Page 29 of Magic Claimed
I was stronger. Than. The. Alpha.
It took me hours to wander my way back and if that collar wasn’t on my neck, I would have run and run and run. Away from everything. The castle. Esoti. My mates…I ignored the way my heart jolted when I thought of leaving them. A bit of fun in a forest wasn’t enough to change my mind.
I had to make Eike and Alerick see me like Jarom did. Nothing more than dirt under their feet. An inconvenience. I had to control my wolf enough to do that, because she wanted them with a ferocity that was unequalled. She didn’t think of them as being trapped. She saw them as desirable, worthy mates. She trusted that fate had chosen well for her.
Well, fuck fate. Fate had thrown me at the mercy of a mother who’d sold me for the price of a meal to Esoti when I’d been too young to remember. Fate and I were not on friendly terms.
I would not be owned. Never again. And now I knew I had some sort of power in my body, there might be a way to get rid of this collar and then I would disappear and not look back.
I had to work out a way to get the collar off. Esoti had spelled it with a powerful incantation and he was an all-powerful warlock. But I’d been a slave all of my life. I knew how to work things out. I knew how to look after myself simply because I’d had to, but for the first time in my life, I had hope.
I padded around the stables as the sun kissed the horizon, keeping to the shadow in the space between the wall and the ground. My wolf was replete from her run and when I released my metaphorical arms from about her neck, I stood on two legs instead of four. A slow smile crossed my face.
I stole another dress from the rag bin and slipped into the kitchen to wait for Cook to put together Esoti’s breakfast so I could attend to him. Nobody saw me slink into the kitchen.
Cook only looked for me when the tray was ready, and she gestured for me to take it. My mind spun with possibilities as I trudged up the stairs. Today was different. Today I had a chance. Nothing would hold me back. I’d take Gilda and we would go.
I would go straight to the outlands. Esoti would never find me. The wolf Alpha and his seconds would never find me. The bond would shrivel and die and they would find another mate. A true mate that would stand by them and who knew what it took to be an Alpha’s mate. A true mate who wanted them.
My wolf whined, thumping me with her head and waking me with her tail. Jealousy raced through me, making me stumble. Her jealousy. Not mine. I pushed her down, locking the door. It didn’t matter what she thought. Nothing between me and the wolves would happen.
It was with that hollow thought I rapped on Esoti’s chamber door, but nothing could prepare me to face not only Esoti, but also Titan and Drisella. It was unheard of that they’d come for a second visit so close to their last.
“Good morning.” Esoti’s calculating smile sent an icy shiver up my spine. My fingers clenched around the tray and my shaking hands made the cutlery rattle. He knew about my wolf. He must, otherwise why look at me like he did. Heat flushed through my body while my mind spun in haphazard circles. A tingle raced over me as Esoti’s magic closed the door behind me. The snick of the lock made me jump.
My gaze fell to the wand Esoti twirled in his hands. “You’re wondering about this? Ah, this is the wand you should have retrieved from Samuel and you’re about to test it out this morning, my slave.”
Chapter Sixteen
Esoti made me serve them all breakfast and wait before my torture session. Esoti enquired about the Dragon shifters. Their territory was closest to Drisella’s, and then Titan spoke about the Panther shifters. Their territory was under his tender loving care, poor bastards. Apparently, the shifters weren’t happy, but Drisella and Titan didn’t care. They would make them work harder so they would be too tired for any sort of upheaval. I’m sure they talked to make my nerves extra frayed.
It worked.
“You may clear this.”
My hands seemed to not have any strength left in them. A mug slipped through my numb fingers, exploding into shards when it hit the floor. My heart stopped beating and my blood turned to sludge. I stopped, still as a statue, waiting for Esoti’s reaction.
Drisella clicked her tongue. “Enough of this, Esoti. Let us start.”
“Very well.” Esoti wiped his hands on his napkin, sounding as if torturing me was a bother to him. “On your knees.”
I sank to the floor, not sure if it was Esoti’s command or that my knees gave out first. Usually I would subvert my gaze, but today? Fuck him. I stared boldly up at Esoti, not bothering to keep the hatred out of my eyes. It writhed beneath my skin, as strong and as powerful as my wolf, beating at my bones to get out. If it could break out of my skin, I’d let it consume me.
“Oh, look at her expression, Esoti. Pure infatuation.” Titan laughed as though I did this to provide him with entertainment. I let my gaze slide to him, which only made him hoot louder. “I haven’t been this entertained in years. Go ahead, Esoti. Let’s see you beat that defiance out of her.”
I didn’t miss the cold smile that crossed Esoti’s lips. “A wager we’ll get what we need this time?”
Titan threw his scrunched up napkin on the table. “A wager it is. Ten bars of gold up for grabs. What say you, Drisella?”
Drisella leaned back in her chair, slinging her arm around the back. Her black eyes glittered with malice. “Nothing. I believe this time she’ll shatter into a thousand pieces and we’ll be rid of her for good.”
“Ten bars it is then.” Esoti towered over me and pointed the wand at me.
I steeled myself, tightening my hold around my wolf. She burrowed deep. The glimmering golden light burst throughout me, warming my limbs and infusing me with so much power I don’t know how I didn’t glow with light.
Lightning streaked from the wand and my body went rigid as pure electricity shot through me. My arms fell wide, my back arched and I bowed backwards on my knees, magic locking me within its grip. Agony shredded my skin, ripped through muscle and sunk into my bones. Fire licked my insides, raced up my spine and infused into my mind. Every cell rattled in my brain, erupting through my synapses, shooting along pathways buried deep within my mind and flowing like acid.
The golden light followed the path of the burning magic, soothing its corrosive path. Instead of the blackness that normally came with such a magical assault, I stayed within my senses. I rose from the pain of my body, hovering above myself, a part of my mind and yet not. At least I was free from the scouring pain, gratefully floating in numbing clouds.
