Jerking the sword from Mathias’s flesh once more, I roar, pain slicing its way through every part of my body as I wobble to my knees, still trying to push the disturbing, terrible visions of Gailene from my head. Weak. So damn weak. My vision swims. I see double as my stomach pitches. I clutch the sword above Mathias, who staggers on hands and knees below me, bleeding profusely on the challenge ring’s floor. The wizard’s body heaves, bucks, and he vomits as the poison of good works its way through his tainted blood.
There are two Mathiases blurring my vision, and the smell of blood and puke nearly has me passing out. But I manage to hold on. One good swing with my sword through Mathias’s neck, and I can put the past to rest. And carry on with my future by claiming my princess.
I tremble almost beyond my control, wobbling as I raise my sword. With a final battle cry, I bring it crashing down.
Sabelle
I clasp my magically bound hands in front of me and stare out the window at the empty field bordering Blackbourne’s lands. Nausea and cold dread vie for control of my stomach. By now, Ice knows that Mathias’s witch, Rhea, is holding me captive. It’s only a matter of time before the evil wizard uses that horrible reality against him, forcing him to do something unthinkable like surrender…or, worse, allow himself to be slain. I see it all in Rhea’s thoughts.
Neither can happen. I refuse to allow it.
Nerves grip my stomach in a cruel vise, and I twist my fingers, thoughts racing. I must do something—and quick. But what?
I cast a sidelong glance at Rhea. Dressed like a goth Victoria’s Secret model, the other witch stirs both my fury and pity. She is helping Mathias with acts that will ultimately enslave and kill many of magickind…and she doesn’t seem to grasp that fact or care.
“Shouldn’t be long now,” Rhea brags. “The most powerful, skilled wizard in all magickind will be mine.”
She’s clueless. Mathias will never be exclusively hers. Though Rhea’s breasts are in danger of spilling from her very brief top and her transparent knickers reveal a lush, womanly body, Mathias talks to the witch as if she is of no consequence. He merely uses her. And when he’s finished, he will assuredly discard her, probably in a permanent fashion.
But Rhea’s problems aren’t mine. Right now, I have to get free. Escaping the other witch might be possible. But once Mathias returns, my doom will be sealed.
Right after Ice’s has been.
Think! I was foolish to believe that Mathias wouldn’t be brazen enough to abduct me under Blackbourne’s roof. Spilled milk now, and I can’t afford to cry. I must devise a plan to escape.
With my hands bound and my wand tucked away, magic is impossible. I’ve already tried reasoning with Rhea, but she’s disgustingly loyal to the magical wretch she shags. It really leaves me with no option but trickery.
And I have no problem using it.
“Indeed. I’m rather more concerned about the fact that Mathias bound my hands so tightly, I may lose them if you don’t loosen his magic.”
“You’re trying to trick me,” she accuses, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Hmm. So she isn’t completely daft.
“If you don’t believe me, come test these bonds yourself.”
Since the bonds are invisible, the witch will have to touch me to ascertain if I’m telling the truth. Or she’ll simply loosen them. Either way, I win.
“Mathias said I shouldn’t touch you, so I won’t. Besides, why do I care if you lose your hands?”
“Because Mathias needs me to write in the Doomsday Diary. How am I to do that without hands?” I let that sink in for a pregnant moment, then add. “I wonder…will Mathias remain your wizard if he went to all the trouble to abduct Merlin’s granddaughter and you allowed me to become useless?”
Rhea’s eyes go wide. The thoughts crossing her mind tell me I’ve hit my target. Likely, by the time I count to five, the other witch will be loosening my bonds. One, two, three…
“Nothing funny,” Rhea warns, adopting a mean snarl as she grasps my wrists.
Gotcha. As soon as the woman’s hands touch me, I send out waves of compassion, laced with distaste for holding another captive. Rhea’s eyes glaze over, and something soft passes across her face. Resisting the urge to tap my toe, I wait for my siren magic to do its trick…and hope I can escape in time to save Ice from doing something stupidly noble that will cost us everything.
Chapter
Forty-Three
Ice
* * *
My blade strikes nothing.
