Chapter 71 - Tove

I jumped forward as her body crumpled towards the floor like a puppet with cut strings. I hauled her up into my arms and moved behind Ari and Thane and Drace. They'd made a barricade between Brigid and Hols.

"Does she still breathe?" Ari asked, not taking her eyes off her sister.

I laid my ear to Hols' face. Felt the gentle puff of air against my cheek. "Yes." Saying it relaxed the band of fear around my chest. Allowed my lungs to expand, my heart to beat.

"Where is Sidney?" Thane asked.

"Where he belongs," Ari said. "In hell."

"Good," Thane and I said in unison.

"You don't even know what you've just done. You fools!" Brigid roared. "You've given the Villagers exactly what they wanted. You've released Patrick's power."

I curled Hols closer to my chest. "Explain. Now."

She stuck her nose up in the air.

"Answer the man, sister. Or suffer the same fate as the idiotic coward you brought to hurt my granddaughter," Ari said, her voice hard as diamonds.

Brigid didn'