UNDER HIS SPELL (12 page)

Jaxon rose to his feet and waved Skye and Rane inside the Assembly
Room.
 
Rane noticed his brother’s frown
and surmised Jaxon was keeping a tight rein on his temper.
 
Adding fuel to the fire, Rane seated Skye at
Jaxon’s left.
 

Jaxon glared at him and cleared his throat.
 
“You have been brought here today because of
the acts you have committed against Rane.
 
The tribunal has determined you are guilty and should be put to
death.
 
Rane has, to our bewilderment,
intervened on your behalf and asked that we allow you time to explain your
actions. We are all at a loss to understand why a member of our Assembly would
stand up for the very witch who tried to kill him, but nevertheless, we have
granted Rane’s request.”
    

Skye folded her hands atop the table and kept her eyes
downcast.
 
Rane knew her well enough to
know she wasn’t intimidated by his brother or any of the other wizards seated
around the massive, oak table.
 
She was
gathering her thoughts, buying time until she could politely tell them all to
go to hell.

Skye’s head lifted and Rane braced himself with an inner grin.
 
“I know you think you have the right to
condemn me, but you know nothing about me, my life, or what I’m up
against.
 
To protect your own family, I
dare to say, you would do a lot more than attempt to take a life.”
 
She rose to her feet and Rane slid his chair
back to get a better look as she paced the Assembly Room.

Skye spun around and put her hands on her hips and Rane couldn’t
prevent a grin.
 
“How dare you!”
 
Her sparkling eyes took in each and every
wizard and Rane thought he saw Nexon squirm.
 
“You claim to be a protector of people yet what you really mean is a
protector of your own people.
 
Mortals
mean little to you when one of the wizards is under attack.”

“You are not exactly a mere mortal,” Jaxon responded with a bite to
his voice.

“I never claimed to be a mere mortal and I never required your
protection.
 
This isn’t about me.
 
I grew up hearing stories about the wizards
and what an incredible group they were.
 
My mother used to tell me tales of impossibilities, miracles even, that
wizards performed to save humans, even at the risk of their own lives.
 
And now, you would condemn me without giving
me the benefit of the doubt.
 
What kind
of justice is that?”

A muscle ticked in Jaxon’s jaw.
 
“We have laws here.”

“They are never wrong, I suppose.”
 
Skye nodded her head once.
 
“Of
course not because that would mean admitting error and we all know wizards are
infallible.”

The ticking intensified.
 
“You
have been allowed time to convince us of your innocence.
 
You are wasting that time with this tantrum.”

Rane winced and pushed himself to his feet.
 
“I do not believe this conversation is going
anywhere any of us want to go.
 
Perhaps
it would be best to continue it another time.”

Skye held up one hand.
 
“Not
yet.
 
This,” she raked her gaze up and
down Jaxon’s body, “wizard needs to know the truth.”

Tess came to stand behind Jaxon, placing her hands on his
shoulders.
 
“My husband is the leader of
the Assembly.
 
As such, he has a right to
know what your intentions are and why you wanted to kill Rane.
 
All of us have that right.”

Rane noticed the shortness in Tess’ voice and he laid one hand on
Skye’s arm.
 
Her words would fall on deaf
ears if she alienated everyone before she could get to the crux of her
story.
 
“Skye, they feel like you wanted
to kill me for gain.”

Shaking her head, Skye walked back to the chair she’d vacated and
sank down against the heavy wood.
 
“That
isn’t it at all.”
 
She lowered her head
and for a brief moment, silence reigned.
 
Then, she pinned Jaxon with a steady gaze.
 
“They have my sister.”

The women in the room sucked in a sharp breath.
 
“They who?”
 
Jaxon asked quietly.

“The other witches.”
 
Skye
massaged the bridge of her nose with two fingers.
 
“The Coven of
Thana
.
 
The leader is a witch named Sabrina.”

Jaxon slid to the edge of his seat.
 
“She wants you to kill Rane.”

Skye tipped her head back to see Rane’s face.
 
He gave her a reassuring smile.
 
“Yes.”
 
She trained her gaze on Jaxon’s face again.

“Did she tell you why?”
 
Jaxon’s voice held urgency.

“No, but I can only imagine it’s because she wants me dead.”

Rane came forward and rested his hands against the back of the chair
Skye occupied.
 
“Would it not be much
simpler to kill you herself?”

Skye’s shoulders lifted and fell.
 
“I don’t understand everything about it.
 
I refused to kill you at first and then she,” she paused and drew in a
deep breath, “brought out my sister.
 
She’s fourteen.
 
Her name is Emily
and,” another breath, “she’s not familiar with a lot of magic.
 
Though I’ve tried to shelter her from that
side of our lives, I did teach her a few spells, one of which might enable her
to escape, but I’m not so sure she was listening.
 
Emily isn’t interested in magic, not that I can
blame her.”
 
She lifted a hand and ran it
over her hair.
 
“Look, I don’t think
Emily is going to be able to escape without my help which is why I’m going back
for her.
 
But there is one thing I do
know, Sabrina will kill Emily if I don’t bring her proof of Rane’s death.”

Charlemaine clucked her tongue in disapproval.
 
“Nonsense.
 
Since we now know why you have attempted to harm Rane, we can certainly
assist you.
 
This witch is in for a
little surprise.”

Skye jumped up.
 
“No!
 
I won’t risk Emily’s life!
 
I’ll go back, but I’ll go back alone.”

Rane felt her shiver even before he reached her side.
 
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
 
“That is not possible.”

Her head bumped against his chest.
 
“You have no control over this, Rane.
 
This is my decision.”

His chin brushed her hair.
 
“In spite of all your knowledge, you do not really know much about
wizards, do you, Skye?”

“What do you mean?”

“There is very little we cannot control.”

***

“We have looked everywhere, Sabrina.
 
The child is gone.”

Even as Sabrina heard the words, she refused to believe them.
 
The little wench could not have escaped.
 
It was impossible.
 
She had cast the binding spell herself.
 
“Look again,” she snapped and one by one the
witches, her sisters of the Coven, slunk back into the darkness, eager to free
themselves from Sabrina’s wrath.

Sabrina circled the fire, the ground sizzling beneath her feet at
each step.
 
“Where are you, my darling
little girl?
 
You simply cannot leave
before the festivities.”
 
With a grim
smile, she held out her palm.
 
“Don’t you
want to witness your sister’s execution?”
 
Cackling loudly, she stared into the center of her hand, but her vision
only revealed a swirl of gray mist.

Cursing vilely, Sabrina closed her hand into a fist.
 
The child could not be smart enough to hide
her presence.
 
At just fourteen years of
age, Emily would be a novice if she knew anything of the arts.
 
Perhaps Skye had taught the girl more than
Sabrina had given her credit for.
 

Sabrina’s eyes narrowed and she floated across the charred
ground.
 
Emily had made a mistake.
 
Sabrina didn’t like to be crossed and her
enemies knew she was a resourceful witch when it came to battles.
 
And to Sabrina, Emily had just declared war.

***

Emily smacked away another branch before it could slap her in the
face and continued to run, toward where she had no idea.
 
She only knew she was running away from
Sabrina and the Coven and that was all she needed to know.
 
She just hoped she’d said the spell
right.
 
Skye had been adamant that she
learn it, but half the time Skye had been training her, Emily had tuned her
out.
 
She just wasn’t interested in
magic.
 
Now, she wished she’d listened
more.

An owl hooted overhead and Emily took that as a good sign.
 
Skye always said the animals were her
friends.
 
Skye had also said to always
rely on her senses; they would never guide her wrong.
 
Since darkness had fallen, the path ahead lay
in threatening shadows and Emily’s vision was of little help.
 
But the scent of damp grass and rotting wood
guided her deeper into the forest.
 

As she walked, Emily talked to Skye, hoping somehow her sister could
miraculously hear her.
 

“Skye, I really need you to find me soon.
 
I have a lot to tell you and if you don’t
come for me, I’m afraid I might never find you.”
 
Her lower lip quivered, but Emily squared her
shoulders and forced herself to remain calm, in control.
 
Crying would serve no useful purpose.
 
She needed to keep her focus.
 

Feeling much older than her fourteen years, Emily trudged ahead,
checking the moon to make sure she was going in the proper direction.
 
It was another trick Skye had taught
her.
 
A witch relied upon the moon to
guide her way under the darkest of circumstances.
 
Emily had paid attention during that lesson
because astronomy had always fascinated her.
 

The trees thinned and as Emily walked into a clearing, her footsteps
became lighter.
 
Maybe she could do this,
after all.
 
Skye would be so proud of her
once she… was that just a growl she heard?

Emily whirled around, but she was still alone.
 
Her breath stalled in her throat, she took
another step forward then another.
 
Then
stopped.
 
Eyes.
 
She saw eyes.
 
Golden.
 
Fierce.
 
Staring at her like she was… dinner.
 

The leaves rustled and as the large predator walked into view,
Emily’s knees knocked together.
 
A
panther.
 
She’d thought they were all
extinct.
 
She should have paid more
attention in school.
 
Should she play
dead?
 
Run?
 
Scream?
 
Try to fight him off?
 
She was
sure this wasn’t covered in any of her classes.
 
In fact, she knew jungle survival wasn’t anywhere in the
curriculum.
 

The panther growled low and hunkered down.
 
Emily gave a little giggle of fear.
 
“Nice kitty,” she whispered.
 
“I won’t really make much of a meal.
 
More of a snack and I’m sure your mother
doesn’t like you to eat between meals.
 
Why don’t I run along and I’ll send someone back?”

The cat followed Emily’s ever move with its eyes before lunging to
its feet.
 
Emily closed her eyes and
prepared for the attack.
 
Then, her eyes
popped open.
 
The cat had disappeared and
the whisper of the wind was the only sound she heard.
 

Sinking to the ground, Emily curled her arms around her knees and
fought back the tears.
 
She couldn’t
believe the panther had left her alone.
 
Trust her to find the only vegetarian panther alive.
 

Then it struck her.
 
Emily
leaped to her feet.
 
The cloaking spell
had worked!
 
She was invisible.
 
That’s why the panther hadn’t attacked
her.
 
Jumping and bouncing, Emily hugged
herself and began to skip through the woods.
 

She’d find Skye if it was the last thing she did.
 
She just hoped she could do it before the
spell wore off.
 
Skye hadn’t told her how
long it would last.

***