AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The prince set his right hand on Phineas’s left shoulder, a tightness forming at his throat. “I’m serious. I don’t want you to die.”
Phineas’s grin sobered, and he mimicked Killian in the soldier’s way, setting his right hand on Killian’s left shoulder, while his left hand rested on the hilt of his sword. “You are more than a prince who deserves my loyalty, Killian. You are my brother. And I’m not letting you go alone.”
Killian clenched his jaw a couple times before turning back to the gate. “Well. Let’s go see what the light makes of you.” With an easy click, the gate swung open, sending the rushing icy wind past them as they stepped onto the pine needles beyond the gate.
The forest was darker than the meadow behind them; starlight was blocked by the boughs, but this time, early morning songs from unseen songbirds greeted the day. The air was warm and humid, the sweet vanilla scent of the ponderosas wrapping around them. As the sun crept into the sky, the shadows of the forest lifted, and by degrees, they could see their path more clearly.
Phineas led them all forward, but each step felt like a drumbeat moving them closer to the gallows. Acrid dread laced Killian’s heart until the beam of light appeared and struck Phineas directly.
And nothing happened.
Phineas walked on with Jax keeping pace beside him, unfazed and unaware that anything unusual had occurred.
Killian’s jaw dropped as he gestured wildly. “Are you kidding me? It paralyzed me! Trapped me with visions of my past. But you … you didn’t even flinch!”
Phineas glanced back at the beam behind him that trickled peacefully to the earth. “It’s just light, Killian.”
“Magic. Light.”
I had already told you it would be so. Ancient and wise, remember?
“And humble,” Killian grumbled.
And handsome.Jax’s tongue lolled out of his wide grin.
“Well,” said Phineas, rubbing his chin. “The good news is that I didn’t burn up—”
Like parchment.
“Exactly. So where is she?” Phineas asked as he looked around the pine forest.
The birds chirped loudly, alerting everyone that the sun had risen. Killian moved toward the meadow, listening for a song that wasn’t there. “Where indeed?”
Chapter 5
Indecisive
Raela
Raelakickedatanothermushroom, breaking up the forming circle, before she gathered the stem and root to plant somewhere else. It was bold of the ring to grow so close to the cottage; it should have known better. They weren’t evil things, mushrooms, but they did have a propensity to allow evil through when they circled up. Portals to other places that allowed other darker magics. At least, that’s what her aunties said.
Portals. Why hadn’t her knowledge of portals triggered Raela to question her existence in the forest and the world? Why hadn’t they made her wonder aboutotherplaces or where she was from? She was grateful for her aunties’ care. They had educated her. They had loved her. But how was it loving to keep things from her?
She pressed the mushroom into the earth beside an old oak tree—this one topped with red and speckled with white—more ferociously than strictly necessary. Then she clomped off to hang the laundry. Throw. Clamp. Throw. Clamp. Throw. Clamp. The wind whooshed with the flick of her hand, causing the dress to whip around the thin vine and slap Raela in the face.
With a grunt, Raela grabbed the dress and heaved it back into the basket. Raela formed a fist to stop the wind from sweeping around her feet.
“Your magic seems strong today,” Auntie Mo said from behind her. “The earth shakes with your every step.”
Raela took a deep breath. “Just finishing up some chores.”
“Like a bear?”
Irritation bubbled to the surface. “Sure, Auntie Mo.” Raela fought to reel back her frustration. It wasn’t her auntie’s fault that she had a splinter in her mind, itching, prickling, and pestering her. Probably. Or more likely it was that twice-cursed, no-good, woods-traipsing man who had dared step inside their forest. If he hadn’t shown up, she still could have been content. Happy.
But also ignorant.
Thoughts of him had kept her up entirely too late last night.
