Page 65 of Faerie Marked

I had nothing to cover my face, nothing to hide my reflection. The spell broke the moment I glanced over and saw myself reflected in the mirror. Again, it was like being doused with icy water. The wraith staring back at me from the glass had my long auburn hair but her eyes were wide, dark. Terrified. Her skin looked bleached to the color of bone and her shirt stuck out at odd angles, hanging loose on her thin frame.

At least I knew, as soon as the spell failed, I’d be able to use all of the resources available to my wolf half. Heightened senses, extra speed. I could let my wolf rise to the surface and do what she needed to do. No, not fight. Fighting would be a bad idea when I had so many books and clothes weighing me down, so many eyes ready to pop around a corner and see what I’d diligently hid these last few months.

I had to protect my wolf half. We had to run. We had to get away to safety and only then could we figure out our next move.

Despite the discomfort of having the spell break away, my muscles warmed, and when I widened my nostrils, I caught the scent at last.

Male. Young male. And angry. Driven in a way I could not fathom.

I had found the killer and he had me in his sights. Too bad he didn’t understand the person he now messed with. I might look small and innocent, but I packed a wallop.

Courage surged through me.

With the hour late and no one around to see me, with the man steadily gaining on me, I threw caution to the wind and ran, faster than a normal Fae. Faster than a normal human.

Shifter speed.

And my heart nearly stopped when my pursuer did the same.

24

The man following me was a shifter.

I knew it the way some people knew when rain would come. No matter how fast I ran, he kept pace with me, down one hallway and up another. My breath came in short gasps and when I inhaled, I smelled wolf. Wolf and testosterone and a burning desire to catch me. To the point where my desire blotted out any other emotion including self-preservation.

He didn’t care if anyone saw him.

I had to do something, and fast, because I couldn’t keep running all night. Eventually someone would try to stop me. Eventually I would tire and the man behind me would catch up.

I couldn’t think. Couldn’t draw air into my body.

Run, run.Hurry!

I pushed my legs as fast as they would go and listened to the heavy echo of my footsteps. Heard the way the man did the same. His footsteps approached closer yet, a slap of leather soles on stone.

And glancing over I saw my salvation.

A fairy sconce on the wall.

I skidded to a stop beside the sconce, remembering what Melia had told me about the secret passages.

Look for the fairies. They guide the way.

I jumped up to reach the sconce, thinking to pull some kind of hidden lever and open the door. But there were no secret levers here. There were only words. Words of power to get me inside the tunnel.

What were they? Oh my God. This was aterribletime for me to forget.

I pressed my palm against the wall.

Losing precious seconds, I tried to remember the incantation phrase. Too many wrong attempts. I heard the man getting closer, heard his boots echoing closer and louder.

Tavi,think!

“Elaphrium,” I whispered.

At last I managed to get out the right words for the spell and the stones melted away, revealing the pitch-black interior of the secret tunnel. I made it inside with seconds to spare and said the words a second time. The stone closed behind me and, though muffled, I heard the man pass by the other side without noticing my disappearance.

A dull ache flared across my back. It spread to my biceps and down the sides of my chest. I must have been tensing harder than I thought, because everything hurt. I took a moment to try and get my pulse down from heart attack territory. Shaken to the core.

---