didn’t recognize them, but I could see Risper trying to talk to them. There weren’t that many darkness mages, and it seemed that he must have known these two, and he must have been trying to get them to help him.
They ignored him.
Risper was a sturdy man, with broad shoulders and close-cropped hair. At the moment, his pale skin was covered in bruises and there was dried blood on his neck. He’d clearly been beaten, and I wondered how long he’d been a prisoner. I also wondered that the Nocturns hadn’t asked for ransom rather than just killing him outright.
I didn’t understand, but I couldn’t look away.
“Oh, no,” I said. The crowd was parting, and there, walking through the sea of demons, was Malle, and another figure with her. I looked for Keller, but he wasn’t there. I didn’t think he would stand for this, no matter what he’d become.
“Who is that?” Sip was having a hard time seeing through the hidden slits, even on her tiptoes.
“It’s Lisabelle,” I said. “She’s with Malle.”
Chapter Six
I was stunned at how different Lisabelle looked. She was gaunt, her bones protruding from her neck. Her eyes looked large and sunken. Even her hands were covered. I wondered how far her wand tattoo had spread. I could just see the glint of a the Black Ring on her finger as she followed Malle around to stand in front of Risper.
“I just don’t see how we can stand here and watch Lisabelle’s uncle be murdered. How can she?”
“She can’t get out of it,” I said. “What’s she supposed to do? This has to be a test of her loyalty.”
Sip swallowed hard. “I’ve never watched anyone die in cold blood like this before.”
“I think that’s the point,” I whispered.
Malle swept in front of Risper and smiled. All pretense that she was on the side of the paranormals was over.
As a backdrop to the hanging, there was a massive ripple in the air. It reminded me of the screens Public had used for Dash.
“Who are they contacting?” Sip whispered. “Who do they want to watch this?”
“Everyone, probably,” I said. “I bet they have a screen set up at Public.” I swallowed hard. The thought of Dacer watching this was horrible.
At that moment, several faces appeared on the screen. Some I didn’t recognize, but President Caid was in front and Oliva was at his side, the pixie’s young face grim.
On Caid’s left was General Goffer.
“Malle wants the paranormals to watch the execution of a committee member,” said Sip, horrified, “just so we all know how powerful they are.”
“I thought we already knew,” I said sadly.
Risper’s eyes were locked on Lisabelle, and hers on his. The scene was so intense that I wondered if they were trying to mind meld. It reminded me of the time Lisabelle had given me some of her strength to save Lough. That wasn’t supposed to be possible, and we hadn’t really talked about it much since. There was a good chance we’d get in a lot of trouble if anyone knew we’d done it, but luckily no one had really cared what a couple of silly students had done.
“Cynthia,” said Caid, nodding. He looked worn down. “You don’t have to do this.”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” said Malle. “He broke in. We captured him. All’s fair. Don’t tell me you’re going to start fighting back now.”
“The paranormal army is ready,” said Goffer. “If you do not return Public to the control of President Oliva, we will march.”
Malle threw back her head and laughed and laughed. “We took Public easily. Many who fought died.”
“You speak easily of it, but we know the truth,” said Caid. “We know that Public is fighting back and that the meager forces you left to hold it are weakening.”
Malle’s eyes glinted. “We hold Public, but I can see you need some convincing of our power, which is why we’ve Contacted you.” She swept her glance to take in Risper and smiled.
“Don’t be shy, Lisabelle,” she urged, as her eyes
They ignored him.
Risper was a sturdy man, with broad shoulders and close-cropped hair. At the moment, his pale skin was covered in bruises and there was dried blood on his neck. He’d clearly been beaten, and I wondered how long he’d been a prisoner. I also wondered that the Nocturns hadn’t asked for ransom rather than just killing him outright.
I didn’t understand, but I couldn’t look away.
“Oh, no,” I said. The crowd was parting, and there, walking through the sea of demons, was Malle, and another figure with her. I looked for Keller, but he wasn’t there. I didn’t think he would stand for this, no matter what he’d become.
“Who is that?” Sip was having a hard time seeing through the hidden slits, even on her tiptoes.
“It’s Lisabelle,” I said. “She’s with Malle.”
Chapter Six
I was stunned at how different Lisabelle looked. She was gaunt, her bones protruding from her neck. Her eyes looked large and sunken. Even her hands were covered. I wondered how far her wand tattoo had spread. I could just see the glint of a the Black Ring on her finger as she followed Malle around to stand in front of Risper.
“I just don’t see how we can stand here and watch Lisabelle’s uncle be murdered. How can she?”
“She can’t get out of it,” I said. “What’s she supposed to do? This has to be a test of her loyalty.”
Sip swallowed hard. “I’ve never watched anyone die in cold blood like this before.”
“I think that’s the point,” I whispered.
Malle swept in front of Risper and smiled. All pretense that she was on the side of the paranormals was over.
As a backdrop to the hanging, there was a massive ripple in the air. It reminded me of the screens Public had used for Dash.
“Who are they contacting?” Sip whispered. “Who do they want to watch this?”
“Everyone, probably,” I said. “I bet they have a screen set up at Public.” I swallowed hard. The thought of Dacer watching this was horrible.
At that moment, several faces appeared on the screen. Some I didn’t recognize, but President Caid was in front and Oliva was at his side, the pixie’s young face grim.
On Caid’s left was General Goffer.
“Malle wants the paranormals to watch the execution of a committee member,” said Sip, horrified, “just so we all know how powerful they are.”
“I thought we already knew,” I said sadly.
Risper’s eyes were locked on Lisabelle, and hers on his. The scene was so intense that I wondered if they were trying to mind meld. It reminded me of the time Lisabelle had given me some of her strength to save Lough. That wasn’t supposed to be possible, and we hadn’t really talked about it much since. There was a good chance we’d get in a lot of trouble if anyone knew we’d done it, but luckily no one had really cared what a couple of silly students had done.
“Cynthia,” said Caid, nodding. He looked worn down. “You don’t have to do this.”
“As a matter of fact, I do,” said Malle. “He broke in. We captured him. All’s fair. Don’t tell me you’re going to start fighting back now.”
“The paranormal army is ready,” said Goffer. “If you do not return Public to the control of President Oliva, we will march.”
Malle threw back her head and laughed and laughed. “We took Public easily. Many who fought died.”
“You speak easily of it, but we know the truth,” said Caid. “We know that Public is fighting back and that the meager forces you left to hold it are weakening.”
Malle’s eyes glinted. “We hold Public, but I can see you need some convincing of our power, which is why we’ve Contacted you.” She swept her glance to take in Risper and smiled.
“Don’t be shy, Lisabelle,” she urged, as her eyes
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