Page 62 of When Storms Ruin

Before me were two mounted horses. The first rider rode a horse of milky white, his shoulder-length hair familiar though I had only set eyes on him once before, when I was dream walking. My eyes passed over him, already knowing who I would see next.

The second horse was all black, its mane long enough that it almost trailed along the ground. The rider carried a long, black staff with an amber gem set in the bezel. It had black textured serpents crawling up the side of the staff towards the gem, where they appeared to open their mouths towards it, their fangs extended. My eyes traveled upwards further,to black tourmaline eyes and white and blue hair that was striking against the black of night.

My breath left me as if it had physically been squeezed out of my lungs. I could hear Nik calling my name, but when I turned back, he was gone.

I couldn’t see him anywhere.

“Diana! Diana!” His voice was strangled as he said my name, over and over again.

There was nothing behind me but the quiet of Dragon’s Hollow, shrouded in a dense black fog.

I turned back towards Corian and Donika, my hands shaking.

The glamour must have worn off…but it hadn’t been that long…how was that possible?

Corian’s mouth curved into a sinister smile as he glared down at me, his hand moving towards the sword at his hip. Donika moved the staff towards me, and the amber gem lit up brightly enough that I had to shield my eyes with the back of my hand. When the light cleared, my eyes met hers, a pit in my stomach, my feet rooted in place.

Her lips were coated in bright red lacquer, the corner of her mouth lifting as she peered down at me.

“I’ve found you, little Stormshade.”

The blood in my veins ran cold as my eyes locked on Donika’s, a sinister smile curving across her lips. Corian snickered at her side, but my eyes held Donika’s gaze.

She had found me.

How had she found me?

I opened my mouth to scream, to call for Nik, Puck, or Tess, but nothing came out. The sound of Nik’s voice screaming my name sounded further and further away until I couldn’t hear it at all anymore. Wherever they were, they couldn’t see or hear me.

It must be some type of spell Donika concocted to single me out. A small wave of relief washed over me at the thought of them being safe, that it was onlymeshe would take prisoner this time. That Tess was safe.

I wet my lips against the cold chill that suddenly hung in the air. Only moments ago it had been a balmy, warm springnight. I set my shoulders and glared at Donika from under my eyelashes.

She would not see me afraid.

My fingers twitched to the Stormslayer dagger strapped to my thigh, but I made no move for it. I was outnumbered with Corian here, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face Donika in a duel.

“What’s wrong, little Stormshade?” She laughed, throwing her head back. “Cat got your tongue?”

“How did you find me?” My lips thinned as I watched something swirl in the amber crystal of her staff.

Magic.

It was holding some type of magic, I realized. But what?

She had no way of knowing I couldn’t use my storm magic, that it had turned on me. In her eyes, I was still a threat, and I would act like it.

“You came here all alone?” I asked, my brow raised. “Not so wise for thequeenof this realm.”

I pulled on enough magic for thunder to crack loudly overhead. If I hadn’t been watching her, I might have missed the way her brow flinched, just a little.

“I see no reason to be afraid formysafety. You are alone, and only alittleStormshade, after all.”

“There is nothinglittleabout my magic, Donika. It has been weeks since you have seen me last.”

I clenched by jaw so tight I could feel the pain radiate into my temples. I pushed a lock of auburn hair over my shoulder with ease.

I would not lether see me shaken.

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