Half of Ruby

Chapter 31

"What do you mean?" 

Her hands tightened around the book, harsh leather cutting into her fingers as her voice rose in a panicky crescendo. 

The Alpha—Corva, she remembered—twitched her decrepit jaw into a smile. 

"You must give up your magic if you are to live. If you want Ronan to live." 

If you want Ronan to live. 

The man you love. 

Ember's eyes widened. The man I love? Ronan may be my friend, but I don't love him in that kind of way. 

"And why is that?" 

"Come here, child." 

Ember swallowed down a mouthful of fear. 

"Ember," came Ronan's voice. "Ember, don't. Let's go." 

"No," said Ember, silencing him. "I need answers."

"They could lie." 

His voice, fraught with fear, turned her head like a string. 

"Then you come in here with me." 

He shook his head and reached out a hand. "I can't." 

As soon as his palm touched the air, it seemed to quiver, as though an invisible stretch of silk rippled across the threshold. 

"What?" Ember swiveled towards the witches. "Let him in!" 

"Oh, do you feel helpless without him?" said Corva. All three witches remained still, hands daintily arranged across their laps. Had they been alive, they would've been the paragons of womanly posture. "Do you need him?" 

"No." 

"Then why must he join you?" 

"Because this decision concerns him as much as it concerns me. I have to give up my magic for him to live? Why is that?" 

"Step into the circle and we will tell you. He cannot come into this room; he is not here for a bargain." 

Ember took a deep breath. "All right." 

Her fingers clenched the book as she stepped forwards, footsteps echoing off the stone walls and stopping at the fourth, empty bench.  

"Do I sit?" 

"Take a seat," came the response. 

Ember stepped over the bench and scooted onto it, ruffling her gowns in a vain attempt to straighten them.

"Set the book on your lap." 

Hesitantly, Ember obeyed. She stared at the pool of black ink as she did so; indeed, it looked as though souls swirled inside, pleading for their freedom. 

"Take our hands." 

Ember glanced to her right, to her left. 

Take their hands?  

But how to refuse? 

Slowly, she extended her hands to either side. 

A gasp escaped her as twin vices seized her fingers, those of the Beta and Omega, Noca and Sica. 

"That's better," the Alpha said. Fear raced up and down Ember as the bones tightened around her fingers. 

Noca and Sica reached out with their other hands, taking Corva's. They formed a grotesque circle, three skeletons and a girl almost as pale and as thin as one.