Chapter 62: Isabell

Kira

I looked up at Mila from the dirt. I hoped Lanie was okay. "Please, Mother..."

"Ha! I am not Isabell." Her voice sounded like that a Mila, but it was all wrong. Mila never said anything so harshly. She reached down and pulled me up by my shirt then pushed me out of the circle. She turned to Matei. "Get in the circle."

Matei walked to the center of the circle and stood. His face was slack. His eyes were still dark.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Mila pocketed the dark knife. She completely ignored me. I tried to run, but after the first step, a dark cold cloud trapped my feet in place. I could feel it's tingling as it climbed up my leg.

She turned back to the circle and lifted her hands. "I summon thee, Azserroke, Demon of darkness. I ask for a trade. Take this life and trade it for that of Isabell Grey. Unite her body, mind, and soul once again. Bring them here to me."

The runes glowed green again. The gasses in the jars broke, releasing scents of marshmallows and smoky ash into the air. Matei's mouth opened, the darkness from him seeped out of his body as his golden sliver of a soul rose out of his silent scream. As soon as the darkness left him, his horrified scream filled my ears. I clamped my hands to my ears.

The forest flickered with darkness. Matei's body fell into a heap. The body vanished for a single instant and was replaced by one in white scrubs and dark hair. The head lifted and the piercing grey eyes stared out beneath the long dark locks of black hair. Isabell smiled.

"My dear friend," Isabell said as she stood and smoothed out her scrubs.

"Isabell," Mila said. "It has been a long time."

Isabell's eyes flicked to me for a moment then back to Mila. "You only have half the fracture."

Mila narrowed her eyes. "Your contracted demon got in the way."

Isabell frowned. "That's impossible. He has very specific instructions." Isabell snapped her fingers.

Remi's shadows coalesced out of the trees. He stood with his head bowed at the edge of the circle.

"I heard you've been a very bad boy," she purred as she closed the distance between them.

I could see Remi visibly swallow as she approached. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face churned my insides. He was terrified.

"Where did you take the other half?"

He kept his eyes down and didn't say anything.

Isabell set her hand on his chest. Remi's jaw flexed. He looked to be fighting against something. Her hand glowed orange, lighting up his body beneath his clothing. Black lines in his veins spread out across his body and crept up his neck and onto his face. His hands shook as the veins coursed down his arms.

"Where is she?" Isabell asked.

Remi snarled at her.

Isabell's hand seeped into his chest. She squeezed her hand around his heart, stopping the motion. Remi seized. His breath became ragged at he choked on air.

"Stop it!" I screamed. "Stop!"

Mila's hard eyes turned towards me. She flicked her hand and the cloud zipped up my leg in a spiral until it reached my mouth. It wrapped around me like a gag. The cold tingling sensation as uncomfortable, but I could move. I was frozen to the spot. I was frozen watching my mother torture Remi. Any compassion or trust I had in her was completely gone.

Isabell had Remi lifted in the air by his heart. "Tell me where Lanie is," she hissed.

Remi's mouth worked. Isabell dropped him. He fell to the ground in an ungraceful heap. Isabell stared down at him with her hands on her hips as she waited for his response.

He gulped in several breaths of air. "She's in heaven getting Angandriel's contract. She thinks the merging spell will make her strong enough."

Isabell turned back to Mila. "See? He was a good boy. She'll meet us there."

Mila narrowed her eyes. "I still don't trust him."

Isabell looked down at Remi. "I paid good money for him. I always get my money's worth. Isn't that right, Remi?"

He stayed on the ground. When Isabell turned back to Mila, he lifted his eyes to me. What I saw was in his eyes killed me. I could feel my heart break for him. By the look on his face, he had just told Isabell the truth.

Isabell stepped in close to Mila. Mila waved her fingers and the dark cloud around me wrapped around my middle pulling me after them. Isabell snapped her and Remi's shadows coalesced next to her as they walked out of the circle of trees.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Mila waved her hand again. The dark cloud wrapped around my mouth once again.

Once we reached the outer edge of the forest, the sun was just rising over the edge of the horizon. Mila looked out over it and I was pretty sure the look on her face was disgust. She snapped her fingers. The dark clouds bubbled up from the ground and engulfed us.

My balance wavered. I felt like I was falling apart as I fell but I never hit the ground. I felt like I was air itself for a while, but I still tried to struggle and flail against it. It lasted for a very long time. My mind couldn't focus. I felt completely sick.

Finally I was solid again. The darkness cleared. I immediately fell to my hands and knees and heaved up anything that may have been in my stomach. My vision swirled and I couldn't even keep my balance while I was bent over like this. I couldn't see past my dizziness, but I could hear Mila and Isabell walking around.

"Remi, acquire the gems and incense," Isabell snapped.

"This didn't work last time," Mila said.

"Last time we weren't such good friends." Isabell's footsteps stopped. "Where are the others?"

"Since you have been away, we have less of a following. But I am bringing the loyal ones closer as we speak."

In this distance I heard some very unusual singing getting louder. It sounded like a deep hum, but more obnoxious.

"I have a present for you," Mila said. "This should make the difference this time."

I collapsed all the way down on the ground. I strained to see what it was they were exchanging, but my vision wouldn't solidify. My insides still tried to turn themselves inside out.

"Where did you get this?" Isabell asked.

"One of your fractures had it."

I could feel eyes on me. "How did she...?"

"Don't worry about it. With this, Juno won't stand a chance."