Page 38 of Light Magic

Before I could fully plan this out, I lifted my bound wrists, brought them over the front seat, and strangled the driver with the ropes.

Eugene tugged at my arms, Elias turned and tried intervening, but that only tightened the ropes more. The car jerked, went off the road, fell into a ditch, and hit a thick tree.

I was thrown against the seat, hard, and my head was dizzy for a moment. No, I had to push through the haze. I had to get out of here. Trying to focus, I looked around.

The front glass was broken, mine was cracked, the driver was smashed between his seat and the wheel, dead. Elias and Eugene had their seat belts on and were having a tough time moving.

Something glittered from the car’s floor.

The steak knife.

What was it doing here? I didn’t question it. I took the knife and went for Eugene. He sobered up half a second before the knife plunged in the middle of his chest.

He groaned, his eyes wide.

From the front seat, Elias twisted as much as he could and shouted. “No!”

I elbowed the window by my side, finally breaking it, and crawled through. I felt the broken glass scratching my arms and legs, but it didn’t matter, I needed to get out of here.

Though I tried catching myself, my body was hurt and sore, my mind addled, and I fell on the rough ground hard.

Groaning, I pushed through the pain and the haze, sat up on my knees, and grabbed a small glass shard to cut my ropes. I freed my ankles but before I could work on my wrists, I heard the sound of the car groaning as Elias exited it.

With renewed energy, I escaped from the ditch and clambered into the road.

Elias let out a roar as he ran after me. I glanced over my shoulder and panic started anew as he gained ground as a lion. He launched himself toward me. I sidestepped him, but he was fast. He hit my shoulder with his big paw and I fell on the hard ground, arm first, and pain radiated through my limb.

By the light, I must have broken it.

Elias spun and came at me. I tried gathering myself, but the lion crawled over me and pushed me to the ground. With his paws on my shoulders, he let out a loud roar right in my face, his breath foul.

I pushed my hands inside his mouth and stabbed the glass shard deep into his throat.

The lion sputtered for two seconds before falling heavy over me.

I shouted in anger, in pain, in fear. I was pinned to the ground, hurt, and alone on this dark road. Tears brimmed in my eyes and I let myself take thirty seconds to steady my heart and my breathing.

Then I pushed the lion up a little and crawled from underneath him. The ropes around my wrists were loose, and it was easy to undo them now. I rubbed at my red skin, though my wrists were what hurt the least.

I looked around.

There was nothing but a long road, trees, and darkness.

I could go back to the car, search for someone’s phone, call Levi, or Hazel … but I really didn’t want to go back there. I needed to get out of here.

I called my wings, tried to spread them out, and flap them, but one was twisted, and the other had several rips. I would never be able to fly like this.

I continued down the road, dragging my feet and doing my best not to pass out. This road was bound to lead somewhere, to some town, and when it did, I would find a store, someone who would let me make a call.

Not even ten minutes later, when I thought I would finally break and faint right here, I heard the zoom of wings, as if a big bird was soaring through the sky.

I glanced up at the darkness and saw a shape fast approaching.

My heart seized and panic threatened to spill.

No, please, not again.

But then I recognized him.

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