Page 58 of Magic Claimed
Sedric bolted towards us from the corridor. “Gather some clothing for us and for Serafine. Quickly. There is no time to waste.”
Sedric bobbed his head. “Yes, Second.” He dashed back down the hallway.
“The collar is tightening. She has to go back,” Jarom said, swallowing deeply. The flow of emotions was disconcerting. I wasn’t used to such potent feelings pumping into me. I whined, shaking my head as though to dislodge them. Alerick cursed under his breath.
“Mute yourself, Jarom,” Alerick said evenly, then to me, “Can you use your magic to break the collar?”
Could I? I…didn’t know. I’d used the ancient magic to heal Jarom, but we were bonded now. Maybe I could draw from the bond magic and use it on the collar. I closed my eyes, sinking into the comfortable magic of the bond. Rose light brushed against mine and Jarom’s strength merged into me, bolstering me. In the distance, waiting, was a silver and cyan glow. Alerick and Eike’s souls. Their concern touched me through their connection to Jarom, but it still wasn’t a part of me.
I sunk into my bond with Jarom, letting the power merge with my natural magic, and focused it on the collar. I sent a rush of power into the metal. It heated, burning my fur and my skin, growing hotter until there was a band of agony about my neck. The metal remained immovable.
My magic wasn’t strong enough. A stronger well of bond magic was out of reach. It floated beneath me, calm and undulating and no matter how I willed it, it wouldn’t move it.
My neck was alive with white hot pain. I shook, barely able to stand. Alerick stroked my fur. Jarom and Eike’s hands patted me, their touch comforting, lending me their strength.
“Little Mate. Stop trying,” Alerick said.
I had stopped, but the metal had burned my skin. My neck was raw flesh.
Jarom cursed, “Why did you ask her to do that?”
“I thought it would help,” Alerick said. He clenched his teeth so hard the muscle at his temple ticked. “If she can get the collar off, she won’t have to go back…”
I wouldn’t have tried if I’d known it wouldn’t work. I nudged him with my nose, letting him know I didn’t blame him.
“We need Anise,” Jarom said.
“She’s still hidden, but I can get her,” Eike said. “I was on my way back when I saw the attack.”
“Tell me what happened,” Alerick said, his gaze darting to Jarom.
Jarom gave Alerick and Eike a run-down of coming face to face with Solis and Esoti’s guards. Alerick’s expression hardened enough to cut diamonds.
“It was a ruse. Esoti had me wait through the night for him to ask me a simple question after he’d had his morning tea. It’s clear he was waiting for his men to sneak around in our Territory. They were looking for something. It’s not safe for Anise to return,” Alerick said.
“It’s not safe for Serafine to go back to Esoti,” Eike said.
“You think I don’t know that!” Alerick roared, ploughing his hands through his hair.
I didn’t want to go back either, but I didn’t have a choice. There was no need for them to beat themselves up, knowing none of us had a choice.
Sedric returned with a tightly wrapped bundle in his hands. “I have what you need, Alpha. Take this with you when you Change.”
Alericks’ shoulders were stiff and strained when he stood and removed his clothing, leaving them in a heap on the floor. My mates surrounded me in their human forms. Despite the pain from the burn, desire thrummed through me just at a glance of their magnificent bodies.
“We will not let Esoti take you from us. The only way we can beat him is to get him at his weakest. We need that key, Little Mate. If you can, you must do your best and get it from him. I will end him and I will end his rule over you.” The power of Alerick’s words rolled through me.
Rage fired inside me. Rage at what Esoti had put me through. He’d stolen my life. My past and if I allowed it, he would steal my mates and my future. I would not stand by and let Esoti destroy Alerick, Jarom and Eike.
My parents had died to put ancient magic inside me. My mother had traded her life to keep me alive. I might not know the reasons for their sacrifice, but I knew I had to fight. Their sacrifice would not be in vain. I wasn’t the same slave as I was a few days ago.
I had magic of my own.
I would fight.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The collar was a constant constriction about my neck, which could tighten further at any moment. Thanks to my wolf, the burn was healing fast. My skin was still raw, but now it itched and I was grateful for it.
