Scarlet Vows

2.

I didn't bother with a light sprinkle of Hyrin water; instead, I emptied the entire vial onto the lotus stems. The water barely spread, halted by the salt, and the crystals remained stubbornly dry, refusing to absorb it. Carefully, I stepped out of the circle, wiping my hands on my pants.

"Let this be nothing more than a foolish prank..." I murmured, mostly to myself.

With a deep breath, I cleared my throat, straightened up, and exchanged a glance with Lola and Leo before reading the line.

"Ne Serafina Monroe fletem simara kouilete moinre vamira maara ess hasari kraam"

Nothing happened.

I waited, looking at the circle in anticipation. I had wasted almost an hour of my life setting up the ritual so I hoped to see at least a blow of wind or a little sway here and there. I heard the twins giggle behind me, but I didn't turn around—I didn't want to miss a single sign.

I read the line again, louder this time.

"Ne Serafina Monroe" pause and a deep breath, "fletem simara kouilete moinre vamira" pause and a breath again "maara ess hasari kraam".

I heard nothing.

"Blood!" Lola shouted from above, "You did not put the blood drop, Sissy Sera"

"Damn it!" I muttered.

I couldn't bring myself to use any of the sharp objects in the basement to prick my skin. The thought of dealing with septic wounds was enough to make me abandon the entire setup. I'd been through that kind of ordeal once as a child when I accidentally cut myself on the school's iron fencing. It left me sitting in a doctor's office with foul-smelling antiseptics and more than two injections to fight off the infection and bring down the swelling.

The only viable option was the U-pin in my hair—a much better choice than the rusty iron lying around the basement. It wasn't going to be easy, though. The pin wasn't exactly sharp, and I knew it would take some effort to pierce the skin. At least I was already planning on getting a tetanus shot the next day.

I pulled the pin out and a strand of my hair cascaded down to my shoulder. I pinched my finger, coaxing the blood to the surface, and brought the pin's edge to my skin, pressing down hard. The area turned red, but no blood appeared.

I tried again, this time using whatever knowledge of physics I remembered from school. I increased the intensity and reduced the duration of the force. The pain made me wince, but I managed to draw out blood.

Great.

I made sure not to drop the blood down before reaching the circle. I slowly overturned my finger and the drop fell on the crystal salt.

I moved back and repeated the line from the journal.

Nothing. Nada.

"Guys, I think this is a bust," I said to my little ones. Even before the words left my mouth, I could see their faces fall, their expressions sinking with disappointment.

"It's okay," I reassured them gently. "You should head back to your room and get some rest. We'll find a real Ouija board next time."

They nodded, still looking a bit down, and asked, "Shall we help you clean this up?"

I shook my head firmly. "No, I'll take care of it. You get some sleep—you've got classes tomorrow. Now, blow me a kiss?"

They smiled and blew me a flurry of kisses before heading out of the basement. I grinned, then turned my attention back to the circle.