Page 161 of The Cerulean Sister
99 quickly guides me by the elbow away from the growing flames and toward the others. "Why is it down?"
"Crixa is dead. The ward is gone with her," I explain slowly, the reality of both of those truths taking hold of me.
99 keeps his side pressed to mine, but I can sense a pull from him as he anxiously waits to gather all the information before he begins shouting orders to the Viathans that are still standing at the ready.
"We need to place another one," I say to Selene, hoping she knows how.
The ward Crixa maintained was in place long before I knew her.
"From what I know, they have to be performed in the main temple. I have seen one ritual, but that was many years ago. I do not know if the same prayer books for such a thing are still kept there."
"So we move to the main temple. Calliape will take Leema to the Viathan ship." 99 jumps into action.
"No." Leema's hand grasps mine. "I am not separating from Ferren. We stay together."
“If you do not want to be in a sky ship, I can take you to the safe house,” Calliape offers.
"Thank you, but I am not leaving my sister."
"Are you sure?" I whisper only for Leema's ears.
She nods and gives me a flat smile.
"I have a book that may help as well," Calliape cuts in. "I have not looked at them all, but there is a chapter on warding spells."
Selene opens her mouth to say something, likely an overbearing objection to Calliape's suggestion, but 99 cuts her off. “Good, go to the safe house to gather that and August. We will meet you in the main temple,” he says.
The bell tower begins its warning toll, the smoke from the temple’s fire finally noticed by others. Soon, this entire area will be surrounded by people trying to extinguish it.
"We should go," I announce, then look to Calliape. "I will see you soon."
With a single nod, she disappears.
But then another sound rises over the burning temple and echoing chime of the bell tower.
A deafening bass wails, making its presence known.
I did not know Leema was still holding my hand until the rumbling sound makes her whole body jump, and she pulls away from our joined palms to cover her head and belly as the noise roars on a long, continuous note.
99 is moving us before I even look at him, ushering me and my sister under the roofed portion of the courtyard.
He bellows incomprehensible orders to the other Viathans, gesturing wildly to them over the deep, booming howl in the sky.
They crisscross around us into formation, guns drawn, some speaking into the comms on their forearms.
A shadow moves above, higher than the fiery temple steeples. It blots out the clouds as it cuts through, the flames casting an angry reflection on the underside of its surface.
It's as large as the Viathan fleet ship but the sound is different, as if it's welling up and gathering all of the energy around it to a single point.
99's body is over mine, pinning me roughly to the ground as he screams into his forearms above my head.
When I turn to the side, I see Selene and another commander hovering over my sister, protecting and covering her as much as she will let them.
She finally lies on the ground on her side, when Selene yells for the commander to get back.
Leema looks at me with such terror and confusion that bile rises in my throat, getting stuck from the pressure of 99 against me.
I reach for her, wanting to feel her hand in mine again, but before I do, the sound cuts out, and her gasp is all I hear before the entire sky is lit up as if it were day.
