Page 32 of Tangled Power
“Get out of my way.” Luc held tight to his magic as he tried to shove around Anthony. He almost stumbled, but found he couldn’t even do that. His foot was stuck. He tugged hard. It didn’t move. Luc turned to glance down at what held it. A small hole had appeared and sucked in his foot. From the smile on Anthony’s face, Luc didn’t have to wonder whose magic was responsible.
A cold sweat broke out over Luc’s brow. He was fine. He took quick breaths but tried to slow them like his mother had taught. “Let me…” Luc struggled to wiggle his foot free. The ground held it tight.
No matter his breathing attempts, he felt his power rising. It did not like to be constrained. It would seek to free his foot by any means necessary if he didn’t do something—fast.
“Anthony, this isn’t funny,” he said quickly. Mentally tightening the leash on his power, he worked to secure it inside his body. Its help was not needed. He could handle this. If only his magic would listen to him.
Anthony’s smile was broad, and his eyes were full of malice as he listened to Luc’s pleas. “Not so powerful now, are you?” he sneered. “Can’t even get your foot out of a simple hole.”
Trying again, Luc breathed deeply, closing his eyes and focusing on staying calm. He felt sweat trickle down his spine. This was the wrong time for Anthony to try to assert his dominance. Luc was too frayed. He knew he needed to be calm, but he also needed to keep moving. Aaron was still missing. What if something terrible happened to him?
No—he wouldn’t allow the thought to creep in now. Anthony would get bored soon. Picking on Luc should only entertain him for another moment or two, as long as he didn’t rise to the bait. Closing his eyes, he held onto his power tighter—just a few more minutes.
“Luc!”
He would know Aaron’s voice anywhere—it sounded strained. Luc’s eyes opened and darted around the market.
“Luc! I’m here! Don’t worry!”
Finally, his gaze latched onto Aaron. He was past the end of the aisle, attempting to fight through a wall of young fae. Luc froze as he watched Aaron struggle to get through the line—to get to him. When Aaron tried to move one way to go around them, they shuffled over, blocking his path. Aaron seemed to realize that Luccouldn’tcome to him and set off at a run, trying to go straight through the bullies blocking him.
Luc’s mind emptied of all self-control the moment the fae in the middle pushed Aaron to the ground. He was slammed backward, his head bouncing against the earth, then his body went still.
Darkness exploded around Luc.
He was sprinting toward Aaron. Those that had been holding his brother fled his approach. Luc knelt before Aaron and pulled him into his arms.
He was breathing. Aaron’s chest rose and fell against him.
“Aaron, are you okay? Wake up.” Luc shuddered as the adrenaline rushed through his veins. He couldn’t even begin to assess how far his power had escaped.
His brother’s eyes slowly opened. They were rimmed in tears, quickly widening as he looked over Luc’s shoulder. “Luc,” Aaron whispered as he shook his head, groggy from his fall. “What happened?”
What did he mean? Aaron’s head had hit the ground with a finality Luc would never forget. He had to get to his brother—that was all that had mattered. Unfortunately, the panic in Aaron’s gaze told Luc there was more to see.
He slowly turned back to the center of the market. A dark shadow circled the hole where Anthony’s magic had held him. No… He set his brother down and stood. Looking from a different angle, it wasn’t a shadow. It was a hole—a much bigger hole.
Luc’s stomach plummeted. Nausea built in his throat as his gaze searched the chaos. Where were the stalls that had been around him in the center aisle? Where was Anthony?
He was already moving when his brain caught up with him. This couldn’t be him. He couldn’t have done this. Where was Anthony?
Sinking to his knees, he leaned over the hole and looked down. There was only darkness. A cold sweat broke out on his brow. His body shook. He turned and heaved the contents of his stomach on the ground.
What had he done?
“He… He killed him.” One of the fae next to Aaron was pointing and yelling at Luc.
Luc searched again in vain. Where was Anthony?
He hadn’t meant to do this.
A crowd started to gather, echoing the same words as the first fae, but giving Luc a wide berth as he crouched by the hole.Aaron was behind Luc in a flash. Though shaky on his feet, he grabbed Luc’s arm and tugged him out of the market. They ran all the way home.
His power recededas the memory faded. “It was quickly after that the Suden Point came to call,” Luc said, shaking himself free from his past.
Rose’s gaze held such compassion. He wondered if she had seen the same scene as him.
“Anthony died,” Luc said. “Well, we assume. He fell to wherever the hole leads.”
