UNDER HIS SPELL (10 page)
Authors: Rachel Carrington
Fascinated in spite of her self, Sabrina watched him circle the
room.
“That’s why you want to destroy
the Assembly.”
“Yesss,” he hissed.
“And I
almost succeeded a few months ago, but I aimed too high.”
He chuckled and Sabrina thought the sound was
out of place.
He waggled a finger in
admonition.
“Never attempt to best one
whose magic is more powerful than your own.”
His smile faded.
“So now I target
the younger wizards.
With the death of
Rane, Skye Logan will surely die and with it, this curse will be broken.”
He lifted his arms toward the ceiling.
“And I will take the Assembly apart a piece
at a time.”
Sabrina frowned.
“I think
this sounds a little like one of those old fairy tales.”
The master whipped around and glared at her.
“You think this is funny?”
She held up both hands.
“Never funny, Master, but you have to admit, it is rather odd that
Ingrid could have cursed you this way.”
“I told you she had help from the wizards.”
Sabrina tapped her chin.
“Then why don’t you just let me kill the wizards along with Skye?”
The master’s eyes lit up.
“Why would you want to take on the Assembly?
They are a powerful lot of people.”
Sabrina smiled.
“Let’s just
say we have a history.”
“I do not believe you will be able to kill them.
They always manage to win in the end.”
“Then how do you know you can kill them this time around?”
His eyes glittered.
“I just
know.”
He came to a stop in front of her
and his jaw hardened.
“I want the wizard
dead by the end of this week.”
Sabrina nodded, anything to get out of his face.
“As you wish.”
With a flick of his wrist, he released her from the spell.
“Do not fail me, Sabrina.”
She backed toward the door.
“It will be done.”
***
Emily held her breath as the young witch passed by the door for what
must have been the tenth time.
Surely,
this would be her last check of the evening.
As the witch’s footsteps receded on the concrete, Emily breathed again
and dipped her hand into the front pocket of her skirt.
Now was her chance to use the key she’d managed to procure when the
witches had gathered for their evening howl at the moon or whatever it was they
did in a circle around the fire.
Emily
wrinkled her nose in disgust.
She’d be
glad to get home and that was just where she was going, right after she found
Skye.
***
Jaxon stormed into the Assembly Room, giving vent to his anger by
slamming the door with an angry turn of his wrist.
“Rane grows weaker.”
Charlemaine bit back a startled cry and held tightly to her
husband’s hand.
“Falcon will be able to
help him.”
“Falcon will need to return to his own guild soon.
He has his own people to watch over now,”
Jaxon pointed out.
“He will not leave Rane like this,” Charlemaine responded
firmly.
Jensen touched his wife’s shoulder.
“Perhaps we should prepare ourselves if it is Rane’s time to–”
Charlemaine pulled away from him.
“It is not Rane’s time and I will not accept that.”
She stood, looking regal and defiant.
“The rest of you may have given up, but I
have not.
I will not stand by and watch
my son…”
She stopped, a curious look on
her face.
“Did anyone else hear that?”
Quizzical glances shot around the table.
“Hear what?”
Jensen joined his wife in the center of the room, one hand reaching out
for her.
“That tapping,” she pointed out, turning her head toward the
smoothly paneled wall.
“Someone is
tapping on the wall.”
Jaxon’s brows lowered.
“Only
the wizards know of this room.”
“Perhaps not,” Charlemaine moved toward the wall, which housed the
exit and waved her hand over the plaster.
It shifted and parted, leaving a startled Skye staring back at the
female wizard.
“Skye, what a surprise,” Charlemaine said in a calm tone of
voice.
“Would you like to come in?”
Nexon jumped to his feet, along with Bryson, a new wizard who’d
joined the Assembly shortly after Falcon had left.
“That is most inappropriate, Charlemaine,”
Nexon exclaimed and the wizards turned and stared.
Not one of the outspoken wizards, Nexon’s
outburst came as a surprise.
“Nice to have you join us,” Bryson nudged Nexon with his elbow.
Jaxon held up one hand.
“Let
us all be seated.
We should discuss
this.”
Tess stood and took her husband’s hand.
“I agree.
Skye, you may sit beside me.”
“She is not one of us,” Nexon continued to protest.
“She does not belong here.”
Skye walked into the room, her eyes wide.
“I know you don’t want me here, but I think
you should hear what I have to say.”
Jaxon inclined his head.
“Very well.
Say what you must.”
Tess gave him a disapproving look.
“Take your time.
I know this must
be difficult for you.”
“Would you like to offer her a cup of tea?”
Bryson queried in a dry tone of voice.
Jaxon turned his eyes toward the wizard and Bryson immediately
subsided into silence.
The young wizard
might question another one of them, but he could not question Tess.
“You will sit,” Jaxon commanded.
Skye stared back at him, but Jaxon didn’t look away, his compelling
gaze almost forcing her into the chair.
“I’ve always liked good manners in a man,” she muttered.
Tess smiled.
“Forgive my
husband.
He can be a bit overbearing at
times.”
Jaxon shot her a look, which she ignored.
“Now, please tell us why you came looking for
us.”
Tess’ voice was soft, almost
musical.
Skye cleared her throat, swept a look around the room and spoke
directly to Jaxon.
“I know why Rane is
weak.”
Every wizard in the room took notice.
Silence descended, crashing down upon them
until each breath became measured.
“Then
speak,” Jaxon demanded.
“It’s a weakening spell.”
Jaxon let out a barrage of furious, Gaelic words before turning
toward Bryson.
“Notify Falcon at
once.”
He then focused his attention on
Skye.
“You did this to him?”
Skye nodded once.
“Yes.”
Jaxon jerked his head toward the door.
“Nexon, you will take her to her room.
Make sure she goes nowhere.
We will deal with her as soon as we know Rane
is well.”
As Skye stood up to protest, Nexon clasped her arm and whisked her
from the room.
Tess stood beside Jaxon.
“You
don’t know the whole story, Jaxon.
Don’t
be too hard on Skye.”
The look her gave her carried no softness.
“She tried to kill my brother.”
“A weakening spell can’t kill him.”
“Why else would she need him weak but to kill him?”
Tess acknowledged the point.
Yet, the woman in her still pushed her to calm her husband.
“Then there must be a reason.
You don’t have all the answers.
Do not assume Skye is guilty until you’ve
given her a chance to have her say.”
Jaxon walked toward the door.
“There will be no chance to speak for her.
She is guilty.”
***
Rane pushed himself to a sitting position and waited for the fog to
clear from his head.
One glance at the
solemn faces standing over him told him he probably didn’t want to hear what
was going to be said.
Jaxon spoke anyway.
“It was a
weakening spell.
You have Skye to
thank.”
Rane brushed the hair out of his face and looked at his
brother.
“What are you talking about?”
“Skye tagged you with a weakening spell.
Do you remember her touching you?”
Rane lifted one eyebrow.
Jaxon scowled at him.
“I am
not interfering in your personal life, Rane.
I need to know where she touched you.”
One corner of Rane’s mouth lifted.
“Everywhere.”
Jaxon gave him a look of disgust.
“I do not find this amusing, brother.”
Rane tried to swing his legs over the side of the bed, but his
muscles refused to cooperate.
“Tell me
more about this weakening spell.”
“She needed it to halt your magic and lower your resistance so she
could eliminate you.”
Rane sat up straighter.
“She
came into my room last night.”
Jaxon held up one hand.
“Please spare me the details.”
“That is not what I am talking about, Jaxon.
She had a dagger.”
Jaxon froze, his eyes glittering like twin lasers.
“She tried to kill you?”
Rane shook his head and immediately regretted the movement.
His head throbbed.
Whatever the witch had done, she had done it
quite well.
“No.
She did not try.
She merely stood over my bed with the intent,
but she could not follow through.”
“And we are supposed to be thankful that she lost her nerve?”
Rane pressed his palms to his temples.
“Could you lower your voice, please?”
Before Jaxon could respond, Falcon burst into Rane’s bedroom, his
face awash in excitement.
“I have it!”
The elder leader crowed.
“Dare I ask what it is that you have?”
Rane muttered, gingerly lowering his head to
his pillow.
Falcon strode toward the bed and slapped his palm against Rane’s
forehead.
“I know how to reverse the
spell.”
Rane closed his eyes.
“Excellent.
Then I shall leave
you to your task.”
“First, I must know where the witch touched you,” Falcon demanded.
Rane cracked open one eye.
“Her name is Skye.”
Jaxon made a sound of disapproval.
“She is a witch.”
Rane slid a one-eyed glance toward his brother.
“I am well aware of what she is.
I am only informing Falcon of her name.”
“What does it matter?”
Jaxon
bit out.
“Once the spell is lifted, she
will be dealt with swiftly.”
Rane struggled to sit up but Falcon pushed him backwards.
“You will not touch her,” Rane almost
shouted.
“You cannot fall in love with a witch.”
Falcon held up one hand.
“You
will be free to discuss Rane’s love life at a later time.
For now, I have much to do.”
Silver eyes sliced across Rane’s face.
“Where did Skye touch you.”
“I believe he said everywhere when I asked,” Jaxon drawled.
Falcon shot him an
annoyed look.
“Jaxon, I will not ask you
again.”
Rane grinned up at his brother.
“You have been dismissed.”
With a mixture of disgust and resignation, Jaxon strode toward the
door.
“We shall continue our
conversation later, Rane.”
The warning didn’t concern Rane as much as Jaxon wanted it to.
“What do you have to do, Falcon?”
Falcon peeled back the sheet and search Rane’s bare chest.
“I have to find the entry point.”
Rane lifted his hand and touched the space just over his heart.
“Here.
When she touched me here, it stung.”
Falcon swatted his hand away.
“Excellent.”
He gave Rane a stern
look.
“Do not move.”
Rane snorted.
“I can barely
lift an eyebrow and you are telling me not to move?
Very humorous.”
small nick in Rane’s skin, Rane’s back arched off the mattress.
Pain exploded throughout his body and sweat
ran in rivulets down his face.
He
gritted his teeth and endured.
The excision took thirty seconds and when Falcon held out the tiny
sliver of onyx in his hand, Rane’s breath escaped his body.
“The little wench,” he muttered.
Falcon took a step back from the bed and held out his arms.
Without conversing further with Rane, he
began to chant, ancient words of healing and power.
In a matter of minutes, strength began to
flow into Rane’s limbs.
He flexed his legs and gratefully swung them over the edge of the
bed.
“I do not know exactly what you did
just then, Falcon, but well done.”
He
stood and his legs carried him to the dresser next to the door.
He grimaced at his reflection in the
rectangular mirror.
“I am looking a
little under the weather.
I believe I
will make a few changes before I go in search of Skye Logan.”
“Rane,” Falcon called after him.
Rane stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Yes?”
“There will be a tribunal.”
“Skye is not under the Assembly’s rules.”
“She attempted to take your life.
Justice is required.”
Rane spun around.
“Is it not
my justice to exact then?”
“I do not believe the Assembly will see it as such.
You will have a difficult time convincing
them.”
Rane came forward.
“You are
one of them.
Can I not convince you?”
“I will not be here
for the tribunal.
My own guild awaits
me.
I must return.”
“When will you leave?”
Falcon didn’t look at a watch or consult a calendar.
He simply responded.
“Now.”
“Without saying goodbye?”
Falcon extended his hand.
“The others are aware of my departure.
I was here only for your healing.”
“Jaxon called you, did he not?”
“Yes, he did.
He loves you
very much.”
Rane snorted and turned away.
“Thank you for helping me.”
“Your gratitude is not required.
You are one of us.
We protect our
own.”
When Rane turned back around, Falcon was gone.