AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I smile at the chaos in front of me. Lifting my hand and flinging the men who’ve managed to climb to their feet, they hurdle into the walls of the large room.
“Good. He’ll think better of it next time, then,” I snap.
The two orc guards rush toward me, spears in hand. There was a time when I feared them. I was so sure if I ever had to fight one, I’d die. Then someone played with my heart–stole it more accurately–and I want it back.
My hands splay wide as I release the magic beating inside me, ready to claw its way out. The orcs’ bodies come disproportionate, bubbling and sinking in places they shouldn’t until they explode. Blood and chunks rain down, painting the walls and stone ceiling red. Their spears clang to the floor, sliding until one hits my foot.
“Who’s next?” I say, bending to pick it up. Wide-eyed faces stare at me as I spin the spear, adjusting my grasp and getting a feel for it. “I’ll tell you what. That door is open. You’re all welcome to leave and live to see another day. I get my cat, and everyone wins. Stay, and… I don’t think I need to draw another picture for you.” I gesture to the bloodyeverything.
A small man with a sword and a crooked metal hat swallows hard, inflates his chest, then lets out a war cry as he barrels forward.Of course, the little fucker would have the biggest balls.I whip the spear around my body, then slash wider, taking off the small man’s head. His body crumples as the rest of him flies out like a wrecking ball into the crowd. Gasps ring out, then the entire group attacks as one.
“Don’t say I never offered mercy.” I wait until they’re all close enough to really feel the power of my magic, then hoist my hands up, taking their bodies with them. The men scramble, grasping at the air as they hover. A scrawny man sweating bullets spins awkwardly as I tilt my head.He’ll do.I stop his ungraceful thrashing with a single finger and his form begins to tremble, slinking away from me.
Tsking my tongue, I offer him a sweet smile. I’m sure it’s still just as menacing as ever, considering I’m covered head to toe with blood spittle, and who knows what else from the orcs. “There’s still a chance for you. Why don’t you tell me where my cat is, huh? Can you do that?”
He nods yes, tears slipping down his face and floating around him. “The box, miss. The beast is in the box.”
I follow his eyes, landing on a wooden chest the size of a jewelry box. Miraculously, it stayed on a table nearby. Going to it, I spot the word‘Fugam’in folded gold letters, etched into the lid. In other words,‘Escape’in Latin. That must be the keyword to get out.
“How original,” I say, letting the sarcasm flow.
My fingers grip the edge, but my muscles fail to move it an inch. It’s heavy as fuck–likely the weight of Luri and why it survived my wrath. Lifting the lid, my suspicions are proven true. Inside is a small rat-sized version of my cat, stretched along the bottom. The walls are made up of wooden slats and microscopic hay covers the bottom.
I suppose it does sort of look like a barn.
Snapping my fingers and rendering every man in the air unconscious, they fall to the floor. My hand skims over the shimmering film across the open cavity of the box and then my body disintegrates as I’m sucked inside.
16
Alice
Breaking the spell, emotions flood in until my stomach churns with them. Tears slip from my eyes, and I scramble forward, clutching snow-white fur in my hands.
“Luri!” I yell, as the box shutters, like someone has jostled it. Glancing up, I find Kai and Finn peering through the opening of the chest. Their faces are massive, looming over us. The barrier must’ve dropped when I entered.
Brushing off their bewildered eyes, I turn back to my cat, pulling her heavy as shit head into my lap and peeling open her eyelids. “You have to wake up. Move.Do something.”
I’m answered with crickets. Changing tactics, I scavenge her body, looking for wounds and finding two. One circular, with the end of a snapped-off arrow still hanging from her side. The other more of a slash, like the tip of a sword had been raked through her, ready to flay her alive.
“If you can hear this, don’t eat me,” I say, lifting the flap of fur-covered skin to see just how deep it goes. It’s not as bad as it could be. The muscle hasn’t been touched, but the way the incision has been made, it’s as if someone presumed her dead–or maybe didn’t care–and wanted to steal her pelt.
Finn pops into the chest, wobbling on his feet. “Oh, this is much better than being out there.” He wipes his mouth on his sleeve, not wasting a moment before stripping his jacket off and crossing the hay-covered floor. “Here, pack it with this,” he says, tossing it before circling to her head. Strong hands crane her mouth open as he looks forsomething. Maybe a clue to what she’s been poisoned with?
Not finding what he was looking for, he looks her over, spotting the arrow. He tilts from side to side, scrunching his face as he concentrates. “How deep is the other?”
“It’s cut sideways like they were trying to take her pelt. It’s not deep but it’s large.”
“Is it bleeding a lot?”
I shake my head no. “Why? What are you going to—” My jaw falls slack as Finn yanks the arrow out, and Luri tenses every muscle in her body before relaxing once more. It’s a sign of life, at least. “Why would you—You’re not supposed to pull it out!”
“It’s a flesh wound, Alice. It didn’t hit anything vital.” Finn pauses, holding the tip of the arrow up to his nose. “It’s curare. It won’t kill her. She’ll be fine in a few hours, but we do need to do something about the wounds. If we leave them, they’ll get infected.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief, curling up against her body. She’ll be okay. That’s all that matters. Though I wish I knew which of the bastards outside did this to her. I don’t normally crave violence, but knowing someone tried to skin her alive makes me want blood. Still, it’s a battle for another day.
“Thank you,” I say, as Finn rounds the beast, wiping the blood off his hands.
“Don’t mention it. I think someone should stay with her for the night. She’s healing quickly, so she should be good as new tomorrow. Then we can take her to the prison world. Surprisingly, she’ll be safer there.”
