The moment my blood fell, connecting with the stones lining the rock, the light changed color, the white fading out to a deep red. I fell to my knees as a sense of foreboding struck hard. What had I just done? Something was very wrong.
Say the words, or you will release much more than my brother.
The voice was impatient, the genial tone it had adopted when speaking with me was gone.
What are you talking about?
There is much more locked in these walls than stones. There are ancient entities that guard and secure us. They feed off blood; you have just given them an influx of strength.
Oh, shit. I really should have clarified what exactly was going to happen that day.
I recalled the words and without hesitation spoke out loud.
“Vectus Elitus.”
Everyone spun in my direction.
“What did you say, Abby?” Lucy took a hesitant step toward me. “Please tell me it wasn’t ‘Vectus Elitus’?”
I shook my head as she repeated my words.
“Why?” Fury had her hands on hips. “What does that mean?”
Everyone except Josian jumped back as the now red light increased in intensity, shadowing our faces.
“It’s the invocation to start the ritual.” Lucy glared at me. “What the eff have you done?”
Crap. She’d used the word ritual too. The sick feeling intensified. I wasn’t sure if it was from the red light or the guilt. I stumbled back.
“How do you know so much about this place, Lucy?” I said in a weak voice.
“It’s the dreams.” She stepped forward. “I think I’m supposed to be a guardian or something. The information is coming in bits and pieces, but I’m starting to put it all together.”
Too late.
I stopped then and looked at her. I mean, really noticed Lucy. She was my oldest friend. I’d known her since we were in diapers. But she was different. In my own selfishness and crazy life I hadn’t stopped long enough to notice how much she had been through, the strength she now carried, the authority she held.
“Luce,” I breathed. “You ... wow, I’m impressed.”
Her brow furrowed. “I definitely feel a lot better knowing that it’s not insanity chipping at my brain. That there’s actually something to these dreams.”
“Baby girl, care to share what just happened?” Josian interrupted, his impatience clear by the strangled tone of his voice.
I was just opening my mouth to answer when the red lights of the pit flared and an unearthly scream emerged. Every one of us hit the ground. The walls began to shake as the noise increased. I could feel the Seventine emerging. It was calling to its brothers, and then it broke through the barriers and something fissured inside me.
Lucy crawled over to me. “You don’t know what you’ve done, Abby.”
My breath caught in my throat. I knew this had been a bad idea, and I was about to find out why.
I captured her face in my hands, staring into her serious blue eyes.
“What, Luce?” Tears poured down my face. “God, what have I done?”
It was as if I had been under a spell until that moment, and now I understood the full repercussions of my actions. I’d done the very thing we’d been trying to prevent and I may have just ended the world with my one decision.
“I didn’t see until your blood hit the stones, but the third was the lock.” Sympathy shone in her eyes. “You’re the chosen of the halves, Abbs. Your blood was the key to releasing the lock. If you had not freed the third, then it would never have been released and the Seventine would have been dragged back in when their time was up.”
I choked on my sobs. The noise continued to increase, the energy holding us immobile on the ground.
“I don’t ... I can’t ...” Oh, god, I couldn’t even get the words out. “I really effed up this time, Luce.”
Tears filled her eyes also, and she rested her forehead on mine.
“I won’t tell them, Abbs. It doesn’t change anything and our mission is the same. Save the worlds.”
I shook my head. “I can’t ask that of you. I think the Seventine influenced me somehow. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I had this one-track mind that couldn’t be changed.”
“You should have come to us, Aribella.” I lifted my head from Lucy’s to see Josian and Lallielle crouched next to us. “That’s what we’re here for. We’re your family, and we protect you and guide the actions you make,” Josian finished, his bronze eyes serious.
“I know you’ve been on your own for a long time.” Lallielle reached out and grasped my hand. “It’s our fault that you forgot to turn to someone for help.”