He jerked. “Ow.”
“Well, put me down.”
“I thought I told you boys to keep that girl at home,” Helena said.
“On second thought, it’s safer up here,” I muttered. Quinn released me so fast pain flared up my legs when I hit the ground. I turned around, gulping. “Hi.”
Helena flicked us a warning glance that had Quinn and I stepping closer to each other for self-preservation. Liam was behind her, eyes glistening. “Solange? Nicholas?” Helena whirled and we were out of her crosshairs for the moment. “Isabeau found you,” Liam said, his voice clogged with tears. “Thank God.”
Aunt Hyacinth, Sebastian, and Marcus were fighting off the Hel-Blar. Kieran’s car was still burning. Duncan slid behind the wheel of Logan’s Jeep and hit the accelerator, aiming for them like Kieran had earlier. It was like watching a game of vampire Frogger. Uncle Geoffrey was already inspecting Solange’s wound. He was about to pull the arrow out when Isabeau jerked violently. She’d been sitting so still, we all jumped in response.
She swallowed thickly. “I couldn’t stay any longer.”
Logan reached down and sliced the ribbon in half, helping her to her feet. She looked exhausted but energy crackled off her at the same time. “Don’t,” she warned Uncle Geoffrey. “She’s still fighting for control.”
“Is she . . . all right?” Helena asked, as if she was afraid of the answer. She touched Solange’s hair. Liam had his arms around Nicholas as if he meant never to let go. I knew just how he felt.
“She is stronger than we thought,” Isabeau answered wearily. “She has been fighting off this spirit since before the coronation.”
“We had no idea,” Helena said. Her fangs poked out from under her lip. “We thought she was just adjusting. Badly.”
“I believe the spirit of Viola Drake has been trying to gain a foothold since Solange’s birthday.”
“Viola Drake?” Liam asked.
“Damn it, how could we not know that?” Helena snapped. “And who the hell is Viola Drake?”
“We can’t stay here,” Uncle Geoffrey interrupted.
“We won’t know for certain until she wakes up tomorrow, but I am almost certain she will prevail.” Isabeau straightened. Even though I could see she was so tired she wanted to slump against Logan, she wouldn’t let herself. She dug her fingers into Charlemagne’s fur. “I did what I could to help her.”
“Thank you,” Liam whispered.
“I’ll have to sedate her, if you think she might still be dangerous,” Uncle Geoffrey said. “But we have to get her home. The Hel-Blar aren’t the only danger out tonight.”
“We’ve got Huntsmen on our tail,” Helena explained tersely.
“Good,” Kieran broke in. “They can take care of the rest of these Hel-Blar.”
“Good thinking.” Helena nodded approvingly. She might not eviscerate him for not getting me back to school, after all.
Uncle Geoffrey took a wickedly long syringe out of his black leather case. It was stuffed with vials of blood, bottles of Hypnos, stakes, and restraints. Apparently they’d been prepared for just about anything with this exorcism. He injected Solange with the sedative and then pulled the arrow out in one quick tug. Blood pooled in the wound. She slumped forward bonelessly. Helena caught her, lifting her up as if she were a baby.
“We’ve got three Jeeps,” Liam said. “Should be enough room for everyone.”
“I’ll go back to the caves,” Magda said.
“It’s not safe out there,” Liam argued, but Magda had already swung up into a tree and was leaping from branch to branch.
“She’ll be fine,” Isabeau assured him. “But I’ll go back with you, just in case I can help Solange more.”
“And I’ll take Lucy and Kieran back,” Nicholas offered. Kieran tossed him Logan’s keys.
Liam clasped his shoulder. “Hurry home.”
A fire truck siren wailed in the distance. “That’s our cue. Let’s get out of here and let the Huntsmen do their job.”
Uncle Geoffrey’s nostrils flared. “They’re nearly here.”
Liam looked at his sons. “Ready?” They nodded. “Go!”
Helena had already taken off with Solange, who hung limply, blood dripping from her shoulder. The Hel-Blar howled, straining to get past the others to get to her. They went mad with pheromone poisoning and their natural feral hunger. The stink of rot mixed with toxic smoke. I covered my nose and mouth with the collar of my sweater and made a run for it, Nicholas and Kieran keeping pace.
On either side of us, the Drakes fought back. The sound of bones breaking was audible, even over the murmur and hiss of the fire. Duncan did a 360 with his vehicle, sliding into perfect position. Helena tossed Solange in the backseat, then flipped up onto the roof as the others piled in. She kicked viciously at any approaching Hel-Blar. Liam escorted the second carload with equal ferocity.
Nicholas loped ahead and by the time I reached the Jeep, the passenger door was open and he was sliding across the hood to the driver’s seat. Kieran dove into the backseat behind me and I slammed my door shut. As Nicholas peeled away, I saw the first of a group of Huntsmen break out of the cover of the trees. They were armed to the teeth and more than capable of dispatching the remaining Hel-Blar. The other cars shot in the opposite direction, toward the farm.