She suddenly jerked her hand back, as if by reflex.
The boy's eyes began to weep blood. Then Itoî levitated.
"Woman, this isn't over between us. I assure you: this kid will be mine," the demonic voice rasped through Itoî.
Itoî's skin lost all its color. His beige, lightly sun-kissed complexion turned dull and waxy.
In a final burst of energy, Noémie lunged for the shelf and snatched two stones. She threw the first one at Itoî and crushed the second in her bare hand.
"Erlot's Cage! Seal!" she commanded.
The cage snapped shut around Itoî in an instant. Its bars, a blinding blue, looked indestructible.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DO—"
The voice faded. Itoî stopped levitating, but the cage held firm.
"Phew... It's clearly not a vengeful spirit, and certainly no minor demon, given how reckless this creature is. The real question is: why now? Did it slip into him at a specific moment, or has it been there since his birth?" Noémie wondered.
"Kaelle!" she called out.
Hurried footsteps echoed in the hall.
"Yes, Mom!"
The door flew open.
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"W-Why is Itoî in a cage?" Kaelle asked.
"This is far more serious than I thought, Kaelle. Your father is at work, but you need to send a Kolupeo to him. Tell him to bring me Seit stones," Noémie said gravely.
"Understood. But why Seit stones? Will Dad be able to find some before heading home?" Kaelle asked.
"Yes, that should be fine. I told him to keep a few important stones on hand just in case something like this happened. He's working at his shop today, so we should be able to reach him easily. Oh, and ask him for mana stones and Orva cords as well."
"Got it, Mom. I'm on it. But what do we do about Itoî?" Kaelle asked as she headed for the door.
"I'll handle it. I'll shrink the cage so he can stay inside safely. I'll lift it once I've forged amulets for each of you," Noémie replied, stumbling slightly.
"Mom!" Kaelle cried, grabbing her arm to steady her.
"I-It's okay. Thank you," Noémie murmured with a faint smile.
Kaelle helped her sit on the bed and sat down beside her.
Noémie looked her daughter dead in the eye and said gravely:
"Don't say a word to Vars or Uyan. We don't need to scare them. I don't know the exact nature of this yet."
"O-Okay, Mom. They're asleep. I made sure not to alarm them. I told them it was just an infection, though I don't think Uyan bought it... And Vars just kept sleeping like a log," Kaelle reassured her.
Kaelle stood up and walked to the door. She grabbed the knob and turned it.
"Kaelle," Noémie called out.
Kaelle looked back at her mother.
"Yes?"
"I know I'm harder on you because you're the eldest, but I wanted to say... thank you," Noémie added with a soft smile.
"Huh?" Kaelle blinked.
A tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped her face before replying:
"Don't worry, Mom. I'll live up to your expectations and protect my little brothers, no matter what happens."
She ran back to her mother and threw her arms around her. Noémie hugged her back.
"I'm already proud of you, sweetheart. Thank you," she murmured, holding her tight for a few seconds before letting go.
"Come on, Mom. I've got this. Get some rest," Kaelle said, stepping out of the room.
Noémie lay back on the bed and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead.
"Haa... I could really use Dad's help right now. Or even Silvester's, just to keep me sane." She sighed. "Alright, I'll get some sleep. Once Silvester gets here, I can start forging everything we need in the garden shed."