AllFreeNovel
Share Us
CHARLIE
“Charlie, run!” Winnie shouted.
I hesitated. Mary had Clawdia and Winnie in separate magical cages, and there was a crazed glint in her eye, one I’d seen in a few men when I was younger, which told me she was prepared to kill.
Mary’s free hand glowed with the start of a new spell. The deep red light pulsated sinisterly. And I fucking knew what red meant. Debs might have told them not to kill the human, but I bet she didn’t approve of the plan to use a witch as a hostage, either. Mary was a wild card.
I caught Clawdia’s eye as I turned to run, the fear and desperation palpable. She wasn’t scared for herself. She was scared for me. I could see how much she cared in her heaving chest and outstretched hand, and at any other time, I would have been elated.
But now wasn’t the time.
I spun and ran into the forest, following the green hair bobbing ahead of me. The spell flew past me like a red firework and crashed into a tree, spraying bark and shards of broken spell into my path. I cringed away, covering my face, but kept running to catch up with Daithi.
A blood-curdling scream echoed out into the woods, and I almost stopped. I wanted to turn back. “Shit,” I breathed as I tried not to think about what was happening on the road.
Zaide is with her. He’ll protect her. She’s fine.
But Zaide couldn’t protect her if her familiar bond was broken by the death of her witch.
“Charlie, hurry!” Daithi whisper shouted, now only a few feet ahead. My feet picked up their pace again, or he slowed his, because I caught up to him, and he hissed, “Where are the fires?”
I scanned the trees, trying to concentrate on the feeling that always told me where things were. But it didn’t tell me anything. I jogged in a slow circle and still felt nothing. I huffed a frustrated breath and shook my head.
“They have to be around here somewhere. Just keep a lookout.” I set off running again, now looking for the witches since they would eventually reveal the whereabouts of their demon sacrifices. Although the wind whipped around me and burned my lungs with every gasp, I was really pleased my gym sessions were coming in handy.
Daithi’s incredulous stare burned holes in my back. “You don’t know?”
“I’m not omni-fucking-potent, Daithi. I think they’re moving, so I can’t pin them down. Let’s just head toward the witches.” I panted. “Remember to be invisible to them.”
“I am.”
“Great.”
As I followed the tug leading me to the witches, I began hearing the voices of people laughing and chatting and slowed to a jog. We came to a clearing beautifully decorated with flowers and lights, but it gave me the creeps, and I rubbed the goosebumps that appeared on my arms. In the center was a large hole that had been dug out—the dirt distributed at the edge of the clearing and turned into benches for the hordes of witches present.
We are fucked.
“Are you seeing this shit?” I whispered to Daithi, and I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye.
“Charlie! You made it!” Simon called out. I don’t know how he saw me with so many people milling around, but he also had the Seeker gift.
“Hi, Simon. Great to see you again.” I gave him a manly handshake and my firm I’m-not-panicking voice.
He laughed. “Did you run here? You’re out of breath.”
“Yeah. I didn’t want to miss anything. I thought I was late.”
“Not late. Just doing some last-minute preparations and waiting for Debbie to arrive. She’s the leader of this event.”
“Well, I can’t wait to see it all get started.” I nodded at the hole in the ground. “You building a pool?”
“That’s the reservoir. It’ll be where we pour our magic tonight.”
Daithi whispered from behind me, “Charlie, ask him about the fires.”
That’s not an easy segue, Daithi.I thought frustratedly.
I took a breath and activated spy mode. “So, where are all the candles, the wands, the terrified sacrifices? I mean, I’m a little disappointed.”
