Page 36 of A Bloodline Redeemed

Everyone shifted uneasily around us, and I could feel the magic in them flaring and fluctuating, as they were all overcome with rage and the need to do something.We were supposed to sneak in and stay out of the fight until the last moment.We were supposed to wait for the rebels to come back us up and take care of most of the actual fighting…

“Bis, get in the backpack,” River said softly.“Get in the pack and don’t come out until Andy or one of us comes to get you.I’m sorry.But I need to keep you safe.”

I peeped in protest as he forcibly stuffed me into the backpack, drew the drawstrings closed with jerky motions, and put me inside what sounded like a metal dumpster.“River?”I shouted as loud as my stupidly tiny lungs would let me.“No!Don’t leave me here!I want to help!Ineed to help Andy!”

But I could feel them moving away.I tried to call to Andy through our familiar bond, but she had never practiced listening for me.And she was so distracted by her rage and her building magic that it was probably drowning out her finer senses.

I tried to get the backpack flap open, but it was useless.River had tied it so tight I couldn’t get it to budge from the inside.Growling to myself, I started gnawing on my fabric prison.

All the while, I could feel Andy’s horror, and fury, and the wild magic she had never really let herself tap into before.I needed to get to my witch before she unleased her full magic well and fried herself alive with power…

Chapter 20

Somewhere on the Outskirts of the Heart

Moonwatchedtheblondlady with the scarred face while she took Sky’s magic.Mommy and Daddy had told her and Sky lots of times growing up, “don’t hit.”But she really wanted to smack the twisted smile off that creepy lady’s face.

The goddess said no, though.“Wait,” she said, and “not yet.”Today she said “soon.”But Moon was starting to wonder if the goddess would ever save them.She clenched her fists and tried her best not to glare at the big people in the room.It was better, the goddess said, to do what they said.To pretend to be nice, obedient little children, so the bad people wouldn’t get angry and hit them or forget to feed them.But it washardto keep from acting out.

And today it was even harder than usual.Today, they’d been dragged through one portal after another, then stuffed into a room in a healer’s office.Sometimes, they saw other kids, always from a distance.They never got to talk to the others, but sometimes the other kids would see Moon and Sky watching them and they’d wave when the big people weren’t looking.

They looked even sadder than Moon and Sky did, most of the time.But today, the kids had all gone walking past the front window of the healer’s office in big groups.Some of them were holding knives or guns, or carrying potion bottles.They all looked scared.And even though Moon didn’t knowwhatthey were scared of, seeing them look so awful made her tummy hurt and her chest feel funny.

Where were the other kids going?There were big people around them, snapping at them like old Mr.Thomas’s sheep dogs with a herd.And why were Moon and Sky locked up in this room when all the other kids were going away?

The blond woman with the scars finished with Sky and gulped down her stolen potion.Then she stretched her hands over her head, stretching and grinning.“Goddess, that feels amazing,” she told the other big people.“Like I just woke up from the world’s best sleep and downed about a dozen energy potions.I feel like I could take on the world!”

“Well, let’s hope it protects the pretty side of your face this time around,” one of the men said with a wink.

They were brother and sister, Moon thought, and that must be the only reason the man got away with saying things like that to the woman.The Prime of their coven.Anyone else who talked to her that way got punished.

The woman narrowed her eyes at the man.“My scars just prove my dedication to our cause.And to our people.”She nodded toward me and handed him an empty glass vial.“Hurry up, it’s almost time to move into our new headquarters.”

They both laughed, but their words meant nothing to Moon.All she knew was that the big people seemed to think today was a big important day.The man moved toward Moon, and she had to try really hard not to shuffle backward or tell him no.She lifted her chin and told herself she was a big girl.The goddess said to do what the bad people asked of her.For now.But soon, she wouldn’t have to listen to them anymore.

“Come on, girlie,” the blond man said with a gross grin.“Fill ‘er up for Uncle Kyle, like a good girl.”

Moon took the vial, but she couldn’t help scowling.“You’re not my uncle,” she muttered under her breath.

The man just chuckled, like it was a funny joke.“Still some spark left in this one,” he said to his sister.“Maybe you haven’t been starving them enough.”

The Prime shrugged.“A little spirit just means her magic will be that much stronger.Hurry up, we need to move.”

Moon didn’t wait for the man to do something to make her fill the vial.She was sick of being hit or listening to their mean words.She was so mad that the magic flowed out of her faster than usual.It burned as it flowed out of her aura, an important, private part of her being forced out into the world for this idiot-man to guzzle down.When the vial was full, her head hurt, and everything was a little blurry.

The stupid Kyle man snatched the vial out of her hands before she could drop it.She felt a little like she might throw up while she watched him toss it back like some big people did with alcohol.

“You two be good and stay put,” the woman commanded, crossing her arms over her chest and looking down at them with an expression on her face that said she’d beat them black and blue if they didn’t listen.“You’ve got half an hour to rest up before you top off the rest of us.Be quiet and sleep.Do a good job for us and I’ll make sure you both get a nice piece of cake tonight.You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Moon and Sky looked at each other, then nodded.Like good little children.No punching or swearing.Even though they both knew she’d never give them cake.They were lucky if they even got some stale bread and jerky.If it wasn’t for the things the goddess brought them in secret, they’d probably have starved by now.

The adults shuffled out of the room, and the door snicked shut behind them.Moon heard the familiar click of a lock, and felt a small trickle of magic as the bad people locked them in with both normalandmagical protections.

They wouldn’t be able to get out.They’d tried lots of times before.It only ended in burned fingers and punishment.Sky came over to her and patted her head, the way Daddy used to sometimes when they’d cry.“It’s okay Moony,” he whispered.“I’m here.Don’t cry.”

She didn’t realize that shewascrying, until he said that.She wiped her eyes and sniffed her nose.She couldn’t cry.She was the big sister.“You either,” she told Sky in as adult a voice as she could manage.“Don’t you cry either.It’ll be okay.”

They both had tears running down their cheeks.But they didn’t call each other liars.

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