Page 13 of Stolen Magic
“What are you doing?” The Alpha looked at me like I’d sprouted two heads.
“What does it look like I’m doing, wolf?” Even shitless scared, I had my bravado going for me. The daggers swirled in my hands. “Protecting another witch.” My lips stretched into a wicked smile.
“This does not make us allies.” He had the gull to throw that at me like I was dying to be buddies with him.
“Don’t flatter yourself.” The tip of my dagger pointed at the mages. “They attacked me first. This has nothing to do with you.”
In reality, it had everything to do with the Alpha. Whoever it was that paid me to steal the book knew that it was still in my possession. After the chitchat with the wolf, I was sure it was my client sending vampires and then mages to attack. With Dimitri by my side, my chances of survival were higher than trying to take them on my own. If nothing else, at least Char was safe at that moment. Fate had to screw that up for me, too, because the mentioned sorceress came out of nowhere and bolted in my direction, her large tote flapping on her butt.
“No. Char, go back.” My shout had her running faster toward me instead of turning around.
“Women.” The jerk next to me shook his head.
“If you continue that sentence, you’ll be the first person I stab today.” Brandishing a dagger in his direction, I glared at him. Another bolt of lightning streaked above our heads, and a louder clap of thunder rattled my organs.
“Mages.” Char panted as she reached us, a hand pressed to her chest. And like I was blind, she also pointed at the two cloaked figures that were much closer than before.
“Thank you, Captain Obvious. Now go hide.” I nudged her with my elbow, careful not to slash her with the dagger.
“Like hell I’ll hide.” Char slapped my elbow away with a frown. “I didn’t want him to know I was here.” Her chin jutted toward Dimitri. “I don’t give rat’s ass if those two see me.” Her hand was already inside the tote almost to her shoulder while she rummaged through it.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Dimitri giving my friend an assessing once-over. Whatever he saw must’ve been good because he nodded at Char once and turned to face the elementals. Far be it for me to complain about help. Warily, I glanced at the ten-story-high wave behind us, trembling ominously. My biggest fear was drowning, as irrational as it was. Seeing that much water just waiting to cover me had my heart working overtime and my lungs struggling to fill with air. I’d take my chances fighting anyone as long as the ocean stayed where it belonged. As always, the thoughts had come too soon.
The mage on the right slashed his palms down, and the sand under my feet shifted. I heard the ocean like the sound of a distant train whooshing behind me, but I had no time to escape. On my right, there was nothing but flat sand and a line of low buildings while the pier with the humongous Ferris Wheel was blocking us from the left. A calm settled over me with the fact that my worst nightmare was about to come true. My hold on the daggers tightened as if that would protect me from what was coming.
Tons of gallons of water crushed over me.
My hip and shoulder took the brunt of the hit when the ocean pressed me on the sand. My head bounced off the packed ground before I was tossed to the side like a rag doll. Everything in me wanted to scream, but I forced my lips shut while my lungs protested because I was holding my breath. Dark, murky water swirled around me, sending tendrils of my red hair floating around my face like streaks of blood. The weight of the daggers I still clutched like an anchor in my hands was the only thing keeping me sane. Why didn’t I run? What possessed me to stay by that arrogant jerk’s side when I didn’t want anything to do with him? I killed Char, too, with my dumb decisions.
Oh dear abyss, Char!
The ocean didn’t stand a chance. Guilt was going to drown me faster.
My heart skipped a beat when a large dark shape passed near me, and I slashed with my dagger, but it was so slow it disappeared before my arm was halfway up. I hid my powers and magic the best I could, and it never dawned on me to learn a spell about breathing under water.
Or moving freely while inside an ocean. I only knew what was useful for my trade. I was going to die because of ignorance.And arrogance, a voice suspiciously sounding like Char’s chirped in my head.
The breath that I was selfishly holding burst out of me when something hit me in the stomach and took me away with it to the side. Unable to stop myself, I sucked in a mouthful of salty water and kicked my legs weakly when my throat burned. Instead of expelling it, I kept drinking more and more in my panic, and dark spots danced at the corners of my eyes. Just when I thought it was the end, whatever had me broke the surface of the water, and cold air slapped me across the face.
I choked.
Water gushed out of my mouth in large streams, and I coughed so hard my chest and stomach hurt like a bull had gone to town on my torso. It felt like forever until I realized two things. My back was pressed to a wooden beam where I had one arm wrapped around it and clung to it like a monkey. Second was my other hand was tangled in thick, dark fur, and something large was holding me up. When the tears stopped streaming down my face and I stopped trying to cough out my lungs, I looked down through the strands of hair plastered over my face.
My eyes locked on a furious silver blue gaze.
“Dimitri?” Rasping, I blinked fast to make sure I wasn’t imagining things. The wolf growled, his upper lip curling over his razor sharp teeth. “Char?” My friend’s name choked me all over again. I followed the direction of the wolf’s gaze to the side where a figure was draped over the wooden beams. It was clutching a tote, which was wrapped around one arm.
I sagged where I was pressed to the unforgiving, hard surface.
The ocean was going nuts behind the Alpha. Waves were raising and slamming down wildly, sending harsh sprays of mist to pelt our skin. Logically, I knew he couldn’t communicate with me while in his animal form, but the silence after I asked about my best friend was killing me, although I knew he pulled her out first. I was beyond grateful for that. I breathed easier until the wolf moved away from me and started crawling up the wooden beams crisscrossing behind me. When he came level with me, his jaw closed around my soaking wet shirt, and he tugged me up.
Since I could do nothing else, I flipped around and crawled alongside him. Tears ran unchecked down my face, and I didn’t bother wiping them. Char was alive, but that didn’t make me feel better at all. The higher I climbed, the more familiar everything became. I realized Dimitri dragged me to the pier after his heroic rescue, and that was what we were climbing. The momentary grief was replaced by anger, and I redoubled my efforts. Reaching the top, I flopped over the edge on my back before rolling to my knees. In my pathetic attempt of drowning, I lost one of my daggers. It must’ve slipped from my hand, but that was something I could definitely fix. While I fought my panic under water, it was hard to focus on magic, which was no longer the case. I got on my feet at the same time the wolf joined me, and we faced the mages together.
“Thig air ais.”“Come back.”With one arm outstretched toward the churning ocean, I called on my dagger. It lifted from the slapping water and flew into my palm, its weight settling there. I no longer cared who saw my magic or who found out I was a witch. Refusing to turn at the ocean that had tried to take my life and my friend from me, I zeroed in on the two mages.
“Let’s kill them.” Without waiting on the wolf, I sprinted down the length of the pier.
Chapter Eleven
