"Are you alright? And do you realise something's glowing?"
The two gunshots rang out and lingered in the air, but the world was suddenly stillness up until Skulduggery spoke. Solomon remained pressed against the wall between it and the door, breathing hard but controlled. His groin throbbed; so did his wrist and hand. He brought his arm to his chest, fisting a piece of his coat to put pressure on both wounds at once. After a moment he managed to catch his breath enough to answer the detective.
"I'll live. And no, actually, I didn't, but it's probably me."
It had to be. He still felt ... open. Sort-of. Not exactly the same way using the Death Aura had made him feel open--not as if he was collecting things and drawing them in. More as if he was extending himself outward against them. He could sense Skulduggery's soul from here, sense that it was a friend because of the way his magic met it and let it pass without objection.
He gave the door a shove to make it swing out, but didn't quite try to rise yet in lieu of figuring out how to turn off what he'd just done. He breathed out and then in again, and on the inhale collected himself, wanted himself to be all in one place again. Something unlatched and in a rush the extended awareness faded.
The light was already fading from around his face, but the little cascading pool around him maintained its integrity for a few moments longer before being released, washing away like a quiet rush of surf.
Another breath, and then Solomon spoke, still without moving, over the sound of Cleavers approaching. "I think he's left. I can't see any changes in the wards' integrity anymore."
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The two gunshots rang out and lingered in the air, but the world was suddenly stillness up until Skulduggery spoke. Solomon remained pressed against the wall between it and the door, breathing hard but controlled. His groin throbbed; so did his wrist and hand. He brought his arm to his chest, fisting a piece of his coat to put pressure on both wounds at once. After a moment he managed to catch his breath enough to answer the detective.
"I'll live. And no, actually, I didn't, but it's probably me."
It had to be. He still felt ... open. Sort-of. Not exactly the same way using the Death Aura had made him feel open--not as if he was collecting things and drawing them in. More as if he was extending himself outward against them. He could sense Skulduggery's soul from here, sense that it was a friend because of the way his magic met it and let it pass without objection.
He gave the door a shove to make it swing out, but didn't quite try to rise yet in lieu of figuring out how to turn off what he'd just done. He breathed out and then in again, and on the inhale collected himself, wanted himself to be all in one place again. Something unlatched and in a rush the extended awareness faded.
The light was already fading from around his face, but the little cascading pool around him maintained its integrity for a few moments longer before being released, washing away like a quiet rush of surf.
Another breath, and then Solomon spoke, still without moving, over the sound of Cleavers approaching. "I think he's left. I can't see any changes in the wards' integrity anymore."