AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She let go of his hand with a heavy sigh as he rounded the trunk of a large tree. "What's your plan then? Huh? Hide forever?"
"I could go back to the castle. Give them everything I know. Beg for mercy." He held a branch out of his way but released it and let it swing back on Ace who grunted as it hit her across her stomach.
She shoved the limb away, her thoughts already gone chasing after this one small glimmer of hope that Shelby had unknowingly given her. A glimmer of hope she didn't even want to have. Because she should be mad. She should be furious. She had every single right to be, along with all the other citizens who'd lost so much and were now going through the queen's rule.
"Do you think she'd show mercy?" She needed to know. Did this first queen she'd been given the task to kill have any redeeming qualities? Would that change Ace's mind if she did? She wanted to say no but the smallest part of her wanted a reason to turn away.
"No. She wouldn't."
The small spark of hope was blown out. Dread and other churning emotions like disgust and fury were there too like smoke from its ashes. Of course, the queen wouldn't offer him mercy. Today Ace herself had watched as she hanged a child. A child! That horror would be etched in her mind forever.
"They aren't following us anymore but they'll be tracking us soon. Anyone who saw us running and recognized me, well, they're probably already selling their abilities to the queen as we speak."
"Can't you do something about it? You have magic! Cast a spell!" The ground they'd made it to was beginning to slope down to a valley that they caught in glimpses between the trees.
Shelby turned to look at her, his face all scrunched up with disgust. "No, I cannot."
"And why not?"
"Because every spell leaves behind a signature. Any warlock worth anything could run into where I've done the spell and know exactly who'd done it and it would also give him an understanding of which direction we are traveling."
"You think a warlock is going to stumble upon our trail in the woods and figure it out? You already said they know who you are and would be tracking you."
"I'm not taking any chances. I want to get somewhere safer and then I'll do the spell."
Ace skidded to a stop at the bottom of the small hill. The trees thinned and opened up. Clouds filled the sky a few shades darker than the ones they'd seen earlier. They danced across the sun casting the valley in shade before small raindrops began to fall.
"Oh great," Shelby muttered before he started across the grass.
"So what about the grimoires?" Ace asked.
"What about them?"
"If someone uses one of the spells you've poured your magic into does it leave your signature as if you'd done that very spell? Does it leave theirs?"
"You ask too many questions."
Ace was getting used to staring up at his back and the muscles that flexed through the linen top. Raindrops were appearing on the fabric and weighing down against his skin.
Ace pulled the hood of her cloak up to cover her hair. "Are you avoiding the question?" She pushed.
"She says in the form of another question."
Ace caught back up to his side this time keeping stride, even as she had to take double the amount of steps he took. "Just answer the question."
"My signature is only left on the page. You do not have any powers so you cannot leave a signature behind. So when the spell is complete, and the page turns to ash, there is no trace of my magic."
"Why don't we just do that now then?"
Shelby came to a stop. "You got paper and ink hidden somewhere on you?"
Heat crept up her neck and settled on her cheeks. "No."
"Well, that settles that."
Water dampened the entirety of his shirt now. Rain soaked through her cloak creating a shiver that chased down her body. Shelby threw his hands up in the air as thunder cracked and the downpour began. Ace smiled a little. Ramdon, the god of chaos, probably thought this entire day was incredibly entertaining. Shelby probably hated that god.
"So, where are we headed?" They sank into the ground in places that got soaked a little too quickly, their boots sticking to the mud, and releasing with slick squelching sounds.
