Page 24 of A Bolt of Magic

As always, I feel my magic deep inside. I just can’t reach it. Plenty of power but with no way to use it.

No!

Why?

The sound of hooves grows closer. I turn and see them galloping straight for me. They shout as they catch sight of me. I start to run as fast as my legs will carry me. Not that there’s much point, but I have to try.

It isn’t fast enough. It’s no use trying to hide because they have eyes on me already.

It doesn’t take long for them to reach me. The horsemen come to a sudden stop in front of me, their steeds skidding in the mud as they surround me.

I raise my hands in surrender. One of the fae guards dismounts, his eyes narrowing as he approaches me.

“It’s the witch.” He laughs. His eyes narrow, dipping to my neck. “They found her amulet on the ground at the bell tower.” His eyes move to lock with mine. “We were briefed that you don’t have much power to speak of, but I’m going to give my standard warning, anyway: don’t even think about using magic on us. We’ll gut you in a heartbeat, girl.”

“Where is the fae you were traveling with?” another one asks, his eyes hard.

I shrug. “We went our separate ways.”

“Tie her up, Ren. Llayda and Nyx fan out and search the immediate area for the wanted fae,” Japhet orders his men, who do as he says without question or hesitation.

“He can’t be too far away,” a guard at the rear says; he is leading two ponies. They’re our horses. I recognize the one I was riding. The one I fell from when I couldn’t pass through the barrier.

One of them comes up to me. He must be Ren. He starts to bind my wrists. The rope bites into my skin. I wince but hold my tongue. There’s no use in fighting or complaining; it will only make things worse.

Japhet, the one who seems to be in charge, circles me like a vulture, his eyes scanning the horizon before coming back to rest on me.

“Did a fae help you escape?” he asks. “Or was it the other way around?”

I shrug.

“You need to start talking. What is his name?”

“Alaric,” I tell him. I’m somehow glad I don’t know his real name. I don’t like divulging any information about Alaric to these guards. It feels wrong somehow, even though I don’t owe him anything.

“Where is Alaric now?” Japhet asks.

“The agreement was that we help each other escape and then go our separate ways,” I lie. “We have since gone our separate ways. I don’t know where he is, and I don’t particularly care.”

“I’m not sure I believe you, witch.”

“I don’t care what you do or don’t believe. I am telling you the truth.”

The fae strikes me using the back of his hand. I stagger back, tasting blood. Just as I’m about to topple over, Japhet grabs a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back so that I’m forced to look into his cold, hard eyes.

“You’ll speak to me with respect, witch,” he growls. “Now, tell me where Alaric is, and don’t bother lying. We have ways of making you talk. Ways you may not like much.” He pulls a wicked-looking blade from a sheath at his side.

Someone sniggers behind me.

I grit my teeth, my scalp burning from his grip. “I told you, I don’t know. We parted ways. I don’t care where he is or who he is. He served his purpose. I can’t help you.”

He sneers, throwing me to the ground. I land hard, the mud splashing up around me.

“Help them search the area thoroughly,” he barks at the guard who tied me up as he pushes the knife back into its sheath. “If the witch is lying, we’ll soon find him.”

The guard mounts up, leaving me with Japhet and another fae, who keeps a watchful eye on me. I sit in the mud, feeling the rope cut into my skin.

I try to summon my magic, but although it is there, I can’t access it.

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