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I grabbed the nape of its neck and pulled it away from the girl. She screamed, blood splattering over all of us, as I slammed it into the ground. I drove my sword through its chest, and it let out a desperate sound that was half-growl, half-scream.
It was too human for my liking, to be honest.
“Behind you!” the girl screamed, cupping her hands to her bloodied throat, trying to staunch the pumping blood.
I whirled, on to find a blond girl already there behind me, slamming a frying pan into the face of the Scourge behind me. It stumbled back, and I kicked it in the chest; it flew back into the hallway. Far enough away that I could raise my hand and send a blast of fire coursing over it. It howled in pain before it burned away.
I turned to check on the girls. The bleeding one sat on the edge of the table, a look of horror written across her face.
“You’ll be all right,” I promised. “It’s just a cut.”
She turned disbelieving eyes on me, looking pissed off. Blood streaked her face and soaked the front of her gown. But if she was pissed off, she’d probably be fine.
I turned toward the girl who gripped the frying pan with trembling fingers. Wide, innocent blue eyes in a freckled face met mine.
“Look at you, Hanna,” I said. “Little warrior, just like your sister.”
She dropped the frying pan. She tried to smile, but it was a wan, frail attempt. There was no hiding how hard she was shaking, and she glanced over her shoulder as if she was afraid someone would see her.
Right. She didn’t want any of the other unflappable Posselbaum girls to see her as weak, even though she was just twelve.
I held out my arm toward her. She rushed into my side, and I wrapped my arm around her in a tight hug.
“Let me see that,” I told the other girl. I hated healing—my magic itched under my skin as if I were meant to destroy and burn, not fix—but I still rested my palm lightly on her torn-open skin and murmured the words of the spell.
Red flesh healed to pink, and the girl sagged, as if she’d spent every last bit of energy. As her eyes rolled, Hanna jumped to catch her, easing her way down to the floor.
“She’ll be fine,” I said.
Hanna looked up at me, tears in her eyes, then scrubbed her arm across her face. “I’m not being a very good Posselbaum girl.”
“The fuck you aren’t,” I said. “You did what you had to do. Afterward, you’re allowed to fall apart.”
She shook her head.
I reached out my hand to her. “Stay close.”
She looked at me as if she didn’t understand but took my hand. I towed her behind me as I walked back into that wrecked hallway.
Posselbaum girls lined the hall, all armed now; some of them were already dragging away the Scourge bodies. An older girl, her face haughty, stepped toward Hanna.
The girls looked at me and cheered, but I couldn’t smile when Hanna was upset. I blocked Hanna from the approaching girl with my shoulders, intent on keeping her safe.
To the room, I said, “Tell Madam Posselbaum that I need Hanna’s help with the Scourge.”
A ripple of shock ran through the room as I pulled her behind me. When we reached the front door and the stairs down to the street, I dared a look back. Her eyes were wide and wet still, but her chin had lifted.
“Lynx, where are we?”
“Oh, now you want to talk,”my brother snapped back. “We’re almost done door to door; you can join the party—"
“Sounds like you’ve got it all under control.”
“Come on,” I told Hanna. “I’ll let you ride.”
I transformed. She looked at me uncertainly, but other girls were beginning to crowd the doorway, watching her. And me.
“I’m not supposed to,” she said, and I glared at her balefully, pretty sure I could communicate disapproval even in my dragon form.
