It came from all directions, twisting, melodic, cruel. The trees pulsed with it. The ground trembled beneath it. It laced through their minds, their nerves, their hearts. Jude fell to his knees, gasping. Sophie cried out beside him, clutching her head. Emma dropped her spear, grabbing the trunk of a tree for support.
And the nine women smiled.
Their eyes lit with a terrible beauty.
Rose dropped to her knees before Jude, touching his cheek. "You'll see. You'll see how beautiful it can be when you stop fighting."
Her lips brushed his, and it wasn't a kiss of love, but of claim. Jude's body seized with heat. Every nerve burned. His breath caught in his throat, and he could feel himself slipping, like her mouth was opening a door inside him that he hadn't realized existed.
Sophie screamed. "Let him go!"