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AURELIA
My instructor for magic control was not as much of a sadist as Max, thank the gods.
“Center yourself, Aurelia. You control the flow of magic, not your emotions.” Reah said softly.
She’d figured out pretty quickly that if she raised her voice when my eyes were closed, that it wouldn’t go well. I lost control with more than just Grey.
I took a deep breath and pulled the magic back. I wasn’t sure how this would help me in a fight. If I was fighting with my magic, I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes and center myself to control it.
“Aurelia, you are losing focus, concentrate,” Reah said.
I banished the thoughts from my mind and focused on the flow of magic. It had gotten out of control again.
Shit. Don’t lose focus.
“Okay, now I want you to attack me with the magic,” Reah said, and I cracked an eye open.
“Are you sure about that? Shouldn’t I use a target or something?” I asked incredulously.
“Don’t worry, I am faster than I look.” She smirked.
She’s not a sadist. She’s a masochist. What was Grey thinking hiring these people? They are both insane.
I let the magic pool in my palm and stared down at the crackling purple ball of magic.
It grew to the size of a golf ball before I tossed it at Reah. The woman disappeared just before the magic would have connected with her chest.
“Too slow,” she taunted.
I spun around at the sound of her voice.
How the fuck did she do that? She just disappeared.
“With enough practice, you will be able to do the same.” Reah grinned.
“Can you read my mind now too?” I asked in frustration.
I threw another ball of magic before she could answer. She disappeared again and her giggle met my ears from my left.
“No, I can’t read your mind. It was written all over your face,” she called, and I turned to her.
I faked a throw and she disappeared, and I spun to my other side throwing the other direction. Reah threw up a wall in front of her at the last second and my magic shattered against the forcefield.
“Good, you’re thinking like a fighter and anticipating my next move. You can’t teach that easily.” Reah nodded to me.
I’d literally almost lit her up with magic and she was praising me? She really was insane.
“Um, thanks?” I said but it was more of a question.
“Let’s try again.” She placed her hands on her hips.
I funneled magic into both hands this time and waited for my opening, but she was expecting everything I tried.
I faked left and went right but she probably noticed the same tell as Max had and dodged left. I threw the magic just in front of her, but she wasn’t able to stop her momentum in time and slammed right into the magic.
She flew back several feet before she disappeared again and landed in a heap on the mat in front of me.
“Oh my gods, are you okay?” I asked crouching next to her.
Reah burst into loud laughter as she held out a hand for me to take. “That was fucking brilliant.”
I helped her up from the mat as a crash sounded from the living room. I tensed and Reah took a step in front of me. Silver magic coated her palms.
“Hide, Aurelia. There’s an intruder.” She squared her shoulders never glancing back to see if I listened.
Who the fuck would be stupid enough to break into Grey’s penthouse? Do they have a death wish?
“Aurelia, hide now. That’s an order,” Reah barked.
I didn’t want to leave her but what could I do? Who the fuck was in the apartment and why?
I backed away from Reah but the room we were in was cleared of anything I could hide behind.
“Reah, there’s nowhere to hide in here,” I said and filled my palms with magic.
“Fine, follow me out the door and as soon as you’re clear, run to the magicless room and stay there.” Reah barks and moves to the door.
“Why there? I won’t be able to use magic?” I asked with my arms crossed over my chest.
“If they go inside to look for you then you will have an advantage as they won’t have magic either,” Reah said exasperated.
“Fine, but you haven’t seen me fight without magic.” I shook my head but followed her movements to the closed door.
She leaned her ear to the door to listen but silence met our ears.
What is going on out there? Where are Freya and Fiona? Are they okay?
“Focus, Aurelia,” Reah snapped at me.
I glanced at my hands and breathed in deeply. The magic in my hands was much larger than it had been before.
I stopped the flow of magic but kept the weapons the size they were. I wasn’t getting rid of my only weapon.
Reah frowned, opened the door a crack and scanned the hall. “On three.”
“What?” I asked.
“Three,’ she said with a cackle and jumped into the hall.
“What the hell happened to one and two,” I grumbled as I sprinted out behind her.
Reah lobbed a ball of magic down the hall, and I barely saw a hooded figure duck out of the way.
Is that the man from my memory? What is he doing here?
“Now, Aurelia, go.” Reah screamed.
I shook my head to clear it and ran to the metal door. I needed to get inside. It was my only advantage.
A crash sounded along with a female grunt, and I prayed to whoever might have been listening that Reah and the sprites were okay as I pushed through the door.
My knees nearly buckled as my magic fizzled out. I took calming breaths as I straightened my shoulders.
I scanned the room for a weapon and cursed Max for not letting me practice with the bow. I didn’t want a close-range weapon for this. I’d already proven I wasn’t fast enough.
Taking my chances, I moved to the weapons wall. I grabbed the bow down and a tingle ran down my spine with familiarity.
My instincts took over and I nocked an arrow and pointed it at the only door to the room.
I jumped at another crash that sounded closer than the last.
What is going on out there? Should I look?
I took a step toward the door when the handle turned. A hiss filled the air as the hooded figure took a step inside and their knees buckled.
“Who are you?” I pulled back the string of the bow, ready to fire.
“What? You don’t remember me?” The man’s tone was hurt.
Why would he sound hurt that I don’t remember him? Who was he to me?
“Did you kill my mother?” I barked ignoring the question.
The hooded figure stepped back out of the room with his hands raised.
“That witch was not your mother,” the man snarled.
It wasn’t lost on me that he didn’t answer the question.
“How did you know I was talking about the witch?” I asked stepping forward.
He was in the hall now, would he be able to subdue me with magic from the outside?
“You have the wrong idea, Aurelia. I’m here to rescue you. It’s time to go home,” he said, his tone pleading for me to understand.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I yelled. “You were the man who left me freezing in the alley, weren’t you? I told you I wanted to go home, and you left me there.”
“I was, yes,” he sounded sad, but I refused to buy into his bullshit.
“You need to leave. Grey will be back soon and if you hurt any of my friends, I will hunt you down.” I held the arrow steady and took another step toward the door.
“You need to remember, Aurelia and if you refuse, I will make you.” The man lunged through the door and knocked the bow from my hands.
The weapon slid across the mat too far for me to reach.
The air all rushed out of me as he tackled me to the ground.
I brought my elbow up to smack against his temple but he ducked and pain crashed through me as I hit his shoulder instead.
“You have to remember,” he grunted. “If you don’t all is lost.”
“I don’t want to remember,” I roared. “I don’t want to remember being left in the cold or the reason behind it.”
I was talking too much. His hood never moved as he pinned me to the mat.
“You don’t have a choice.” He swung his fist at my head, but I blocked him easily.
Where the fuck is everyone? Are they okay? If he hurt them then I will fucking kill him.
I blocked another hit aimed at my head and got my legs around his middle and bucked my hips. He was like a lead weight on my body as he pushed down into me again.
I lashed out with my fists punching anywhere I could connect with until his hands caught mine in a bruising grip and held them above my head.
“You are mine. You were promised to me.” He snarled in my face.
I laughed mirthlessly, “And you left me to die in the fucking cold. I don’t care whatever claim you think you have on me. I will never be yours and I will never help you.”
“Remember me, damnit,” he roared and pulled the hood from his head.
Memories assaulted me. This man with me in a vibrant green field picking wildflowers. Him sitting beside my bed reading me stories from a book I didn’t recognize and then him taking me from my bed and throwing a cloak over me as he took me from the castle.
What the fuck? Hold the hell up here, the castle?
I could hear the hounds being set free as he ran with me in his arms covered in a soft brown cloak.
“I wasn’t given away by my parents?” I asked in horror.
He took me from them, brought me here and left me to die?
“No,” he said and loosened his grip.
Wrong move, asshole.
I broke his grip on my wrists and punched him in the face. “I trusted you, Malcolm. You were my friend and then you kidnapped me from my bed and left me to die?”
“You understood why, once. Our kingdom will never be safe if the other supernaturals are allowed to return. You understood what your roll would be as a child.” He wrapped his hand around my wrists again and lifted me before slamming me back into the mat.
Pain exploded behind my eyes at the same time a shout filled the air in the living room.
“Go to sleep, my love. I’m taking you home and then we will finish what we started.” Malcolm slammed his fist into my cheek and pain blinded me before I was sucked into sweet oblivion.