Page 49 of An Enchanted Knight

They were outside. No time to celebrate, however, because she couldn’t breathe. Landing on her stomach with the child on top of her, knocked the wind out of her. Not able to move, she waited for the suffocating feeling to go away. When she was finally able to take a gulp of air, she realized they were both visible again. The black sentinels saw them too, and ran towards them, growls filling the air.

Gwen jumped to her feet, grabbed the still-wrapped Clara and pushed the girl behind her, turning to face the wolves. The sentinels surrounded her, their luminous eyes locked on her, a terrifying barrier, even when keeping their distance. She had no doubt they were holding her for Meliot. She wasn’t about to stand around and wait for the madman to appear.

Hopefully she’d be able to vanish again and float away with Clara. Gwen tried, nothing happened. When she tried the second time, they flickered, but didn’t disappear.

“You can’t disappear. Not now.” Meliot stood before her. “My magic is much stronger than your feeble attempts.” The wizard seemed to float above the snow as he neared them. “What have you got there?”

“We made a deal, you have to let her go,” Gwen told him. “I’ll stay, but Clara must be returned to her father.”

The wizard stopped, frowning. “What are you talking about?”

“Clara,” Gwen moved aside. The Wizard’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t speak. “I didn’t trust you to release her, so I came to get her. I was taking her back to the knights’ keep.”

Meliot stepped closer, his soulless eyes pinned to the child, his lips curving into a twisted version of a smile. “A deal is a deal after all, isn’t it?” He glanced at the sky. “The Icing comes. You and the child cannot make it far now. Not without freezing to death.” He waved toward his castle. “Return inside and I’ll ensure she is escorted back.”

“The truth.” What did Prince Sterling say about the truth? Gwen racked her brains.

Gwen noticed that he didn’t get any closer. The amulet around her neck grew warm and she glanced down, it glowed. She narrowed her eyes at Meliot. “You can’t touch me, can you? Not while I’m wearing this amulet.”

Meliot glared, his black eyes narrowing. The malevolence in his expression gave her chills. The intensity of his stare traveled through her body. Her arms began to tingle. When her hands moved up to the leather strap around her neck, she fought against it, but couldn’t stop her fingers from pulling the strap up over her head. With a shaky hand, she held the amulet out in front of her. Meliot did not make a move to take it from her. “Well, should I make you throw it? Or should perhaps you should just give it away?” Meliot motioned to one of the wolves.

Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees, hand still outstretched. One of the wolves came and snatched the amulet out of her hand. He trotted away into the woods.

Meliot walked closer. “Now make her disappear. Enough with the parlor tricks.”

“She’s not a parlor trick. She’s real.”

“I know all about making beings appear, I have armies of them. Make her disappear and come with me now.”

He turned and began walking back towards the castle. Gwen fought against her body, but she followed behind him willingly. “Clara come, stay right beside me,” she whispered to the frightened little girl.

“Enough!” Meliot turned, his face transformed in rage. “Make her disappear now,” he told her through clenched teeth.

“I can’t.”

“You can and you will. Or I will.” He held his hand out to the now screaming Clara.

“No!” Gwen cried. “Look, please, just allow her to go home.” Gwen began crying in desperation. “She’s just a little girl.”

Meliot froze. He peered at Clara again. “Where did you find her?”

“Inside your castle, in a room.”

He scanned the wood line behind her. Gwen pulled Clara closer and tried to hush her. While Meliot was distracted, she tried to vanish again, but whatever ward he used kept her from being able to do so.

“What kind of trickery is this?” Meliot moved so fast Gwen didn’t see him snatch Clara until he held the wincing girl up by her arm, her skinny legs dangling. “Answer me!” the wizard yelled into the air.

A bright light flashed at the point where Meliot held Clara. He released her.

Clara fell to the ground. Meliot stared at his singed hand.

Clara had powers!

Gwen hoped she could get away. If she could only get to her, but her feet refused to budge, and she almost fell forward trying to reach the child.

The child was quiet, lying on the ground without moving. Then Clara stood up, she began to grow and transform. She morphed into a lithe woman, dressed in long emerald-green robes, her features no longer favoring Tristan. Frosty blue eyes met Meliot’s.

“Esmeralda, I should have known.” Meliot took a step toward the woman, but she held up her hand, energy burst from her palm, and he flew backward. Meliot flashed back and returned with a blast of his own. It rippled around the woman, her hair and robes flying in the wind. “I’m warded, cousin.”