‘Obviously,’shouted Theodora. She took a stick of chalk from her pocket – it was black, with an ornate handle – and drew a large circle on top of the rug around the writhing boy. Rupert’s voice was hoarse as he screamed. With the circle done, Theodora scooped him back into her arms and turned to Dot.
‘Hurry.’
Dot took her hands from her ears. ‘Pardon?’
‘Lio weakened the wards,’ said the witch. ‘Help me steady Rupert so I can sever the magic.’
Dot leaped to the boy’s side. Theodora chanted in the language of the spirits. Rupert’s hand smacked Theodora in the face, but the witch chanted on, her eyes distant. Dot took Rupert’s arms and stilled them.
At last, the magic spilling from his mouth slowed, and then, all at once, stopped. An eerie silence descended. The boy’s eyes opened. He saw Dot’s bandaged hand clutching his own, and he tugged his fingers away. Dot drew back, stung.
‘You okay, Rupe?’ asked Theodora.
‘What happened?’ croaked the boy.
‘Lio,’ said the witch, glaring at the young man in his pyjamas. ‘He found the living room ward and tampered with it.’
‘I meant no harm,’ said Lio.
‘Meant no harm?’ demanded Theodora. ‘When you stole Rupert’s blood and gave it to Acanthi, did you also mean no harm?’
‘Lio wouldn’t,’ said Rupert groggily.
‘There’s no other Sympathetic link strong enough to seep through my wards, even with this dolt’s tampering.’ Theodora threw a dark look at Lio, then paused. Though it was quiet, the floor yet trembled. Theodora’s eyes flashed with momentary panic. ‘They’re still here.’
‘Perhaps the Sympathetic link did not truly break?’ asked Belchamber.
‘Or perhaps I did not sever the correct link,’ said Theodora, turning to Lio.
He stepped backward.
‘Ipromise—’ began Lio, but Theodora flung out her hand. Dot and Rupert toppled from the chalk circle, and in flew Lio. Theodora seized him by the scruff of his borrowed pyjamas and yelled the incantation. There came a ripping so severe it sounded as if the tea shop was being pulled out by its roots. A terrible wind kicked up. Light of every colour exploded beyond the windows. The reek of magic flooded the room. Theodora’s spell reached its crescendo and, in one violent burst, the windows shattered.
The house fell still again. The moonlight returned.
Theodora threw Lio on the ground.
‘You gave them your blood?’
Fire erupted from Theodora’s palms and Lio flinched back. Her eyes, narrow, furious, glinted in the firelight. Dot, Rupert and Belchamber watched on, transfixed.
‘Please,’ said Lio, crawling backward, ‘I promise I did not give them my blood.’
‘Then why do they have it?’
Theodora raised the fire in her hands. Lio was pressed up against the couch now.
‘I don’t know! I don’t—’ Lio’s eyes went wide.
‘What?’ barked the witch.
‘I must have left some of it on the wall. I – oh, Saints.’
‘Spit it out,’ said Theodora.
‘In Beleust! I broke my nose. I didn’t think – I was dazed. I must have left blood on the wall.’
‘Belchamber,’ said Theodora, ‘bring the Lunaria.’
