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"It’ll be fine." Lux picked up the cup, handing it to Summer, "the spirits will protect us."
If Summer wasn't here, I wouldn’t care how they killed him. But, now that I’d realized my feelings for Summer, the world was more frightening. I wanted it done quickly—afraid that I wouldn't be able to protect her.
Like I hadn't stopped my mother or Nana from dying. Or from protecting Summer from the Magnolia’s grasp.
But, at Summer’s encouraging look, I conceded. “Fine,” I ground out, “but hurry. I’m sure his men will be here any moment.” Inhaling a deep breath, I squatted to stare in his eyes.
"You know he's not going to just drink that,” I said, when she squat next to me with the cup in her hands. He was already tight lipped, staring at me indignantly.
"We'll have to make him,” Summer responded, as if it were the most simple thing in the world. "If not, we can always kill him the way he killed my mom."
Now that she mentioned it, I could smell the gas emanating from him.
She meant burning him alive.
I smiled. "You did this?" I asked her.
“Yes." She bent down next to me.
"I'm so proud of you," I said, kissing her, "You're just like your father. Determined and stubborn."
"Thank you," her eyes twinkled.
An elated satisfaction washed over me—finally. Saul would be dead.
And Summer had given me this gift.
The men held Saul down—he’d suddenly become alive again—and I held his jaw open while Summer poured the potion into his mouth. Then I clamped his jaw shut, covering his nose so he couldn’t breathe.
Mama Bondo placed three sticks of dried blood-weed into a jar filled with a sharp smelling vinegar. Screwing on the lid, she turned it upside down, then placed a white candle on top. Carefully tying a black ribbon around it, she began to chant. “As Jesus turned water into vinegar, so shall Saul turn into nothing.”
As she switched to an unknown language, there was a clang! clang! noise. Lux and Harmony were banging a set of machetes together.
Who the fuck knew what was going on but I didn’t question it.
All I cared about was Summer.
I was still holding Saul’s jaw and nose shut, and he was struggling against me, his fingernails digging into my skin. I held him until I saw his throat bob, then gave him a few seconds longer until his face was one shade of red deeper.
He sucked in a deep breath.
"Are you sure you want to do this?” I asked Summer, watching Saul to make sure he’d swallowed the potion.
If she was going to step into the darkness with me, she had to do it willingly, without cohesion.
I had to give her an out.
“I’ll do it myself, if you don’t want to,” I looked at her.
“No,” she said, with no hesitation, “We’ll do it together.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it.
Saul suddenly jerked forward. Grabbing Summer's ankle, he yanked. There was a flash of metal.
My heart in my throat, I grabbed for her. It was already too late.
She'd fallen on top of him and he wrapped his cuffed hands around her, holding a knife to her throat. It looked familiar to the one I’d often seen with Lux—somehow, he’d gotten it.
