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“So why did Master Zuberi leave Haruka and a stranger to defend the castle?” Sera asked, judgingly eyeing him.
“Haruka is a competent woman, and I believe Primrose to be a good judge of character. She trusted Protego, so I did as well. I needed to leave to acquire the Rose of Sanitus, which is necessary to perform any clearing spell,” Master Zuberi exclaimed.
“Clearing?” Sera questioned.
“It clears the previous spell performed. It reverses it, essentially,” Master Zuberi replied.
“Let’s get on with it before any other unwelcome guests arrive,” Protego loudly commanded.
Sera’s eyebrows furrowed. “Is he saying I’m an unwelcome guest?”
“No love, he’s saying he wants to get this shit over with before more monsters pop up,” Haruka assured Sera.
Master Zuberi grabbed a candle off of an adjacent podium and placed it on the floor. It was identical to the location Protego’s raven form had rotted, and Primrose cringed. Images of the animal carcass flashed through her mind as she felt Protego’s touch against her wrist.
“Do we have a way to light it?” Master Zuberi asked.
Primrose beamed, “I’ve been practicing. Please, allow me.”
She rubbed her hands against each other and tightly shut her eyes. Heat and fire. Heat and fire, summon a fire.C’mon Primrose.
As a tiny flame lit her pale finger, she yelled, “Aha!”
Bending over, Primrose picked up the candle and used her finger to light it. It burned bright, the wax melting down the sides.
“Sera, did you bring your sewing kit as requested?” Master Zuberi queried.
“Right here,” Sera replied.
“Bring me one needle, please,” he demanded.
Sera retrieved a needle from her pincushion and placed it into Master Zuberi’s hand.
“Close your eyes.” He looked at Primrose, and she obliged, squeezing them as hard as possible. Trying not to flinch, she put her hand out, and Master Zuberi pricked her finger.
“You may open them,” he said.
Primrose opened her eyes and looked at the tiny droplets of blood forming on her pointer finger. She dripped them over the candle, and the flames flared up, nearly engulfing her hands.
Master Zuberi took the steel-blue rose, the Rose of Sanitus, and placed the bud into the flames. The flower caught fire, but the fire stayed centralized to the center of the rose. Haruka and Sera looked shocked, and Primrose’s eyes glittered with excitement.
“Haruka, please give Protego the spell you found so we can complete this,” Master Zuberi commanded.
Haruka handed Protego a wrinkled piece of paper, and he took it in his hands, opening it up. He looked at Primrose, who nodded her acceptance.
Protego read aloud, voice low and heavy, “Rosa, by rosa, frange maledictionem hanc, monstra abolere, a nostra terra. Frusta collige, sanos fac. Terram exuere, hic non amplius.”
The Rose of Sanitus burst into flames. Suddenly, the fire went out and the flower disintegrated into ash. The ashes fell onto the floor, scattering about.
“Are your hands okay?” Sera asked.
“Yes,” Primrose and Master Zuberi replied in sync.
Haruka sighed. “Did it work?”
“Yes, it worked. I can’t explain it, but I can feel it. We won’t draw in any more monsters,” Protego said.
Primrose felt her chest loosen with release. Muscles she didn’t realize were tensing, let go, and her nasal passageways were clearer. All her fear, the fear of losing more people, the fear of dying herself, now left her. She could feel safe again, at least for now.
