‘What do they want?’ I asked quietly.
Jet pulled a pocketknife from his jacket, then flicked it open and before I could stop him, he rolled back his jacket and slid the blade of the knife along his skin. For a split second, his incision was clean and white, but then blood seeped into his wound.
‘They want blood,’ he said, letting his blood drip out onto the ground.
‘You can’t be serious,’ I said, digging in my pocket for a handkerchief.
‘Don’t,’ he said when I went to dress his wound. ‘It’s better this way – they’ll do anything you ask…for blood.’
I froze, my mind filled with images of the dark creatures in a frenzy, trying to get to Jet and his blood.
‘Are you sure this is safe – for you?’
Jet hesitated for a second before he nodded.
‘It’s not, is it?’
Jet sighed. ‘The truth is, I’m not totally sure. I know the magic, but my parents wouldn’t let me practise it. I’m pretty sure we’ll be safe – inside here.’
‘Pretty sure?’
‘There’s no guarantees with white magic, but this magic, well, “pretty sure” is about as good as it gets, I’m afraid.’
‘I can’t let anything happen to you,’ I said, taking Jet’s hand.
‘I can manage myself. Now, shall we do this?’
My sure and steady breath became jagged, but I nodded.
‘You know how to call them. Now you know what to promise them. All you have to think of is what you want them to do for you.’
My mind ticked through the possibilities of a question I never dreamed I’d ask.
‘Okay,’ I said.
‘Ready?’
Every part of me wanted to run as fast as I could back to camp. Instead, I took a deep breath and agreed to something that would put both of our lives in danger.
‘Close your eyes, cast your spell and remember your terrible memory – let it fill you.’
I closed my eyes and whispered the word vocatio.
Then I let my mind fill with the demons of my past. Within seconds I heard them, the dead. The time they didn’t walk – they scuttled – screaming towards us – towards the blood. I opened my eyes and there they were, hundreds of the dead with their raggedy bones and decaying bodies, pushed up against the invisible wall that Jet had created with the crystals.
I screamed and started walking backwards, but Jet grabbed my hand and pulled me beside him. Boy stood and barked at the most terrifying sight I’d ever seen.
‘Tell them what to do,’ said Jet, not a request.
I took a deep breath, stepped forward and yelled, ‘Step back!’
At the sound of my voice, the creatures stopped. They turned their eyes from Jet to me before they attacked the invisible wall more ferociously.
Boy proceeded forward as though he meant to attack. Jet drew him back to his side.
‘How long will this protection last?’ I asked.
‘I don’t know. Try again – try commanding them.’
More of the dead now came forward and stacked themselves against the wall, moving it ever so slightly forward.
Boy growled and bared his teeth.
I held onto my screams and dug deep within myself. ‘By the light of the moon – the spirits of the sun – I command you to step away.’
More of the dead arrived and attacked the wall, pushing it closer.
‘Try something else – anything,’ yelled Jet.
In my mind came the voice of my twin, Elijah. C’mon, Eva – think! You can get rid of these suckers!
In the blink of an eye, I realised what these foul creatures needed to obey me. I stood tall, turned my full attention on them.
‘From the darkness of nights – from the souls of the dead – from the powers of evil…I command you to listen.’
The creatures froze, their bodies twisting to face me, sending chills through my bones. Jet nudged me. I took hold of his exposed arm. The creatures launched themselves towards Jet. The wall pressed closer. Boy growled as he edged his way forward.
‘Is this what you want?’ I asked them.
The dark forces lost all control. For a moment, I felt we were about to be eaten alive.
‘Hurry the hell up!’ said Jet, freeing his arm and scrambling to get Boy, who was dangerously close to the edge of the barrier.
But Jet was too late. One of the creatures strained so ferociously against the barrier that it reached Boy. My heart stopped. The creature didn’t hesitate – it descended towards Boy. Jet launched himself on top of Boy, his body – his blood exposed to the creatures.
‘STAND BACK!’ I screamed, my hair rising on end, my voice sounding like a demon’s and a red light shimmering from me. The creatures immediately stood back.
Jet hauled Boy back into the circle and then he turned towards me, terror etched into his face.
‘I BID YOU TO BUILD ME A TEMPLE!’
The words were out of my mouth before I had thought them through. In seconds, the hundreds of foul creatures bowed and then they went to work. I watched in mortified horror as the creatures built me a temple of stone and darkness. Together they built a wall of rocks and then they dug down, deep into the earth where they carved me a throne of black stone.
Then one by one, they returned, thirsty for the promised blood.
‘A promise is a promise,’ said Jet, whose face was as white as the crystal on the ground as he held out his arm.
As I gazed at his blood, something deep and sticky stirred inside me.
Jet’s eyes opened wide.
‘Give me your knife,’ I said.
From his pocket he passed me his knife, his hand trembling.
‘Stand still,’ I said.
The creatures were silent now, their every sense focused on the blood, as was mine.
I slid the knife quickly up his arm, collecting droplets of his blood, and then I turned to the creatures.
‘This is your payment,’ I said before flicking the blood through the air.
The creatures launched themselves at it like a pack of wild dogs attacking their prey. Jet and Boy were transfixed
