Between Shadow & Ruin (Fangs & Fae Saga Book 2)

sixty-eight.

I pulled into the driveway of the school, and we walked around the back to get to the entrance. Val undid her spell to lock the door, and we walked downstairs. Once we were all inside, I turned on the light. I heard Margo take a deep breath. "Will this work?" I asked.

"Oui, a little too well. I would say whatever was in here was carrying some very bad juju... Let's get this over with. I would rather not dwell in such energy despite how I come across." Margo walked around the basement, taking deep breaths, humming quietly. "Kalial was here before, right?"

"The whole thing with our son... yes," Val said, softly. "He was here for a while. After hearing Anna's recollection of the fight with Jeanne, I would assume that's when he showed up here... to attach to Liam."

"Ah, I see... that must be the residual energy I felt that I do not recognize. I am glad I was not around when it was here. Your son dealing with the likes of those two spirits intertwined... your family has earned some of my respect," she said, looking at Val and I as she walked into the cage where Liam's spirit was held. "Draw this sigil where the spirit was held... on the wall." Margo handed Val another piece of parchment with the sigil drawn on it. Val took a deep breath and her body language stiffened. She groaned quietly. "I know you do not approve of my methods, but this is the best way I could come up with to create these bridges. I have already paid the price and that is all that matters. None of you have anything to worry about, so just get on with it."

"I don't want to know what you did to pay that price... I'm trusting you to not fuck this up only because I see that you want this over with just as much as we do." I walked over with a bucket of leftover paint from the bedrooms of the school, and pried it open for Val. She dipped her finger in the paint and began to draw the sigil. There was a cross in the center with some leaf like tips on the top and bottom, one star on the left and three stars on the right. When she finished, she wiped her finger on a towel and the sigil glowed bright purple, and then faded back to the white paint. Val took another deep breath.

"Ne t'inquiète pas, do not worry, I paid my dues. As I said, none of you have anything to worry about. The portal and bridge are set up, once you are ready to have the refugees come through, someone must be here to receive them. Most of them may feel a bit weak and will need to readjust to being back in the land of the living. The rest is up to us now on our end until you get the potion worked out. Make sure you erase the sigil when not in use... That should be everything. You, as leaders, should step up and make sure that you don't walk around carrying some vain title. A lot of people are counting on your help; do not 'fuck it up'." I heard Val take a breath, and I grabbed her hand to keep her from saying something.

"So now that this is set up, how do we know it's worked? How do we know it's strong enough to let everyone through?" I asked, speaking before Val had a chance.

"Put your hand on the sigil." She grabbed my hand and placed it above the sigil. I hesitantly placed my hand on it – it rippled through the wall. My fingertips felt cool. Val grabbed my arm, pulling it away from the wall and the sigil.

"Why would you tell her to do that knowing what you do?" Val asked, angrily.

"She is not going to die from putting her hand through it. Also, doing what I do is going to save a lot of lives from those connards, so hate it as much as you want, je m'en fiche, I do not care. I am not so sure that 'little miss perfect' is so free from magie noire." Val clenched her jaw.

"Why don't we get back to France and finalize the details of the transfer?" Anna said, placing her hand on Margo's shoulder stopping the looming argument. "Liz, I will contact you when we've set a date. Val, you'll get started on that potion?"