The Howling

Chapter Nineteen

        True to his word, Eisen surrendered. He didn't protest when Reinard placed a charm on him, one that would activate should Eisen attempt to run. If he did, the charm would bind his arms behind his back and clamp his legs together, completely immobilizing him in a fashion similar to his Guard. Reinard also confiscated Eisen's ring, which Villette found out was just his tome transmogrified into a ring for ease and convenience. As soon as Eisen removed it from his finger, it morphed back into its standard form. 

        Eisen also walked him through awakening the children. The spell was easy and Reinard performed it quickly while Piers took control of the water. The geysers stopped flowing and now the water flowed out of the room through the five holes within the floor. As soon as he was finished, the Howling sealed off the holes once again, leaving the room as when they had found it, complete with the flames within the basins sputtering back to life. 

        Villette sat beside Emil and waited for him to wake up. He was one of the first to stir, his eyelids fluttering slightly before he slowly blinked his eyes open. 

        She smiled down at him. "Good morning. Sleep well?" 

        He pushed himself up onto his elbows. "I slept like there was a rock underneath-oh." He reached behind his back and pulled out a rock about the size of a half dollar. "Yeah. That was uncomfortable. I'm like that princess in that fairy tale. You know, the one with the pea." 

        "That princess didn't have her soul taken." 

        He blinked up at her again, surprised. "Is that what happened?" 

        "Well, not yet. Eisen was working up to it. You were asleep though." 

        Emil's head swiveled around, searching the room. "Is he still here? Wait, how are you here? That last thing I remember..." He shook his head. 

        "He's being taken care of," she assured him. "Reinard's got it." 

        "Reinard?" 

        "The detective I came with," she explained. "Another magician. The only good one from the looks of it. They aren't very nice people." 

        Emil rubbed the back of his neck. "No. They aren't." 

        She watched him as he stretched out his arms in front of him. His shoulder popped loudly as he rotated it. Emil grimaced for a second and then sighed as the pain faded. "That felt good," he said and began working on the other shoulder. 

        All of the emotions Villette had been keeping in check threatened to choke her. She hadn't wanted to gush with relief or sheer happiness when he woke up, when she could finally reach out and touch him. He would have been embarrassed, she knew, and uncomfortable. But now she was thinking that she couldn't stop the deluge from coming. 

        Because he was safe. Finally. He was here and he was safe and that was all that mattered to Villette at that point. 

        "Hey," he smiled at her and pulled her into an awkward, one-sided hug. "Don't worry. I'm fine Villette, see? Perfectly fine." 

        "Another five minutes and you wouldn't have been." She could feel hot tears spilling down her cheeks. She wiped at them impatiently with the palm of her hand then gripped her brother tighter. 

        "That's all ancient history," he grinned. "Can you help me up to my feet? My legs feel kind of numb." 

        They rose shakily to their feet, Villette snaking an arm underneath his shoulder for support. Al had been keeping away from the children, fearful that he might scare them as they awoke. As they headed in his direction, Villette could see more and more of the children waking. Reinard hurried from one to the other, consoling them quickly before darting to the next child. Even as he tried to soothe them, their crying still echoed off the walls. Some sobbed silently, wrapping their arms around themselves. Others wailed uncontrollably.