A Circle of Ashes (22 page)

Who was she? Marcel reached out one shaking hand—and then the small, high window of his monk’s cell burst inward, the shards of glass streaking across his face and hands, leaving fine red lines.

Marcel shot up, cold sweat breaking out instantly. His room was pitch dark; his window was shattered. Icy air rolled in through the small opening, pooling and settling all around him. His heart was pounding, and then it hit him: the knowledge of what this was, what Daedalus had done.

“Oh God.” Marcel moaned and pressed his hands against his face, feeling the warm stickiness of his blood. Bits of glass stung him, but it didn’t matter. Daedalus had thrown a thick velvet rope around his neck, all the way from America. Now he was going to pull it in, and there was nothing Marcel could do about it. Everything in him was urging him to America. He felt like if he didn’t get there as soon as possible, his skin would erupt and spiders would swarm all over his body. He had to get there fast, fast, fast.

That was what a spell of forceful summoning felt like. It made you panic, made every second’s delay feel like torture. He would feel like he had the plague until he set foot in Louisiana again.

Marcel hung his head, biting back bitter tears. He wasn’t strong enough to resist this spell. If he was truly worthy, he would be able to reject it, to pray his way out of it, work harder against it.

But he wasn’t worthy. He’d always known that.

Stifling a sob in his throat, Marcel began to review what needed to be done. Not much. Just getting up, telling Father Jonah that he must leave, and making his way to the Shannon airport. Oh God. He would see them all again. Daedalus, who had done this to him. Petra, whom he loved but also feared. Richard, his mortal enemy, who had killed Cerise. Manon, with whom he shared a terrible secret. And so on. All of them.

He didn’t need to know why Daedalus had summoned him to New Orleans. He already knew what awaited him there: pain and destruction. And the absolute end of any hope he had of his salvation.