Read Online Stolen Magic (Dragon's Gift: The Huntress Book 3) by Linsey Hall - Free Book Online
Authors: Linsey Hall
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filling my mouth and cutting off my scream. I kicked for the surface, praying it was near.
When my head broke through, I searched for Aidan and my deirfiúr . Nix broke the surface first, followed by Aidan, and finally Del.
“What the hell!” Del sputtered.
I choked on salt water as I spun in a circle, searching for land. Great cliffs soared in the distance, red stone dully reflecting the light of a sun I couldn’t see.
“Hang on,” Nix said. She raised her hands above the water. Blue light glowed around them, and her brow scrunched in concentration. A moment later, a small rowboat appeared.
Thank magic for her ability to conjure.
We swam for the boat, scrambling in and collapsing against the sides. I panted, exhausted, my eyes burning from the seawater. Everyone looked like drowned rats, their hair plastered to their heads. I looked no better, I was sure.
“Damn, this sucks,” I said.
“I gotta say, I wasn’t expecting the ocean,” Aidan said.
“Does this mean there could be lava?” Nix asked.
“For magic’s sake, I hope not.” I focused on my dragon sense again, grateful to find that it pulled us towards land. “Dr. Garriso is on that piece of land.”
“Thank God he’s not in the water,” Nix said. “I can’t imagine he’s a strong swimmer.”
“You’d be surprised,” I said. “Dr. Garriso looks fragile, but he’s tough.”
Nix conjured two oars and passed them over to Aidan. “Here you go, big guy. Put those muscles to use. Assuming we don’t end up in a volcano with the next world shift, I’ll take over in a bit.”
Aidan nodded and took the oars, then slotted them into the oarlocks and began to row. Waves crashed against the boat, sending us rocking. Cold water splashed. I shivered and huddled deeper into my now-soaked jacket. I debated using magic to dry myself, but decided to save it.
“Only a few hundred more yards!” Del called from her place at the bow. Land beckoned.
The water around us turned to sand.
The boat stopped dead.
Dry heat filled my lungs.
Desert again.
“At least our clothes will dry quick,” Nix said.
We climbed out of the boat and set off, used to the crazy changes by now.
“How far did Dr. Garriso go?” As soon as I asked the question, I caught sight of a collapsed figure a hundred yards away. The dark clothes stood out starkly against the golden sand.
My heart pounded. I ran ahead, pushing myself as the sand dragged at my boots. It was Dr. Garriso. It had to be. When I neared, I could make out his white hair and tweed coat.
The tightness in my chest loosened. He was going to be all right.
Suddenly, stone walls crashed down around me, cutting out the light. A torch crackled in its wall sconce, throwing a small amount of light into the room. I stumbled on the stone ground that was suddenly beneath my feet. Dr. Garriso lay ahead, but when I whirled, all I saw were stone walls. Not even a door.
Nix, Del, and Aidan were gone.
And I was in a cell.
My heart beat frantically, and sweat broke out on my skin. “What the hell.”
Dr. Garriso didn’t answer. I fell to my knees beside him, wincing at the hard stone.
Gently, I shook his shoulder. “Dr. Garriso. Wake up. We have to get out of here.”
How, I had no idea.
Dr. Garriso’s face was slack, his breathing slow. Passed out. Or magically subdued? I couldn’t tell which.
Panic beat its fists against my ribs as I climbed to my feet and went to a wall. I pounded against the stone. All it did was make my hands sore.
I swallowed hard, shaking. This wasn’t like the rest of the world changes. It felt more deliberate.
I turned to face the room.
A door appeared in the wall.
Shit.
Suddenly, this was all too familiar. Like the cell I’d been locked up in as a child.
A tall, slender figure walked through. He was dressed entirely in black—appropriate for this creepy place—and his skin was so pale he was almost transparent. Even his hair was nearly see-through.
When my head broke through, I searched for Aidan and my deirfiúr . Nix broke the surface first, followed by Aidan, and finally Del.
“What the hell!” Del sputtered.
I choked on salt water as I spun in a circle, searching for land. Great cliffs soared in the distance, red stone dully reflecting the light of a sun I couldn’t see.
“Hang on,” Nix said. She raised her hands above the water. Blue light glowed around them, and her brow scrunched in concentration. A moment later, a small rowboat appeared.
Thank magic for her ability to conjure.
We swam for the boat, scrambling in and collapsing against the sides. I panted, exhausted, my eyes burning from the seawater. Everyone looked like drowned rats, their hair plastered to their heads. I looked no better, I was sure.
“Damn, this sucks,” I said.
“I gotta say, I wasn’t expecting the ocean,” Aidan said.
“Does this mean there could be lava?” Nix asked.
“For magic’s sake, I hope not.” I focused on my dragon sense again, grateful to find that it pulled us towards land. “Dr. Garriso is on that piece of land.”
“Thank God he’s not in the water,” Nix said. “I can’t imagine he’s a strong swimmer.”
“You’d be surprised,” I said. “Dr. Garriso looks fragile, but he’s tough.”
Nix conjured two oars and passed them over to Aidan. “Here you go, big guy. Put those muscles to use. Assuming we don’t end up in a volcano with the next world shift, I’ll take over in a bit.”
Aidan nodded and took the oars, then slotted them into the oarlocks and began to row. Waves crashed against the boat, sending us rocking. Cold water splashed. I shivered and huddled deeper into my now-soaked jacket. I debated using magic to dry myself, but decided to save it.
“Only a few hundred more yards!” Del called from her place at the bow. Land beckoned.
The water around us turned to sand.
The boat stopped dead.
Dry heat filled my lungs.
Desert again.
“At least our clothes will dry quick,” Nix said.
We climbed out of the boat and set off, used to the crazy changes by now.
“How far did Dr. Garriso go?” As soon as I asked the question, I caught sight of a collapsed figure a hundred yards away. The dark clothes stood out starkly against the golden sand.
My heart pounded. I ran ahead, pushing myself as the sand dragged at my boots. It was Dr. Garriso. It had to be. When I neared, I could make out his white hair and tweed coat.
The tightness in my chest loosened. He was going to be all right.
Suddenly, stone walls crashed down around me, cutting out the light. A torch crackled in its wall sconce, throwing a small amount of light into the room. I stumbled on the stone ground that was suddenly beneath my feet. Dr. Garriso lay ahead, but when I whirled, all I saw were stone walls. Not even a door.
Nix, Del, and Aidan were gone.
And I was in a cell.
My heart beat frantically, and sweat broke out on my skin. “What the hell.”
Dr. Garriso didn’t answer. I fell to my knees beside him, wincing at the hard stone.
Gently, I shook his shoulder. “Dr. Garriso. Wake up. We have to get out of here.”
How, I had no idea.
Dr. Garriso’s face was slack, his breathing slow. Passed out. Or magically subdued? I couldn’t tell which.
Panic beat its fists against my ribs as I climbed to my feet and went to a wall. I pounded against the stone. All it did was make my hands sore.
I swallowed hard, shaking. This wasn’t like the rest of the world changes. It felt more deliberate.
I turned to face the room.
A door appeared in the wall.
Shit.
Suddenly, this was all too familiar. Like the cell I’d been locked up in as a child.
A tall, slender figure walked through. He was dressed entirely in black—appropriate for this creepy place—and his skin was so pale he was almost transparent. Even his hair was nearly see-through.
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