It took four grown men to finally subdue her, Adena screaming the entire time, that same broken phrase looping over and over — give me back what belongs to me, it's mine, it was always mine — until her voice grew hoarse and her thrashing finally slowed into something more exhausted than resigned.
"Black magic," Victor said grimly, crouching briefly to examine her once she'd been restrained, careful not to get too close to her still-black eyes. "It looks like some black magic. Someone's got a hold over her, and it's not a light one."
"Is she possessed by it?" Caelestis asked, breathing hard, one arm still curled protectively in front of Eleanore even now.
"Maybe. Not tonight, maybe long ago." Victor rose, jaw tight. "For now, she goes to the underground cells. It's the only place in this house secure enough to hold whatever's in her, and the only way to keep everyone else safe until we figure out how deep this goes."
