Within These Wicked Walls(87)

I glanced at the clock on the wall. Nine forty-five. “It’ll be over soon, Magnus,” I said, barely processing my own words.

God. Over for whom?

I rushed out of the room, anxiety making my heart flutter.

Jember sat in a chair out in the hall, beside the open door so the hyena wouldn’t see him. He had a lightweight rack around his neck over his amulet, which housed the different colored threads he needed for easy access, and the amulet I’d started in his lap. I’d put a few more in my satchel, just in case he needed to start over, but Jember was used to only getting one at a time from the church. He’d never been allowed to mess up.

“Are you nervous?” I asked, hugging my arms in my light long-sleeved shirt.

“It’s better not to focus on how you feel,” Jember said, sounding as if he felt nothing.

“Well, I’m scared,” I said, the words falling out of me, despite his instruction.

“You’re scared? You did this to us. Besides, there are more important things than fear right now.”

“That’s my line.” I tried to swallow my fear, but it only sat in my stomach. “Can we pray together?”

Jember cringed. “God hasn’t heard me for quite some time.”

“He hears you. Maybe you’re just not listening when he responds.”

“I don’t hear a lot of things over this,” he said, patting his knee.

“Have you ever thought that maybe the last twenty years were preparing you for tonight?”

He grinned the slightest bit. “Too existential, Andi. Another time, when we’re not about to release a demon.”

I sighed and leaned in the doorway to see the clock. Twelve minutes to go. “I’m going to pray for you.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Why?”

“Because you need it more than I do.”

“Your inability to think of yourself first is what got us into this.”

“And it’s going to get us out.” I laid my hands on his shoulders. “Remember in the Bible when Job was sick and had lost his crops, his children, everything? He didn’t get well until after he prayed for his friends.”

“I think you misread the story.”

“Almighty God,” I started. “Give Jember wisdom and courage for when it gets scary. Protect him, despite his shaky belief. I know he still loves You. He’s just angry because of his pain.”

“Unnecessary,” Jember said with a sigh, “and we don’t have time.”

“And when this is over, grant him all the desires of his heart.” I took his hand and put it on my shoulder. “Now you pray for me.”

“I told you, He doesn’t hear me.”

“He will.” I waited quietly for him to start. “Just speak from the heart.”

Jember sighed. “Listen…” He was quiet for a moment. “This little girl thinks highly of You. If You won’t do anything for me, at least do it for her. Protect her when the amulets fail … because if she dies, I’m officially through with You.” He dropped his hand from my shoulder and took a deep breath. The prayer empowered me, but somehow he looked a little shaken. He jerked his head at the door. “Get back in there.”

I nodded and went in. Saba gave me a sad smile, reaching for my hand. I sat in the chair beside her and took it, clung to it, suddenly realizing it might be the last time I’d get a chance.

And then, all too soon, the clock struck ten.

I stood and picked up one of the swords on the floor, whispering along with the clock’s strikes.

“Four … three … two…”

The echo of the last dhong was cut off by the rushing wind in the hallway.

Magnus squirmed beneath the blanket and, a moment later, the form of something shorter stood in his place. The hyena shook the blanket off, letting it slide to the floor, then immediately locked its gaze on me.

I held the sword out in front of me. There was no time to question how to use it. The hyena charged at me. It slammed into my shield and I slashed at it with the sword. There was no blood, only a messy, gaping gash, like a poorly butchered piece of meat. But it barely paused, charging at my shield again as the wound knitted itself together. I slashed again and again. Five times, and this time it had to stop for a moment until its eyes were whole again. I took that brief moment to put a little more distance between us.

Saba stepped in front of it before it could go after me again, and it broke off her arm with its powerful jaw and threw it across the room, but she still got it around the neck with her other arm, holding it at bay until it could break free.

We alternated like that for a while. It would charge my shield, breaking some away but getting it close enough for me to slash up its face. I would retreat, Saba would hold it back for a moment, and we would repeat. But I could tell early on my amulet wasn’t going to last an hour. Not even close.

My shield was nearly depleted, so I took my amulet off and threw it at the hyena as I ran.

It charged and I bolted out into the hall, skidding and knocking over the candles on the floor, which sent frantic shadows to match my pulse. Not hearing the slam of it on the shield, I turned to see that Saba had tackled it onto the ground. But I doubted she could hold it for long.

“Thirty-five minutes,” Jember said, without looking up from his work. “Impressive, but not good enough.”