The sky has darkened by the time we arrive at the end of the pass, and Ronan stops to pick up a dark grey cloak. The ground is covered in scuffle marks, many footprints walking out of the pass into the woods, some look like they’re being dragged. Ronan shakes out the grey cloak, and a necklace drops out. A twine chain with a pendant on the end falls to the ground. Ronan smirks as he picks it up and tucks it into his pocket.
Izaac nudges Kaleb.
“What?” Ronan mumbles.
“So, here’s the thing. Those magical girls, one of them found your chain before we could, she had it wrapped around her wrist. She also might have been wearing that cloak.”
Ronan exhales as he looks again at the scuffle tracks on the ground, his eyes following the tracks into the woods.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Andi
The night air bites my skin after I dropped my cloak in the commotion. Is it too much to ask for these arseholes to be gentlemanly and pick it up for me?
The sack over my head distorts my view. I can barely make out the shape of a man in front of me, with his lit torch through the tiny holes in the sack, the red and orange light flickers as the wind brushes against it.
“Keep moving,” a gruff voice says from behind me. His long fingernails piercing into my arm with his death grip, pushing me forward.
I trip over branches and tree roots that protrude from the ground, gracelessly stumbling along with my hands tied behind my back. I urge flames to my skin to melt the rope, but nothing happens. I can’t feel my flames.
Horror courses through me. I didn’t realise how reliant I had become on my magic these past few months. I have lived all these years with nothing but my wits. I panic at the thought of being normal again.
My mouth is parched, frayed threads from the sack sticking to my dry lips, I try pushing them out with my tongue, but this makes my lips crack more.
How long are they going to make us walk? Surely not all night?
They have to rest too, eventually. Especially with Zury guards dropping like flies.
“Start setting up camp here,” a smooth, authoritative voice shouts ahead of me. “You. Tie the prisoners to that tree.” The captor holding tightly to my arm, drags me over to the right, pulling the ropes around my wrists tighter, shoving me back into a tree. The others slump down beside me.
I wait until the crunching footsteps fade away. “Myles?” My voice trembles. “Kali, Lura?” My head snaps up at the sound of wood crashing together, voices chat as they retreat to collect more, or to find something to light the fire with, I can only guess.
Myles groans. “Are you hurt?” he winces as he shuffles against the knobby tree trunk.
“No, they didn’t hurt me. Are you okay?” I turn my head to the sound of his voice, with the fire light gone for the time being, I’m cloaked in darkness.
“Don’t worry about me, love, I’ll be fine.” He lets out a deep breath. “Lura, how far is it to the village you were leading us to?” Kali and Lura sit in silence, but I know at least one of them is here. I can feel her beside me and smell her fruity perfume. “Lura?” Myles whispers forcefully.
Lura whimpers, sniffing, “Em… I- I don’t know. I only know where I’m going when I can see the markings.” She sobs while Kali tries to comfort her.
“It’s okay, we’ll figure it out. Just hold on everybody,” Myles quietens his voice. Just like Myles, to try to calm the panic.
“Kali, can you use your magic? I can’t do anything.”
“You won’t be able to. Can’t you smell it? They’ve soaked the ropes in Poema. It’s a magic suppressant. They crush up petals from the Poema flower, once crushed, it produces a sap that, when it touches someone’s skin, halts all magic. Not easy to come by—whoever these people are, they knew who we were and how to stop us.”
My stomach sinks, our captors have been careful not to say anything that will give them away, covering our heads so wecan’t see them. They don’t feel like Zury guards, they always make themselves known, unable to resist absorbing the fear. They could be mercenaries looking for a payout.
Lura sobs beside Kali, whispering words in a light, airy language. Elvish, I guess. I rest my head on Myles’ shoulder, and he tenses for a second, before resting his head on mine. He must have gotten hurt and is trying not to show it.
Our captors chat beside the crackling fire, and my stomach rumbles at the smell of the roasting boar.I close my eyes and pretend I’m home, in the cottage, surrounded by my family with delicious food spread across the table. The fire crackles, wrapping us in a warm blanket, and everyone laughs as they fill their plates. Elana pouts at Wyatt as he plays yet another prank on her. She loves him really.
I try to hold back my tears, I feel a knife being stabbed repeatedly in my heart, and every breath is another slice.
Footsteps walk towards us, and one man lowers his voice to another, “It’s really her?” one says. He sounds young, like his voice has not long broken. Feet shuffle around some dead leaves on the ground. “I can’t believe we caught her. He’s going to be very happy.” His cackles ebb as he walks away.
I can’t let it end here. I need to find a way out. Whoeverheis, I don’t want him to be happy that they’ve caught me.
