Page 63 of Hollowed

Iwanted to roll my eyes, to scoff at her delusions, but the first motions of the expression sent a throbbing through my skull.Grittingmy teeth against the pain as the henbane worked its way out of my system,Iraised my eyes to my mother’s. “TheDullahandoes not take any of your sacrifices.Henever has.Hesends them elsewhere to safety.Therewas never a need to offer people to him.”

Theyboth paused for a moment at my words, looking at each other.Mymother shrugged. “Itis no matter.Wewill fix this town ourselves.Itwill simply require an adjustment to the spell.Yourdeath will still power the veil; once we channel your life force into it, it will be whole once more.Yousee, we have no need to summon the sluagh you keep accusing us of.Weare trying to fix the town.”

Witha wave of her hand, the ropes began tightening.Starsfilled the edges of my vision. “Stop.Please.”

Theyignored me as they continued with their preparations at the pedestal, mixing the spell ingredients in the brass bowl.Mymother stepped up to the fire with the bowl in her hands.Thesound of hoofbeats and rustling leaves filled the air, stopping her in her tracks.

Atonce, all three of us turned toward the noise.

Outof the thick line of trees, theDullahanemerged.

Evenwith my fading breath and blurring vision,Iknew that much.Alexanderrode in atopLiath, whose eyes were now alight with actual flames, the purple aura of his spirit magic around him, violet shadows pulsating.Therewas no head atop his shoulders, and in his hand was a long whip.Ashe slowed to a stop in front of my parents,Liathlet out a snort, embers shooting from her nose into the night.

Myheart leapt into my throat, but it wasn’t from fear.PerhapsifIwere seeing him for the first time,Iwould be, but nowIcould only exhale and slump back against the stone.Hewas here.Asmile crossed my lips asIlet my head fall back against the headstone for a moment, taking in everything.

Hewas here.Forme.

Heflicked the handle of his whip; the length shooting out to snap at the bowl my mother held, knocking it from her hands to hit the ground near the fire with a metallic thud.Shecurled her lip back in a snarl, but didn’t make any moves to thwart him. “Ibelieve you have something of mine.”

Shiversraced down my spine that had nothing to do with the cool breeze.Thefog skittered back, retreating to the second and third rows of trees along the edges of the cemetery.They, too, knew what was in front of them.

Raisinghis hands, a ball of swirling purple energy formed, and using a motion similar to the oneIhad learned with my fire,Alexandersent it hurtling toward my parents.

Themagic blasted them in their chests, sending them off flying into the depths of the cemetery.Alexanderslid fromLiath, the purple aura around him dropping as his head returned.Heran over to me, his hands immediately going to the ropes at my back and freeing me.

Therush of breath back into my lungs was so rewardingIcould not hold back the sob of relief.Alexander’sattention came back to my face, reaching down to hold my cheeks in his hands, searching my face. “Areyou hurt?”

Ishook my head, still sucking down as many deep breaths asIcould.Hestroked his thumb over the fullness of my cheek, staring at me for a moment before pulling me into his arms.Freeingmy aching arms,Iburrowed my face into his coat, breathing in the smell of petrichor and warmth.Closingmy eyes,Irelished the warmth and comfort.

Iwas safe.

Pullingback slightly, his hands returned to my face. “Iam so sorry,Katrina.Formy words, for almost being late, for all of it.Youare braver thanIcould ever imagine, andIhope you can find it in yourself to forgive me for words spoken in fear.”

“Fearof what?”Icroaked out, still trying to suck air into my lungs.

“Fearof this,” he said, pushing a curl behind my ear and nodding to where my parents had been blasted off to. “Idid not want you hurt any more than you already had been.”

“Thisis quite touching,” my mother said, her voice flat and apathetic.Withno sign of hesitation, she sent a gush of air at us. “Butwe have a veil to fix, and you are both slowing the process.”

Alexandermoved in front of me, transforming to his spirit form in the next breath, taking the blunt of the strike.Hestaggered back half a step, andIsurged to my feet, sending a ball of fire at my mother, fueled on instinct alone.

Alexanderrecovered easily, the whip returning to his hand.Ispared it a quick glance.Itseemed as though the whipcord was made from a human spine.

Tinglestraveled down my own spine as he adjusted his grip on the handle, also appearing to be made from bone.

Itshould have been disgusting, should have made my stomach recoil in fear, but it didn’t.Itlooked like it belonged in his hand, merely adding to the deadly aura of theDullahan.

“Youthink to fight me,Dullahan?” my mother demanded, her voice shrill. “Iam the leader ofSleepyHollow.Youexist to protect me.”

“Iexist to protect the town.Toprotect the magic that was here long before you,” he snarled.

“Iam better,” she replied.Hergaze landed on me, and she scoffed. “I’mcertainly better than my useless child you seem so fond of.”

Alexandersnarled, but before either of us could respond, her hand extended to me, and she closed her fingers in a fist.Mybreath caught in my throat, and asItried to suck in a breath.

ButIcouldn’t.

Eyeswidening, panic seized my lungs, expelling the little oxygenI’dhad left.Iclawed at my throat asIfell to the ground, pulling at the invisible binds constricting my airway.Myvision blackened around the edges, my chest heaved asIfailed to breathe at the hands of my mother.

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