I kissed his fingers, and his skin smelled like fire and rain-soaked earth. His skin was burning hot, like with a fever. He reached toward me, and I took his hand and pressed it to my cheek. “Vincent,” I said, my heart in my throat. The eyes flew open and Vincent took a great gulping gasp, as if trying to swallow all of the oxygen in the room. But it lay there, still and unmoving, until, focusing on the air just above, Bran yelled, “Come, bardia spirit, inhabit this body!” He made one final sweeping gesture, as if pulling the aura downward, and touched his fingers to the body’s side. The face that Jules had carefully sculpted became a real nose and mouth and eyes, closed as if in sleep. Red clay became olive-toned skin, and the bald head became waves of raven black hair. You have to come back,” I whispered, pleading. “It must be working.”Īs he spoke, the edges of the clay man began shimmering, like air does in intense heat, and the lumpen form gradually became more manlike. The flames are cold, like the ‘cooling flames’ in the inscription you found, Kate,” he said, looking up at me. The flames blazed higher, forming a giant fireball, which then erupted with a loud whooshing noise like a great wind, leaving tiny blue flames licking over and around the body like a paraffin burner.īran stretched his hands tentatively toward the fire. My heart pounding violently, I grabbed the side of the metal cup and heaved myself up to watch. “Vincent! Don’t let go!” I yelled, scrambling back to my feet. As the air around it exploded into blue flames, Jules jumped back and I fell from the stepladder to the ground. Papy stepped forward and held the torch to the clay figure. Now!” My voice echoed through the cavernous room.Īnd then, so loudly it was like a megaphone positioned next to my ear, I heard, I’m back. Fueled by something bigger and older than I-something primal-I commanded, “Come back, Vincent. Fury and shock from what had just happened forged together like iron in my chest. Violette would not take Vincent away from me.

A hatred like I had never felt before set my entire body aflame.

We were so close to bringing Vincent back, and Violette chose this crucial moment to reclaim him. Jules lowered his bleeding arm to rest on the rim of the thymiaterion and raised his other hand to his forehead.

Gold stood next to the bucket of water, looking helpless.

If I Should Die by Amy Plum