Chapter 43: The Circle

He fished out a silver knife from his leather kit and dumped it onto the desk next to a tiny glass vial. The silver caught the gray light that was leaking into the room through the window, cutting a white line across the grimoire. "We gotta start collecting the stuff."

The bed creaked slightly when Dorian sat up straight, grimacing. "What do you need?"

A tiny bag filled with iron filings followed the knife onto the table. Next Vance dropped an old glass jar filled with coarse white crystals. He took out a copper bowl, dirty and worn out after years of using it for spells, and finally a silver knife. "Basic stuff. I've already got these." He picked up the knife and spun it between his fingers. "I need Mira's hair and blood. And Arya's blood."

Mira had been sitting by the wall next to the window; she rested against it with a pillow on her back and a blanket covering her legs. Her eyes were wide open, but she had barely said anything since waking up. Her fingers clenched in a ball under the blanket at Vance's mention of her name.

"She's scared," Zoe announced, sitting next to Mira and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She doesn't want to lose control over Raze again."

"Don't be silly. I'm not scared." The whisper was barely audible through the gag that prevented any sounds besides whispers from leaving her lips, but the trembling fingers betrayed her.

Vance walked over and knelt in front of her. "I need a lock of your hair first. Then a drop of blood from your finger. It won't hurt much."

The girl's fingers tightened around the blanket. "Okay."

Zoe tightened her grip. "I'm right here with you."

Vance grabbed a pair of scissors and cut a short strand of hair near Mira's temple, leaving it close to her scalp. Dark and delicate, it fell onto his palm and landed in the copper bowl with a soft rustling sound. Then he picked up the silver knife. "Now your finger. Anyone will do."

Her fingers quivered uncontrollably, nails clicking softly against each other. He held her shaky hand in his own to stop it and pressed the sharp tip of the knife against her index finger. After the skin cracked, a drop of crimson liquid formed on it. He leaned her bleeding finger over a vial and waited for it to drip down.

The only sound in the room was the breathing of its residents. When Mira lowered her hand from the knife, her mouth twisted in disgust.

"All done."

Mira pressed her finger to her chest, and Zoe clung to it.

Vance turned to me. "Now it's your turn."

The knife and the glass vial with drops of Mira's blood gleamed on the table next to my bandaged hand. It reminded me that I would soon get another wound there.

"No," Dorian grabbed my wrist, stopping me in place.

"What?" I looked at him, then back at Vance. "If this doesn't work..."

"If the ritual fails, then... she'll end up being the permanent vessel for Raze."

"But..." My voice trailed off, and I stared at him helplessly.

"You've given blood before, cut your palm to get blood, and almost died twice. How much more are you going to give?" He was staring intently at me, searching for an answer somewhere in my eyes.

"There's no limit to how many times I can bleed. I can give blood until the demon gets it from my body and never stops." I pulled my wrist away from him.

"You love her, but not that much!" He grabbed me once more by my wrist. "If I lost you... if you die for her..."

His hand suddenly felt cold and limp. I could feel my heart beating painfully, my chest burning with fear for Dorian and for myself. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, reassure him that I loved him too.

"I love you, and that's why I'm willing to risk my life. I know that Raze is bound to kill everyone and you eventually. So I will try to survive long enough to save everybody. Now hold still."

His hand slid away from my wrist without any resistance. "Don't be stupid. I'll be here to keep an eye on you."

"Thanks." I held out my hand for Vance.

His eyes were dark while he was working. The knife cut my finger, and a drop of blood joined Mira's in the glass vial. Then he put everything back where it belonged and got his glasses ready.

The door opened.

"I have found something." Jenna was standing in the doorway, looking at the four of us nervously. "There was a lightning strike in the northern forest about ten years ago, and now there is a giant oak tree growing there. We managed to dig out some roots."

Vance looked at her inquisitively. "Lightning-struck iron? Perfect. I need 2 days to prepare a circle and bless the materials. You need to eat well and drink water to strengthen your blood."

"Got it. 2 days." Jenna disappeared outside again. We were silent for a while, then Dorian took my hand and caressed it gently.

The two girls left us alone in the room. I looked at the walls, ceiling, windowsill... Anything except Dorian's worried face.

He pressed his fingers to my cheekbones. "You promised that you won't leave me again."

"I promise." It sounded like a confession, not an answer.

His thumbs smoothed away my tear-tracks. "I'll come back later tonight to check on you." He kissed me quickly and left, slamming the door behind him.

I didn't move for a while. When I did, I walked out to look at the car park through the window. No one was coming to our rescue, so it was time to think of a backup plan.