Page 39 of Ruled By Magic

“We were attacked. They had weapons that amplified their magic. If you hadn’t knocked me out of the way of that bullet, I’d be dead. We both would.”

“I didn’t even think. It was automatic.”

“You saved my life.” He reached his hand up and smoothed down my tangled hair. “Thank you.”

The words sunk in.

“Let’s see if we can get out of here.” He took my arm.

Again, nothing happened. His brow creased. “It’s as though there’s a wall blocking us from moving. I can almost feel the edges, but—” Eyes closed, he stood frozen, focused. His fingers dug into me until he shook his head and let go. Frustration roiled off him in waves.

“I’ve heard rumors of machines that do this, but I wasn’t convinced they were true. Whoever attacked us must have activated one.”

We both stared at the scorched path as the reality of our situation sunk in. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no food or water. The rucksack hadn’t survived.

“Does anyone know we’re here?” I asked.

“A couple of people at the palace, but they won’t worry about me for a while. I’m not working today so it’s not like I’m going to miss an appointment.” He ran a hand across his brow, paced to the edge of the cliff, peered down, then returned with a sigh.

We were exposed. Hunted by enemies with technology that even the Lord Commander didn’t understand. He gestured to the path down.

“We’ve got more of a hike than we thought. Let’s go. The blocking field can’t go on forever.”

We marched down the way we’d come, much faster than we did on the way up. My throat dried from exertion. I imagined cool water slipping down it. My legs burned, but I forced myself to match the Lord Commander’s pace. I wouldn’t look like a weakling.

Every failed teleportation attempt ratcheted my fear higher. We could die here. Exhaust ourselves to the point of no return, lie down, and never get back up.

Three long hours passed. My throat rasped, lips tender and cracked. I needed rest. Even the rocky ground looked comfy. I called a halt, collapsing. The Lord Commander slid down next to me, leaned his head against the wall, and closed his eyes.

“This isn’t working,” he said. “We’re moving too slow. The machine must have a decent range and we’re crawling down the mountainside like ants. We need to go faster.”

“I don’t suppose you can fly?” I offered the ghost of a smile. “That would be helpful.”

He laughed—a rough, tired sound. “No. I might be a great and powerful mage, but even I can’t—” He jumped up and stalked over to the sheer edge of the path. A trickle of fear ran down my spine as he leaned out, extended over the steep drop. He pulled back, a calculating look on his face. “There is a quicker way to get down. But it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

“What do you mean?” I joined him at the cliff. My stomach lurched as I took in the drop.

“I can’t fly, but I can control a fall pretty well and cushion us from impact.”

With dawning horror, I realized what he intended. My mouth went drier still. Stepping off that ledge into nothingness?

Shit.

Could his magic protect us?

“We should keep walking, see if we escape the field that way.”

“The longer we wait, the more chance they’ll come back. I think they underestimated me, but they won’t do it again. And we won’t last long without water.”

He was right.

“Grab on to me. I’ll secure us together so you can’t fall. It’ll be ok.”

Less than confident, I stood in front of him. He picked me up with ease. I clung to him, arms and legs wrapped around his body, my face pressed against his cheek. Bands of force snapped into place, locking us together. With one arm tight around my back, he waved the other. A thick blue shield surrounded us.

“Ready?”

“Yes.”

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