When The Grave Calls (The Veil Diaries #9) - B.L. Brunnemer Page 0,80
that could close the Veil again. What was here in the circle? Earth, air. A weight seemed to fall over my shoulders, bringing me to my knees. My eyelids grew heavy as the life drained from me like the tide. I fell to the dirt and watched him go back to the distiller in the corner.
Earth and air. What did I know? Breathing grew difficult as I racked my brain.
It had been at the end of a lesson when Uma explained it. “You can’t cut anyone off from the earth and the air. They don’t answer to human whims.”
I closed my eyes and fell into that silent space inside me. I shifted my hands out to my sides, palm up, feeling the air tickle my skin. The air grew chilly as the energy was pulled from it. It became easier to breathe. I opened my eyes. Goosebumps rose while energy rushed through me, strengthening me. My breath came out in a fog against the dirt.
I buried my hands in the moist, rich soil and dropped my barriers the rest of the way. All that energy filled the earth beneath me. “Intermissium.”
The basement shook. Dirt dropped from the ceiling as Eric steadied the alchemy table. Long, thin cracks formed in the earth around us, one right through the paint line, breaking the circle.
That pressing weight lifted off me as the world stopped shaking. Eric turned and met my gaze as I pushed myself to my feet. “Nice try, motherfucker.” Still in that quiet place inside me, I brought a ball of ice to life in my hand. “Now, let’s play.”
He sparked a fire in his hand. His arm pulled back, his face a snarl. I ran to the right as Eric brought his arm forward, throwing the ball towards me. Dropping to my knee, I slid across the dirt under the streak of fire and popped back up to my feet, still on the run. I side-armed the ice orb at him. Eric dove to the left, rolled in the dirt and came back up. Grabbing the blade off the altar, I changed directions back towards him.
He threw another shot of fire towards my face, but it was useless. I’d brought my arm up, conjuring a shield of gold light just in time to knock it away. He pulled his own blade out from behind his back and came towards me. I feinted right, ducked Eric’s swipe and drove the blade deep into his side, just under his ribs. It slid in sickeningly easy. Hot liquid spurted over my fingers as his eyes went wide. Bile rose in my throat as I realized what I had done. He dropped his blade and grabbed my arm as he began gasping. I helped him down to the ground. I had stabbed him. Oh fuck. My shaking hand let go of the blade as blood continued to soak his shirt. “Zahur.” I swallowed the bile back as horror filled me. “Zahur!”
A strange pop sounded as Eric began to wheeze.
Evelyn was beside us in an instant. “Who is this?”
“He closed the Veil. I didn’t mean to …” I looked up at her, my hands trembling. “Save him.”
Her cognac eyes met mine. “He closed the Veil, you’re sure of it?”
I nodded. “He admitted it.”
Evelyn turned from me to Eric.
“Take me to jail,” he wheezed. “Don’t let me die.”
Evelyn’s gaze narrowed. “There’s no jail for you.” In one smooth motion she jerked the blade from his ribs and slashed it across his throat. Blood poured from the gaping wound with a sick gurgling sound. His breathing stopped. The light in his eyes went out, his body stilled.
Horror shook me as I looked up at Evelyn. “Why?”
Evelyn scowled at me. “This isn’t a game, Lexie. People have died because of him. Souls have been destroyed.”
I knew that, but still.
Evelyn’s face softened. “As long as he was alive, he’d be a threat to the Veil.”
I turned from her and was sick.
Hands held my hair back as another rubbed my back gently. “That’s it. Let it out.” The deep voice was gentle.
“Who was the boy outside pacing near the cars?” Evelyn demanded when I finally stopped retching.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my trembling hand. “His accomplice. He-he-he didn’t know what Eric was doing. He just wanted to save someone.”
“I’ll go get him now,” the man said.
“No, I’ll deal with him.” Evelyn got to her feet. “You send her back to the hospital.”