Page 62 of Claiming Chaos
Ember nodded at the vials. “Are those the freezing potions? I’ve got enough vim for one more spell. Maybe two, but that would leave you on your own for the exorcism. We need Patrice to save her vim in case healing is required.”
Shade lifted his hands in a WTF gesture. “She won’t be alone. I’m still here.”
Ember cut her gaze between us. “I’m not used to you two playing nicely together. Sure you’re up to it?”
He stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders. “Good as new. Patrice is a goddess-send.”
Our healer’s cheeks flushed pink. “I’m glad I can help, but when this is through, I’d like to go back to the sanctity of my kitchen and stay there.”
“Amen, sister.” I gave her a high-five.
Chrys’s fingers twitched, and Ember dumped a bottle of binding potion on her before reciting the incantation.
“If she’s in a containment circle, why do you have to keep her frozen?” Shade asked.
“The spell freezes him inside her too,” Chaos said. “It’s the only thing that kept me from destroying Ash when our situation was dire.”
Shade laughed dryly. “Damn.”
“Indeed.” My demon rested his hand on my back. “If you break the summoning circle, I will retrieve my brother’s skull.”
“I’ll get it.” Ember scooped up the skull and gasped. “I can feel his energy.” She used her teeth to pull her sleeves over her hands, breaking the skin-to-skull contact. “He feels different than Chaos.”
“He’s a different demon,” I said. “Do you think the rest of her minions gave up?”
“It sounded like they were already losing faith in her.” Ember set the skull on the table and rubbed her palms on her pants. “They probably decided to cut their losses and pretend it never happened. That’s what I’d do if I joined a failed coup.”
Half an hour and one last binding spell later, Miles returned with my supplies and laid them out on the table.
Shade grabbed a candle and the exorcism book. “You didn’t really have a stomach bug that day. This is what you had to clean up, isn’t it?”
“Yep.” I took the book and opened it to the containment spell. The one I’d cast around Chrys wouldn’t be nearly strong enough once we released Mayhem. “Set the candles at the five points of the pentagram. We need to make this one stronger than we’ve ever done before.”
I poured a second ring of salt around Chrys and sent a controlled flame to each candle.
Shade and Patrice looked at me in wonder. “How?” she asked.
I waved off her question. “My magic was bound. I’ll tell you about it later.”
“And you?” she asked Miles. “The energy balls you can create…that’s new.”
He lowered his gaze, his shoulders rising toward his ears. “Chrys drew it out of me. She made me swear not to tell anyone until I’d perfected it.”
“That tracks.” I shook my head. Our former friend was a master manipulator.
Chrys’s hands curled and splayed. A moan emanated from her throat.
“She’s coming to. Hurry.” I grabbed Shade’s and Chaos’s hands while Ember held the book out for us to read. Chaos sent a rush of demon magic into me, setting my nerves ablaze. I massaged it, softening it before opening up and sending some into Shade.
He gasped, shuddering before straightening his spine, and we read the incantation in unison, activating the stronger circle without a nanosecond to spare.
Chrys jolted upright, her eyes wild as she clutched her head. “You have to help me.”
“We’re trying to.” I grabbed the skull, ready to toss it into the circle, but I paused. “Hold on.”
“Release me!” Mayhem shouted through Chrys, scrambling to her feet. Her shoulder slammed against the invisible wall, making the magic shimmer.
“Not a chance.” Ember clutched a dagger in each hand. “Put the skull in the circle, sis.”