Ecstatic (Arcane Mage Series Book 5)

by T. S. Snow

  Logan set the tray on the floor in front of me and stepped back.

  I stared at the little breads and pieces of cheese, and sighed. Closing my eyes, I focused on my magic, feeling its heat. I imagined fire burning the food on top of the tray, turning it into no more than cinders and ash. Then I pictured the plastic of the water bottle melting into the tray. If nothing else, the extra layer would make the tray itself a better weapon if we ended up needing it.

  I opened my eyes and saw I’d done a good job of it, even if the smell of burnt plastic was irritating my nose.

  My orange magic activation circle shone on top of the tray, and I smiled at it. I’d had to go without my magic before, after the explosion in my apartment, and it had felt like a piece of me was missing. I had no idea how the guys were dealing right now, especially when they probably used their magic way more frequently than I did and held way more power inside them. But I was grateful that my magic hadn’t been taken from me again, that I could still use it and feel it. I could still be me. I hoped they’d get their magic back soon, because nobody deserved to be stripped of pieces of themselves like this.

  Besides, if Theo got his magic back, he could maybe find a ghost around and get them to tell Mrs. Alma where we were, so Bast and the guys could break us out. Not that I planned on just sitting around and waiting to be saved. I was not Princess Peach, and my guys were definitely not Mario, no matter how many plumber jokes Andres might come up with.

  “Good girl.” Logan’s praise had me shivering in the best kind of ways.

  Oh my Goddess, now is not the fucking time, Charisma Carter, my mental voice reprimanded.

  Right. Yes. It was rude as fuck of Logan to praise me. How dare he try to get me all hot and bothered just because his dominant as hell persona made me want him to tie me up in bed and do bad, bad things to my body? Or even better, made me want to do all kinds of things to his body so he’d tell me I was a good girl once again, but this time, while he held my hair and fucked my mouth.

  Pretty sure Bast would enjoy watching that too, considering he became all evil in the bedroom from time to time.

  But I digressed.

  “Do you think you can conjure water outside the cell now? This way, you’ll have some time to recover your magic before Cara arrives to make good on her threat.”

  Way to ruin the mood, Theodore.

  Instead of saying that out loud, though, or giving into the inappropriate thoughts, I just nodded and closed my eyes again.

  Water was…harder for me to conjure. Fire had always come easily, but water fought me. Probably because while fire always reacted to my emotions, water was the opposite. It was weird, because even lightning was easier for me to conjure than water, and lightning was supposed to be the hardest element. However, for water, I had to be focused. Centered. Cool. Emotionless. If there was one thing I was incredibly crap at, it was controlling my emotions.

  Focus, Char. You got this.

  Right. I did.

  I was in control.

  First, I focused on my breathing, inhaling and exhaling, concentrating on that and only that. I tuned out the men beside me and my feelings towards them, ignored the pangs of hunger in my stomach and the way my body felt weak. I ignored the feel of sandpaper in my throat, and instead, I went deeper. I felt the blood running through my veins, the beating of my heart, and I imagined that the beat was the sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore. I was the ocean. Every time I inhaled, I imagined the water returning to my depths, and at every exhale, a crashing wave going down to the shore to wash away the sand, going farther every time.

  I directed my magic out, asking the water to slowly stream through the stone outside, just enough to get the floor wet but not enough to actually bother anyone who came down here. The less attention they paid to the wet floor, the better.

  A thought suddenly struck me, and I opened my eyes, breaking my focus on the magic.

  “Fuck, shit, fuck. Stupid. I’m so fucking stupid,” I grumbled.

  How had I forgotten the most basic of things? I blamed hunger.

  “What is it, Char?” Theo asked, coming closer. “You were doing awesome. Water was coming out of the stone floor and everything. What happened?”

  I face-palmed. “Shoes. They’ll be wearing shoes, meaning the odds of me being able to put enough water to zap them without them noticing are nil. Not to mention, shoes aren’t conductive. Or most of them aren’t, anyways. Plus, I should’ve created a small stone barrier to separate our side of the cell from theirs, or else the water would stream in here and we’d end up zapped. Urgh, why am I like this? For someone so smart, I can be so fucking stupid.”

  Argh. I wanted to bang my head against something. Seriously, I was a motherfucking engineer. This was a disgrace to my people.

  Logan was cursing somewhere behind me, but I didn’t bother paying attention to him. In the meanwhile, Theo had crouched beside me and was gently patting my back, as if that would solve everything.

  Well, it actually felt sort of nice to be petted, but it didn’t really help with my problem. Our problem.

  I supposed I could always just leave the water as it was and then try to use it as a kind of lasso to attack whomever came down here. However, there was no way I could control water faster than Cara could defend against it.

  Especially if she had her damn MET.

  I did not want to follow Logan’s plan, though. His idea had been crap.

  Fuck this whole being talked down to for the sake of distracting Cara. I mean, I still thought it could work, but I wasn’t sure I was psychologically ready for something like that, not when I was barely even hanging on to what little sanity I had left.

  Not when I knew Cara would take sadistic pleasure from it.

  Before I had a chance to make up my mind or come up with any kind of idea, I heard a heavy door opening and closing, then footsteps drawing closer.

  Shit.

  They were here.

  The time for making plans was over.

  10

  Theo

  The minute I heard footsteps, I jumped to my feet and rushed so I was standing in front of Char. She stood up when I did, but I made sure my body blocked hers. I knew about Cara’s weird, sick obsession with her cousin, and I very much doubted she’d just kill us and be done with it. It didn’t matter what Char and Logan thought. I knew Cara would try to stir up trouble before she got anything done.

  Cara liked to think she was in control, liked to play mind games and toy with people’s feelings. When word got out that I’d “dumped” Char, Cara had tried to seduce me, and when flirting didn’t work, she’d outright asked me out. She’d wanted Char to see us together, to think I’d dumped her to be with her cousin.

  Maybe…maybe I could use that.

  Would she fall for it if I pretended to be interested in her? Would that buy Char enough time to zap the rebels who came down here to help Cara get rid of us?

  The sound of footsteps grew louder, and I braced myself for what I was about to do.

  Well, Char already hated me anyway. At least if I could be useful to her, she could be alive to hate me.

  I’d do just about anything to keep Char alive. Even this.

  Cara was the first person to reach the cell we were in, her platinum blonde hair loose, reaching a little below her shoulders. Her silver eyes, so like Char’s and yet so different, shone with malice. She was wearing a fucking mini dress, as if she’d just come for a party, rather than what I was sure would eventually be our execution, and she was wearing high heels. Seriously high heels.

  Was she even aware this was a fucking dungeon and not some kind of psychotic catwalk? What the fuck did she think she was doing? It was bad enough she’d been plotting the destruction of our society while also playing the role of star heiress, but to kill us?

  I swore to the Goddess, if Cara fucking Silverstorm killed us, I’d come back as a ghost and haunt her ass for the rest of her life. She would never know peace. I’d make h
er scared of her own damn shadow. My powers might disappear with me when I died, but ghosts had their own kind of power.

  And I’d make sure I fucked her shit up until the day she died.

  “Well, isn’t this adorable? The creep protecting the mutt!” Cara remarked, faking cheerfulness.

  My hands tightened around the bars. So much for my half-assed plan of trying to flirt with her.

  “What do you want, Cara?” Char asked, while Logan walked closer to her. “Don’t get me wrong, I know what you want—you want more power. That’s quite obvious. But is this really how you want to get it? You’re already the Silverstorm heir! You are meant to become the head when my parents step down, which should honestly not take long, especially when you take into account the fact that by stepping down, they’ll give you all the responsibility while still being able to enjoy the lifestyle they love so dearly. So why, Cara?”

  While Char spoke, other members of the resistance joined Cara on the outside of our bars. Counting Cara, there were four mages to our three. Next to Char’s cousin stood a girl with dark hair and blue eyes that reminded me a hell lot of Jess, except an older version of her. Then there was the asshole who’d taken great pleasure in shocking both Logan and me, and a burly man who was probably taller than even Logan.

  Shit. Cara had brought muscle to add to her magical power.

  There was no way we could take on all of them with just Char’s magic. Hell, even if I had my magic too, it still might not be enough. Logan was the one who would’ve stood the biggest chance, not that I’d ever admit that to him.

  Cara opened her mouth to say something, probably to taunt Char, but before she could, Char gasped.

  “Jess?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. “How are you here?”

  The dark-haired girl’s gaze flew to Char, but she didn’t speak.

  Cara did, however. She smiled. “Oh dear. Did you not know your little friend was working for us? I thought you knew better, cousin dearest.”

  “That’s not Jess, Char,” I said before Cara could spew any more bullshit. “She’s older than Jess, taller too.”

  Not by a lot, but the difference was enough that I could tell.

  Char tried to move closer, probably to have a better look, but Logan and I boxed her between us.

  I didn’t want her getting too close to Cara and within range. As long as I stayed between them, Cara wouldn’t be able to hurt Char, not without taking me out first.

  Cara glared at me, but I just ignored her.

  “Why are you doing this, Cara?” Char asked again, and her cousin’s eyes sparkled with malice.

  Bitch was loving the attention.

  “Because I can. Because I want more than to just be your replacement. Because I deserve more. I have enough power in my fingertips to be a queen, so why should I settle for less? The difference between you and me, Charisma dear, is that you settled in your pathetic little life, with your pitiful little toys. You lack ambition. I was willing to let you live, had you not stuck your nose into matters that were none of your fucking business. It’s your fault you’re going to die, really.”

  Goddess, I had no idea Cara had lost her goddamn mind. I knew she had a superiority complex, and her hatred for Charisma was no surprise. But did she really think that because she had more magic, she deserved to rule over…everyone? That she could do whatever the fuck she pleased without consequences?

  Even Marcella Nightshade wasn’t that delusional, and the girl thought the sun rose from her ass.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a flicker of movement, but when I turned my head, giving it my full attention, it was gone.

  Crap. Were there more people here, using illusion to disguise themselves? Or were my powers coming back and that had been a ghost? I could really use Annie’s help right about now, or any ghost’s really.

  Fuck, I couldn’t afford the time to actually check. I just hoped my power was truly coming back and we weren’t surrounded by even more mages. That would make things even harder for us.

  I wanted to turn around, check on Char, but I didn’t dare move from my spot. Especially now that the threat might be even bigger than I’d thought.

  Surprisingly enough, Logan was the one who stepped up. “And what, you think your magic is really strong enough? How about a duel, between you and me, no dirty tricks? Let’s see whose magic really is the strongest.”

  Cara actually laughed at him. “Oh, please. Do I look stupid? I’m not falling for this. Besides, last I checked, you had no magic. Do you really want to duel me right now?”

  It didn’t take a genius to know Cara’s taunt had hit its mark, but thankfully, Char intervened before things escalated.

  “So what, you’ll kill us, blame someone else, and pretend you’re not a member of the resistance? For how long? Do you honestly think you’ll be able to keep up the ruse much longer?”

  Cara’s face turned red, and a white activation circle started to form in front of me.

  Fuck.

  This was going to hurt.

  “Now, now, Cara mia, don’t do anything to jeopardize the plan,” a male voice said, and in the next second, Ricardo fucking Illudere materialized right beside Cara, his hand on her shoulder.

  As always, he wore a suit. His long, dark hair was pulled in a ponytail again, and the sneer on his face made me want to punch him.

  Motherfucker.

  Cara leaned back against Ricardo in a sickening show of affection and closed her eyes, reining her magic back in.

  No way was I being thankful to that asshole for saving my ass, but damn, his timing was good.

  “Eww, are you two together? Like, together together? As in, bumping uglies, doing the monster mash together? That’s gross, Cara. He’s older than your dad! Hell, he could actually be your dad. You slept with Blaze and Dean Futhark, who are hot, and then you moved on to…him? A guy twice your age? I mean, nothing wrong with a little age-gap romance, but don’t you think this is a little excessive? You’re twenty-one! That’s barely even legal, dude. Someone should really call the cops or something on you two. Please, oh please, tell me this is a new development and not something that has been going on for a while.” As Char rambled, Cara’s face turned more and more red and Ricardo’s turned downright furious.

  But seriously, they couldn’t be surprised at her reaction. I was struggling to come to terms with this match made in hell, and I unfortunately knew more than I wanted to about Cara’s…predilection for powerful men.

  If not for the fact we were imprisoned and about to die, Char’s reaction would’ve been incredibly entertaining.

  Char yelped from behind me. I turned my head and saw her rubbing her left arm.

  “Shut up, bitch. If you think this is bad, just wait until we’re done with you. I’m finally going to be rid of you and your annoying rambling. Soon, you’ll be nothing but a memory, Charisma. Your men will watch you die, unable to do anything, before they, too, will fall,” Cara hissed, her posture tense and hands clenched.

  Ricardo’s hand on Cara’s shoulder tightened. “Now, Cara mia, let us not waste our breath on them. After all, soon enough, they won’t be a problem.” He let go of Cara, looked at his watch on his wrist, and sighed. “Well, as…fun as this little reunion has been, I must go. Come, Cara. We have business to discuss.”

  “But I wanted to see the bitch die,” Cara whined, pouting as if that would make her any more attractive.

  Ricardo caressed her cheek. “I know, Cara mia. However, we need to be far away from here if we want plausible deniability. I’ve allowed you to say your piece and your goodbyes.” He dropped his hand and turned. “Now come, I don’t want to be late.”

  Ricardo started walking away from us, and Cara sent us one final dirty look before she started to follow him.

  Goddess, I couldn’t believe Futhark had slept with her. What the fuck had he ever even seen in her?

  Ricardo was halfway to the door when he turned his head slightly, his eyes mee
ting the mages he left behind.

  “Kill them. But remember, don’t use magic, and try to not make a big mess. It should look like the Necromancers did this,” he commanded coldly, almost clinically.

  To him, we were nothing but vermin to be exterminated.

  But I’d be damned if I’d go down without a fight.

  11

  Bastille

  This had to work.

  Please, Goddess. Please let this work. I honestly didn’t know what I’d do if I lost my Char forever. We had one chance to get her back, to save her.

  I wouldn’t let it go to waste.

  It had been almost twenty-four hours since Char’s kidnapping, and the only reason I hadn’t completely lost it was because Gran had assured me she was okay. Bruised and probably starving, but she was alive and mostly unharmed.

  However, she’d also cautioned me that Char might be running out of time. I didn’t want to think too hard about her warning.

  I parked a couple streets from the address Blair had texted Blaze. We were in a less busy part of town, with more warehouses and industrial buildings.

  Probably a small mercy, because it meant we were less likely to be spotted by humans, though I hoped either Andres or Blair would put up some kind of illusion to make sure we didn’t attract too much attention.

  I didn’t want any innocents to be caught in the crossfire.

  I turned the engine off and braced myself for what we were about to do. What I was about to do. The car was heavy with tension, and nobody dared speak, even though I had both Andres and Blaze with me.

  AMIA’s director had sent a couple of his most trusted agents to go in with us and provide backup, but due to the timing of Char’s kidnapping, he didn’t want to risk sending more men before we had already stormed the place. Though the minute we went in, he would mobilize a few teams and follow us in.

  Basically, all we had to do was buy some time once we were inside and not be overwhelmed.