Chapter 7
Lucenna
Lucenna cursed and rolled over in bed, her temples insistently throbbing. Did Lucien have nothing better to occupy his time? Certainly, he had more pressing responsibilities than to worry about her wellbeing.
Let me sleep!
A sudden spark of light jolted her awake. Above her head hovered a torn piece of smoking parchment. It fluttered down and landed on her face, filling her nose with the smell of wet ink. She groaned and picked it off. Sporadic letters smeared and tore the paper where the quill had pressed so hard she could hardly read her brother’s penmanship.
Please
She stared at it, her foggy mind too slow to understand what he meant. Lucien was the overprotective sort, but this urgency was odd. More slips of paper littered her bed.Gods, why did he send so many?
Opening messenger portals expelled a great deal of power, the type that was easily perceptible to others—like their father. She checked the other notes, and they were more pressing.
The Enforcers have your location. Flee now!
Sister, have you received my messages?
What’s happened? I cannot sense you!
Are you all right? Have you escaped?
Lucenna, answer me. I beg you.
The most recent note now made sense. Lucien must be frightened. Her memory came back in spurts. Elite Enforcers had cornered her in a field. She fought, but there had been too many. Lucenna jerked up in bed. She was in her tent. How did she get here? Did the Enforcers bring her?
There were voices outside.Malevoices.
Lucenna slipped out of bed onto her bare feet, only for her legs to give out. She went sprawling and collided with a stack of books. Her arms shook from the effort to rise on her knees. She had no strength in her bones, and a chill settled in her limbs. The familiar warmth of her churning power had dwindled to the faintest of embers.
Footsteps squelched in the mud outside, the sound growing nearer. She called on her Essence, but only a few purple sparks flashed at her fingertips. The battle had completely drained her. There had to be something to defend herself with. Lucenna looked about wildly as the footsteps neared. There were piles of heavy tomes to choose from, but she didn’t want to damage her books. A brazier with an iron poker rested by her bed. She snatched the heavy weapon and faced the entrance on trembling legs, ready to skewer whoever walked through.
The tent flaps parted, and she sprang forward. But instead of an Enforcer, a familiar redheaded girl walked in. Lucenna tried to stop, but she stumbled and the momentum sent her crashing into Dyna, and they fell outside into the brisk chill.
“Oh.” Dyna’s wide eyes blinked at her. “You’re awake.”
Lucenna had her pinned on the ground—not that she had the strength to hold her there. The crackle of a campfire led her to spot three others who warily rose to their feet. She remembered them; they were Dyna’s companions. The Celestial’s silver eyes narrowed as he reached for the hilt of his sword. Cassiel, she recalled sluggishly. The elf was tall, but not as tall as the werewolf towering above them. His irises flashed yellow as he fixed on her intently, tension tightening every muscle of his strapping frame.
“My lady?” the elf asked, his gaze flickering from Dyna to the iron poker inches above her face.
“It’s all right,” Dyna said carefully.
Lucenna wasn’t sure if she spoke to her or to the others who were ready to jump to her aid. Slowly, Dyna pushed the iron poker away. Lucenna scrambled back, breathing heavily, clammy sweat sprouting on her skin. She gripped the cold iron poker tightly, forcing herself not to shake.
How long had she beenasleep? A shallow gasp slipped out of her as she remembered the last time someone had rendered her unconscious. But no one had taken her medallion this time. It hung safely in place around her neck.
“You slept for an entire day,” Dyna told her, sitting up. “But I imagine you must be quite exhausted.”
It went beyond that. Lucenna tested her magic, and Essence hummed weakly inside of her. She knew her father would send Enforcers after her again, but she hadn’t expected Elite Enforcers. They normally traveled in pairs. Yet he’d sent ten after her.Ten. She had cast every spell she could, but it hadn’t been enough.
“The Enforcers,” she croaked, her throat dry. “Where are they?”
“You don’t need to worry about them anymore,” Dyna said.
Lucenna stared at her, incredulous. “What do you mean?Youfought them?”
Dyna chuckled as she stood and headed for the campfire. “Oh, no, not me. Though I would have if I could.”
