Page 25 of Ancient Magic

Skye took another step to the side, giving her a clear path to the door. “I came tonight to give my father a warning. I’ve told him what I needed to say. Now I’m leaving. With or without your permission.”

A silence filled the pub as Lynx studied her with a hint of curiosity. “I was told you were as meek as a mouse and willing to do anything to protect your father,” he mused. “Instead I find a hissing kitty who refuses to behave. Interesting.”

Meek as a mouse? Skye continued to stroke her charms, magic dancing over her fingers as she was forced to recall the years she’d spent in an isolated prison, her only visitors the clients who’d paid a fortune in the hopes she could offer them a glimpse of the future. She’d accepted that she had no choice but to work until she could pay off her father’s debt, but there’d never been anything meek about her.

“This kitty has claws and I promise you that I’ll never be a slave to the demons again.”

There was throbbing sincerity in her voice that Lynx couldn’t miss.

“Slave?” Lynx clicked his tongue, as if offended by her words. “I don’t need a slave,” he assured her.

“Then what do you want?”

“I need an escort.”

Skye was confused. “An escort for what?”

“Come with me and find out.” A gentle power drifted over her, as if Lynx was using his fairy magic to try to compel her to bend to his will.

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“I suppose we’ll have to do this the hard way.” Lynx shrugged, the silver lights in his aura shimmering with a sudden pulse of power. “A pity. I prefer us to be friends.” He ran a slow survey over her delicate features. “Perhaps more than friends.”

“Gah.” Skye tossed her curls. “Never in a million years.”

Lynx chuckled, as if amused by her disgust. “You truly are a fascinating creature, Skye Claremont.” He held out a slender hand. “We don’t have to be enemies. Let’s work together.”

Okay. Enough was enough.

She was tired from her recent battle in the theater, not to mention the night spent in a crowded room with demons and vampires. Her psychic powers were drained, leaving her unable to use her most potent weapons.

Which meant she had to depend on her brains to escape.

“Hell will freeze over before that happens.” Lifting her arm, Skye murmured ancient words of power, tapping into the magic of a charm.

The magic sizzled through her veins, the scent of laurel leaves wafting through the air. Her curls danced on the power that swirled around her, and feeling the spell snap into place, she slashed her hand toward Lynx’s smug face.

With a muttered profanity, the fairy instinctively ducked as the magic sizzled over his head. It was exactly what Skye had been expecting and with a stab of satisfaction she heard the sharp shattering of glass. Sprinting across the narrow space, Skye prayed the demons were caught off guard by her unexpected decision to use the window rather than the front door.

It was her best hope of escaping.

“Yugan, stop her!” Lynx called out.

Skye didn’t glance back. Her slippers were slick against the wooden floor, but thankful she didn’t have on high heels, she grabbing the gauzy material of her long gown and hiked it up to her waist as she made the last mad dash. Just a few more steps and...

There was a blur of movement before the shorter fairy landed directly in front of her, his arms spread wide.

“Stop.”

Skye skidded to a halt, once again raising her arm. This time she spoke the words in a loud voice, using a burst of magic to create a shimmering glow around her charms.

The male threw up his hands, protecting his face from the incoming spell. The instinct left him wide open to a more mundane attack, and Skye didn’t hesitate as she lifted her foot and kicked him square between the legs.

Maya had trained both Peri and Skye in the art of self-defense. Magic was all well and good, but there were times when you needed to be able to protect yourself without it.

Yugan gasped as her blow landed with enough force to drive him backward, his hands lowering to cover his injured balls as his face flushed with a combination of pain and fury.

Skye didn’t hang around to enjoy his agony. Already she could feel a prickle of power forming behind her. Lynx was going to take matters into his own hands.

Still holding up her skirts, Skye darted around the male who was groaning in pain and, for the second time in two days, leaped through a busted window, landing on her back with enough force to drive the air from her lungs.

Crap.

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