AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We know.
I hear the coffee pot in the kitchen crack as snowflakes begin falling from the ceiling in a flurry. My body hurts. Every muscle aches, and I can’t feel my fingers or my toes.
They know. Someone knows who I am.
Which means...
Pull yourself together, Elva.
Pushing my hand against my chest, I force myself to focus. I summon the only thing I can think of: the Summer Fae male. I can see him in my mind's eye as I struggle to regain control.
The flame he always has burning in the corner of his office comes to life in my mind. It unlocks my joints, slowing down the blizzard. Pain floods in. I used too much power too fast. Even for me, what I’d just done was a lot.
Breathe.
Picturing his beautiful eyes, I release my grip on my magic. The throbbing ache in my body brings me to my knees. Seconds become minutes as I fight to let go of the ice running through my veins. Slowly, so slowly, the temperature creeps back up to normal. The ice and snow melt, leaving six inches of water on the ground.
At last, my magic is back under control.
And I am soaked from the waist down.
Sighing, I sit in the water, just trying to breathe. When I finally look up, I find everything has fallen from the walls. The only thing still standing is the small cactus on the windowsill. "Shit. Jerry."
The plant sits unmoving as water drips from its outstretched limbs.
"I know, Jerry. It's my fault." I sigh, standing up. My entire body protests. Glancing around, I take in the now-destroyed apartment.
I don't have much in the way of material possessions. I hurry to the bedroom, finding that the frost didn’t destroy everything in here.
Thank the gods.
It takes me less than ten minutes to change into a pair of black leggings with a matching hoodie and throw all my remaining crap in a duffle bag.
Jotting an apologetic note for my landlord, I throw a couple of pieces of gold on top before placing it on the counter and crossing to the front door. I hesitate for a moment and turn back to grab Jerry.
"You're coming with me."
Cactus in hand, I pull my hood as far as it will go over my head, covering my curly hair and telltale pointy ears.
For the first time in my long life, I'm grateful my mother is so ashamed of me. It ensures that very few people know what I look like.
Running into the stairwell, I take the steps three at a time as Jerry and I head to the underground parking lot. My owl strains to be released, but this isn't the time for her.
Three flights pass without issue when suddenly, I hear a voice in front of me.
"Oh, hey there, Apartment 416," a female voice says.
Groaning, I halt my descent. Sure enough, the perky Warlock from apartment 227 stands a few steps below me. Everyone in the building refers to me as 416. It’s convenient. 227 is a five-foot-nothing Warlock who seems to imagine herself as everyone's best friend.
I've been sending her "leave me alone" vibes for several years, but she can't seem to take a hint.
The Warlock studies me, then raises a brow. "Are you going somewhere?"
Dammit. A yes or no question.
"Yes," I reply, my voice terse. "Now, if you'll excuse me?"
I gesture to the stairwell that she is blocking with her too-perky tiny body.
