“But don’t be too quick to judge poor Arturo,” said Marrow. “Not until we see how you fare against the same power.” He waved Paul forward.
I tried to stand and run away, but Marrow held me in place with his magic. I steeled myself as Paul approached and knelt before me, setting Marrow’s staff on the ground beside us. When he raised his hands to my face I jerked away.
“Don’t fight, Dusty,” Paul whispered. “Please don’t fight. He’ll kill you.”
“What do you care?” Hatred and pity warred inside me. “You lied to me. You forced me to like you. It was just magic. Fake.”
“No, it wasn’t, I swear. Everything was real between us.”
I shook my head, refusing to believe him.
“Enough,” Marrow said. “Get on with it. Now.”
I cut my eyes to Marrow, glaring at him as hatred scorched my insides. “Why don’t you just use that stupid sword and The Will spell to make me do what you want? Why bother with siren magic?”
“Explain it to her,” Marrow said to Paul.
Paul exhaled. “For the oath’s magic to work you must choose to say it, not be forced. I’m not going to make you say the oath. I’m supposed to make you want to say it.”
Paul cupped my face with his hands, and I heard him whisper, “Why didn’t you listen and go the other way like I wanted?” Before I could respond his eyes locked on mine and something strange happened. The disgust vanished, an attraction far more powerful than any I’d ever felt before rising in its place. I had a wild urge to kiss him and run my fingers through his hair. I knew it wasn’t real, that it wasn’t me, but I couldn’t fight off the feeling. It was like being swept under by a wave so strong I couldn’t tell which way was up or down.
He began to speak in a low, velvety voice. “Join us, Dusty. Swear allegiance to Marrow and you and I can be together forever. It’s what I want. It’s what you want, too, isn’t it?”
I felt myself nodding.
“Yes, that’s right,” Paul murmured. “Now all you have to do is speak the oath. It’s a simple spell, really. I’ll say it first, and you repeat after me. All right?”
“All right.”
“’On’t, ’usty.”
The strange words barely registered in my ears, which seemed stuffed with cotton.
“’On’t oo it.”
Were these the words I was supposed to be repeating? I closed my eyes, and my mind cleared a bit.
“Look at me, Dusty,” Paul said, squeezing my face.
“’On’t!” that other voice said again, and I realized it was Eli, trying to speak through the gag.
“Be quiet,” Marrow said, and Eli cried out in pain.
“No,” I said, but my voice was weak.
“Open your eyes and look at me,” said Paul.
I shook my head, but it was no good. My eyes opened of their own accord as my will gave way to his. I didn’t mind. My head ached, and I tasted the blood in my mouth from where it had run from my nose. It was easier not to fight.
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll do it.”
Paul opened his mouth to continue, but his eyes wavered on my face. The shift in his vision was just enough for his hold on me to ease.
“Wait,” I said, pushing against his magic. “Eli will, too.”
“Hold on, Paul,” said Marrow, taking a step toward us.
Paul let go of me, and the spell broke completely.
“What did you say, Dusty?” Marrow said.
I struggled to my feet, an idea forming in my mind. “I’ll go through with it, swear whatever oath you want, but first let me convince Eli to do it with me. I need him.”
Eli was shaking his head, his eyes wide with horror at my words.
Marrow frowned. “What makes you think you can?”
“You said yourself that dream-seers share a special bond. It’s the same with me and Eli. I can do it.”
“We’ll see,” said Marrow. He motioned at Paul. “Bring Eli here.”
Paul approached Eli and muttered the counter-spell to release him from the binding curse. The silver ropes fell away, and Eli let out a relieved groan. Paul hauled Eli to his feet and steered him toward me.
“What are you doing, Dusty?” Eli said as Paul forced him to a stop in front of me.
I shook my head at him, just slightly, trying to tell him with my eyes to play along. I glanced at Bethany, who stood leaning against the tomb, looking bored. I fixed her position in my mind then took a step toward Eli, putting myself in line between him and Marrow.
“Do you remember the first time you found out what I was? You know, that night at your house when you kicked me out of your dream, and then you knocked me off your bed, and I tried to get away but couldn’t?”
Eli blinked, frowning. “Yeah?”
I nodded, encouragingly. “Well, this is going to be just like that.” I threw my hand toward him. “Hypno-soma!”
The spell shot from my fingers, struck Eli, and rebounded. I ducked, and the magic soared past me right into Marrow. He stumbled backward, the sword going slack in his hand.
I aimed a spell at Paul, but Eli punched him in the face first, then kicked him in the stomach, knocking him over. Eli jumped on top of him, fists swinging.
I spun around, going for Bethany. She cast a jab curse at me, but I blocked then countered. She ducked sideways, avoiding my spell. Before either of us could cast another one, a strange noise echoed around the room. The piercing howl of a dog. No, not a dog. A hellhound.