UNDER HIS SPELL by Rachel Carrington Read Free Book Online Page A

parroted
stupidly.   “What home?   You are home.   What are you talking about?”
    He shook his head, still holding her wrist loosely.   “Not this one.   My real home.   I’m taking you to Mystique.”

CHAPTER THREE
     
    The city took her by surprise.   Skye had heard stories of the mystical city the wizards called home, but
to see it in person, awed her.   Everywhere she looked, she saw trees whose roots sank into downy
softness.   Leaves of gossamer crowded
together to hang low overhead and giant butterflies floated past, so close Skye
heard the gentle swishing of their wings.
    She stumbled alongside Rane, trying to keep pace.   Her excitement held her back.   She wanted to stare at each and every vivid
detail, take in the sights and sounds to share them with Emily later.
    Angelic voices sang together in perfect harmony, though Skye didn’t
recognize the words and the air was redolent with the scent of jasmine and
hyssop.   Stars hung low, close enough to
touch and when Skye lifted her hand, she felt the cool smoothness of one of the
luminous points.  
    Rane stopped so suddenly, she bumped into his hip.   “Why are we stopping?”
    He cast a look over his shoulder and Skye a glimpse of humor in his
gaze.   “Why are you whispering?”
    Skye glared at him, the spell broken.   “I’ve never been here before.   I’m not sure of the etiquette.”   A loud whinny startled her and she shrank
closer to his large frame, seconds before a unicorn galloped by, its rider, a
long-haired blonde, leaning low over his shoulder.
    Skye sucked in a breath.   “Is
it always like this here?”
    “Isn’t your world just as magical?”
    “Earth is my world.”
    He studied her.   “You’ve never
been to your true home?”
    She gnawed on her lower lip.   “I just told you that Earth is my true home.”
    His eyes narrowed.   “You’ve
been misled.”
    Her shoulders squared.   “I’ll
survive.   Does your city have rules I
should know about?”
    Rane searched her face, taking an infinitely long time.   Skye wanted to look away but his eyes held
her.   Transfixed, she could only stare
back.   “The wizards will let you know if
you make a mistake.”
    She sucked in a sharp breath.   “How are the wizards going to feel about your bringing a witch into
their midst?”
    He shrugged.   “This is my
family.   I’ll handle them.”
    “Is that why you left?   Because you were so good at handling them?”
    Rane didn’t respond.   Instead,
he spun around and resumed the pace down the long, marbled runway leading
toward the golden castle at the end.  
    Skye followed at a much slower pace, still drinking in the sights
and sounds of his home, the majestic city she’d only heard about in the tales
her mother would read to her each night.  
    Mystique.   To think that a
witch would enter the hallowed halls of the Assembly’s home was
overwhelming.   Even better, to think she
would be that witch was beyond Skye’s comprehension.  
    The double doors shielding the entrance to the castle swung wide
with barely a whisper of sound and just as Skye prepared for even more
inspiring sights, a loud bellow, not unlike the sound of an injured bull, burst
out of the opening.
    “You dare to bring this kind to our home?”
     
    ***
     

Instinctively, Rane shoved Skye behind him, shielding her with his
body.   He hadn’t thought for an instant
that she’d be welcomed with open arms, but bringing her to Mystique served a
twofold purpose.   One, he could keep an
eye on her while he gained more information into her Coven, and two, he could
speak with the healer and find out why his powers were weakening.
    He’d noticed the diminishment recently, shortly after the witch’s
arrival and while he could have summoned help from the Assembly, he needed the
touch of his family.  
    “It’s good to see you again, too, Brother,” Rane responded in a calm
tone of voice.
    Jaxon, the leader of the Assembly, a tall, bear