Page 62 of Bite of Passage
The girl pressed her lips together.
Gemma moved toward her.Not the smartest choice, but the girl was hurting, an angle she could use.Now to figure out how to help her.“I’m not a big fan of hers.Are you?”
The girl pointed a gnarly twig at her and shuffled a few feet backward.“Stay back.”
“Is that a wand?A genuine magic wand?That is so freaking cool.”She held up her hands in a sign of surrender.“Sorry.I’m staying still.All of this is new to me.Magical things like wands and vampires and witches are only in stories where I’m from.It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact the wand might be real.”
“Get back,” she screeched.“Of course it’s real.”
Hands still up, Gemma remained motionless.“I’m a non-magical human who’s jazzed to be back in your world.I guess falling through a mirror doesn’t help you believe me, but you’re way more powerful than me.”
“I’ll use this on you.”
“Are you going to turn me into an animal or cast a freeze spell like you did on Cade?”
The wand flicked ominously.
“I’m a nurse…a person who works with injuries and sick people.Let me examine your leg and see if I can help.”
The girl jerked backward, eyebrows raised and jaw slack.She snapped her mouth shut.“Why would you help me?”
“It’s what I do.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.”Gemma released an exasperated sigh.“Why is everyone in this world always telling me they’re fine when they’re not?Vampires, dwarves, now you.What are you?A witch or a mage?”
“Most label me a witch.”
“How about I see if I can help your leg.I don’t have any ulterior motive other than to help you at the moment.Okay, that’s not entirely true.I won’t lie.I really want to get out of Petra’s place.Apparently, she’s trying to kill me right now.Seems like that witch is always trying to kill everyone around her.”She didn’t break eye contact with the girl.“You keep the wand pointed at me.If you think I’m going to do something to hurt you, use it.”
“You can’t do anything for me.Don’t touch me.”She shook the wand.
“How do you know I can’t help?”
“It’s impossible.The person who placed it has to remove it,” she snapped.“Why’re you here?What dimension did you come from?”
“Good questions.Go ahead and cast a freeze spell, but maybe keep it so I can talk.Then we can chitchat.”I sure hope the bracelet works.
The girl chanted a few words and waved the wand in her direction.She made a small sound of distress and blew on her fingers as if they burned.
“I’m waiting.”Gemma wiggled her fingers to check if she could still move.“Still not frozen.”
“My magic doesn’t work against Vorche magic.”She squinted at her and then glanced to Cade as if seeking confirmation that whatever suspicion she had might be correct.“What are you?”
“Human.Non-magical.Definitely not part dwarf.Maybe you onlythinkit’s a real wand, but it doesn’t really work.It’s okay.I’ve bought bogus stuff online before too.You should ask for a refund.”A side-glance to Cade found amusement in his gaze.
“It works.”She examined the wand, muttered something, and flicked it in her direction again.
“I have medical training, but, full disclosure, I’m not a doctor.Let me take a peek at your leg.Do you have somewhere else you need to be right now?I don’t.Well, other than getting the hell out of here, but I suspect doing so requires going through that door, which is likely locked.”
“How do I know you won’t attack me?”
“I won’t.I swear on my soul.I legit want to help you.”
The girl sat on a stool and waved at her leg.She kept the wand raised and pointed at her.
Gemma lifted the girl’s well-worn skirt.Yet, she kept it modest so she didn’t flash more of the girl’s leg than was necessary.Around her lower thigh, right above her knee, a golden band less than a half inch wide dug into the skin of her leg.Bruising surrounded the band.
