Witch Unchained (Blackwood Supernatural Prison Book 2)

by Valia Lind

  "If you're going to help, please help now." Even though I whisper as quietly as I can, I know Eric hears me. But he doesn't comment. For that I am thankful. It's already weird enough that I'm talking to an object. Or maybe not. It doesn't feel like the wrong thing to do. Maybe. I study the gorgeous staircase in front of us, but something tells me not yet.

  Slowly, I make my way past some rooms until I find myself in what looks to be a throne room. The turquoise and white of the space is beautiful, but there isn't much in this space. Large chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and red curtains match the red velvet throne situated at one end.

  "You know, I have to use at least a little of the magic," I comment, wiggling my hand back and forth. Eric stares at the bracelet for a moment before nodding his head. I guess that's all the permission I'll get. Tom probably won't be happy, but oh well.

  I take my time, letting a little of my magic seep out, guiding it across surfaces as I walk toward the next room. Nothing specific stands out to me, but there is definitely an undertone of power here. I can't tell if it's from an artifact being present or from residual leftovers from when it was here last.

  "I'm not finding anything specific," I say to Eric. He nods in response.

  We keep walking until we reach a room filled top to bottom with portraits.

  "Wow. That's a lot of faces," I say, feeling instantly self-conscious with so many eyes looking down at me. Truthfully, I've always preferred abstract or landscapes to people paintings. There's something truly unnerving about having so many stares track you through a room.

  "The Portrait Hall."

  "I wonder why they call it that."

  For a second there, Eric almost smiles. I do a slow three-sixty, letting my eyes roam the walls. Still nothing.

  "This isn't going as well as last time."

  "We can't really expect it to always be that easy."

  I roll my eyes, but he's right of course. We definitely lucked out on that last one. Still, you can't blame a girl for being frustrated. I'd like this to be over and done with already. Maybe it's the frustration that ignites my magic to burn a little hotter.

  "Cordelia, what are you doing?"

  "I know Tom said no magic, but I can't find the artifacts without it. This," I point to my wrist, "is begging to be let loose. Do you really want me to keep it caged?"

  Eric stares at the bracelet, mulling over my words. I can see what he's decided even before he speaks.

  "Do your thing."

  I close my eyes because it helps me look inward and reach for that magic. We're becoming friends, her and I. Somehow, the energy that surrounds the bracelet is a she, I can tell.

  "I know you want to find them as much as I do," I say opening my eyes, suddenly no longer weirded out by the fact that I talk to objects now. "But I can't do it without your help."

  Eric's eyes are on me, but I don't look in his direction. Instead, I study the paintings around me, waiting for something to spark. The magic seeps out just a bit, as if it too is being careful. It unfurls around me slowly. I follow its progression, but nothing stands out to me. After a moment longer, I know there's nothing to find here.

  "We have plenty more rooms to search," Eric says. I know he's trying to be helpful, but it doesn't seem to be so.

  "And we're running out of time. I can feel it."

  Something tells me that even if the king's minions aren't here yet, they'll be here soon. We have to be prepared.

  Chapter 6

  "It feels like it's right under the surface," I comment as we step out of the Portrait Hall and proceed to the next room. "But I can't quite find it through all the murk."

  "Nice use of imagery."

  "I do what I can."

  Neither one of smiles at the corny way we're trying to cheer each other up. Or maybe it's just Eric who's trying. I'm failing at this whole thing, but I'm also not failing at feeling. I can't seem to pretend my emotions away when I'm around him. It's getting a bit frustrating.

  My fingers run over the bracelet at my wrist, the power sending little shock waves through my system. It's there. I can feel it. I just don't know what to do about it. I'm sure if I asked Tom, he'd be able to help me figure this out. But I don't trust him. They know I'm connected to the bracelet, but they don't need to know the extent of it.

  "I'm thinking our best bet is to go room by room," I say as we pass a few people admiring the paintings in the hall. "I can't even guess how much time we might have, but..."

  "But it's our best shot. I get it."

  I glance at my companion, but his eyes are on our surroundings. He's tense. I wonder if he can sense something I can't. After all, he's the one with the shifter powers. Before I can think too much of it, the magic tugs at me, as if making sure I'm paying attention.

  "I think we should go this way," I say. While Eric gives me a questioning look, he doesn't speak. Just follows my lead.

  We end up in The Chesma Hall, which Eric names the second we step inside. I pause for a moment to take it all in. These Russians really know how to be extra about everything. This should be a simple room, but instead, it's adorned in golds and silvers. Large paintings take up the majority of the walls, making it look like a mini throne room. I don't think I could even imagine living in such a place for any period of time.

  "What's Chesma?" I ask, partially because I'm curious and partially because I like hearing Eric talk about history.

  "It's a bay where a naval battle took place during the war in the 1700s. The Russians won, and it ended up being one of the greatest naval defeats the Ottomans suffered during that time."

  "Was the painter there?" I study the huge paintings, twelve in all. They portray so much destruction. It feels like I'm in the midst of that battle.

  "No. Interestingly enough, the painter, Hackert if I remember correctly, has never seen a naval battle. So, Catherine Second ended up exploding a frigate in a harbor for him to see. He also didn't research positions during the battle, so this is mostly just a very dramatic depiction of what happened."

  And still, it's a bit breathtaking. So much care and patience went into these images. I couldn't imagine spending so much time on one project. I'm too restless for that.

  Well, besides fighting. I can spend hours practicing my hand to hand or sword combat.

  Tearing my gaze away from the painting in front of me, I give Eric a quick smile and then get down to business.

  Calling on the magic, I let it wander about the room a little. It dances over every wave in the painting, but just like last time, there's nothing. Frustration builds up with every unsuccessful attempt. Soon, I'm going to need some of this magical aggression out.

  "I don't understand," I comment as we leave The Chesma Hall behind. "It feels like it's leading me somewhere, but where, I have no idea. I don't even know what we're looking for."

  "Well, that's not something I can help with either," Eric says, rolling his shoulders back a little. "No one knows what is hidden where. That was the whole point. The pieces were broken up and taken into different hiding spots so no one had knowledge of where they all were. It's the type of knowledge that can't be trusted to anyone."

  "And yet, here we are. Trying to find the very pieces that can bring an end to our world as we know it."

  I know how dramatic it sounds, but it's the truth. We're in a war, and I hold a piece of the puzzle. Maybe the biggest piece. Yet all I can think about is how dangerous this is. How much I don't want to be involved in it. But wishing for yesterdays is a sure way to mess up your tomorrows.

  There's nothing left to do but to continue our search. Glancing down, I notice the intricate patterns in the tile. Everything about this place is beautiful and precise. I need to trust my magic to lead the way. With a sigh, I turn toward the next room.

  "Something's wrong," Eric says right before a blast of magic takes us off our feet. I land face first into the floor I was admiring a moment ago. The wind is knocked out of my lungs. There's a yelp of pain from my right. I
glance over to see Eric doubled over.

  Pushing to my hands and knees, I scramble toward him, grabbing him by the shoulders. Another hiss escapes his clenched teeth, and he arches his back.

  "What is it? What's happening?"

  "Something...is messing...with my...wolf." He barely gets the words out before his whole body shudders under my fingertips. Frantically, I look around us to see if I can find the source. I can't see anyone. Even the tourists have cleared out, as if they too don't want to be caught up in this war. Too bad I don't actually have a choice.

  "Eric!" I yell. His body shudders so hard he falls into me, the sweat soaking through his shirt. "What can I do?"

  He can't answer, and I don't expect him to. It's like that wave of magic brought with it a curse. And it's eating him inside. He blurs in front of me, a man and then a wolf before he's back to a man. It's as if whatever balance he carries with him is no longer there. I glance around again, making sure no one is there before I pull on my magic. It doesn't do me any good keeping it muted now.

  "I have no idea what I'm doing," I whisper right before I grab him. I wrap both my arms and legs around him to pin him down. He falls to his back, and I straddle him, holding him as close as possible to me. Then I call on my magic.

  My mind fills with images of him calm and safe and grounded.

  I don't have time to speak the words or try to find a formula. All I do is push my magic all round him, holding him close and calming him with my body and my magic. My own skin vibrates from the power all around me and the feel of him against me. He continues to thrash, but I hold tighter, refusing to surrender.

  And then, as if a switch is flipped, he stops. His body goes slack for just a moment before his arms wrap around me and hug me back. My magic reaches all around us, cocooning us in its shelter. Then, it snaps back into me like a rubber band falling into place.

  For another moment longer, I don't move, enjoying Eric's arms around me. Surprisingly, I don't feel exhausted. I feel empowered.

  Pulling back, I realize my hair has fallen out of its ponytail. It now hangs like a curtain to one side. Eric's eyes are on me as my face hovers mere inches over his own. He stares at me with awe. Somehow, I feel it deep inside of me. His lips curl up just a tad, and that small smile is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.

  "Thank you," he whispers, his breath fanning over my flushed skin.

  "Anytime," I reply, my own lips curling up in response.

  Just then, a noise reaches our ears. I jerk my head up immediately. Kelsey rounds the corner, clapping as she makes her way slowly toward us.

  "How cute. You guys are just adorable," she says, her voice carrying clearly down the empty hallway. I push to my feet. Eric is beside me almost in the same motion. Both of us are at the ready, my magic just at my fingertips.

  "What are you doing, Kelsey?" I ask, my eyes on my ex best friend. "I thought you were dead."

  "I was dead. Well, nearly so." She does a little roll of her eyes, and it's so Kelsey that I have to push down the tears that spring to my eyes.

  "I held you in my arms. I mourned you!"

  "Boohoo!" she snaps. The bitterness behind that one word is nothing like my former friend. "You had to watch me die. I felt it. Trust me, mine was way more painful."

  "Why? Why are you doing this?"

  "Because the king has given me a purpose, which is more than our dearest coven ever planned on doing." She nearly spits those words out, so much bitterness fill her she's close to unrecognizable.

  "We were going to go to school. We were going to train for a purpose. You had a purpose!"

  "It has nothing to do with purpose." Eric speaks for the first time. "She wanted power."

  "Ah, he's pretty and smart. You really lucked out on this one, Cord."

  I ignore her jab, not taking my eyes off her. She's studying Eric like she wants to eat him up, but I won't let her distract me.

  "How long? How long were you his follower?"

  She shifts her eyes to me, a grin on her lips.

  "A lot longer than you think."

  I shake my head. Even though I'm hearing her say the words, I don't want to believe them. How can this girl who used to use her powers to heal now want nothing but destruction?

  "I didn't know you at all."

  "You knew more than you thought." Just then, there's a glimpse of my old friend. But then, just like with Eric, the mask is back on before she could fully take it off. "None of that matters anymore. You have something he wants. I think you better hand it over."

  She points to the bracelet on my wrist. It hums over my skin, as if in awareness.

  "I'm not giving it up, Kels. This stays with me."

  "Don't make me the cliché bad guy, Cordelia." She sighs, rolling her shoulders as if she's working off the tension. "I don't want to get all dramatic on you."

  "You've always been dramatic."

  "Fine. Then I guess we're doing this the hard way."

  She waves her hand, and suddenly, the empty hallway isn't empty anymore.

  Chapter 7

  There are at least a dozen people filling up the hall now. The tourists seemed to have disappeared. All they left behind were men and women dressed in dark outfits. Eric growls beside me, and I feel the tension vibrating off his body. He's not shifting. After whatever that magic was, I'm wondering if he can.

  "I got your back," he mumbles, almost like he's reading my mind. Wolf or not, Eric is an excellent fighter. That much I do know. Before either one of us can say anything else, the minions attack.

  Almost immediately, a wave of magic flies toward us, but this time I'm ready. Raising my hands into the air, I bring them down in full force, sending my own magic out in response. The closest people to us get swept off their feet, landing hard on their backs. But I don't catch all of them. Some already have a protective shield up and push right through.

  A woman reaches me first, throwing a right punch at me that I block easily. The momentum carries us backward. I slam against the wall hard enough to make my body vibrate. She grabs at my neck, trying to squeeze the air out of my lungs. Bringing my fists down hard at her elbows, she lets go long enough for me to push back from the wall and deliver a powerful kick to send her flying.

  Before I can recover, someone grabs me from behind, wrapping their arms around my middle and pinning my own at my sides. Without hesitation, I push off my heels, swinging my body backward. My attacker isn't prepared for that, and the next thing I know. we're falling backward. There's a big whoosh of air leaving someone's lungs behind me as we land hard. I don't wait to roll off and to the side. I land on all fours and then slam my foot into the guy's face, knocking him out cold.

  Another two descend on me, but I throw a wave of fire magic their way that picks them up and carries them down the hall before they too slam into the floor.

  The screams fill the space around us as I jump to my feet. Eric is to my left, holding his own, still in his human form. I'll have to ask him about that later. Just then, another minion reaches me and punches me straight in the stomach. The wind gets knocked out of my lungs, but as I bend over, I reach for my magic. The guy lunges for me again. I let my body drop, landing on my back before pushing the fire right at him. He flies straight up into the air. I roll out of the way as he slams straight down.

  The bracelet buzzes on my wrist, but I can't tell what it wants me to do. However, it's a long enough distraction that a wave of magic hits me straight in the back. I go down. I'm breathing heavily as I push myself to my feet. The bracelet buzzes again, and this time, the magic leaves my hand but stays in the ground. The guy who attacked me reaches me then. I kick his legs out from under him before I send fire toward him with my other hand. The one with the bracelet is still attached to the floor.

  I concentrate, asking the bracelet for some kind of help when I feel a tiny strand of magic pulling from my hand and out past the walls of the palace. It's as if a string is attached to me and is being tugged at from the groun
d up. At first, I don't understand, but then it clicks. Jumping to my feet, I race toward Eric, throwing a blast of fire at the woman running toward me.

  "We need to leave!" I yank Eric beside me, saying it right into his ear. He looks confused even as he stays ready to attack.

  "And surrender this to them?"

  "Do you trust me?" That stops whatever other protest he's about to spew at me. His intense gaze lands on me and then he nods.

  "Yes."

  "Then we need to go."

  Without hesitation, we take off toward the exit with the minions right behind us. I can't see where Kelsey went, but I'm sure she's still here, watching. She has always loved being part of the action. I don't see that changing just because she's changed sides.

  Right before we reach the doors, another wave of magic sweeps us off our feet. Eric and I are pulled in opposite directions as I hit the wall hard. My head spins for a moment, and I shake it to clear it. Next, I'm being yanked to my feet by a man and a woman, their grip leaving marks on my skin. I'm exhausted, but I'm far from giving up.

  The bracelet buzzes on my wrist. Without thinking, I call on that magic alongside my own. The next moment, my hands erupt in flames, sending them up my arms and elbows. The minions holding me scream, dropping my arms as the flames transfer to them. Without a second thought, my eyes zero in on Eric. I send a blast of fire toward his attackers.

  I'm already running toward him when they drop, their screams echoing in the hall. Eric reaches me at the same moment, and we race toward the doors.

  We rush out of the palace as I throw a few protective shields behind us.

  "Are you sure about this?" Eric asks as we run.

  "You know I'm not sure about anything anymore."

  But somehow, that doesn't taste as true as I thought it would. A loud bang sounds from behind us. We duck as a blast sends the splinters flying our way. Eric reaches for my hand, pulling me after him as we race down the stairs. People are rushing for cover all around us. Clearly, the king's followers don't have any problem causing mass panic.