Read UNDER HIS SPELL Online

Authors: Rachel Carrington

UNDER HIS SPELL (8 page)

Three sets of eyes lifted and stared at their leader.
 
“Sabrina, are you sure?” came the question
from a squeaky voice.

Sabrina’s pupils turned black.
 
“Are you questioning me?”

The young witch took a step backwards.
 
“No, of course not.
 
We’ll bring her right away.”
 
Bowing low in reverence, the witches scurried
away to retrieve Sabrina’s quarry.
 

 

***

 

The bedroom door swung open and bumped against the wall.
 
Skye didn’t jump.
 
“Don’t you believe in knocking, Rane?”

“I believe in a lot of things.
 
Being polite to a witch in my home is not one of them.”

“How many times do I have to tell you I am not a witch?”

Rane walked to the window and looked out into the gray mist.
 
“You will never convince me.
 
I knew your mother.”

Skye sat down on the edge of the bed and tried not to let the
knowledge bother her.
 
She knew her
mother would never approve of the steps she had to take to save Emily.

When Skye didn’t speak, Rane continued.
 
“Tell me, Skye.
 
Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

She gritted her teeth and stared daggers at his broad back.
 
“I have a sister.”

“And is she like you?”

“Define like me.”

Rane left the window and glided toward her.
 
He lifted his hand and captured a lock of her
hair in his hand.
 
“Strong, wild and
hot-tempered.”

Skye breathed a little easier.
 
“Emily can be wild.
 
She hasn’t
had a mother like I did.”

Rane sat down beside her, his shoulder bumping hers.
 
“What happened to your mother?”

Skye didn’t know how to answer.
 
She couldn’t exactly say that her mother sacrificed her life so that
Skye could live.
 
She settled for a bland
reply.
 
“She died.”

Rane took her hand in his and though Skye tried to pull away, he
held fast.
 
“How?”

“Why do you want to know?”
 
She offered the question as a challenge.

“Because I have heard much about Ingrid.
 
I would like to know how she lived, how she
died.
 
There are few good witches
remaining in this world.”

Skye finally managed to free her hand and she scooted to the far end
of the mattress.
 
“You don’t need to know
anything about my mother.”

“Why are you still angry at me?”

Skye stared at him.
 
“Because
you’re holding me captive.”

“You think I should let you go?
 
After you broke into my home?”

“I thought we’d agreed to let that part go.”

“I never agreed,” he reminded her.

“Then I’d rather you call the police.
 
Have me arrested.”

Rane tossed back his head and laughed.
 
“And you will walk out of the police station
in less than ten minutes.
 
Do not think
me a fool, Skye.
 
Though you choose not
to use your magic, your powers are great.”

Skye stared at her hands.
 
“That matters little to me.
 
I am
not eager to see what tricks I can perform.”
              
“Then you do not know what you
are missing.”
 
He stood and held out one
hand.
 
“Come.”

“Where are we doing?”

“Outside.
 
I want you to see
this world of mine.”

Escaping into the outer realms captured her attention and Skye
leaped to her feet, but ignored his outstretched hand.
 
“Lead the way.”

Rane stood still.
 
“You will
walk with me or we do not go.”

Her jaw clenched but she allowed him to take her hand.
 
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re very
arrogant, stubborn and dangerously close to rude?”

Rane put his hand at the small of her back.
 
“Wizards are not so different from humans.”

“Except for that little immortality aspect,” she offered with a
slight smile.

“There are some witches who have achieved immortality.”

Skye shook her head vehemently and walked out of the room with
him.
 
“No, thanks.
 
I’m not interested in living forever.
 
I just want to make it through this week.”

Rane walked toward the outer portal and stopped, realizing he
couldn’t leave the house without magic.
 
He cursed audibly and spun around.
 
He took two steps and bumped into his brother, Jaxon.

“You are going somewhere, brother?”
 
Jaxon queried smoothly.

Rane gritted his teeth.
 
It
was just like his older brother to gloat.
 
“I would like to show Skye our home.”

“Excellent idea,” Jaxon agreed.
 
He waved a hand toward the solid wall and it dissolved instantly.
 
“Take care that you both come back in one piece.”

Rane didn’t express his gratitude.
 
Instead, he tightened his fingers around Skye’s hand and stepped out
into the mystical world of the wizards.

 

***

 

Emily faced the witch defiantly, her head tilted back and her eyes
blazing.
 
“I’m not answering any of your
questions.”

Sabrina laughed without mirth.
 
“Of course you will, my child.
 
You know I have the ability to kill you.”

Emily smirked in spite of her fear.
 
“But I also know that you won’t until you know that Skye has killed the
wizard.
 
You need to know she’s sealed
her own fate.”

Sabrina shot forward, coming to stand inches away from Emily’s
upturned face.
 
“You mock me.”
 
Her hand curled around the teenager’s
throat.
 
“You take great chances with
your own life.”

Emily thrust out her chin.
 
“I
know you can’t kill your bargaining chip.”

With a low curse in an ancient language, Sabrina released her.
 
“Why hasn’t your sister contacted me?”

Emily folded her arms in a typical rebellious stance.
 
“I don’t know, but I do know that she’s not
going to kill that wizard.
 
Skye isn’t a
killer.
 
You would have done better
finding someone else to do your dirty work.”

Sabrina tapped her lips with one, long fingernail she’d painted
onyx.
 
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,
my pet.
 
Your sister knows what I’m
capable of.”

“But you don’t know what she’s capable of.”

“Silence.”

“Sabrina.”
 
A soft voice spoke
from just over Emily’s shoulder.

“What is it?”
 
Sabrina wasn’t
happy at the interruption.

 
“You are wanted at the
runes.”

Fear flashed in Sabrina’s eyes but she quickly turned her head.
 
“Take the girl back to her room and make sure
she’s locked inside.
 
No one talks to her
or goes near her until I return.”

 

***

 

Skye could never have imagined a world where the trees whispered
against her skin as she passed and the ground beneath her feet rolled with each
step she took.
 
Everywhere she looked,
there was magic, and not the dark, intimidating kind of magic Sabrina reveled
in.
 
This was pure.
 
Ancient and as powerful as its keepers.
 
They crossed a stream and a fish jumped out
of the crystal blue depths and lingered in the air, before diving back down
into the refreshing water.
 
Skye held her
breath.
 
Beauty surrounded her and not
just the vivid colors of Mystique.
 
As
they walked, dwarves and giants came out to greet Rane, secure in their own
environment despite her presence.
 

The wind blew a gentle breeze over her face and the sun beat down on
her but when she looked up, it had disappeared.
 
Frowning, she studied the sky until Rane answered her unspoken question.
 
“You can feel what you cannot see here.”
   

Skye’s eyes widened, but she couldn’t bring herself to respond.
 
Here was a world her mother’s stories
couldn’t do justice.
 
Though Ingrid tried
to prepare her small daughter for the future, her vivid imagination couldn’t recreate
the beauty of Mystique.
 

Caught up in her own magical reminisces, Skye didn’t see the silver
horse until it was almost on top of them.
 
Gasping, she drew back, instinctively seeking the shelter of Rane’s
arms.
 
Rane laughed and held her
tight.
 
“He won’t hurt you.
 
All of the animals run free on Mystique.
 
They are fed by the beauty of our land and
would not harm another living being.”

Skye didn’t immediately move out of his arms.
 
“What’s down there?”
 
She indicated the yawning mouth of a cave with
a jut of her chin.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Skye tipped her head back for a look at his mischievous face.
 
“I’m walking in a magical world with a wizard
and you really think I won’t believe what’s inside that cave?”

Rane lowered his head in acceptance of her response.
 
“Very well.
 
Come with me.”

Skye took his hand and excitement skipped its way down her spine.

Polished stone created the walls of the cave and an unseen light
source cast sparkles on the trickling waterfall at the bend of the first
walkway.
 
As Rane stepped, a light lit
beneath his feet and Skye shook her head.
 
She shouldn’t be surprised.
 

From a distance, the murmur of voices captured Skye’s attention and
she stopped.
 
“Who’s talking?”

Rane only smiled.
 
“I thought
you wanted to see.”

Skye drew in a deep breath and continued walking.
 
“I do.
 
Lead the way.”

As they reached the end of the narrow corridor, an explosion of
light and colors almost blinded her.
 
Skye ducked down to avoid the bright sting.
 
Silence descended and enclosed them,
oppressing in its heaviness.
 

She managed to crack open one eye, but darkness had descended.
 
“Rane, what’s going on?”

“It’s okay.
 
They’re just a
little scared.”

“They?”
 
She swallowed
hard.
 
She wasn’t so sure she liked this
tour, after all.
 
“Maybe we should go
back.
 
If they don’t want us here, we
shouldn’t intrude.”

Rane chuckled.
 
“Just stay
still.
 
They’ll come out in a few
minutes.”

A few minutes?
 
Did he know of
her paralyzing fear of the dark?
 
Of
course not.
 
He would think such an idea
ludicrous.
 
A witch afraid of the
dark.
 
But, of course, Skye was a witch
who’d never embraced her magic and as a human woman, the darkness terrified
her.

Her chest grew tight and Skye reached for Rane, needing the contact
to reassure her she wasn’t alone.

“Are you okay?”
 
He asked
quietly.

Her breath sloughed out loudly.
 
“Yeah, I’m fine.”

He pressed his cheek against hers.
 
“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”
 
She jumped when
his hand covered her left breast.
 
“What
are you doing?”

“Your heart’s racing.”

She smacked his hand away.
 
“It is now.
 
You were just groping
my breast.”

Rane laughed again, this time much softer and much more
dangerous.
 
He took a step forward and
Skye felt the complete outline of his masculine form.
 

“I don’t know what you’re thinking but–”

Rane stilled her statement with a kiss, his lips warm and
inviting.
 
With a soft sigh of approval,
Skye accepted the invitation.
 
She slid
her hands up the wall of his chest and curled her fingers next to his
heart.
 

His arms tightened around her, pressing her intimately closer.
 
His tongue caressed the outer borders of her
mouth and a fire started low in Skye’s stomach.
 
It licked at her insides and threatened to consume her.
 
She stood on tiptoe and fell into the kiss,
her arms gliding up around his neck.
 
She
whispered his name and felt his breath slough against her face as he lifted his
head briefly.
 
They locked gazes, staring
into one another’s eyes, before diving back into the kiss.

Rane cupped her bottom and lifted her even higher and–

Light.
 
Bright, glaring light
interrupted their heated moment and though Rane kept his arms around her, he
lifted his head, giving her a regretful look.
 
“I suppose we’ll have to continue this later.”

Skye didn’t know what to say.
 
Instead, she turned her head and stared.
 
“Oh My God.”

Skye had read Thumbelina and had even imagined she was that little
in her dreams, but never had she ever expected to meet the tiny figments of her
imagination.
 
Pulling herself free from
Rane’s arms, she crept closer.
 

The man Skye assumed was the leader held a minuscule version of a
radar gun high up in the air.
 
She tried
not to laugh.
 
“What is he doing, Rane?”

Rane knelt down in front of the dais where the tiny people had
gathered.
 
“Protecting his people.”

“With that?”
 
Skye pointed in
spite of herself.

“Don’t discredit that.
 
He has
the power of the wizards behind him.”

Skye took a step backwards.
 
“Oh.
 
Who are they?”

Rane stood.
 
“They are from a
distinct group of people called the Well-Wishers.
 
In ancient times, seeing one of these people
meant you would be blessed with good fortune for the rest of your life.”

Skye hooked her arm through his.
 
“So why are they here now?”

“Because mortals imprisoned the Well-Wishers for profit, showcasing
them in circuses and fairs until the people were almost extinct.
 
My sister-in-law found them not long after
she married my brother, Jaxon.
 
She
demanded he offer protection to these people and here they are.”

“You know, not all mortals would wish harm to these little guys.”

Rane’s hand dropped to his side and with it, Skye’s arm.
 
“We should go back.”

“Can we not speak to them?”

At her words, the Well-Wishers began to shout and pummel the air
with their fists.

Rane shook his head.
 
“They do
not trust mortals.
 
They will not talk
with you.”
 
He began to lead her back
toward the entrance of the cave.

“If you knew that, why did you bring me here?”

Rane waited until they were outside of the cave before he spoke
again.
 
“Because you cannot avoid
unpleasant things in life, Skye.”

Skye got the distinct impression the wizard was trying to tell her
something.
 
“Why don’t you just spit it
out, Rane, and stop beating around the bush?”

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