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

of a man wearing
indigo robes and a glower, plowed through the doorway and came face to face
with his younger sibling.   “She is a
witch, Rane.”
    “How nice of you to point that out.   Skye Logan, meet my brother, Jaxon, leader of the Assembly and don’t
worry about his scowl.   He seldom
bites.   Jaxon, this is Skye.   Try to be pleasant, won’t you?”   Rane took Skye’s hand and led her across the
threshold and into the castle.   “Is
Falcon here?”
    Jaxon slammed the doors shut with a wave of his hand.   “You obviously know that he is.   That is why you are here, is it not?”                            
    Rane lifted one eyebrow and began the journey down the long
corridor, still holding tightly to Skye’s hand.
    “You and your brother seem very close,” Skye pointed out.
    Rane tossed her a look over his shoulder.   “Ordinarily, we are.   Your presence adds a level of tension.”
    “You didn’t have to bring me.”
    Rane chuckled.   “Oh, but I
did.   There was no way I could leave you
on Earth long enough for me to come here.”   Especially since he didn’t know if he’d be able to return.
    “And what do you plan on doing with me now that we’re here?”
    “I have a few ideas.”
    “I’ll bet you do.”
    Rane reached the main assembly room and stopped at the closed
door.   Knowing the restrictions, he
couldn’t take Skye with him.   “You will
stay here,” he commanded.   He met her
gaze.   “You cannot leave Mystique by
yourself, so I would suggest you do not attempt it.   Do not make me come looking for you.”
    Skye folded her arms.   “I get it.   Go talk with the big cheese.   I’ll
be right here… for now.”
     
    ***
     
    Emily bided her time, waiting patiently for the apprentice witch to
fall asleep.   Since she’d been kidnapped, E mily quickly learned the
young woman’s scheduled who guarded her each night.
    She placed the dinner tray on the foot of the cot and dropped to the
floor.   She scooted to the door and
squinted to peer through the keyhole.   As
suspected, the apprentice slept soundly, her head resting back against the
knotty wood.   Concentrating carefully,
Emily held her hand out for the key.   She
restrained herself from giving a gleeful shout when it floated from the chain
around the apprentice’s neck.
    In mid-air the key stopped and wobbled.   Emily opened one eye and tried to concentrate
harder, but the key wouldn’t move.  
    “Come on,” she whispered frantically.
    Suddenly, it began to spin and Emily sucked in a sharp breath as the
key shot across the room and fell into an outstretched hand.  
    “Excellent try, Emily, my darling,” Sabrina cooed, “but you have a
long way to go before you’ll truly be one of us.”

Emily sank against the door and tried not to cry.   “I will get out of here.   You can’t keep me in here forever.”
    Sabrina placed her hand against the door.   “I don’t need to keep you here forever,
sweets, only long enough for your sister to complete her task.   Then I won’t need you any more.”
     
    ***
     
    Everywhere Rane looked, he saw the scowls of his people.   Dark faces set in disturbed lines.   Even his mother, normally a peaceful wizard,
glared at him with obvious disapproval.
                “Rane, what were you thinking?   Do you realize how you have put all of us at
risk?”   Charlemaine adjusted her robes
and sat down beside her husband, resting her hand on his arm.
                Rane circled the
large, oval-shaped table, his hands in the pockets of the robe he’d adorned
upon entering the room.   “What would you
have had me do, Mother?   Leave her alone
to escape before I knew her plan?”
    “Is her plan so important you would risk the lives of your people?”
came Nexon’s disgruntled voice.
    Rane turned to face the ordinarily quiet wizard.   “Do you not think it best to keep an eye on a
witch who clearly has me