Page 77 of Traitor Witch
CASIMIR
“Mother Moon, grant me the power of compulsion.”
The silver glow that wraps around Nilsa and the captainblinds me for a second, making me unable to process her words.
I was expecting a healing prayer to the Sun Goddess. A spell for blood loss. A chant that could fix burns.
But Nilsa hasn’t called on the Goddess of Healing.
No, she chose the Lady of Death.
She didn’t even use a healing spell.
“Wake up.” Her words are sharp, but they do the trick.
Val’s eyes snap open and immediately fix on her.
“Get up, fix the boat, and sail us the fuck out of here.”
Like a puppet, Val moves to the ship’s wheel, transmutation circles flicking to life across his skin and theDeadwoodat Nilsa’s command.
She used a spell that negated free will.
Compulsion is dark magic.
Nilsa is a Lunar witch.
I’ve just come to that conclusion when the light of her power leaves them both, Val fighting back in typical, stubborn mage style.
“Rogue wave!” he yells.
Just as another rips across the deck, sweeping Nilsa and me into the angry sea.
I shift on impact, my beast taking over to protect me.
For once, he lets my mind remain at the forefront, man and beast working in perfect harmony.
We have to find our mate.
He knows, as well as I do, that this needs my mind and his body working together. Or else she could be lost to us forever. If I wasn’t so desperate, I’d revel in the feeling of being all that I’m meant to be for the first time in decades.
My body snakes through the waves, my fins working overtime as I race to find my mate.
Where is she? I demand of the waves, my eyes peering through the muck that’s been stirred up.
She’s immortal. She might be young but, theoretically, she can still survive drowning as long as her head and heart are intact. I just have to find her.
But there’s no sign of her. I twist in the water, searching.
There! A flash of creamy fabric followed by a cloud of dark hair.
Her body is sinking, disappearing into the darkness of the seabed.
She’s not moving.
Fuck. Why is she not moving?
My beast thrashes in my mind. His panic making him that much stronger.
