burn, the pain spreading into my shoulder. I lifted my hands and separated them as though they held a bow, then aimed my left index finger at Benjamin to create a line of sight.
My hand was no longer colorless. A blaze of purple, thick and vivid, ran all the way down to the palm. I groaned inwardly. Of course my magic would decide to change now. Think. What was the magical significance of purple?
I felt the sensation of a rough string scraping against my cheek. I twisted my lips and directed a puff of air toward it. No distractions. Think. Stay alive.
When my focus returned to my hands, there was a bow in them—a real, tangible, bow made of wood ornamented with silver and gold. I felt a strange tingle from the wood, one I recognized. Rowan.
And there was an arrow between my fingers, too: silver-shafted and tipped with Philippe’s golden arrowhead. Would it find its target as the goddess had promised? Benjamin twisted Phoebe so that she was directly in front of him.
“Take your best shot, witch. You’ll kill Marcus’s warmblood, but I’ll still have everything I came for.”
The image of Juliette’s fiery death came to mind. I closed my eyes.
I hesitated, unable to shoot. The bow and arrow dissolved between my fingers. I’d done exactly what the goddess had instructed me not to do.
I heard the pages of the books lying open on nearby desks ruffle in a sudden breeze. The hair on the back of my neck rose. Witchwind.
There must be another witch in the library. I opened my eyes to see who it was.
It was a vampire.
Ysabeau stood before Benjamin, one hand wrapped around his throat and the other pushing Phoebe in my direction.
“Ysabeau.” Benjamin looked at her sourly.
“Expecting someone else? Matthew, perhaps?” Blood welled from a small puncture wound on him that was filled with Ysabeau’s finger. That pressure was enough to keep Benjamin where he was. Nausea swept over me in a wave. “He is otherwise engaged. Phoebe, dearest, you must take Diana down to Gallowglass and Fernando. At once.” Without looking away from her prey, Ysabeau pointed in my direction with her free hand.
“Let’s go,” Phoebe murmured, pulling at my arm.
Ysabeau removed her finger from Benjamin’s neck with an audible pop. His hand clamped over the spot.
“We’re not finished, Ysabeau. Tell Matthew I’ll be in touch. Soon.”
“Oh, I will.” Ysabeau gave him a terrifyingly toothy smile. She took two steps backward, took my other elbow, and jerked me around to face the exit.
“Diana?” Benjamin called.
I stopped but didn’t turn around.
“I hope your children are both girls.”
“Nobody speaks until we’re in the car.” Gallowglass let out a piercing whistle. “Disguising spell, Auntie.”
I could feel that it had slipped out of shape but couldn’t muster the energy to do much about it. The nausea I’d felt upstairs was getting worse.
Leonard squealed up to the gates of Hertford College.
“I hesitated. Just like with Juliette.” Then it had almost cost Matthew his life. Today it was Phoebe who had nearly paid for my fear.
“Mind your head,” Gallowglass said, inserting me into the passenger seat.
“Thank God we used Matthew’s bloody great car,” Leonard muttered to Fernando as he slid in the front. “Back home?”
“Yes,” I said.
“No,” Ysabeau said at the same moment, appearing on the other side of the car. “To the airport. We are going to Sept-Tours. Call Baldwin, Gallowglass.”
“I am not going to Sept-Tours,” I said. Live under Baldwin’s thumb? Never.
“What about Sarah?” Fernando asked from the front seat.
“Tell Amira to drive Sarah to London and meet us there.” Ysabeau tapped Leonard on the shoulder.
“If you do not put your foot on the gas pedal immediately, I cannot be held accountable for my actions.”
“We’re all in. Go!” Gallowglass closed the door of the cargo space just as Leonard squealed into reverse, narrowly missing a distinguished don on a bicycle. “Bloody hell. I’ve not got the temperament for crime,” Gallowglass said, huffing slightly. “Show us the book, Auntie.”
“Diana does not have the book.” Ysabeau’s words caused Fernando to stop mid-conversation and look back at us.
“Then what is the rush?” Gallowglass demanded.
“We met Matthew’s son.” Phoebe sat forward and began to speak loudly in the direction of Fernando’s cell phone. “Benjamin knows that Diana is pregnant, Sarah. You are not safe, nor is Amira.
Leave. At once.”
“Benjamin?” Sarah’s voice was unmistakably horrified.
A large hand jerked Phoebe back. It twisted her head to the side.
“He bit you.” Gallowglass’s face whitened. He grabbed me and inspected every inch of my face