Page 56 of Fallen Angel

Hannah opened her eyes. Mara stumbled as she re-accepted her black magic. She gasped but managed to straighten her posture in their presence.

“How do you feel?” Mara asked, and her voice swam into Hannah’s ears like sweet nectar with a magnetic pull.

“Good,” Hannah said.

Mara smiled and strode toward Hannah. The closer she got, the warmer she felt. She remembered her magic writhing whenever Mara came too close. She could no longer understand why that was. A magical glow surrounded Mara. Hannah gazed in awe.

“Turn around,” Mara commanded, and Hannah obeyed.

Callan was tied up with a cloth knotted around his mouth. His face was soaked with tears. The sorrow she saw behind his expression caused an odd sensation to twinge at the back of her mind, but she was unsure what it meant.

“What do you feel for this boy?” Mara asked, scrutinizing Hannah’s every move.

“He’s upset with me for allowing you to change me. I’m sorry for that, but I don’t regret it.”

“Before I performed the spell, young Hannah, I agreed to release Callan. It was part of our deal. Do you still desire—”

“Yes,” Hannah said.

Mara took a step forward and caressed Hannah’s face with the back of her hand. “What if I do not desire his release?”

Hannah wanted to appease Mara’s desire. She had allowed Hannah to become one with her magic, so she felt immense gratitude toward her. She would always be in Mara’s debt, and that didn’t bother her in the slightest. “Then you should keep him, if you like,” Hannah said, a tranquility in her voice.

Callan furrowed his brow and moaned behind his gag. Alarm filled his gaze.

Mara cackled. “Oh, you mustn’t worry, my dear Callan. As I said before, I am a woman of my word.”

A small sense of relief panged in Hannah’s gut.

Mara looked back to Hannah. “In fact, why not test your magic?”

Hannah wasn’t sure what she meant.

“Release Callan with a spell. Go on.” Mara motioned for her to step forward.

A mixture of nerves and excitement filled Hannah’s body. An alluring sensation filled her. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and raised her hands toward Callan.

“Release one Callan Delmonte from being bound.

Allow him to walk freely upon this ground.”

The words were clunky and rusty, but she still felt her palms tingle. When she noticed his ties loosening, joy replaced Hannah’s embarrassment for her first spell. She smiled and looked at her hands in wonder. Her magic was doing as she wished, and she felt empowered at the potential she sensed within herself. She knew she owed this all to Mara.

“Very good,” Mara said. “I see young Mr. Delmonte here has taught you a thing or two.”

Callan shimmied his hands from the loosened constraints and pulled the rag off his mouth. He raced toward Hannah and placed his hands on the sides of her face. “Do not listen to her, Hannah. Whatever you do. Resist her.”

“Arcum,” Mara said.

Callan was forced to his knees. His head bowed as if someone was holding him down. Hannah winced. Feeling his hands upon her face stirred something within her. She shook her head and blinked hard, brushing the twinge away. She had more important things to focus on—her magic.

“What else can I do?” Hannah asked Mara, as if she was the gateway to unlocking her full magical potential. She ignored Callan’s groans as he fought against Mara’s enchantment.

“Why not test your Siren’s song? Nathaniel would be delighted to oblige.” Mara waved Nathaniel forward, and he obeyed. “Just as you wish to appease your creator, so does Nathaniel,” Mara said to Hannah. “So as long as your influence does not contradict any of my commands, he shan’t have any other choice but to do as you say.”

Nathaniel stood in front of Hannah. “Prithee be gentle,” he said with a tiny smirk.

The memory of Nathaniel sinking his teeth into Bryce’s neck flashed in Hannah’s mind. The memory felt as if it was from another life.

---