IRIS?
It was Alfie. He was saying her name over and over but she didn’t know why or if he knew she could hear him.
She said, ‘Alfie,’ very softly.
And again, he said, Iris?
‘Alfie.’
‘Iris!’ That was loud. Loud and close.
Iris rolled on to her side. ‘Alfie,’ she said again.
‘Iris? It’s Vik.’
Iris opened her eyes. Vikram was standing over her. ‘Hey,’ she said, sleepy and confused.
‘Sorry,’ said Vikram. ‘I didn’t want to wake you, but I wondered if you had got any new leads from the witches you saw.’
Alfie cried out. ‘Iris! No! Don’t go!’ He sat bolt upright, suddenly awake. Leon stared at him, frozen and frightened, perched on the tiny window ledge of the high window.
Alfie said, ‘She’s still alive.’
The door to the cellar crashed open and Divinia stood there. Her eyes moved from Alfie, to the unconscious Sabrina, to Leon perched up high. Her calm quiet gaze settled on Alfie. ‘Tell your cub to come down from there,’ she said evenly.
Alfie looked at Leon. He looked scared and confused. But he couldn’t disobey the Divine when she spoke like that. ‘Come down,’ he said.