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“Valtu,” Solon says, and I look over. He and Lenore have Saara lying flat on her back, arms and legs spread like a pentagon. “What do you want us to do with her?”
I stare at Saara. I have the book now so I don’t really care what happens to her and she knows it.
“Is Van Helsing ready at the boat?” I ask Solon.
“I’m hoping so,” he says, wiping his hands on his coat.
I look to Lenore and raise my brow. “Got any gasoline?”
She nods, understanding. “Need a light?”
“No, I got one.”
I go over to Saara and crouch down at her legs, tucking the book under my arm. I stick my hand out in front of her until flames appear on my fingertips.
“This is the only magic I know,” I tell her, waving the flames over her as she stares up at me, her mouth moving but no sound coming out. “By tomorrow, I’ll know a lot more. Too bad you won’t be around to see it.”
Lenore makes a small gesture with her finger at Saara and then walks away, Solon following. I place my fingers at Saara’s feet and watch as the flames leap from my hands onto her calves, watching as the fire travels up Saara’s thighs, to her stomach, then her chest, her body igniting.
She’s screaming soundlessly, blue eyes filled with pain and horror as she’s being burned alive.
I can only grin.
I walk over to Aleksi’s severed head and pick it up, tossing it over to Saara so it lands right beside her. Only fair she doesn’t die alone.
Then I turn and hurry after the others, knowing that Lenore probably has this whole island set to burn up. I can only hope Kate makes it off the island on time, though I know at least the other end of the island is far from the buildings.
We get outside into the fog and are just coming to the docks, Van Helsing starting up the motorboat, when explosions start and the buildings go up in flames. I swear I finally hear Saara scream, then nothing.
* * *
The boat ride backto the city feels like it takes forever, especially as we have to take the back routes in. With the buildings in flames, fire boats will arrive shortly to fight the blaze and even with Lenore holding us under her cloaking spell, there’s a chance we could collide with another boat.
All of that doesn’t seem to matter now, not with the book cradled against my chest, hidden under my coat. I can feel its power seeping into me, something dark and smoky that leaches through my pores and into my bloodstream. It calls to me like a siren, seductive and destructive. Everything I need to get Dahlia back is right here in my arms. I have no need for anything else.
We’ve just docked the boat and stepped into my backyard, moving swiftly as to not call attention to ourselves while the misty air fills with the sounds of the fire boats, when Lenore’s cell phone rings.
We all exchange a look, perhaps picking up on the strange energy of the call, and step inside the back doors to my kitchen as she answers her phone.
“Hello?” she says into the phone. “Ames?”
A shrieking sound emits from the other end and Lenore’s eyes widen.
“What? Slow down,” Lenore says, sounding panicked. “What happened?”
All of stop and listen, hearing Amethyst as clear as day from the other side of the world.
“They took him!” Amethyst cries out. “They took Leif!”
“Who is Leif?” Bitrus whispers to me. I’m not entirely sure myself but Solon quietly informs us, “Their son.”
“Amethyst, who took him?” Lenore asks. “What happened?”
Amethyst just screeches and cries, a heartrending sound if there ever was one. I grip the book tighter to me, once again reminded what loss can bring us, how deeply it cuts and scars us.
There’s a muffled sound and then Wolf’s voice comes through, his voice deep but strained. “Lenore, is Solon with you?”
“He’s right here,” Lenore says.
