Page 85 of The Fate of Black Hearts

Marik rattled off an address in Spain. Strange whatever was going on was happening so close to Evie.

“I can make a call to see if someone else is free to deal with it.”

He texted Roman the information. Out loud, hesaid, “Tell your mage to do a perimeter ward to keep them out and hold tight. Help might take…” He consulted his phone.

Roman:Where the fuck do you come off giving me an order? I’m busy today. Go deal with it yourself.

Dom:I’m dealing with that larger threat. Go handle some goblins. Or is that too hard for you?

Roman:Might take us ninety minutes to get there.

Dom said, “Help might get there in about two hours.”

“Who’s going to help him?” Marik asked.

“Does it matter? It’s someone who will get the job done.”

Marik slammed down the phone. “What are you two doing here?”

“You’re welcome.” Dom made eye contact with Brik, who covertly put up a perimeter shield. No one could enter or leave.

“I heard you freed yourself. Are you here to seek revenge?” Marik didn’t seem the least bit afraid.

“No. We need to chat. But first…” He removed the demon charm. “Signa mihi diaboli revela.”Reveal unto me the signs of the devil.

Marik groaned and massaged the back of his neck.

Brik moved faster than a blink of an eye to put both of Marik’s hands in metal bindings bespelled to remove a mage’s ability to do magic.

“What the hell? Release me! I’m your superior.”

Dom moved behind him to bracket his head.

Even without his power, Marik was strong, atribute to years of muscle work. He bucked and tried to knock Dom in the nose. Brik and Dom moved Marik’s hair to reveal a mark similar to the one that’d been on Evie long ago. “You have amhison you.”

Marik stilled. “Impossible.”

Dom took a picture of it with his phone and showed it to him.

His shoulders slumped. He rasped out, “How… Who?”

Dom put a hand on his half-brother’s shoulder. “We’ll fix this.”

Brik held his arms wide. “Move away.” He swayed and chanted while burning incense. When his words reached maximum crescendo, he threw red powder at Marik.

“What the hell was that foul shit?” Marik spit. He contorted and twisted. A long moan came out of him.

“Dimittunt eum diaboli.”Release him, demon.Brik shouted it twice more.

A dark shadow separated from Marik’s neck, making him scream. Dom had never seen a spell so alive. In fact, the shadow didn’t feel anything like a spell.

Dom muttered a protective prayer and held up the demon charm to fend off the evil looking for a new home.

“Be gone to ash,” Brik ordered as he tossed liquid at Marik. It hissed as if boiling when it hit the shadowy areas where the curse-spell still held on. Then it dissolved into nothing.

“Do your test again.” Brik ordered Dom.

“Signa mihi diaboli revela.” He held up the charm.