Page 130 of House of Malice
“Corruptior augortia,” Jolene started the chant, and they all joined her.
Rogue stood on the side, with his arms crossed. He glanced around casually, as if it were just any other regular night.
The ingredients inside the bowl caught fire, melting together. A faint stream of smoke rose upwards, and Alecto felt her magic awaken deep within her.
They continued to chant as the smoke trailed over their heads and towards the iron gate. The air shimmered where the smoke hit the wards.
Alecto felt the strain of her magic as the smoke penetrated the wards, weaving with the invisible shield surrounding the territory. It was a powerful spell that the Dean had, and for a moment, Alecto wasn’t sure if they had enough power and skill to actually break through it.
But after another moment, the strain on her magic lessened, and the smoke penetrated the shield. The air all over the territory shimmered, and it looked beautiful.
“Is it done?” Val asked curtly.
Jolene nodded. “Yes. The outer wards are down.”
Val nodded and strode towards the iron gates. She opened them, and they creaked with age. Alecto helped Jolene clean up the ritual circle, and then they followed the rest of the group inside.
When they reached the front entrance, Val paused in front of the steps leading up.
“Go patrol the perimeter,” she told Rogue. He nodded and walked off. “Let’s wait a few moments for Galia to show up. Jolene, do you have a notebook?”
Jolene nodded and handed Val a small notebook with a pen she carried in her tote.
“What else you got there?” Blaze asked, jerking his chin at the tote resting on Jolene’s shoulder.
She smiled. “The whole universe.”
Blaze snorted and smirked.
“How about lip balm?” Andro asked. “My lips are chapped.”
“Can’t have that on such an important night, now can ya?” Alecto teased.
Jolene chuckled and handed Andro a tube of lip balm. He shrugged and applied a generous layer all over his plump lips.
“Ah, this is nice,” he said, handing it back to Jolene.
“Thanks,” she said. “My own recipe.”
“You should open your own shop,” Alecto said. “Sell your handmade salves, body butters, and all the other stuff.”
Jolene smiled. “I thought about it. It would be fun, I think.”
Val finished scribbling something into the notebook and ripped out the page. She folded it, murmured a chant, and made the piece of paper disappear. She returned the notebook and the pen to Jolene.
“Let’s see if she replies,” Val said.
They waited a bit more for Galia. The longer they waited, the more uneasy Alecto grew. She was sure Galia hadn’t betrayed them, she was bound by the oath.
But it didn’t mean something couldn’t have happened.
Finally, the iron gate creaked, and Alecto looked over. Galia was there, rushing inside.
“Good, you are already inside,” she said, out of breath.
“Where the Hel have you been?” Andro asked. “This is not the time to be late!”
“I know,” Galia said, tossing her hair back. “I had some last-minute House business to take care of and I got held up. I couldn’t just leave. I am a High Priestess, and I have obligations to my House.”
