As I watched, more and more scraps of the medusa's power went dark.
Cautiously, I tried to direct the power, feed more and more of it to the flame. It was working.
As if in reward, my fingers and toes started to tingle—like they were coming back to life after a brush with frostbite.
Next were painful prickles, quickly followed by a searing pain so intense I nearly passed out.
Only once in my life had I gotten close to frostbite and this felt similar. An agony so fierce and deep it felt like someone had set fire to my body. The sluggish flow of blood as my extremities woke up was nearly as painful as it was welcome.
Unfortunately, it didn't mean I was safe, as the spear continued to advance.
It hadn't occurred to me that using up Callie's magic would also leave me vulnerable. Without the power to fight its descent, the spear was going to breach my defenses.
How ironic would I be if I freed myself only to find myself enchained seconds later?
Yeah, no. I didn't think so.
With a herculean effort, I heaved the last of my power at the spear, feeling it shift back the barest bit. Taking advantage of the opening, I threw myself sideways, my attempted roll more of a flail.
I cleared the edge of the table, hitting the ground below hard enough to knock the breath out of me. I sucked in a deep breath as I blinked back the dark spots in my vision.
Oh my god, I could turn my head again.
The bliss. I'd never take that ability for granted again.
Just to prove I could, I did it again, rejoicing in the luxury of movement until the furor in the room gradually intruded.
One issue down, a dozen more to go.
I grabbed the edge of the table, using it to help me stand. A necessary precaution as my legs shook, threatening to send me back to the ground. I held tighter to the table, chancing a quick glance around.
The chamber looked like something out of a Keep. Maybe a little run down. Definitely in need of some TLC.
Despite that, it had a weighty presence, almost as if it had its own quirky personality. The furnishings were simple and had seen better days. They hearkened back to a time when royalty might have once roamed the halls.
Black stone formed the walls and most of the floors.
Travis stood across the table from me, his stance wide and his gaze assessing.
By his side, Callie looked at me with an expression approaching sorrow or grief. It was hard to tell which.
Next to her was Astrid. The Fae woman was shorter than Callie, her body that of a young girl on the cusp of puberty. Despite that she held an eerie beauty at odds with her lack of curves.
Unlike the last time I glimpsed her power, I didn't have the urge to hide my face. She was as old as the rest, and every bit the predator.
Don moved near the door, sticking to the shadows. I only caught a faint stirring that told me his tentacles were out.
The last was a stranger. Owen. He could have been Jerry's taller, wider cousin. He had thick, muscular legs and a chest broad enough that he could have given three people a bear hug at once.
Small tusks protruded from his lower jaw, making it seem like he had a bit of an under bite.
Pink colored glasses were perched on his nose. They matched the streak of pink in his hair. He tucked a hand in a pocket and studied me with the same level of interest as I gave him.
"This is unexpected," Breandan said, staring at me like I was an exotic species in a zoo.
I finally glanced down at the table where I had spent the last few hours. It was scorched, black marks radiating from the center.
"Pet, come here," Baran ordered.
