Page 124 of Soulbound

"Tomorrow night is the full moon," Lady Eberhardt grumbled, leaning on her cane. "It's a powerful time, especially if the demon is planning some great working."

"And?" Bishop asked.

Lady E circled the map. "If you'd allow me to finish.... A great working requires a certain phase of the moon. It also requires a certain place."

"A leyline," Ianthe said sharply, looking up. "It can draw the energy up through the earth."

"Somewhere consecrated," Lady E added. "Sorcerous power leaves an echo, and if the place is used often enough, it imbues the surrounding area with energy."

"One of the Order's ritual places, like the Hollow where the Ascension took place?" Verity chipped in.

Lady E began to draw faint lines across the enormous map with her finger, making them glow. "Here are the leylines within riding distance of London." She began to press her finger to points in the map. "And here are places that might hold power. We'll add Balthazar's Labyrinth to the list."

"And Seven Dials," Verity suggested. "My friends there haven't seen anything out of the usual, but it's full of curse workers."

The ladies began to highlight the map, arguing over this place or that, as Bishop made his way toward him. A crook of his finger at Lucien, and he indicated the three of them ought to seek a moment of quiet on the balcony.

"What is it?" Lucien asked.

"The prophecy is coming to a head," Bishop murmured. "We have all three brothers in place. We have the three Relics. This ends tomorrow, one way or another. We need to discuss a plan of attack."

Lucien slid his hands into his pockets. "Ianthe said you planned on killing him."

Bishop's lips thinned. "Only as a last resort. We have to make an attempt to wield the Relics Infernal against it, and try to exorcise Lascher from Drake's body."

Agreed. Sebastian tipped his head in a brief nod.

"If it doesn't work," Bishop said softly, "then... then I'll take care of matters."

"Ianthe and I have been reading through Drake's notes on the Relics," Lucien said. "Neither of us knew how they were created, but we found some of the more specific passages in his journal today. I don't quite understand all the theory yet, but there was something about Drake creating a spiritual echo of the Relics in another plane and tying them to the physical embodiment here. It's why they're so deadly to the demon. They exist here, and also in the dream-plane, or wherever it is that Cleo and Drake speak about. Demons can touch the dream-plane via the Shadow Dimensions, so the Relics have some sort of effect upon them."

"I've been to the dream plane," Sebastian said. "When I was trapped in my mother's dungeon, Drake brought me there to try and reach me."

"Tomorrow when we confront it," Lucien said, "we each need to funnel power through one of the Relics."

"I'll take the Chalice," Bishop said. "It's bound to the Grave Arts, so I doubt either of you will be able to wield it."

Lucien shrugged. "Ianthe and I have spent quite a bit of time with the Blade, considering she was the one who stole it from Drake. It makes sense—"

"No." Sebastian frowned. "I think I'm meant to have the Blade. Drake said something when he surfaced today. He said Cleo needed to stab him with it."

A moment of silence. Snowflakes fluttered out of the sky.

"You're linked to her," Bishop said slowly, "so it might work. Drake wouldn't have said it if it wasn't important."

"I'll take the Wand then. Have you looked over the spell to link the Relics?"

"Yes." Bishop turned, resting his hands on the balustrade. "It's complex. I'll go over it tonight with Sebastian." Dark eyes flashed toward him. "You'll have to master the chant. We can't afford a single error."

Done. He didn't care what it took. "I'll master it."

"Do you think you can withstand the raw energy we'll be dealing with?" Bishop asked, this time looking to Lucien.

Who hesitated. "I'm healing."

That wasn't an answer. A slither of dread made Sebastian's muscles tense. "This isn't going to work, is it? I have ridiculous power, but limited control. Lucien has years of experience and mastery, but can only handle a certain amount of sorcery without it feeling like a knife driving into his brain. And you.... You're the only one who might survive tomorrow." He laughed a little helplessly, and it took a moment to realize neither of his brothers was laughing with him.

Bishop looked up slowly, meeting Lucien's eyes.