Invisible string~ Matthew Fairchild {1}

Sixteen

Everyone had gathered in the ballroom in the Institute, taking advantage of Will and Tessa's absence.

White sheets were draped over the furniture and piano, and the floor was covered with a light coating of dust.

Lucie, James, Thomas, Matthew, and Christopher were gathered around the Pyxis box.

In the daylight, Amelia could see it better.
It was made out of a rich mahogany, with the pattern of the ouroboros carved intricately into four of its sides. She stepped into the circle next to Thomas, who looked more tense than Amelia had ever seen him.

Thomas had been the one to tell her of Oliver Hayward's death. Neither of them knew the boy particularly well, but his death was still a painful reminder of their sister's fate.

Cordelia entered the ballroom in a hurry. She was dressed in dark gear, just like everyone else. Lucie rushed to her side to initiate conversation.

Amelia turned towards Christopher. "Kit, how exactly does the Pyxis work?"

He enthusiastically waved the book in his hands. It was a fairly large book, with the words On The Uses of Pyxides and Other Phylacteries were stamped across the front in gold. "This generation is fairly simple," he said. "When you wish to trap a demon, you first wound or weaken it. Then you place the Pyxis on the ground nearby and speak the words 'Thaam Tholach Thechembaor,' and the demon will be sucked into the box."

The Pyxis wobbled sharply, nearly tipping onto its side. Everyone jumped about a foot back. "There's something in there," Amelia said.

"Indeed," said James. "I see a flaw in our plan."

Matthew sighed. "I suppose there was no real reason to assume it was empty. It could've held a demon in it all this time."

"What would happen if we tried to put another demon in there?" Cordelia asked.

"It wouldn't be a good idea," said Christopher, consulting the book. "We don't know what kind of demon is in there, so we don't know if there would be enough space."

"Then we have to empty it out," Lucie said.

"Anything could be in there," said Amelia. "It could be a greater demon for all we know."

"I'm sure it isn't," said James. "Still, we should relocate to the sanctuary. No matter what happens, we can at least keep it contained until help arrives."

"Why not?" Asked Matthew. "Surely there's no way this plan can go wrong."

James raised an eyebrow at his parabatai. "Have you got a better idea?"

Thomas cleared his throat. "I think we should do it. We've gone too far to go back now."

"James, you better pray that this mad plan of yours works," said Lucie. "Because if Mam and Papa find out that you released a demon in the sanctuary, they will feed you to it."

James shot his sister a dark look before picking the box up. He handled it gently, as if he were afraid it would explode at any given moment.

They relocated to the sanctuary. Amelia walked by Matthew's side, praying that he wouldn't try to initiate conversation. She didn't know what to say to him. She was at a loss of words, and that was a feeling she had never felt before. Amelia was the kind of person that always had something to say, but she couldn't think of anything now. And that scared her.

Thankfully, Matthew didn't speak as they rushed through the corridors of the Institute. Amelia heard hushed whispers in front of her, where Lucie, James and Cordelia were walking.