by D. G. Swank
No! I tried to shout, but my body wouldn’t work. I watched helplessly as the orb landed on her hand. There was another flash of light, and when I opened my eyes, the orb had disappeared.
I heard Donall’s shouts in the distance, getting louder as he and his men grew closer, but I still couldn’t move. I quickly cast an invisibility glamour over Logan and me, masking our thoughts too. Next I glamoured the book. My father and Celeste knew where it was, but hopefully I’d be able to move it before they went to look for it. Last, I tried to hide Celeste, but my magic bounced off her as though she’d put up some kind of anti-magic shield.
“Rowan!” Donall shouted as he walked into the room, coming to a full stop before he nearly stepped on my father.
“Celeste?” He seemed taken aback. “Where’s Rowan?”
“She took off with that man she was with. They have the book.”
“Why are you here?” he asked.
“I came to free the orb.” She held up her right hand and a blue light shone from her.
“You took it?” he roared, getting pissed.
“I freed it.”
He shot her a dark glare. “I’m going to need that back.”
“That’s impossible,” she said. “If you kill me, you’ll never get it back. I’m the only one who can free it.”
She’d lied. To protect me.
I had no idea what she was doing, but she was in serious trouble, and I had to help her. Only I couldn’t move. I was still paralyzed by her magic.
“We have to get that book back,” Donall said in frustration, then turned his attention to our father. “Did you kill him?”
“No,” Celeste said. “But he’ll likely be incapacitated for several minutes.”
Donall gave her a long, appraising look. “Why did you come back?”
She hesitated, then finally said, “The book called out to me. Rowan stole it, but at least I have the orb.”
“Why didn’t you run with your sister?”
Her expression morphed into surprise. “Why would I? Our coven bond is broken, thanks to you, and she and I were never close. Why would I go with her when my destiny lies elsewhere?”
It was his turn to look taken aback. “And where would that be?”
“You once offered me the hope of controlling my magic. Is the offer still good?”
If I hadn’t been paralyzed, I would have tackled her. Maybe she was playing him, but her power had already strained her mind, emotions, and body before all of this went down. What would it do now that she had that orb?
Strangely, I found myself thinking of Lisa. Lisa, who’d healed me but not Marni. Lisa, whose power might actually help Celeste.
“You want to join forces with the Dark Set?” Donall asked in surprise.
“For now. But if I come willingly, I want to have the freedom to leave when the time comes.”
“And go back to your sisters?” he said in a dull tone.
“No,” she said, with no hint of remorse. “I’ve outgrown them. Do I have your word?”
He paused as though considering it. “Yes. Now we have to get out of here before my fool brother and his men find me.”
Brandon and the Protective Force was here? They must have been the cause of the commotion. I’d never been happier to be wrong about someone, but I still intended to kick his ass for making me worry.
Donall shouted into the hallway for assistance, and two men rushed in. The guards carried my father away, but Donall allowed Celeste to follow them on her own free will. She stopped at the door, placing her hand on the doorjamb.
“I know you don’t understand,” she said in a low voice. “But I hope it all becomes clear someday—and that you know how much I love you and Phoebe, which is why it has to be me.”
Then she walked out the door.
It took another five minutes before I could move. Once I knew I could defend myself and Logan, I removed our glamour and crawled over to him.
“Logan,” I cried out, grabbing his arm. “Are you okay?”
He released a low groan. “No offense, Ro, but your sister’s a bitch.”
I could see why he thought so, but I knew differently. “We need to get out of here. Can you move yet?”
He pushed himself into a sitting position. “I’ve been telling you that all night. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
I grabbed the book, but left it glamoured, then grabbed Logan’s hand and laced our fingers together, feeling the need to touch him.
He leaned over and kissed me. “This night sucks.”
I grinned. “This whole week has sucked.”
A wicked gleam filled his eyes. “Not all of it. But you can make up for the rest when this is all resolved.”
I frowned. “I’m not sure when this will be resolved. We may have the book, but they have Celeste. And the orb.”
He shrugged. “Then I’ll wait. I’ve told you, Ro, I’m not going anywhere.”
For the first time in my life, I let myself believe someone really did want to be there for me. Phoebe and I needed to defeat the Dark Set and Donall. We needed to find Celeste and bring her home. Most importantly, we had to control the book and keep it from being used.
Through it all, Logan intended to stick to my side.
Selfishly, I liked the sound of that.
Just as I was about to glamour us to make our escape, I heard a familiar voice.
“Where is she?” Phoebe demanded, which sounded off for her normally sweet voice.
I rushed out into the hall to greet her, pulling her into a tight hug.
“Celeste is missing, Ro,” Phoebe said. “We have to find her.”
“I know who she’s with,” I said. “I have a lot to tell you. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Logan wrapped his arm around my shoulders and challenged Phoebe with a fixed stare. “I’m Logan, and I’m Rowan’s boyfriend. I’m not a mage, but you need to know I’m not going anywhere.”
She glanced up at him, then grinned. “I like him.”
I did too. And right or wrong, I wasn’t letting him go.
Crown of Blood
Book of Sindal #3
August 6, 2019
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