by Janeal Falor
“Chadwick? Xyer? Conrad?”
There’s no response. What do I do? When did they stop following me? Why did they stop? Why did I have to go and get so distracted to the point where I’m not even paying attention? Something is very wrong. Love should have waited until next week to warm my life. Because I let it distract me, I’m chilled through my core.
“Chadwick?”
A clatter echoes, making me jump. Where did it come from? I doubt it was Chadwick or another guard. Do I try to find them, or go for help? If they were attacked, I don’t know how many warlocks have them, or if we just somehow got separated. Somehow. Right. The best thing to do is go for help. Lukas will know how to find him and get others to help. I quickly turn and jog toward the field.
What if Lukas isn’t there? I banish the thought. It can’t be allowed.
There are footsteps behind me. I turn, hoping to see Chadwick or someone familiar, but there’s no one. I almost call his name again, but fear clogs my words from coming. Something is really wrong. I have to get out of here and get help finding my guards.
No time to just run. I zap several message spells to Zade, Lukas, and Chadwick, though with Chadwick missing I don’t know if sending him one will do any good. Once they’re out of my control, I turn and sprint for the field.
Before I’ve taken more than a few steps something gray smears the corner of my vision before smashing into the side of my head. Pain explodes through me. Hands grab me. I try to call out, but the world is going black…
Chapter Forty
My head hurts. Everything looks blurry.
“Make her swallow it while she’s still waking up.”
Something is jammed against my lips. I tighten them, not allowing anything past.
“She has to drink it, idiot. Make her!”
“I’m trying.”
The words help to clear my mind a little, but my skull still feels hexed. There are enough thoughts working to know that this isn’t a good thing. What are they trying to make me drink? Poison?
I buck against the arms holding me, keeping me down. They give a little, but not enough to break free. My efforts are weak and wasted. My head buzzes. I open my eyes to find hooded figures above me, faces hidden within the folds. A cup moves toward me. Whatever they’re trying to force me to drink smells of dirt. Why would anyone care if I drank something disgusting? It must be poison. They’re trying to kill me since nothing else has worked.
But then a memory comes to me, distant from the ache in my head but still close enough to have the details I need. Details of Serena telling me never to drink the stuff. Something to do with not being herself and unable to control her actions.
The man squeezes his fingers into my jaw, trying to force it open. My best efforts aren't enough. I fail to stop him, and it pops open. I try to squirm away, but it’s not enough to do any good. The earthy-smelling liquid spills into my mouth. Can’t lose control of myself now. Panic closes my throat. I try to spit it back out, but he smashes his hand over my mouth. Still, I refuse to swallow it. Instead its foulness sloshes around my mouth.
“Hurry it up. Someone’s coming,” the unseen voice says.
Even if it is someone they want to get away from, it’s doubtful it’s someone that will want to help me, either. Unless it’s someone I sent a message to, but I can’t be sure. I can’t be sure of anything other than I need to do everything I can. Starting with spitting out this liquid dirt.
My attackers look up, and I take advantage of the moment to envision punching the man holding me in the stomach. Once the vision is clear in my head, I gather my magic and thrust it toward him. Red hot light burns from my hand straight for him. The moment it hits, the man lets go in a howling rage, flying away from me.
I spring to my feet, spitting out the foul drink. My head pounds as I spit again and again, trying to clear it from my mouth. The other man, the one I wasn’t able to see before, is already on the run, not stopping to help his cohort. Better than coming for me. I spit again, keeping an eye on both the retreating warlock and the unconscious one.
The footsteps they were so worried about stroll closer. When I turn to see who they’re coming from, hoping for Chadwick, the heaviness in my chest sinks further. It’s a warlock I don’t recognize. The attackers didn’t want to be seen, so he must not be with him. It would be nice if he stopped to help, but he’ll probably find something to curse at me for.
When he brushes past us as if nothing was amiss, shock leaves me unable to move. Blast him. At least if he would have stopped, it would have brought some sort of attention to the situation and hopefully Zade or Lukas would have heard about it. Shouldn’t be surprised, but after spending so much time with decent warlocks, the real world no longer seems real.
I check the man on the ground. He’s moaning in a ball, while clutching his stomach, thankfully still unconscious. Probably sent too much power at him, but there wasn’t time to better control it, and if I hadn’t, I wouldn't have been able to stop them. Besides, it’s hard to feel too bad about it. The man attacked me and was trying to force me to drink something bad. I refuse to feel guilty. If only someone would tell my guilt that.
What to do now, though? If I stay here, I’ll be late. But the man, attacker or not, needs help. I may have hexed him like father, but I won’t turn all the way like a vicious warlock and hex without mercy. Even if he was trying to do, well, whatever it was that drink would have done to me.
Also, I need to find out what happened to the guards. Did these men do something to them and that’s why they weren’t here? Or did the men come because we got separated somehow? It couldn't have been five minutes since I last saw them. But I still don’t know where to look. Besides, they should have gotten my note by now. Why aren’t they here?
Moving much slower than I want, I turn toward the tournament field. There’s no telling how long I was out for. I doubt it was very long. The sun doesn’t seem any further up in the sky, but it could still be late enough that I’ve forfeited my spot if I had an early fight. Is anyone wondering where Chadwick and I are?
I run as fast and hard as I can, breezing by the man who so completely ignored me a moment ago. I hope he trips over a rock.
The closer I get, the more crowded it becomes. People everywhere, not just warlocks but more women than I’m accustomed to. It’s definitely later than I usually arrive. I can only hope I’m not too late. Finally, I spot Lukas and Zade talking, both look agitated.
“Where have you been?” Zade asks.
“And where’s Chadwick?” Lukas adds.
I’m gasping for air too hard to let out words, sharp pangs in my chest with each breath. I grasp the sides of my stomach and bend in half, trying to catch my breath. As soon as I’m able, I say, “Don’t know. Attacked.”
Lukas and Zade exchange a quick glance and then Lukas pulls me off to the side, away from the crowd of people while Zade takes off as fast as he can with his limp.
“Is he going to find Chadwick?”
“Yes. What happened?”
I explain as quickly as the words will come without leaving out any details, making sure to let them know about the attacker that needs help and may offer clues. Except I do leave out the detail about being distracted by thoughts of him and that’s why I didn’t realize my guards were gone sooner.
“I’ll see what we can do about it after your duel, but you’ve got to go now or you’ll be disqualified. Middle field, right corner. Run. I’ll follow.”
And I do. I pump my legs as hard and as fast as I can. There’s too much running going on this morning. I bump into a few warlocks standing between me and where I’m supposed to be. I don’t even have time to apologize, though. I feel bad. They may treat me horrid, but I don’t want to do the same to them. Don't want to be like Father. I only want them to respect me. But there’s not time.
The dueling ring I need to be at is in sight. The judge and the other dueler are already there. The dueler looks bored, but the judge waits ne
xt to Chancellor Ryan, both with victorious looks gleaming their faces. Stupid warlocks. Despite what they think, I’m not going to be late. I push myself the last stretch and come to a crashing halt just outside the ring.
The smirk wipes from the judge’s face, but Chancellor Ryan’s grin grows. “Glad you could finally join us.” He strides to me and leans over. Lukas tilts closer, but doesn’t interfere. I’m scared of what the Chancellor is going to do.
“Now,” the Chancellor whispers in my ear, “you are not going to cast a single spell during your next duel.”
I lean away from him and say loud enough for everyone to hear. “Excuse me?”
His forehead wrinkles, but he repeats it again, a little louder.
I don’t know if anyone else can hear him or not, but he’s clearly expecting me to comply. And why? Is this a threat of some kind, or am I just supposed to listen to him because he’s on the council?
“I don’t think so.”
“But you’re supposed to—” He stops himself and scowls.
“Supposed to what?” The drink, the one that makes me lose control of myself. He knew about it, probably set it up. What a surprise for him. “I think the only thing I’m supposed to do right now is defeat another opponent. If you’ll please excuse me.”
I brush past him, trying not to think about the vicious scowl on his face, and focus on the duel. The judge looks unhappier than ever, eyes darting between me and the chancellor.
“Enter,” he says.
I wish for more time to clear my thoughts and to find out if Zade found my guards. But there’s not time for a reprieve, even if worry for them is trying to distract me, I have to push the thoughts aside. I step into the ring. My opponent no longer looks bored. His eyes gleam as he takes me in, raising his hands toward me with a smirk.
I block before I even see the spell coming. Whatever the spell is, the look in his eye says it’s deadly. A black light, with red and orange twisting through it, hurtles toward my silver wall, and doesn’t just crash into it. It sinks into it, becoming part of it. My power stumbles, shield weakening as my power does.
Umpf. I shove my power into the shield as hard I can, but it’s not enough. The black spell continues seeping into my shield, getting closer and closer, tugging more and more power away from me. Draining me and destroying my shield.
The magic that usually dances within me is growing dim. I try to rein my power back in, to call some of it back to me, but it’s sluggish, as if it torn between being drained away and heeding my directions. My heart races with the certainty that if I can’t figure a way out of this, it will never beat again.
While keeping the ever-weakening shield up, I ready another spell to throw at him. But his spell is attacking from all around. Maybe he saw me sneak a spell around before because he hasn’t left an opening to do that now. I’ll have to surge through. Sweat beads on me. It’s risky, opening the shield up enough to let my spell out may let his in, but if I don’t, his spell is going to get through, and I don’t know if I’ll survive it.
I reach deep inside, but focusing while keeping the wall up is difficult. Death is nearing. Being out of breath from the jog here, I’m just tired. So tired. Exhaustion is weakening my limbs and magic. Making everything heavy. Which gives me an idea.
I gather the magic together, but focus on how weak I am, how my limbs drag and my arm struggles to stay raised. When my thoughts and magic are drenched with fatigue, I thrust it out with the last of my energy as fast and as hard as I can, leaving a spot in my shield open just big and long enough for it to sneak by. My opponent is so focused on his spell, he doesn’t even react to the dark blue and silver -glittering spell flying straight at his head. The instant it hits, he collapses to the ground.
His spell dissipates and I let my shield fall and sink to the ground. His spell never hit. I did, though. I hit him and effectively used a shield against his power sucking. I’ve won.
But my muscles ache. What little power is left inside me is bobbing weakly. Someone is booing, at me, certainly. Others are crying out. Something about death. They think I killed him. It’s possible, I suppose, though I shudder to think it. I’ve never tried a spell like this before.
Thoughts are struggling to surface. To make sense. Whatever else the case may be, I hope he’s still alive. I don’t want to lose, but I don’t want to kill someone either.
It’s getting harder and harder to care. To push past the darkness oozing over me. The world sways as I struggle to maintain myself. I sink further to the ground, and further. Everything is thick, weighty. Then the world once again goes black.
Chapter Forty-One
I’m lying down. Somewhere soft, but cold, except my right side, which is warm and welcoming. I shift closer to the warmth. It pulls me near and a sigh escapes me. Peace drifting through me. Then I realize the warmth smells spicy, sort of like Lukas. Why does it smell like Lukas? I open my eyes and see Lukas brushed up against my side. I jolt into a sitting position and turn away so he won’t see the heat flushing my cheeks.
The cold replacing his warmth is sudden and brisk from the slight wind that's picked up in the waiting area, but does nothing to ease the heat in my cheeks. It would be so much less troublesome if he hadn’t been the cause of my not paying enough attention to my surroundings this morning. The thought rids the heat in my face.
“Did Zade find them? Are they well?”
“He found Chadwick and Xyer. They’ll both be fine. Though your attacker was gone by the time he got there.” Answers from him would have been nice, but the wellbeing of those helping me is more important. Tension relaxes from me as he continues. “Someone knocked him unconscious, but he doesn’t remember who, or why it happened. Only that one moment he was following behind you, and the next, Zade was waking him up with a spell. He’ll be fine though. Just really embarrassed that he let his guard down.”
I know how he feels, though I’m sure his excuse is different than mine. It’s a really bad excuse. Finally, I face Lukas. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“But it is.”
“You are not the one that attacked him or the one that can’t handle seeing a woman take control of her life. None of this is your fault.”
I almost stay silent, but it’s Lukas. “I didn’t notice anything happen to him.”
“It’s fine. He didn’t see it coming either.”
“Except I didn’t see it coming because I was thinking about last night. About you and me.”
“Ah.” He nods his head like he understands but then leans closer so I don’t think he does. “And if you weren’t thinking about us, you would have noticed someone sneaking up on a trained warlock even when that highly-trained warlock didn’t notice?”
“When you put it that way…”
“I know you’re scared to let yourself feel. I know this life hasn’t been easy. It hasn’t allowed for love that's good and true. But, Cyn, it’s not a bad thing. I’ll give you the time and space you need, but I hope you soon learn that bad things happen whether or not you love, but it’s love that can help pull you away from those bad things. And when you do learn, I’ll be here.”
I turn back away from him, not because of blushing or because of not wanting to see him, but because there’s so much tumbling about inside, it’s hard to focus on my feelings.
“How long have I been out?”
“Only about five minutes.”
Much shorter than I thought. “The duel. What happened? I won, correct? My opponent, is he…dead?”
He’s silent a moment. “No. I don’t know what you did to him, but he’s alive. Just still unconscious.”
A tension I didn’t realize was sprung tightly inside me eases, leaving me feeling like I’ll topple. “I tried a sleep spell on him.”
“Ah. Lunk should have known to block it. Did you put much magic behind it?”
“Everything I had left. Didn’t feel like much, I was really worn from being attacked this mor
ning, and his spell was eating through my shield like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
“It was enough. He’s out cold. They haven’t been able to wake him.”
I hope he wakes soon. “Do you know what spell he cast that would eat through my shield like that? It felt like death, but the other death spells haven’t felt like that.”
“I don’t know. Maybe he found a way to focus the spell on draining someone else’s magic, but he’d have to be strong to do so.”
“That’s comforting. Next time I duel, someone’s spell may try to gnaw through my shield while draining me of my power.”
“Don’t worry, Cyn, you only have to tap them with your sleep spell and they’ll be out before that can happen.”
The tone of his voice makes me smile despite myself, but it doesn’t last. “You don’t think my spell did any permanent damage, do you? Is he truly going to wake and be fine?”
“More so than he deserves. Don’t worry about him. Worry about you. You still have more duels to take care of.”
Speaking of more duels. “I shouldn’t be this aware. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, after running and fighting. Never have I been so drained before, but I feel fine. If I haven’t slept the day away and missed all my duels, how is that possible?”
“That uh, may have been me.”
I lift my eyebrow at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I may have healed you.” He rubs his forehead. “I know you like doing things yourself, but you were unconscious, and I wanted to help.”
“No, thank you. I appreciate you helping me.” If only he could rest my magic up as well. It’s not as sluggish as before but not jumping about either. “Wait, you said Xyer and Chadwick. What about Conrad?”
He presses his lips together like he doesn't want to tell me, and then he gives a sigh.“He’s missing.”
