Page 23 of White Charms and Dark Secrets

Thirteen

The Escape

Apparently, trouble is very challenging to find. After several hours of searching, the only souls I've come across are either in animal form or go to great lengths to avoid me. Clearly the word had gotten out about my abilities, and it seems nobody else fancies getting burnt.

I did, however, find an unoccupied bathroom. After taking the opportunity to use the facilities and clean up, I find myself feeling a little more like me. With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I head back out to continue searching for trouble.

Maybe I could taunt a vampire into coming closer?

A high-pitched screech escapes my lips when a tap on my back startles me. The sound would leave me embarrassed in any other situation. I jump forward and whirl around to confront whatever snuck up on me, my magic ready to strike if necessary. I blink and will my heart to slow as I take in the vampire standing in front of me. He seems calm, making no move to attack, nor does he appear to breathe.So, he’s not a hybrid.

He wears his brown hair swept back into a messy ponytail, and no emotion shines through his empty, grey eyes. His fangs are retracted, so I relax the slightest bit, hoping I can assume he’s not here to eat me.

“Finally,” I mutter, letting loose a long breath, though I keep my eyes locked on the vampire, just in case he does decides to lunge.

“Finally?” he inquires, his brow raised.

“I've been trying to find someone to talk to for the last few hours,” I admit.

“Talk to? Oh. They're hiding because they think you want to flame them up,” he replies, confusion creasing his forehead.

“So, you're talking to me because?” I challenge, scepticism marring my tone. If everyone is avoiding me because they think I suffer from a bad case of pyromania, he’s got to be crazy or up to something in order to approach me.

“I hoped I could convince you not to do that, to me at least.” He smiles, but it's forced, rehearsed even.

“Why?” I cross my arms in defiance I wait for his answer.

“Because like you, my master wishes to talk. He requests your presence and sent me to fetch you,” he explains in a droning tone.

“Why does he want to speak to me?” I press.

“I do not know.” Alarm flashes in his dead eyes though, and I know that's a lie.But I do want to talk to the master, right?He must mean the blond hybrid, as I’m certain he is the boss in here. And since he’s my prime suspect for the identity of Elias, I’d have to go along with this.

“Fine. Take me to your leader,” I mutter, while suppressing a manic grin from the glee of actually getting to say that.

“Follow me.” He moves with a swift turn and walks away, not waiting to see if I follow. Not wanting to lose him in the maze of caves, I rush after him, throwing caution to the wind. Not that there is any breeze down here.

He leads me past several sections I'm sure I crossed through earlier, but I could easily be mistaken, considering how damned similar everything looks down here. After trudging along behind this vampire, we enter a tighter, more narrow section of caves. My body becomes tight with tension and I go on high alert, staying vigilant. The idea of being trapped in such close quarters with the vampire grates my nerves.

I stay a few steps back as we walk, wanting to give myself a chance for reaction at least. However, he pays little attention to me, and I soon find us stepping out into a large, cavernous section of the underground prison.

We're not alone, which I expected, but I am surprised by whom I’m brought before. It’s not the blond man as I assumed that holds the title ‘master’, but the dark-haired man with the scar.

“What coven are you from?” he calls as I'm led further into the space.

“Why does that matter?” I shrug, unwilling to give these people any information about me.

“Because it does. How did you manage to get in here with your magic intact and unblocked?” he demands. There’s a fierce look in his eyes that I can’t decipher, though I wonder.

“It was an accident, a mistake they made. Some Magitech device misidentified me as a shifter called Gina, and so they didn’t think to lock magic, considering shifters don't possess it,” I explain, hoping that because it’s nothing of my doing, it will help redirect his apparent ire over the situation. I just want to find Elias, summon Solas, and then get my butt home. Every second I spend in this hellhole is a second too long.

“An accident? What are you going to say next, that you're not even meant to be here?” he asks in an incredulous tone. I stay silent in answer, holding his gaze steadily. “You've got to be fucking kidding me,” he exclaims, a deep laugh escaping him. “No wonder I didn't fucking recognise you; you're a white witch, aren't you? We don't get too many of those down here, a few rebellious ones from time to time, but you don't look like they do.”

“What do you mean I don't look like they do?” My hands clench at my sides.

He trails a languid gaze over me, as if inspecting me will better help formulate his response. “You're not white-witchy enough.”

“That makes zero sense.” I can feel the frown on my face.

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