Chapter 28
Ridgecrest Fortress, Realm of Eldridge
M ind dull and foggy, Celina fought her way out of a pool of dark fire. She focused on measuring her breathing, taking slow, steady breaths through her nose. Oxygen flooded through her in deep waves, relieving the sharp edge of pain just a hair. The distinct scent of dirt, metal, and stone reached her brain. One sense was functioning. She was at the fortress.
Sharp lances pierced her when she tried to access her magic, the dark fire lighting in her chest with a menace. A soft cry of pain escaped, and she physically jerked, only to be stopped by the ropes binding her to a chair. Trying again with a softer touch caused the same tendrils of flame to snake through her, making her whimper.
She’d never not had access to her magic. Even after a brutal healing when she nearly drained both her magic and her lifeforce, there was always the sphere of gold at her core. Her mind said her magic was fine. Connected to her lifeforce, they’d have to kill her to truly disconnect her from her magic, which meant whatever this was had to be temporary from the drug.
Dread coiled at the severity of their new tactic. What had they given her? She needed any information she could get, had to focus on that instead of the painful absence of her magic.
Solid, deliberate footsteps approached and stopped in front of her. Opening her eyes, she found an unfamiliar face staring at her with assessing eyes. The proximity was not what she had expected, and she automatically shifted back in surprise, straining her rope bindings.
Ignoring her frantic movements, he cupped her face in one large hand and checked her eyes. “You’re lucid, good. Alric, some water.”
The second man glared at her with a ferocity that bordered on personal accusation as he poured a mug of water and handed it over. “Lieutenant, shouldn’t we dose her again before you touch her?”
He didn’t look familiar, so he must have been the guard she’d zapped when he drugged her. Good. Alric’s affronted attitude would have made her smile if not for his eagerness to dose her again so soon.
The lieutenant eyed her with a raised eyebrow. She shook her head. Please, no drug. A substance that powerful in high doses would be very dangerous. She was barely functioning as it was.
“We won’t need more until tomorrow at the earliest,” he said.
“Are you sure? She’s strong.”
The lieutenant rolled his eyes at his subordinate. “She’s a Calderran adult with full control of her magic, not a child just discovering it. Of course she’s strong. The captain will be here soon. He’ll want two collars.”
“Orange and Red, sir?”
“No. Red and Black.” He snapped his fingers when the soldier frowned. “Now, Alric.”
Swirling the mug of water that Alric had provided, he took a sip of the contents, rolling it on his tongue before swallowing it. She blinked in confusion at the action.
“The water is clean.” Leaning forward, he put a palm on the back of her head and brought the mug to her lips. “Drink. The added drug that knocked you out makes your mouth dry as dirt.”
He was right, and the fact that he felt the need to test the water before giving it to her made her wary of taking water from anyone else later. That may have been his intention, but she hated it nonetheless as she opened her lips and let him pour water slowly into her mouth. He stopped occasionally to let her swallow but kept pouring until the mug was empty. At least her mouth wasn’t parchment dry anymore.
“That’s better.” He set the empty mug on the ground. “Now, how about we start with your name? I’m Devryn.”
Her heart fluttered wildly as she debated, but she couldn’t come up with a good reason to withhold the information and anger her captor at the first question. His gentle treatment indicated he was likely trying to make progress with her before his commanding officer arrived. “Celina.”
“Celina. You’re lucky to be alive. I’ve never seen someone react as badly as you did to the drug. I would advise you not to encourage getting another dose prematurely.”
“Who decides when to drug me again?”
“I do.” A deep voice echoed the banging of the door as an intimidating man strode into the room. “So, you’d best choose wisely.”
“Celina, this is Captain Darrett. He controls things here, including the drug.”
“You’re a mage. By Eldrin law, your rights are forfeit.” The captain grasped her chin, angling her face to look at him as he towered above her. “You’re at my mercy. Do you understand that?”
Words froze in her throat as fear lanced through her.
“Answer me.” The captain gave her a quick, violent shake.
“Yes, I understand.”
“Your responses will determine what happens next. Ultimately, you have two choices. Cooperate, and you stay under my guard. Be difficult, and I’ll choose two of the less scrupulous soldiers as your handlers and turn a blind eye to whatever methods they choose to gain your compliance.”
A trembling took over her body from fear and anxiety, and they’d barely begun. She sucked in a desperate breath to fill her lungs as he stepped back, pulled the other chair close to her, and took a seat.
Two collars, two choices. She’d heard of the color system from the refugees before, but never black. There had to be more to it than what was just spoken. “What does the black collar indicate?”
“Black is exclusive to command, used for special prisoners. At the moment, that means I and Lieutenant Devryn are the only ones allowed to punish you. The other men would need permission before handling you.” His face remained placid as he continued, answering the question she hadn’t asked. “Red means that barring permanent damage, the guards have free rein to punish or encourage compliance. The colors decline from there. With the strength of your abilities, your options are quite limited.”
“Marin, the red-collared teen we have, has been with us since the beginning of this capture season and is starting to lose her fight.” The lieutenant’s tone held a touch of warning.
Celina’s eyes flicked to him, meeting his focused gaze.
Captain Darrett chuckled darkly. “Yes, I’m sure our more heavy-handed guards would be happy to have someone new under their control. The others are all too young and scared to cause serious trouble, but you’re certainly not. You’ve proven that already.”
Dizziness overtook her in a rush and her heartbeat pounded in her temples as she absorbed everything he’d said. A red collar would give her little protection, regardless of how aggressively she behaved.
“Use of the magic-blocking drug is determined separately,” the lieutenant added.
Her magic and the accompanying wall of fire flared at the mention of the horrid drug. Biting into her lip to keep from crying out, she waited for the ribbons of scalding heat to ebb.
She really needed to find out more about that drug, but at least she wouldn’t need a red collar to do it. There had never been mention of such a thing before. Even if the military knew and wanted it kept secret, the children were apt to talk.
The painful flare faded, and she released her lip, panting and shaking as she drew in air again. The drug didn’t just block magic; it attacked it viciously.
Reaching out, Captain Darrett ran his thumb over the bite to remove the blood and wiped it clean on a cloth Devryn handed him. “By all means, challenge me. I have no qualms about dosing you again. If you’re damaged, I’m sure we’ll still be able to hand you over to the lab for testing of the drug. Based on your reaction, it seems they still have some research to do, for adults at least.”
The words swirled through her still foggy brain. Some of the kids had reported being threatened with being sold as lab rats instead of laborers or slaves to other realms. They’d assumed labs referred to other research, not specifically on magic. Somehow, she needed a sample of that drug to take back. If a magic-blocking drug was being developed, they needed to learn how to combat it.
The captain leaned back and watched her thoughtfully. “You’re not a warrior. Neither was your companion, for all that he would have made a decent adversary. So why are you here? A personal mission? I’ve already warned my men to expect company, but I’d like to know why.”
Breathing still erratic, she shook her head in answer, watching him warily. She wasn’t giving up any information if she could help it. Light footsteps sped into the room, and a small girl trotted up to them. Wide eyes flicked to Celina and the captain before she slowed to a stop in front of Devryn, who frowned at her.
“What are you doing here, Opal?” he asked.
The girl held two collars up for his inspection. Red and black, as requested.
“Alric sent these with you instead of coming back himself?”
The girl nodded quickly, chewing the side of her lower lip.
“I see.” A muscle in his jaw ticked as he shook his head.
Up close, Celina was able to see that the little girl was naturally tiny, not quite as undernourished as they had assumed from Rodric’s report. Dark circles under her eyes deepened the appearance of poor health. The blue collar dwarfed her tiny neck as she tipped her head to stare at Celina in curiosity. Thankfully, the light hadn’t dimmed from her eyes, and she didn’t give off the vacant hopelessness that some of the children arrived with at the Refugee Center.
Gratitude made Celina release the breath she’d been holding and relax her shoulders a fraction. She smiled gently at Opal to let her know she was a friend.
The captain shifted slightly, his aggressive energy shifting with him to encompass Opal as well as Celina as he turned in his seat. The girl stiffened, stumbling back until she pressed into Devryn’s leg. He placed a hand on her shoulder to steady her, stilling her movement.
“You’re very protective,” the captain said, giving Celina a speculative look. “It is an admirable, but stupid trait. I wonder how far we can push you in the name of protection. We have a number of children here—a red, two oranges, two yellows, and this little blue one. Something for you to think about.”
The weight of his speculation was a heavy burden on her heart. What would she do if he used the children as leverage to gain her cooperation? Celina’s gaze flicked to the little girl.
Opal stood perfectly still, not flinching from the menacingly quiet tone. The only indication of her fear was how tightly she clutched the colored ropes in her hands. Anxious brown eyes met Celina’s before quickly dropping.
The captain turned his attention to the little girl. “This is Celina, she’s going to be with us for a while. What collar do you think we should give her?” The girl looked at Celina, the bands, and back to the captain. “The red one?” He reached out and tugged on the red collar, but the girl hung on to it, her small body trembling as she shook her head. “No? She put up quite a fight and made me chase her. I should give her to Jack and let him handle her.”
Celina flinched and inhaled, drawing the captain’s attention.
A cruel smile twitched on his lips. “See, now that is interesting. You reacted to Jack’s name. How would you know that, hmm? He wasn’t in town with us. He was here, reacquainting himself with one of our more difficult charges. You’re right to worry. He’s one of our most violent soldiers.”
He stared Celina down, and she fought her instinctive response to struggle against her bonds. “You’ve been spying on us, and that means you’re here to cause trouble. Perhaps we should take some preventative steps.”
The energy in the room escalated dangerously, causing Celina’s breath to stutter and her pulse to thud painfully in her veins. Unable to resist the impulse, she tugged on her bonds, to no avail.
“Give me the collars and go back to the stable, Opal,” Devryn said quietly. His voice held a tension not present earlier in the conversation.
Opal’s worried eyes flicked to Celina and then up to his. He squeezed her shoulder and took the collars from her.
“Now, Opal,” Devryn ordered, nudging her toward the door.
A small tendril of relief snaked through Celina as the door creaked closed.
Standing up, the captain circled behind Celina. “Look at me,” he ordered.
Celina hesitated. Tipping her head back and exposing her throat went against every instinct she had to protect herself. When she remained still, his hand came around her throat in a firm hold, making her suck in a startled breath.
“Your choice,” the captain said. Sudden pressure cut off her air. Her body jolted in panic as the hand around her throat squeezed tightly without letting up.
Across from her, Lieutenant Devryn stood witness, making no move to intervene. His image began to blur and fade as spots darkened her vision. Her body jerked with frantic movements, making her thrash against her bonds. Pain bloomed in her head. Air, she needed air.
Releasing the pressure around her throat, the captain slid his hand down to rest on her collarbone in silent threat of reprisal.
Wild fear and relief cascaded through her as she dragged in desperate gulps of air. She coughed after each ragged breath aggravated her abused throat, body shaking with the effort as her lungs heaved. Tears wet her face, blinding her as she restabilized. Before she was ready, her captor’s calm, steady tone sounded again.
“Look at me.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Celina took an encouraging breath and found her courage. Trembling, she raised her chin. When her head was tipped all the way back, she opened her eyes to obey the command.
Captain Darrett smiled at her with satisfaction. “You’re going to be a very interesting captive.”
E motions ravaged Rodric, images of death rearing up in his mind as he stared into the dense greenery. Damien’s broken body. Avery’s hands drenched in blood. Any time he considered using magic, the images haunted him. Dangerous. It was too dangerous. Flames cracked in his mind, turning any hope of attempting to use magic into ashes.
A hand on his shoulder made him jerk in surprise.
Sev’s eyes drilled into his with stark understanding. “Get on your horse, we’re going for a ride.”
“What? Why?”
“Because you once ran my ass into the ground when I was drowning in grief, nearly destroying myself and my life in the process. I’m returning the favor.”
Rodric looked at Zora, whose serious expression matched Sev’s. She was completely free—no saddle, bridle, or gear of any kind. His brows dropped in a frown, driven by confusion.
“Daya says emotion will drive your magic until you learn to control it. You need to purge it and find your center.” Sev petted Zora’s neck with a loving hand. “Riding free will help you do that. Get on your horse, Rodric.”
Vision still hazy from old memories, Rodric mounted Zora, gripping her copper mane with one hand. Light pressure of his legs had her taking off through the trees at a pace that required him to focus. Sev was right about that—riding bareback required him to be completely in sync with Zora, synergistically connected and aware. It had been years since he’d done this with her.
Part of his mind took on the sole purpose of communicating with her as she weaved through the trees. He didn’t pay an ounce of attention to their direction, letting Zora choose the path with Sev herding them from behind. The wild shades of green and purple became a blur around him.
Letting go of his tight hold on his emotions, he let fear, pain, and grief flood him, drowning him with bruising force. Instead of blocking the emotion and caging the memories in the dark shadows of his mind, he let go, forcing himself to feel everything as Zora ran.
Avery’s death. His mother’s. Damien’s. Both their families destroyed by magic. His father turning his back on everything his mother stood for—had died for. Brenna. The spark of light that had brought him back.
Shaking with the force of pent-up emotion, he asked Zora to stop. Sliding off her back, he dropped to the ground and collapsed beside a nearby tree, head in his hands.
Sev sat quietly next to him and waited. A silent sentinel to his grief. Barrier destroyed by everything that had happened the past few weeks, Rodric began to talk, sharing the darkness with his friend.
“Death and destruction—that’s all magic has ever been for me. I’d do anything to save Celina. But what if I destroy her instead?”
“What if you don’t? All life is risk, Rodric.”
He contemplated that in silence, staring at the mossy ground beneath his feet. A soft head butted his shoulder with enough force to knock him off balance, shoving him into Sev. After he righted himself, Zora lifted her head and blew in his face before continuing to rub her face all over his neck and chest. His tension broke with a crack, and he smiled, petting her neck and head.
“Alright, girl. I hear you.” Pushing her away, Rodric heaved a sigh and leaned back against the tree. “How? How do I do it?”
“How did you do it before? I saw your face when Connor spoke. You were afraid and hurting, not surprised. When have you successfully connected to Celina?”
Rodric thought back over the progression of his magic since it appeared. Discounting the actual healing, he focused on the connection that was unique to her, to them. He’d shared emotions with Celina more than once, but usually with her initiating it. The only time he’d ever connected beyond simply sharing her emotion was…
“This morning. I was upset, and she took off into the woods, made me chase her. I snapped into hunting mode. She hid in this strange-looking plant that reminded her of her friend Sam. I heard her thoughts about him. It enraged me, and l latched on to her, pinpointing her exact location and speaking into her mind.”
Sev laughed good-naturedly. “You need me to find an angry momma leopard to chase you?”
“Shut up.” Rodric shoved Sev’s shoulder, but his friend kept chuckling.
“That makes sense though. Your mind and body unite in focus when you go into that mode. Your magic is a natural part of you, another sense. The hunter doesn’t have a problem using it, just the man. So, get into that zone and reach for her.”
As if it was the most natural thing in the world. Right.
Closing his eyes, he brought his senses into the higher state of function he used when he hunted. Sound, scent, touch, all heightened to the max. Then he tapped into his magic, staring at it like a foreign invader. But it wasn’t. It was part of him. The gold moved in a caress, a calm stream compared to the stormy frenzy of his white and blue magic. As soon as he let go of the barriers, the magic swirled in response, aligning in a rapid sphere. Another sense. One the hunter needed.
Finding the line of his bond, he sent a wave of emotion to her. Nothing in response. He tried again, and a third time, with the same results. “I’m sending and nothing’s happening. It’s like the bond is shut down on her side. Blocked, somehow.”
“Then quit sending. Rodric, when you’re hunting, your target has no idea you’re there. Right? Stop blocking your instincts and hunt for her. She’s your mate. It should be the most natural thing in the world.”
Standing, Rodric paced in a tight pattern, trying to mentally stay in the hunting zone. My mate.
Fear, determination, and dull, thudding pain hit him. A spike of pain and anxiety when her magic tried to rise to meet him. His breath stilled in his lungs. Celina. The strength of her presence filled him with hope. His mate was alive and fighting.
He sent love and hope cascading through the bond. Imagined it enveloping her with the warmth of his embrace. Shielding her from the pain and fear. Sheltering her soul within his own until he could get to her.
Opening his eyes, he found Sev and Zora standing a few feet from him, both alert and watching him intently.
Sev smiled, patting Zora on the shoulder in camaraderie. “Now, we can hunt.”