the portal, but that would only hurt my friends.
He turned to bow at his sister. The sneer on his face was mocking. “Your opponent awaits. Make me proud.”
Ida pulled herself straight and with as much dignity as it was possible when wearing a robe and bare feet, she walked through the portal.
The moment their backs were turned on me, I glanced around for a weapon. I had the dagger, but now that I was close enough to Blackhart to use it, I knew with absolute certainty that I couldn’t. I would have to aim to kill, because if I didn’t, he would defeat me with magic. And I wasn’t a killer, not even in self-defence.
My eyes alighted on the large black candle next to me. It was easily three feet tall solid wax that stood without support of a candleholder, and hefty enough to need both hands to wrap around it.
I’d have to act fast, while his attention was on the scene on the other side of the portal. I picked up the candle, marvelling at its weight, just as Ida threw a blue energy ball at Kane.
I froze in fear as it shot through the air at him. But at the last possible moment, Kane stepped aside and threw an energy ball of his own, with much greater force and accuracy.
It hit Ida straight in the chest and she fell on her back, unconscious.
Blackhart roared. He conjured a huge energy ball and threw it through the portal with all the force of his rage.
Brandishing the candle, I hit him at the back of his head with the full force of mine. I used the sharp-edged bottom, like a battering ram, ignoring the hot molten wax dripping on me. The soft material of the candle cushioned the blow, but my aim was true and strong.
He collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
The portal died. The last thing I saw before it did was Blackhart’s energy ball hit Kane squarely in the chest.
I hit his head again.
With Blackhart unconscious, the spell binding Amber disappeared so abruptly that she fell to her knees. She recovered fast and pushed up.
I stood above Blackhart, the huge candle ready, in case I needed to hit him again, but he stayed down. Amber made a move with her hands and then leaned over to try his pulse.
“He’s alive and I’ve bound him with magic.”
“We’ll bind him with actual ropes too, because he’s too skilled to be held down with magic for long.”
I headed to the shelves at the other end to look for ropes, and Amber rushed to help Giselle down from the altar. When I glanced back, they were hugging and kissing tightly.
There were no ropes on the shelves, but the long velvet curtains were held back by golden ropes with long tassels. As fast as I could, I began to remove them, hoping they’d be long enough to ke
ep Blackhart down. I didn’t ask for help, even though it would have been faster. Giselle and Amber needed their moment.
By the time I carried the bundle of ropes to Blackhart, Giselle had put on Amber’s T-shirt, as Amber still had her coat. It was tight on her, but better than walking around bare-breasted, with odd symbols drawn on her skin.
Together, we tied Blackhart’s hands behind his back, his legs together, and for a further measure, tied his arms to his legs, pulling his body backwards like a bow.
Turned out, his robe was open at the front and he wasn’t wearing anything underneath—gag—so we took one more rope and used it to secure the hem of the rope to his thighs.
“There,” Amber said with vicious satisfaction. “Now we need to find a place that’ll hold him.”
I nodded, picturing the most horrifying place I could think of. “Pity we can’t get him to the sarcophagus where he held Rupert.”
“Rupert!” Giselle exclaimed, throwing her hands on her cheeks in horror. “We have to find him.”
Amber nodded. “Let’s take this one with us, and swap their places.”
She made the flicker with her wrist I already associated with the levitation spell, and Blackhart rose from the floor. She headed out of the ballroom, and he hovered behind him, face down and body bent.
“Where should we look for him?” I asked.
“We were kept in the cellar, so I think we’ll start there,” Giselle said, heading down the stairs.
Amber wasn’t as careful as Ida had been levitating Blackhart, and he slid down the stairs at breakneck speed, stopping face first on the landing with a satisfying thud.
“Oops,” Amber snickered, but she slowed his descent down the next flight.
We were in a grand entrance hall. In any other situation I would have stopped to gawp and admire the elegant space and the wonderful original furniture from the eighteenth century. But I hurried after Amber and Giselle, and the still unconscious Blackhart, to the back of the house and the kitchen there.
It was dark at that time of night, but Giselle located the light switch and flicked them on. The interior was like straight from a century ago, only everything was modern, the entire space refurbished with retro appliances and furniture.
Saved by the Spell. House of Magic 2. Page 18