Page 65 of Into the Fire

Inside, she slowly walked first clockwise and then counterclockwise, repeating spells to cleanse and adding wards for strength and protection. As she walked, she sprinkled a generous layer of salt along the edge where walls met the floor, then duplicated the ritual first with holy water, then with water charged beneath a full moon and infused with rosemary and lavender.

“Let it be so!” Gabriella spoke to the four corners when she finished. Simon shivered, feeling a shift in the magical energy. She returned with a small, triumphant smile. “It’s built right and warded up tight. Once we get the entity inside, it’s not going anywhere.”

“I’ll be here,” Simon assured her. “Vic will be too, for backup against physical threats.”

She laughed. “I never doubted that for a moment. That’s a good man you have there.”

“I know it,” Simon agreed.

She patted him on the shoulder. “Archibald and I will meet you here at eleven in the morning. High noon is auspicious for protective magic. We’ll settle this.”

They made small talk on the short drive back to the shop, about the weather, favorite recipes, and recent television shows. When Simon walked her to her car, Gabriella gave him a hug and whispered a blessing.

“Walk in light,” she told him. “May the powers watch over you.”

“And also to you,” Simon echoed, waiting to see her off and waving goodbye as she drove away.

His phone rang when he got back inside, and it didn’t surprise him to see Cassidy’s name come up. Simon had intended to call her next.

“How are you holding up?”

“Just got back from going over with Gabriella to set wards on the room. Rowan is focusing on the fire salamander. Alicia is going to tackle the dark spirits so I can concentrate on the landvaettir. I’m as good as I’m going to be. Any news from Sorren?”

Cassidy laughed. “You’ve got Donnelly working with you already. Sorren and I asked the other witches we trust to send protective energy your way. I’m guessing you’ll do the magic at noon?”

“Yeah. Gabriella said that’s auspicious.”

“Beats midnight or dawn, although those times have their specific uses,” Cassidy told him. “Sorren and I don’t have anything new to tell you, but trust that the unseen protectors will do their job.”

“Thanks, I’ll call when it’s over and let you know how it goes.”

“I imagine I’ll have heard from multiple sources, but I want to hear it right from you,” Cassidy assured him. “Good luck.”

When Simon got home, Vic was waiting for him. “Everything go okay?”

Simon picked up on his husband’s tension, even though Vic was trying not to add stress.

“Gabriella warded the room where the entity will be trapped. I made sure no one bothered us. She says it’s ready to use, so she and Donnelly will be here tomorrow, and we’ll get this whole thing taken care of.” Simon knew his confident tone didn’t fool Vic.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about it. How do you get the entity to go into the room? You’ve said it’s not a thinking creature like most animals, but even very simple creatures have a self-preservation instinct. With all those protective wards, won’t the creature realize it’s a trap?” Vic asked.

That was the question Simon hoped Vic wouldn’t ask. He felt certain that Vic read the answer in his face before he even spoke.

“You’re going to be the bait. Aren’t you?” Vic sounded hurt and angry. “Were you going to tell me beforehand, or was it a surprise?”

“Vic—”

“You’ve been promising me that you’d be careful. That you wouldn’t take crazy risks. Luring a deadly immortal entity into a trap is as crazy as it gets,” Vic accused.

“It has to be me,” Simon countered. “I’ll have the compendium, something that the landvaettir sees as a threat.”

“It clearly sees you as a threat too,” Vic pointed out.

“That’s the point. Gabriella and Donnelly have it worked out so that I can lure the entity close enough to be sucked inside by their magic without having to go into the room myself. The idea is to protect me and the book, while trapping the creature.”

“I don’t like it.” Vic crossed his arms over his chest.

“I didn’t think you would. And I was going to tell you, right before, in case we came up with something better.” Simon silently acknowledged he was putting off what he knew would be a fight.