Ruby Shadows (Born to Darkness #3)(133)

“Oh, thank you, thank you! That’s all I ask.” Her eyes were shining with gratitude I hadn’t earned. Half power or not, it made me determined to do my best. “Come on,” I told her. “Let’s get to work.”

Some time later, I looked around, checking the circle I’d made on the thick carpet. I looked around, checking the circle I’d made on the thick carpet. With no other way to draw on it, I’d had to use some perfumed talcum powder I’d found among the bath things Bobbin had brought to me back when Laish and I first stayed here.

Just the thought of Laish made my eyes burn and my throat feel tight but I went on resolutely, putting my grief behind me, at least for a little while. I had a job to do here and though I had no idea how I was going to do the work of three witches when I only had half the power of one, I knew I had to try.

“Here we go,” I told Eryn. “Now you stand here, in the center of the circle while I call the corners. And after I speak the spell, be ready in case it works.”

“What is going to happen?” She looked at me uncertainly.

“I’m not sure,” I said truthfully. “It’s a spell for protecting and warding the innocent—I think it was originally used for children. Maybe to put an invisible wall of protection around them. Or ward them some other way in times of danger. I’m only able to use it on you because you’re a virgin.” I raised an eyebrow at her. “Um, you are a virgin, right?”

“Of course.” Her cheeks were pink. “I’ve never been penetrated—nor do I want to be!”

“I used to think the same thing,” I muttered and then sighed. Well, I had to admit my one and only sexual experience with Laish had been amazing—right up until the end that was. So at least I had some good memories. Eryn, however, was an angel. It was right that she should remain as she was—untouched and pure as the driven snow.

“So I should just be ready for anything that happens?” she asked me.

I nodded. “Yup—pretty much. Sorry, I know that’s vague.”

“That’s all right, Gwendolyn—do what you can. I am in your hands. But maybe I’d better pull in my wings? Just in case?”

“Uh, sure, I guess,” I said.

“All right.” A look of concentration passed over her face and then the white feathers around her shoulders began shrinking. After a moment, they disappeared completely.

“Uh—where did they go?” Mystified, I went around behind her to see. Her long white gown had thin spaghetti straps and on the pale skin of her shoulder blades, I saw something that looked like a faint tattoo of wings. But a tattoo done in pure gold ink—not black or blue. “That’s beautiful!” I exclaimed. Without thinking, I reached out to trace one of the golden lines with one finger.

“Oh!” Eryn shivered and jumped.

“Sorry,” I said, quickly drawing back my hand. “I didn’t mean to, uh, hurt you.”

“It’s not that. An angel’s wings are just very…sensitive.” She cleared her throat. “A sensitive as certain other parts of your anatomy that, well… I think you know what I mean.”

She was blushing again so I got the message. Geeze, I’d just molested an angel without even knowing it.

“I’m really sorry,” I said quickly, taking a step back. “Uh, maybe we’d just better get going.”


“That is probably a good idea.” She nodded gratefully and closed her eyes. “I am ready.”

I was too—it was time to get this party started. Especially since I had no idea when Belial might come back or send his guards to get me for the ridiculous hearing Druaga was insisting on. I needed to get Eryn out of here and get rid of all evidence of her before that happened. That way, at least, I could deny that I had anything of his and it would be the truth.

“Hail to the Guardians of the watchtowers of the East,” I began.

To my surprise, as I started the spell, I felt a surge of power flow through me. It was almost like I had plugged part of myself into a wall circuit and the current had begun to flow as soon as I flipped a switch. Well, there was no time to wonder about it now—once a spell is started, it must be seen through to its conclusion. So I continued calling the corners and lighting candles, trying not to think about how the last time I’d done this, Laish had been with me.

When I had lit the final candle, I stood in front of the small alter and the remaining white pillar candle and began to recite the spell. I had memorized it, of course—it doesn’t do not to know your spell by heart before you begin it. And anyway, it hadn’t been hard to commit to memory—it was a pretty simple spell aimed at only one thing—complete and total protection of the innocent.

“Blessed be the innocent,

Blessed be the pure of heart.

So be they at the end of times

As they are at the Start.





Protection grant this Blameless One

A wall around her build

Let none with wicked thoughts approach

Against them be her shield





Send her a protector

A guard against the night

A way to hide her innocence

Away from Evil’s sight





Blessed be the innocent,

Blessed be the pure of heart.