feather is a signet. I used it to
bind us a few years ago after she got lost in the woods behind the
trailer park. Like a sixth sense, I can feel when I’m near her. Or
when she’s in trouble.”
“And what do you plan
to do after you rescue her?” That was assuming a small mortal witch
could walk into the most vicious place in the Underworld and come
out alive with what the overseer considered his property.
“When we get out of
here, I’ll keep working on my five-year plan.” Seeming to talk to
herself, she muttered, “Then my ten-year plan. And only then will I
know I’ll never end up like them.”
“What’s your five-year
plan?” The blink of an eye in his world.
“Can’t see how it would
matter to you. It doesn’t include the Underworld, that’s for
sure.”
He’d let that one go
for now. She absently chewed a nail and that adorable spot between
her brows crinkled.
“How do you plan to
support your sister?” He pictured their life Topside. Two young
women, alone. He didn’t like it.
She raised her chin.
“I’m a witch for hire.”
“A merc?”
She shrugged.
“Something like that.”
“And you make money
doing this? I thought your powers were unpredictable.”
Her confidence seemed
to falter. “I take the jobs no one else will. And I’m not
unpredictable at everything. I rock at potions and can do basic
spells.” She stared at the ground and mumbled, “I’m just shit at
everything else.”
“What do you mean ‘the
jobs no one else will’? Are they dangerous?” Though it was none of
his business what she did Topside, for some reason, it was critical
she answered no.
“Not necessarily.
Mostly they’re just illegal.”
He opened his mouth to
further question her but he didn’t like how her face fell and her
eyes glossed over in sadness. He preferred the fire that matched
her hair. With a devilish grin he goaded her. “So what you’re
saying is, you have no principles.”
She scowled up at him.
“My principles demand I eat. Therefore I work.”
There was the feisty
witch he’d grown to like.
“I’m sorry, demon boy,
but you’re stuck with the worst kind of witch. One with everything
to lose.”
And she would lose it
all in less than two days time. Geo was marching her toward it like
an executioner escorting a prisoner on death row.
***
Why was Geo so curious
about what she did Topside? He’d better not be thinking about
changing their bargain. Though, technically, she wouldn’t exactly
be holding up her side in the end anyway. She pushed that
unpleasant thought away for later. One thing at a time. First they
had to make it the Games gate – another day away.
They cut a trail
straight through two ominous mountains just as daylight began to
fade. The red sky turned to a deep plum and she had to admit there
was something kind of pretty about it – in a dark, twisted sort of
way. Craggy black cliffs towered over them on both sides. The trees
disappeared with the forest behind them and the green-yellow grass
underfoot looked stark next to all the black.
Finally, they came to a
clearing, almost perfectly round, surrounded by tall cliffs on all
sides. In the middle of the clearing sat a quaint little wooden
cabin. The trail continued into the mountains on the other side of
the cabin. She wouldn’t ask but…
Oh please let him say
we can stay here!
He stopped and sniffed
the air then turned to her. “Seems empty, but stay here just in
case. I’ll check if it’s safe. If it is, we’ll remain here for the
night.”
She nodded eagerly.
With a steely swoosh , he
unsheathed his sword and strode confidently toward the cabin. A
tendril of lust swept through her. My God, the man makes a sword look
good.
And with that lust came
memories of the spontaneous kiss she’d planted on him last night.
She still didn’t know what she’d been thinking, but she didn’t
regret it. She could almost feel his full lips on hers, so rough
and masculine. And she’d bet he was the
bind us a few years ago after she got lost in the woods behind the
trailer park. Like a sixth sense, I can feel when I’m near her. Or
when she’s in trouble.”
“And what do you plan
to do after you rescue her?” That was assuming a small mortal witch
could walk into the most vicious place in the Underworld and come
out alive with what the overseer considered his property.
“When we get out of
here, I’ll keep working on my five-year plan.” Seeming to talk to
herself, she muttered, “Then my ten-year plan. And only then will I
know I’ll never end up like them.”
“What’s your five-year
plan?” The blink of an eye in his world.
“Can’t see how it would
matter to you. It doesn’t include the Underworld, that’s for
sure.”
He’d let that one go
for now. She absently chewed a nail and that adorable spot between
her brows crinkled.
“How do you plan to
support your sister?” He pictured their life Topside. Two young
women, alone. He didn’t like it.
She raised her chin.
“I’m a witch for hire.”
“A merc?”
She shrugged.
“Something like that.”
“And you make money
doing this? I thought your powers were unpredictable.”
Her confidence seemed
to falter. “I take the jobs no one else will. And I’m not
unpredictable at everything. I rock at potions and can do basic
spells.” She stared at the ground and mumbled, “I’m just shit at
everything else.”
“What do you mean ‘the
jobs no one else will’? Are they dangerous?” Though it was none of
his business what she did Topside, for some reason, it was critical
she answered no.
“Not necessarily.
Mostly they’re just illegal.”
He opened his mouth to
further question her but he didn’t like how her face fell and her
eyes glossed over in sadness. He preferred the fire that matched
her hair. With a devilish grin he goaded her. “So what you’re
saying is, you have no principles.”
She scowled up at him.
“My principles demand I eat. Therefore I work.”
There was the feisty
witch he’d grown to like.
“I’m sorry, demon boy,
but you’re stuck with the worst kind of witch. One with everything
to lose.”
And she would lose it
all in less than two days time. Geo was marching her toward it like
an executioner escorting a prisoner on death row.
***
Why was Geo so curious
about what she did Topside? He’d better not be thinking about
changing their bargain. Though, technically, she wouldn’t exactly
be holding up her side in the end anyway. She pushed that
unpleasant thought away for later. One thing at a time. First they
had to make it the Games gate – another day away.
They cut a trail
straight through two ominous mountains just as daylight began to
fade. The red sky turned to a deep plum and she had to admit there
was something kind of pretty about it – in a dark, twisted sort of
way. Craggy black cliffs towered over them on both sides. The trees
disappeared with the forest behind them and the green-yellow grass
underfoot looked stark next to all the black.
Finally, they came to a
clearing, almost perfectly round, surrounded by tall cliffs on all
sides. In the middle of the clearing sat a quaint little wooden
cabin. The trail continued into the mountains on the other side of
the cabin. She wouldn’t ask but…
Oh please let him say
we can stay here!
He stopped and sniffed
the air then turned to her. “Seems empty, but stay here just in
case. I’ll check if it’s safe. If it is, we’ll remain here for the
night.”
She nodded eagerly.
With a steely swoosh , he
unsheathed his sword and strode confidently toward the cabin. A
tendril of lust swept through her. My God, the man makes a sword look
good.
And with that lust came
memories of the spontaneous kiss she’d planted on him last night.
She still didn’t know what she’d been thinking, but she didn’t
regret it. She could almost feel his full lips on hers, so rough
and masculine. And she’d bet he was the
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