Page 13 of Rapunzel Unchained
I bet the queen was laughing inside of me. True, she had given me the full extent of our powers but, without control, I was little more than a disaster waiting to happen.
“Let’s take a break.” Rebecca breathed heavily, the strain of using her magic for so long showed on her face. A sweat had broken out on her brow, and her eyes were weary.
I nodded, swallowing.
Rebecca collapsed next to the pond, gathering handfuls of water to splash on her face. Guilt riddled through me. Here I was, completely fine, while Rebecca was exhausted.
“I’m not getting any better.” I sat on the ground next to her, not caring about my dress getting dirty. “We should stop for the day.”
“No.” Rebecca tried to push herself up, her arms shook and collapsed under her.
“Rebecca!”
I rushed to her side, rolling her over onto her back. Eyes closed, Rebecca’s chest moved up and down in a rhythmic pattern.
Passed out. She was only passed out.
Sighing my relief, I brushed her hair away from her face and sat back on my heels.
Glancing around the woods, I contemplated what to do. We could stay here while I waited for Rebecca to wake up, but that could take hours. I could use my powers to teleport us back to the house, but I’d never taken more than one person. Gods, I’d barely done one person.
I didn’t doubt I could do it. Unfortunately, the risk of messing up and dropping us off a cliff was too high.
So I waited.
My head lifted and closed my eyes soaking in the sun, the breeze blowing through the leaves. All things considered, this place was beautiful.
It had everything I had wanted back in my tower. The grass beneath my feet. The wind blowing in my hair. The chittering of the forest animals was the only sound in the air.
For the first time in a long time, I felt safe, at peace.
A growling yipping breaks that peace and, before I had a chance to open my eyes I was barreled over, a wet sloppy tongue attacked my face. The heavy body of the creature pressed down on my chest, its tail smacking my legs as its nails bit into me.
I peeked my eyes open and laughed at the hellhound on top of me. “Izzy, what are you doing here?” I scratched her behind her ears and down her flank. She yipped and licked at me some more. The happiness in my chest turned to panic at the sight of her. “Izzy, where is your master?”
Pushing her off me, I searched the tree line for the dark haired mage who claimed the beast.
There. Movement in the trees. Two figures, one stood stark white against the trees while the other almost blended in with his black garbs. They were moving toward me now, their voices growing louder with each moment.
Rebecca.
I shot a look at her and then back to the trees. They couldn’t find me here with her. If they knew I was with her they’d know who helped me and where I’ve been staying and I wasn’t ready for them to know that yet. There was still much to be done, much to learn.
“Move, Izzy.” I pushed the hellhound to the side and turned to Rebecca. I couldn’t take her back to her house, but maybe I could hide her? I had watched her put the barrier up so many times in the last hour, surely I could create one on my own.
It didn’t need to be large. Only big enough to hide Rebecca. I wouldn’t bother hiding myself, Izzy would give me away in an instant.
Izzy growled at my side, sniffing Rebecca’s blood red hair.
“Leave her alone,” I instructed, putting my hands out above her. What were those words Rebecca had said to make the barrier? They weren’t in a language I knew. At least not this version of me.
The longer I struggled to find the words, the louder Luke and Blake’s voices became.
Forget it. I hadn’t needed words so far, I could only hope that I didn’t need them now. I envisioned a bubble of protection from touch and sight around her, grabbing at my well of magic inside of me.
Nothing happened at first. Blake’s voice called out for Izzy, and panic grew in my chest. I could do this. I had to do this.
Finally, something began to happen. The air rippled, and a shimmer in the air grew around Rebecca’s form. Excitement manifested inside of me, and I pushed back onto my feet the barrier growing with each step back.
