“That goes for you two as well,” she snapped over her shoulder. Once we all seemed to be properly chastened, at least for the moment, she continued.
“Hang on,” Sin said. “I get why we’re doing this. But what if...” He offered Merri a meaningful look. “Merri, what if it is his?”
“No matter the outcome, it’s better to know so that we can prepare and keep them both safe,” Chaos answered for her.
Merri cast him a grateful look and nodded. “Exactly. Better to know one way or the other.”
“Okay, I’m going to begin. I will say the incantation once for each of you. When it’s your turn, I need you each to place a drop of your blood on your point of the star, going in the order in which you were mated to Merri.”
“What if we don’t know the order?” Sin asked.
“I do.” Merri’s admission was strong and confident.
We all looked to her, waiting for instruction.
“Sin, Chaos, Malice, Grim, and lastly?—”
“Me. Of course you saved the best for last.”
I might end up punching him before this was over.
“Merri, you’ll add yours at the final incantation.”
“And then what?”
“And then we’ll have our answer. Your blood will show us who the father is.”
Malice snorted. “Just like that?”
“Just like that. Alek, be a dear and get the lights, would ya?”
He used his own magic to plunge the room into darkness. The low flame of the fireplace provided the only light, leaving us cast in menacing shadows. Exactly as I liked it. Until the candles in front of each of us blazed to life.
“Everyone ready?” Moira asked. At our nods, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and started speaking in a low, measured tone.
We each offered our blood in turn as instructed. Every time the liquid made contact with the pentacle, the power in the room swelled, the candles burning brighter in response. It was working. A mixture of excitement and apprehension swirled within me. I didn’t dare hope that I was the father; that seemed like pushing my luck after all I’d already been granted, but it would be a massive relief to know for certain that Lucifer was not.
Then it was Merri’s turn.
I was sure that to those who didn’t know her well, she appeared calm, but I sensed her nerves in the slight stiffness of her shoulders. She had such an innate grace that any hint of tension was an immediate tell. At least to me.
The pentacle started to glow with the first drop of blood, and it had grown stronger with each consecutive drop. But as soon as Merri’s blood hit the ground, the light vanished and the candles went out.
“Um, was that supposed to happen?” she asked.
Moira bit her bottom lip and frowned. “No.”
“Is it because there are more of them?” Alek asked.
“Or do we need Natalie, or perhaps additional witches? There were three of you last time,” Thorne added.
Moira shook her head. “No, it’s not that the spell failed. It worked, but the answer is veiled. Something is blocking us from seeing it.”
“That doesn’t bode well,” Malice said.
“Things rarely do these days,” Sin agreed.
“What does that mean?” Chaos asked, not moving from his spot.