Tangled Magick

Tangled Magick by Jennifer Carson Read Free Book Online Page B

Book: Tangled Magick by Jennifer Carson Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Carson
her skirts and stalked toward the girls. “What…are you doing?”
    Mae stepped close to Poppy. Poppy pulled the dress close to her chest as if it were a shield.
    Huldfrejya yanked the dress from Poppy’s grasp and threw it to the floor. Her fangs gleamed. Her eyes narrowed, first at Poppy and then Mae. “Never mop in my chamber again whenI am present.” She turned and fled the room, the great door banging closed behind her.
    â€œDid you see that?” Mae asked.
    â€œWh-which part?” stuttered Poppy. “The fangs or the steely gaze?”
    â€œHer feet.”
    Poppy turned toward Mae. “That’s what you noticed? Her feet? Are you insane?” She stormed toward the broken window and peered outside. “We have to get out of here. If we break the window a little more, I think we can climb down the ivy. Maybe we can send Trina for help.”
    â€œNo.” Mae shook her head.
    â€œWhat do you mean,
no
?” Poppy yelled. Her eyes darted around the room. The gargoyle followed her movements as she approached Mae.
    â€œThere is something not right about this.”
    â€œOf course there is something not right. We are slaves to a lunatic troll, and you don’t want to escape at the first chance!”
    â€œWhat about the others?”
    Poppy stared at her. “We’ll come back. We’ll get Aletta and we’ll come back.”
    Mae swallowed. “Then no one will be there to protect the Wedge or care for the sick. Callum wouldn’t want us to do that.”
    â€œCallum isn’t here!” Poppy shrieked.
    â€œNo, he isn’t,” Mae said. “And that’s my fault. I should have listened to him.”
    Mae stared out the broken window. A meadow stretched out around the castle, and the path wound over the hills and into the forest. The meadow was ablaze with purple flowers.
Corley thistles. The cure for the Bricklebear Fever.
A tingling sensation ran up her spine. She had to find a way out of here, and soon. But when she left, she wasn’t leaving anyone behind.
    Maewyn pulled the owl carving from her pocket and looked at the broken pane again. “I think I have an idea.”

Chapter 7
    A bout midmorning on the day after the villagers left, a knock sounded on the door. Leif set his carving on the table and brushed the wood dust from his pants. His mother bustled in from the kitchen. “Well, aren’t you going to answer the door?” she said as she wiped her wet hands on her apron. “It’s only polite.”
    Leif rolled his eyes and sighed as Faria opened the door. “Oh, good morning, Aletta.”
    Jogging to the front entrance, Leif pulled the door open wider and grinned at the wizard. Her cheeks were pink from the brisk morning air. A basket hung from her arm. Steam curled through the cloth covering what smelled like a batch of lavender honey muffins. “Thanks for coming over, Aletta.”
    Faria’s hand fluttered to her breast. “Coming? For what, son?”
    â€œWe have been invaded by piskies, Mother. I told you last night,” said Leif. He had a hard time keeping the irritation out of his voice.
    â€œOh, such a silly notion!” Faria laughed. She pushed Leif out of the way and began closing the door. “Pay no attention to him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Sixteen-year-olds, what can you do with them, really? Have a good day.”
    Leif stuck his foot in the closing door. “We…have… piskies. A whole nest of the blighters in the wall of the diningroom. Get over it.” He pulled the door back open and gestured with his hand. “Please, come in, Aletta.”
    Aletta looked from one Burrbridge to another. One eyebrow quirked into a near-perfect I’d-better-handle-this arch. She coughed to hide a chuckle and held her wrist to her lips before clearing her throat. “Yes, teenagers, such imaginations! What are we to do with them?

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