Ruby backs up to me, holding her hands out in front of her. “Protegam eum,” she says, throwing up a shield. Energy waves around us, but it’s not enough. One of the creatures reaches through, swiping a thorny hand in my face. “Protegam eum!” she tries again, but it’s not enough.
I grab her hand, turning to look her in the eye. She nods ever so slightly and gives my hand a squeeze.
“Protegam eum,” we chant together, right as my familiars do another sweep through the root-monsters. The shield goes up, putting up a physical barrier that will hold for the time being.
“Now what?” Ruby asks, not letting go of my hand. We take a step back, moving toward the porch. The root-monsters push against the shield, and I grit my teeth, squeezing Ruby’s hand as we keep the magic going in front of us.
“I have one more plan.” We move back another foot, and I look at Scarlet. “But you have to promise you won’t freak out.”
“We’re surrounded by killer trees. It’s a little late for not freaking out.”
“Right. But just…just promise.”
“Fine, I promise. If you have a plan, then do it now! I…we…we can’t hold them back for much longer!”
“Scarlet,” I call, and the puppy bounds over, tail wagging. I turn back to Ruby. “Hold the shield.”
Before she can ask why, I drop down and reach for Scarlet’s collar. The second my fingers touch the buckle, the letters of her name, etched into the leather, glow for a brief second before fading. I hesitate right before I let the collar fall to the ground.
There’ll be no going back after this. Ruby will know I have a hellhound, and she sure as shit won’t let it go. She’ll threaten to turn me in, and it’ll all come out that Tabatha and Evander have known about Scarlet from the start.
And she’ll demand to know how I got Scarlet in the first place.
But when a dozen more root-monsters sprout from the ground, surrounding us and pressing harder against our shield, I know I don’t have a choice.
These things will push in until they close in on us. They’ll rip us to pieces, and then will go after my sister. And I’m not putting Abby, Penny, or Phil at risk.
I take off her collar, and the air vibrates as the glamour is lifted, revealing my cute little puppy as the terrifying hellhound she actually is.
Looking like a mix between a pony-sized Great Dane and a bull Mastiff with glowing, demonic eyes, Scarlet pulls her lips back, baring her fangs.
“Sic ‘em, girl,” I say and stand up, heart in my throat.
Ruby’s hands fall to her side in shock, and the root-monsters use her distraction to their advantage. One dives in, vines stretching and twisting around Ruby’s throat. Another shoves me to the ground, and I fall, hitting my head against the hard-packed dirt at the base of my porch steps. The wind is knocked out of me, and Binx is by my side in under a second, shadowing me back a few feet to keep the root-monster from plunging its thorn-covered fist into my chest.
“Thanks,” I pant and scramble up just in time to see Scarlet make a running leap for the root-monster that has a hold of Ruby. She knocks her off, and I run over, helping Ruby to her feet. “I’ll explain later,” I rush out. “If we make it out of this alive.”
My familiars and Scarlet plow through the army of root-monsters, but it doesn’t matter how much they tear them apart. The roots twist and grow back, taking on human forms. Ruby and I stand side by side, holding our hands up, desperately trying to come up with a plan.
“Callie!” Kristy calls, stepping onto the porch. I turn and see her holding a sword and a machete from my weapons chest. “You said they can be cut down.”
“You’re a genius,” I say, telekinetically shoving another root-monster away. The same vision flashes through my mind as Kristy slides the sword across the porch.
A woman in a long gray gown holds a shining silver sword in one hand, holding it up to the sky. She extends her other arm and brings the blade to her flesh, slowly tearing open her skin. The vision fades, but not before I see the outline of wings.
Ruby jumps back, taking the machete. She takes a breath and sets her face, ready to attack.
“Wait,” I say and grab the hilt of the sword. This thing is heavy, and I don’t have the superhuman strength of the angels. I rest the tip against the last porch step, twisting around to see my familiars and Scarlet knock the root-monsters down again.
Then I put my arm to the blade, close my eyes, and cut myself.
“Callie!” Kristy gasps. Ruby turns, mouth opening in question.