Page 142 of The Fae Girl 1

She threw me a look that said not a chance and grabbed my arm.

I pulled myself free, stumbled forward and the noise was enough to make the thing turn.

It snarled, spraying us with spit that felt like it stung as it hit me. I shut my eyes, pulling my magic and to my relief, for once it answered.

I could feel it now, feel the very bonds that made the thing. Though it looked real enough I sense what it was, that at its core it was nothing but dark magic.

If Nela spoke, if she moved I didn’t know.

I pulled on my own magic, twisting it around and sent it flying. The creature roared. The sound reverberated off the stone and made my legs shake but I didn’t flee. I held my ground and did it again. Throwing more magic this time.

The creature reared up as it slammed into its chest and as the magic disintegrated the creature went with it.

I blinked. Staring.

And then turned to Nela with the biggest grin.

“That was…” She didn’t finish her sentence as more screams echoed.

“Come on.” I said yanking her.

“Alice stop. You can’t fight them all.”

“I can try.”

“Alice.” She cried but I ran ahead, ran faster.

For the first time since I’d arrived I felt like I was achieving something. Proving something. Finally I was showing everyone here what my worth was. What I was capable of.

But more than that, I was helping. I was making a difference.

As we ran someone shouted ‘spectral’ and I looked at Nela in horror.

“You can’t fight that.” She said.

“Do the Magi?” I asked.

She winced. “They try.”

“Then I can try too.” I stated.

She shook her head, grabbing my shoulders. “Alice stop. You’ve done enough.”

I didn’t wait to hear it. I pulled myself free and ran on.

As we reached the Lower Castle I could feel it. The new magic. The way it twisted. The way it contorted as it moved.

It was too far from where I was. Too far for me to get to before it attacked, before it killed.

So I did the only thing I could think.

I called it to me.

I beckoned it.

Standing in the atrium, the open aired space that connected the Lower Castle and the Upper, I waited. Feeling the wind blow. Feeling my heart pound. Feeling my magic pumping through my veins.

I knew when it appeared. I could feel it as if someone had put out the sun. Poisoned all the waters. Tainted the very air.

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