Fated Magic (The Fated Saga Book 2)

by Sariah Skye

  I snorted. “Is that what it's about? Power? How fucking lame.”

  “Then why you need us?” Maxxus demanded.

  “You both have unique skills that make us more powerful. It's only a matter of time before we make ourselves known in the world, and with you it'll be that much easier to take control, once and for all!” Nicodemus struggled and fought, Maxxus continued to pin him to the ground before he was thrown off. There was a blur of black haze and Nicodemus shifted into his dragon form.

  “You'll be a great addition to the Shadows!” Nicodemus shouted, and I felt the hair stand on the back of my neck.

  Maxxus cursed, and his sword dropped to the ground as he shifted into his own form, throwing himself in front of us as Nicodemus spewed a blast of fire.

  “Shit!” I threw up a magic shield in front of us, hoping I'd caught Maxxus in enough time so he wouldn't be scalded by Nicodemus' nasty fire.

  “I can't believe I considered you a confidante!” Maxxus stalked Nicodemus. The Shadows bolstered Nicodemus' black form somewhat, but still, Maxxus was intimidatingly large in his huge dragon form. He threw his head back and I pushed my grandfather back as Maxxus summoned a massive green flame, spewing it all over in front of him.

  Nicodemus roared, tossing his head back and meeting Maxxus' earthen fire with his own brand of... Shadow fire?

  “The fuck?” I muttered, nudging my grandfather.

  “I have never seen anything like it,” he mumbled. We both took a couple steps backward. Sure, I was powerful but I wouldn't be powerful if I was incinerated to a crisp, leaving my beloved grandfather vulnerable.

  “Maxxus is... amazing,” I said, awed. Nicodemus and Maxxus tried to incinerate the other with their fire, but every time the other used more, the other countered. I tried to stifle my ogling, but... Maxxus was impressive. With Nicodemus' Shadow magic bolstering his arcane Maxxus should have been burnt toast, but he was deftly holding his own and giving the black psycho dragon a run for his money.

  I could feel my grandfather's puzzling gaze on me, but I was distracted when Maxxus finally ditched the flame and lunged, jaws agape for Nicodemus' neck.

  “Shit,” I muttered. I smacked my hands together and rubbed for friction, something I saw Gabriel do frequently when summoning a particularly nasty plasma ball. “Hey fucker!” I called to him. Nicodemus clamped his jaw shut and was distracted, looking at me. I flung the crackling magic at him and his him square in the throat. I chuckled to myself, as Nicodemus thudded against the wall and swore all sorts of dragon obscenities at me. “Ha. Magical throat punch. Sweet.”

  “What?” Grandfather whispered next to me.

  I waved him off. This whole thing should be a lot more serious than it was. Perhaps it was the magic, but I wasn't as terrified as I should be.

  I shouldn't have jinxed it. Nicodemus righted himself and before Maxxus could lunge at him once more, Nicodemus let out a low growl and his Shadow fire trickled out of his nose like a leaky faucet. One inhale and it spewed outward with force and shot it directly at me.

  I attempted to throw up a magic shield, but I wasn't fast enough. The fire enveloped me and seared my flesh, but it wasn't hot. It felt like a tearing sensation, ripping away my sanity. My snarky feelings were replaced with panic and despair as it spun and twisted around my middle, squeezing.

  “No!” Maxxus hollered. His wings beat heavily as he attempted to leap for me. I cried out helplessly as the black dragon shot his Shadow magic to him, and towards my grandfather. Both of them gasped for air as the Shadows spun around their chest and throats, shoving and pinning them to the ground.

  Nicodemus laughed uproariously. “Oh, it's too easy!” he cackled triumphantly, the Shadows wrapping around me tighter. I felt tears pang at my eyes. Involuntarily I cried out “Stop...”

  “This is easier than tricking that human of yours into stalking you and trying to kill you,” Nicodemus said with an evil laugh, beating his wings up and down, powering his Shadow magic around the room. It engulfed the three of us and drifted around the room directly behind us like a menacing fog.

  I tried to speak, but I had a hard enough time breathing with the magic directly over my chest. Instead, I gasped for air. It was him that used Kit?

  “How did you get to her?” Maxxus demanded.

  Nicodemus snickered. “Oh, it was all too easy. I came into your little cafe and hit on your friend.” He scoffed. “Man, she really needs to get out more. She was ripe for the pickings. I flirted with her just a little and told her I was a male witch. She took the bait easily and let everything spill. Before I left, I left a ‘spell book’ on the table and the rest is history.”

  “You're a rotten piece of shit, you know that?” I squeaked, as Nicodemus tightened his magic around me yet again. Just like in the dream, uncomfortable but not enough to cause me to stop breathing.

  Wide-eyed, I caught Maxxus’ brief glower. He mouthed something to me.

  Compel. Him.

  I wasn't sure how I would compel this Shadow touched bastard, especially when it felt like an elephant was on my chest but perhaps I could help that.

  I struggled against the magic, but the more I struggled, like a vice it clamped down on me.

  “Relax... Leo,” my grandfather spoke from nearby. I shot a brief glance at him; he didn't seem to get the full brunt of the magic, thank the Gods. He was already worn from the earlier encounter even though I had healed him; it probably wasn't enough. I still didn't know quite what I was doing.

  Perhaps it was like quicksand; the more you fought it, the quicker you sank. So I took my grandfather's advice and tried to relax. It was difficult; even though my mind wanted to quiet down, my body wanted to jerk and fight against the magic that seemed to have a direct effect in repulsing against mine.

  “Just give it up, fairy dragon,” Nicodemus said, with menace.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. Fairies weren't weak. Nor was I.

  “Never,” I uttered. I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep, albeit rough breath. I imagined the glow of pink light underneath my heart. I pulled at it with my mind and pictured it washing over me, tangling with the ugly Shadows and warming my skin; outwards at first then finally, reaching my fingertips and toes.

  Relax Leo, was my inner mantra to myself as I breathed shallowly but as deeply as I could. I pictured the magic escaping my body and slowly enveloping Maxxus and my grandfather.

  Either Nicodemus was entirely too cocky, stupid or couldn't see, but he continued right on rambling as I cast my magic.

  “Getting her out was—ingenious I will give you that. But, it was only too easy to get her on my side, and just a little harder to get so many Court members on my side,” he snorted. “They didn't even know what hit them; so much fighting and arguing over ridiculous things. Storms and weather. Crops. They didn't even see it coming!” he laughed loudly, a sound that rattled me to my bones. Still, I remained silent and continued casting my magic outward.

  “You've gotten to the Court?” Maxxus asked, his voice audible with concern.

  Nicodemus snorted. “Of course. They will get what's coming to them.”

  “Why?” my grandfather asked. “You could have been a powerful member of the Coterie!”

  “Power?” Nicodemus laughed, smoke billowing out from his nose. “The Court isn't power. Not enough, anyhow. The Shadows provide so much more.”

  I rolled my eyes in irritation. “Ugh, Nico. How fucking cliché. Just like every movie I've ever watched. 'Oh, I want power, I want more power... gimme gimme'.” I scoffed, wiggling my arms slightly, feeling somewhat freer of the Shadows. “You're just like a little child. An immature brat. Whatever it takes to get what you want, huh? So unoriginal.” I wiggled my upper body free of the Shadow tethers and, willed my wings to jut out from my back. But before I could, the spirit magic snapped and Nicodemus turned on me, allowing Maxxus and my grandfather to fall in heaps to the ground with heavy groans. He stalked me quickly and with one toss of his head, thrashed and s
hoved me with the force of a Mack truck against the wall. I flew and landed with a slam, feeling the effect quickly on my leg I landed on as it twisted unnaturally under me. Maxxus roared with fierce anger, but somehow my grandfather stopped him from attacking Nicodemus.

  “Did you really think I'd allow you to do that? I remember what you did in the dreamwalk, you bitch,” Nicodemus stood over me, glowering. His eyes glowed a deep red, almost maroon like clotted blood. He breathed his Shadow fire over me and as it touched my skin, it felt as if I was being burned alive with acrid acid. I cried out in pain which allowed him time to wrap more Shadow magic over me, concentrating specifically over my eyes. He knew that would make it difficult for me to compel him, the bastard. I wondered how he knew.

  Between the burning of the Shadows on my skin and the hot tears stinging in my eyes, I crumpled in a form on the ground, wrapping my arms around my legs and crying out in pain in dragon for him to stop.

  The ground vibrated slightly as Maxxus stormed him, but, with a swish of wings I knew Nicodemus thrust his magic towards him. Maxxus made a strangling sound which wrenched at my heart and caused me to scream bloody murder.

  “Watch! Watch as your beloved green dragon succumbs to my will!” Nicodemus removed the Shadow veil from my eyes somehow, only over one eye. Maxxus writhed and groaned and screamed in terror on the ground as hundreds of tendrils from nowhere erupted from the ground and consumed him, a handful of them stalking my grandfather as well. He appeared panicked as he stepped backward slightly.

  “Stop! No!” I screamed in horror.

  From out of the corner of my eye, I swear I could see a flash of something... blonde? —crawling on the ground. I didn't have time to ponder before the blonde-haired form struggled to his feet and lifted a large mace in the air and down quickly—right into Nicodemus' side.

  “Bastard! Leave my family alone!” my brother Braeden war-cried from seemingly out of nowhere. I hadn't even known he was here—how had he been hidden from me?

  “Brae!” I screamed as Nicodemus roared and spun on his large dragon talons to glare at him.

  Maxxus wasted no time. He shifted quickly into human form, reached his hand out and his silver sword came flying into his grip and in one fell swoop he sliced deftly across the black dragons back.

  He roared in pain.

  “Bind him, Leo!” my grandfather hollered.

  “How?” I cried in panic.

  “Just like he did, just use your magic!” Maxxus insisted, taking another swing at the dragon's back.

  I nodded quickly and pulled at the magic inside me. I gathered the ball of light between my eyes and, as if I were compelling a person in my head. I told it “Bind him.” I shoved the magic towards Nicodemus and it flew with precision and smacked against him like a strong ocean wave. It started at his center and quickly moved outwards, effectively holding him inside a large ball of light where he remain, motionless.

  I sighed with relief and dropped my hands. The second I did, the magic faltered so I quickly held them up, telling them to “Stay!” I didn't know what else to say, but the intention was enough; the magic was held in place if I kept my palms up.

  “Are you okay?” My grandfather crossed the room quickly to my brother, who had stumbled and fell to the ground. Maxxus, realizing he was naked—and I had been too distracted to notice—shifted back into his dragon form followed only, taking a handful of steps. He helped Braeden to his feet.

  “Where did you come from?” he questioned my brother.

  Braeden adjusted his red robes across his chest and brushed at some stray Shadow magic crawling on his legs. “I was in a cell; totally covered. Somehow I was released.” He walked gingerly stumbling slightly, but my grandfather's hands righted him quickly.

  “It must have been when you cast your magic,” Maxxus spoke.

  On cue, several other dragons in their human forms and a couple in their own gray and yellow forms rose, but still leaving over a dozen others crumpled to the ground. They milled about confused, rubbing their eyes and looking at each other quizzically.

  “I did that?” I said in a hush, not wanting to distract myself from binding Nicodemus with the magic shield.

  “I think you did,” Braeden offered me a wry smile. The corners of my mouth upturned as he gently leaned over and offered a brotherly kiss on my cheek. “You're amazing, sis.”

  I blinked rapidly, feeling the tears from his affection form in my eyes. “Stop,” I sniffed. “I need to concentrate.”

  He chuckled lightly. “Sorry. How is—”

  “—she is fine. You should return with us, and ask her yourself,” Maxxus spoke earnestly.

  Braeden exchanged a look with our grandfather and heaved a heavy sigh. “I can't. We have to warn the king and Queen if we aren't already too late. He already took out several Court members as is.” He nodded behind him at a clump of violet robes nearby on the floor. I tried not to gasp.

  “Countess Nyzare.” Kiarra worked for her in the Court; it was likely now she held no position now that the Countess had died.

  Braeden sighed. “As well as at least three others that I know of. You need to go, though. Like, now. He wants you guys, and badly,” he spoke, eying myself and Maxxus in turn.

  “Why us?” I asked, but I had a feeling I already knew.

  “Your skills. Your spirit magic plus Maxxus' weapon magic. Can you imagine what sort of things a dragon with weapon skills like his—” he nodded towards the green dragon, “—and yours combined? You could make magical bombs, basically. Take out entire kingdoms in one fell swoop! Add in your sorcerer boyfriend—” he spat the term out sourly as he wrinkled his face, “—and you're a positively lethal combination. With Shadow magic you could essentially rule the world. Or at least that is what he was saying as he was torturing us,” my brother spoke, meaning him and my grandfather, probably.

  “He's not my boyfriend,” I mumbled stubbornly under my breath, but I lifted a brow at Maxxus. Perhaps that's why our powers were magically bound.

  Maxxus grunted. “He would never succeed in getting us.”

  Braeden laughed with mirth. “No? He nearly got me.” He shivered slightly.

  “He is right. Go, and return with your friends. You'll be more powerful that way. That's the only way you stand a chance,” my grandfather spoke. “By releasing us from his Shadow prison, you will give us time to regroup, heal and warn and hopefully, prevent greater decimation to the Court than what would have been.”

  “Nice work,” Braeden said, winking at Maxxus and myself both in turn, weakly.

  I barely acknowledged him, though, as I clenched my teeth together, feeling my hands and arms become heavy under the strain of the magic. “I am not sure how long I can hold this.”

  Maxxus with his large dragon foot kicked his backpack towards my grandfather. “Aleron, if you would, there is a large silver flask in there. Grab it.”

  My grandfather nodded slightly, reaching down to pick up the pack and shoved his hand in.

  My brother put his hands on my forearms. “Lean on me if you have to,” he spoke in hushed tones.

  I nodded ever so slightly, allowing my arms to go slightly slack in his grip. I breathed a quick sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

  Braeden shook his head. “We will get everyone to safety and try to warn Athalos. Hopefully we can issue an evacuation.”

  I shook my head. “He won't believe you.”

  Braeden sighed. “Maybe not. But we have to try. At least now—” he said, motioning to the confused Shadow victims that were recovering, slowly. “—we will have witnesses to help us get our point across.”

  I bit my lip nervously. “I don't want to leave you guys.”

  My brother grinned playfully. “It's not for long. You'll be back, you'll kick Nico's ass and then you'll go back to torturing mother and father once more, eh?”

  I snickered, nearly dropping the magic. “Shit. Dammit, fine. But I don't like it.”

  “If he gets a hold of you tw
o—and then the sorcerer—Anarach is done. You must save yourselves for now,” Braeden said with a sigh. “Regroup, and come back. Hopefully there will be nothing to come back to, and all you need to do is evacuate the survivors. It's the only way.”

  I nodded.

  My grandfather pulled out a small flask producing it in the air for Maxxus.

  “Be ready to give it to Leo as soon as she drops the magic,” he instructed. “We won't have a ton of time, but it'll have to be enough.”

  “For what?” I asked.

  “It's a liquid portal. A one-way portal back to Minnesota. No telling where it will take us, but anywhere is better than here. Finnian said hopefully within twenty miles of Castle Danger if all works right.”

  I nodded with a grunt. “Okay.”

  “You just pour it on the ground and it will form the portal. Only you and I can go into it though,” he looked sadly at my brother and grandfather. “I am sorry, but we'll be back.”

  My grandfather nodded and stepped closer to me. He unscrewed the flask, tossing the metal top on the ground with a loud clink—startling several of the Shadow-assaulted dragons. He held it next to me.

  Maxxus came to my side and stood very close. “On three.”

  I barely managed a nod, my hands were becoming heavier with each passing second.

  “One. Two. Three!”

  Just as I let my arms fall, my grandfather thrust the flask into my right palm. I threw one last wistful glance at my family members, feeling tearful before I allowed myself to turn the flask over onto the ground. Maxxus spread his wing over me protectively.

  “I love you!” I shouted towards them, gasping slightly as the pink magic around Nicodemus faded and he twitched slightly. The liquid from the flask burned and hissed on the ground and gave one purple colored explosion before rippling in front of us, effectively blocking the sight of them.

  “Let's go!” Maxxus shoved me with his snout into the portal and we twisted and hurdled our way through the void.

  Chapter 14

  I screamed in terror as I splashed head first into a freezing black abyss. The cold was surprising and enveloped me with an unwelcome shock. Still blurry from the portal displacement I blinked with confusion. My lungs felt heavy as I gasped desperately for air.