Page 15 of The Witch and The Blood Oath

Despite my self-assurances, rage bubbled under my skin, and the heat of my magic strengthened it. The barn lights flickered, and Freya squeezed my hand.

Separate,I thought,your magic and your emotions areseparate.

Without another word, I led Freya past Nathan. I wanted to check on Jesse one last time, but with my magic on the fritz, I wouldn’t bring him comfort.

I would only make him afraid.

The mere thought was enough to quicken my steps. I had screwed up plenty over the last three months, but I wouldnotscrew up my horse. Nathan tried to get in my way, but I checked him with my shoulder as I passed—meaning to knock him back a step or two—and he was splayed flat on his ass. Liquor wafted in the air.

“Seriously?” I said. “You drove drunk?”

Nathan really was a careless ass. As he flailed on the ground, I stepped around him and tried to quiet my burning, racing heart.

I have to get out of here.

Soon, Freya and I were out of the barn and back under the night sky, but heavy-leaden footsteps crunched behind us.

“That’s right!” Nathan called. “Get out of here!”

Beside me, something clattered, and Freya gasped. As a bucket fell to the ground behind Freya, red colored my vision. My friends cursed.

I stopped in my tracks and faced Nathan. Brody and Sawyer held him back.

“Did you,” I said in a low, unrecognizable voice, “hither?”

“Walker,” Freya warned and jerked on my hand. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

As energy crackled across my skin, I gently pried myself free from her grip.

“Well,” Nathan spat. “I meant to hit you.”

Thanks to my father, I recognized drunken belligerence when I saw it. That didn’t ease the storm that raged inside me. Thunder boomed overhead.

“Apologize,” I demanded.

“I don’t care to hear this moron’s apology,” Freya whispered in a rush. “Let’sgo—”

Nathan swayed in my friends’ grasps.

“I think you should leave, Walker,” Sawyer said.

“I’m not sorry,” Nathan bellowed. “You and your slut are trespassing!”

Down the hill, lightning struck a tree, and inside the barn, horses whinnied. My anger only grew hotter. I had wanted to leave without damaging anything. I hadn’t wanted to scare anybody.Hehad brought us to this point.

A distant, quiet part of me knew that wasn’t true, but I silenced it and studied Nathan.

Despite all his bluster, the rancher was scared. I could practically feel his heart racing from where I stood. His mouth was agape, and he stared at me as if I wasn’t human. I wondered if I had looked so afraid when I first met Freya.

“Cowboy,” Freya whispered. “Yourskin.”

I glanced down at myself. Blue currents of electricity raced across my body and my hands. Gasps echoed my surprise. Brody and Sawyer stared at me from the barn with open mouths.

Horror marred their faces.

Curses raced through my mind, but one word rang louder than all of them.

No.

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