She slapped the torch from Atlass hand and shoved him. He stumbled across the stage. After he righted himself, he glanced quickly at the audience and forced a laugh. So feisty!
Buoyed by laughter in the crowd, Atlas grinned and picked up the torch. This time, as he approached, Filiz snapped her fingers, igniting a flame in her hand twice as tall as the one Atlas held.
Was she not searched for fire starters? Atlas roared at his Devils.
Before the Devils could answer, Filiz hurled her fireball at Alas. Eureka grabbed Atlas by his hair and made him duck. If the fire grazed him, Filiz would die.
The fireball flew into the crowd and landed on a mans blue fur coat. Atlas reached through the bars of the cage and grabbed Filiz by the neck.
Ill do it! Eureka shouted. Dont hurt her. Ill cry.
Eureka, Filiz warned.
An approving roar sounded from the crowd. Atlas watched them for a moment, then released Filiz. He straightened, smiled, and nodded behind him. Two Devils approached Eureka. One of them handed her a lachrymatory made of silver, woven with blond human hair. Eureka thought of Aida, whom Delphines pain had killed.
Not here, Eureka said to Atlas as she took the lachrymatory.
But, darling, they have come for the show, Atlas said.
Im not an actor. What I feel is real.
Of course. Atlas masked his disappointment. Give her every comfort she desires, he announced before the crowd, then lowered his voice for the Devils. I dont care what you have to do. Fill the vial by sunrise.
30
CRIMSON KISS
Eureka had to reach the mountains.
Filiz had given her a signal: answers awaited her in the gossipwitches lair. At least, Eureka thought that was the signal. Maybe Filiz had been lying. Maybe Eureka was taking a hint that hadnt been dropped.
It didnt matter. Getting to the mountains was the only plan she had.
Once she got there, she might have to face four people she had loved and left behind. It would eat up essential energy. But Eureka had become skilled at shutting down her heart. She would take what she needed from the witches, then move on.
First, she would have to lose the Devils ushering her through the coral tunnel. Six of them, armed with orichalcum billy clubs and crossbows tucked into sheaths sewn into the back of their crimson dresses. These girls were stronger than they looked. Their biceps flexed; veins protruded from their forearms. If they returned her to Atlass castle, it meant the lightning cloak for Eureka.
Shes dragging, one murmured. Trying to slow us down.
Hurry up. Another girl gripped Eurekas neck and jerked her to the side.
Red coral stungthe center of Eurekas brain. She hadnt seen the wall coming.
One of the Devils made a retching noise, and Eureka watched as the girl wiped blood off her hand. Eureka understood, dimly, that the blood was her own.
Something told Eureka to jerk her upper body toward the girl, who responded with a practiced block that sent Eureka to the ground. The Devils were trained for combat.
Eureka spat blood. The girls feet inched away from where it landed.
Two Devils lifted Eureka under her arms. They walked her through the tunnel, farther from the mountains. Eureka wondered about the depth of their combat experience. Theyd been frozen beneath the ocean for many thousands of years in a realm where no one aged or died. What cause could they have fought for, what enemy could they have killed? What could these girls know about loss? Eureka wanted to teach them.
She remembered Delphines lips on Aidas cheek. Pain seeking pain in the astral light. Pain was power, Delphine had said.
I need to rest, Eureka said.
Dont respond, a brunette Devil said.
Water. Eureka reached for a red leather canteen around the girls waist. Please.
Atlas said shed trick us.
A dehydrated person cant cry, Eureka said. If you want to keep your job, give me a drink.
Shed made them nervous. As the brunette slowly unscrewed her canteens lid, Eureka dipped toward the other, a slender blond girl wearing blue-tinted glasses.
Eureka didnt know what she was doing. She thought about Delphine and her broken heart. She thought about Diana and the wave that broke her body. She thought about her own agony flowing across every day that followed. She kissed the blond girls cheek.
Zzzzt.
Sharp pain filled Eurekas body as a vision filled her mind: A younger version of the blond girl was being dragged across the threshold of a house by older, laughing Crimson Devils. Before she could say goodbye to her family, the girl was flung into the back of a silver wagon. Eureka heard a door slam and saw darkness and felt sobs.
Back in the tunnel, the blond girl screamed, and Eureka screamed, and it lasted only a moment, but when Eurekas vision cleared she saw the Devil on the floor, convulsing, dying.
Eurekas pain subsided slowly, like a temper. She spent an instant admiring Delphine for silently enduring this agony when shed killed Aida. Eureka was dizzy and wanted to vomit.
The canteen fell to the ground. The brunette Devil glanced between Eureka and her convulsing friend. She took a step backward.
Youre next, Eureka said.
She paused, fearing the pain killing the second guard would cause.
Buoyed by laughter in the crowd, Atlas grinned and picked up the torch. This time, as he approached, Filiz snapped her fingers, igniting a flame in her hand twice as tall as the one Atlas held.
Was she not searched for fire starters? Atlas roared at his Devils.
Before the Devils could answer, Filiz hurled her fireball at Alas. Eureka grabbed Atlas by his hair and made him duck. If the fire grazed him, Filiz would die.
The fireball flew into the crowd and landed on a mans blue fur coat. Atlas reached through the bars of the cage and grabbed Filiz by the neck.
Ill do it! Eureka shouted. Dont hurt her. Ill cry.
Eureka, Filiz warned.
An approving roar sounded from the crowd. Atlas watched them for a moment, then released Filiz. He straightened, smiled, and nodded behind him. Two Devils approached Eureka. One of them handed her a lachrymatory made of silver, woven with blond human hair. Eureka thought of Aida, whom Delphines pain had killed.
Not here, Eureka said to Atlas as she took the lachrymatory.
But, darling, they have come for the show, Atlas said.
Im not an actor. What I feel is real.
Of course. Atlas masked his disappointment. Give her every comfort she desires, he announced before the crowd, then lowered his voice for the Devils. I dont care what you have to do. Fill the vial by sunrise.
30
CRIMSON KISS
Eureka had to reach the mountains.
Filiz had given her a signal: answers awaited her in the gossipwitches lair. At least, Eureka thought that was the signal. Maybe Filiz had been lying. Maybe Eureka was taking a hint that hadnt been dropped.
It didnt matter. Getting to the mountains was the only plan she had.
Once she got there, she might have to face four people she had loved and left behind. It would eat up essential energy. But Eureka had become skilled at shutting down her heart. She would take what she needed from the witches, then move on.
First, she would have to lose the Devils ushering her through the coral tunnel. Six of them, armed with orichalcum billy clubs and crossbows tucked into sheaths sewn into the back of their crimson dresses. These girls were stronger than they looked. Their biceps flexed; veins protruded from their forearms. If they returned her to Atlass castle, it meant the lightning cloak for Eureka.
Shes dragging, one murmured. Trying to slow us down.
Hurry up. Another girl gripped Eurekas neck and jerked her to the side.
Red coral stungthe center of Eurekas brain. She hadnt seen the wall coming.
One of the Devils made a retching noise, and Eureka watched as the girl wiped blood off her hand. Eureka understood, dimly, that the blood was her own.
Something told Eureka to jerk her upper body toward the girl, who responded with a practiced block that sent Eureka to the ground. The Devils were trained for combat.
Eureka spat blood. The girls feet inched away from where it landed.
Two Devils lifted Eureka under her arms. They walked her through the tunnel, farther from the mountains. Eureka wondered about the depth of their combat experience. Theyd been frozen beneath the ocean for many thousands of years in a realm where no one aged or died. What cause could they have fought for, what enemy could they have killed? What could these girls know about loss? Eureka wanted to teach them.
She remembered Delphines lips on Aidas cheek. Pain seeking pain in the astral light. Pain was power, Delphine had said.
I need to rest, Eureka said.
Dont respond, a brunette Devil said.
Water. Eureka reached for a red leather canteen around the girls waist. Please.
Atlas said shed trick us.
A dehydrated person cant cry, Eureka said. If you want to keep your job, give me a drink.
Shed made them nervous. As the brunette slowly unscrewed her canteens lid, Eureka dipped toward the other, a slender blond girl wearing blue-tinted glasses.
Eureka didnt know what she was doing. She thought about Delphine and her broken heart. She thought about Diana and the wave that broke her body. She thought about her own agony flowing across every day that followed. She kissed the blond girls cheek.
Zzzzt.
Sharp pain filled Eurekas body as a vision filled her mind: A younger version of the blond girl was being dragged across the threshold of a house by older, laughing Crimson Devils. Before she could say goodbye to her family, the girl was flung into the back of a silver wagon. Eureka heard a door slam and saw darkness and felt sobs.
Back in the tunnel, the blond girl screamed, and Eureka screamed, and it lasted only a moment, but when Eurekas vision cleared she saw the Devil on the floor, convulsing, dying.
Eurekas pain subsided slowly, like a temper. She spent an instant admiring Delphine for silently enduring this agony when shed killed Aida. Eureka was dizzy and wanted to vomit.
The canteen fell to the ground. The brunette Devil glanced between Eureka and her convulsing friend. She took a step backward.
Youre next, Eureka said.
She paused, fearing the pain killing the second guard would cause.
