Entrapped (Cursed Magic Series

by Casey Odell

  “You can do that?” She hadn’t thought about it before, but she supposed it was possible. He could use magic, and he still had the amulet she had given him as well. Jealousy reared its ugly green head, but Claire beat it back. This wasn’t the time or place for that nonsense.

  He simply nodded, probably figuring that she would work it out on her own. “And we came up with a plan. Lianna said she couldn’t sense your presence anymore. Somehow the Syndicate was able to hide you and the others. But your mother said she knew the whereabouts of the other… Star Children, or at least where they might be,” he said. “She said she had her own eyes and ears still inside the Syndicate, and that she would help us if we got you back.”

  Claire put the pieces together in her head. “So, she’s with Lianna?”

  Farron nodded. “I don’t know your mother that well, but from what I do know— those two, they make a pretty formidable team.”

  A shiver went through her at the thought. “The syndicate doesn’t stand a chance,” she agreed, only half joking. If anyone could bring the Syndicate to their knees, it was those two.

  “After, I had Lianna agree to leave her to Fran in Sanre,” Farron said. “She’ll be safe there for a while.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Lianna agreed to keep her whereabouts a secret from the Council and even the king. Call it a personal favor.”

  “For you?”

  “For you,” he shot back gently.

  Claire swallowed. The list of things that she owed Lianna was growing by the day. Soon it would be almost as long as the elf’s.

  “Do you trust her?” she asked. After all, he knew Lianna better than she did.

  He nodded, grimly. “More than anyone else in that palace.”

  His answer eased her worries only slightly. She still wasn’t comfortable with anyone from Derenan knowing the whereabouts of her mother.

  “Speaking of Star Children, the men caught the child and the woman. We should have almost all of them by now, but it seems the Council didn’t uphold their end of the bargain. Though I’m not surprised in the least.” His grip on her tightened. “I’m sorry, Claire.”

  She grew still. “I don’t think they ever had any control over them in the first place.”

  The look in his eyes said he wasn’t shocked by that either.

  “What took you so long, anyway?” she asked, changing the subject. It had been weeks since she last saw him.

  “Well,” he said, looking a little embarrassed. “There were two places your mother said they could have taken you. And let’s just say this isn’t the first place we checked.”

  Claire sighed and wondered if he was the one responsible for the missing scout party Deliah had mentioned. It seemed just as likely as the centaurs.

  “How bad is it… out there?” she asked hesitantly, not sure that she really wanted to know. But she had to.

  “It’s not promising,” he said glumly. “Razi and the men were able to drive them away for now, but the town is nearly decimated. They’re holding on, but barely. If the centaurs decide to attack again, which they probably will, the townspeople won’t be able to stop them.”

  Claire swallowed hard, thinking about the massive beast from the night before. It would certainly haunt her dreams in the future. “Is there anything we could do?”

  “I don’t know, Claire. Whoever could has probably evacuated by now, but there are those that still wish to stay and fight. Even with Razi here, we probably wouldn’t stand a chance against their numbers.”

  Claire couldn’t totally accept his answer, even if it was the truth. From a logical standpoint, he was right. But she couldn’t just give up before she’d even tried. She just didn’t know what she could do.

  They were quiet for a little while and Farron nuzzled his face back into her neck. “That was too close,” he said after a while. “A second later…”

  “You always seem to rescue me at the last moment,” she said softly, recalling when he’d saved her for the first time in the forest. “Would it kill you to come a little earlier next time?”

  He laughed and she could feel the vibrations rumble through his chest.

  “You understand, right? Why I did it?” she asked quietly. “Why I gave myself up?”

  “Yes,” he whispered. “Though I still think it was a foolish thing to do.”

  Claire pulled back to look at him. “I couldn’t risk anything happening to my mother. She’s tough, but she’s not like you, or even me. They would have hurt her to get to me.”

  “I know,” he said. “But believe me when I say I wasn’t the only one furious with your decision. I bore the brunt of your mother’s anger. I’ve seen a lot of scary things in my time, Claire, but she had to have been one of the most frightening.”

  Claire laughed at that. She could only imagine and she was glad she hadn’t been there to witness it for herself. She suddenly realized that she was forgetting about another important person. “Fare,” she said, sobering. “Did you find a woman here, a blind one who looks similar to me?”

  He thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I haven’t really left this room the last couple of days. Why do you ask?”

  His answer did nothing to calm her worries. But if the fortress was safe, the people inside had to be as well. “It’s… a long story,” she said, not wanting to delve into it at the moment. “I’m sorry, for making you worry.” She ran a finger down his jaw, her eyes focused on his lips. “I didn’t do it to run away from you or to push you away. I just want you to know that.”

  He leaned his forehead against hers. “Well, at least you didn’t throw pottery at me.”

  She nudged his shoulder again and he chuckled. “I actually missed you, can you believe that?” she asked, kissing him softly at first, gradually becoming deeper and more passionate with each second. She wriggled out of his lap to the cushion, drawing him down atop of her.

  He pressed her down onto the bed, practically devouring her, his lips leaving hers to trail down to her neck, his breath becoming raspy, heavy.

  Claire smiled. She supposed he felt the same.

  It was still dark when she awoke again. Farron slept soundly next to her, his breathing deep and even. Claire wondered briefly how long it had been since he’d gotten a good night’s sleep. Then felt guilty knowing she’d been the reason he hadn’t. The dark circles under his eyes were the marks that she’d left on him this time. She just hoped that they wouldn’t be as permanent as the many scars on his body.

  Claire stretched, sitting up slowly, careful not to disturb him. She shivered, the cold night air nipping at her bare skin. The fire had died down to a few glowing embers. The fortress was quiet around her. It was peaceful for the moment, but she wondered just how long that would last. With a quick glance around, she located her robe that she had carelessly thrown aside the night of the attack and slipped it on, wrapping it tight around herself. She rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm herself up.

  Feeling restless, she looked at the sliding door. Were there guards posted outside like before? What had happened to all of the Syndicate members, the servants… her mother? Most of the men would most likely be asleep, though she didn’t really know what time of day it was. In any case, it probably would be alright if she were to quietly go in search of her mother. Finding her, however, would be a different story. She couldn’t remember how to get to her room.

  Her mind made up, she rose to her knees, but was halted by a hand on her wrist. Farron pulled her back and she landed atop of him, her hands braced on his chest.

  “I wouldn’t if I were you,” he said, his voice full of soft warning. “Especially wearing only that with the sort of men that are out there.”

  Claire sighed, frustrated. “Well, I don’t think they would be much interested in the likes of me anyway.” But as soon as the words had left her mouth she knew they weren’t true. Judging by her last encounter with them, they didn’t seem to be the discerning type.

  Farron frown
ed slightly. “I don’t think you realize the effect you have on men. You’re cute and innocent-looking. Believe me when I say that makes men think dark thoughts just as much as someone like Lianna would.”

  Heat rose to her cheeks. She hadn’t thought about it like that before. “So, that’s why you keep rescuing me…” she mused, teasing him.

  He grinned. “It might have something to do with it.” He ran his hands up and down her arms.

  “How very noble of you.” She laid her head on his chest in time to hear the faint rumble of laughter. It was silent for a while when she finally asked, “Do you believe in fate? Or do you think everything is just a series of coincidences? Perhaps they’re the same thing, really… I’ve been thinking, you know, how without this thing we would have never even met.” She raised her right arm and looked at the dark mark. “I would have married a simple farm boy by now, or a shop keep, and may have tried to open my own sweets shop. You would still be terrorizing the west as the Sin de Reine. It’s strange how things work out. How one little thing can change your life forever.”

  Claire raised up on her arms to look down at the elf. “I’m glad it was you who found me that night in the forest,” she said earnestly. “I may have acted like I hated you back then, and perhaps I really did.” She grinned at the memory. “If you would have told me then that I would be here like this with you now, I wouldn’t have believed it.” It was still hard for her to wrap her mind around it at times, but she kept that to herself.

  “Are you trying to seduce me?” he asked, frowning.

  She leaned down low over him. “Well, once you let your guard down a little, you’re not so bad, I suppose.” She leaned back again, sitting up next to him, her voice becoming a little curter. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate everything that you did— that you do— for me. And don’t you dare think it was easy for me to drive you away. I only did it because I thought it would keep you safe. It’s about time I start repaying you, right?” She smiled slightly and sighed. The debt she owed him— she didn’t think she would ever be able to repay him for it. “But that’s not the only reason I did it…” She looked down at her right hand resting on his chest. There was also the matter of her dubious fate to consider. “It’s only going to get harder, you know.”

  Farron reached down and undid the sash on her robe and slid the soft material down off her right shoulder, exposing the ever growing, wild mark, now reaching just past her shoulder due to her latest reckless magical stunt. He traced the dark lines with a finger, his eyes following along. “I know,” he said, at last, his voice soft but sure.

  Her composure faltered as a mixture of relief, sadness, and inexplicable frustration swelled up inside. “You’re a fool, you know that, right?” She grabbed his hands and pinned them above his head as she straddled his waist. He just looked up at her calmly, unmoving. Claire mused briefly about the preposterousness of the situation. Here she was in the dark with the legendary Sin de Reine, the Ice Prince, scourge of Derenanian nobles, pinned beneath her as she chastised him for being patient and gallant and willing to stand by her through whatever the future may bring. Preposterous indeed. Especially considering that he was the one who had made up his mind long ago. She was the one that still had to come to terms with everything.

  She leaned down, her lips brushing softly across his forehead, then down his temple to his cheek. As light as a feather, she kissed her way across to his other cheek.

  “Claire,” he whispered as he laced his fingers with hers.

  “Why go through all of this for a dying woman?”

  “Because I love her. And even though she is too stubborn to admit it most of the time, she needs me.”

  Claire leaned back, shocked that he had finally said how he felt. “Who knew the Ice Prince could be so romantic?” she teased.

  “I told you I was quite charming, didn’t I?”

  “That still remains to be seen,” her pride said, rearing its head.

  “Well, you are naked on top of me…” he replied, knocking her pride off its feet.

  Heat rushed to her cheeks. She didn’t know why she should feel embarrassed— it wasn’t as if it were the first time she had been in such a position, but still…

  He chuckled softly and pulled her down for another kiss, and she lost herself in him once again, flinging her worries to the wind. At least, just for the rest of the night.

  The bed— well, as much as a cushion on a hard wooden floor could be a bed— was empty next to her when she awoke. Her eyes widened with a start. Had she dreamt that the elf had come after all?

  A slight noise drew her attention to the other side of the dim room. Relief filled her when she spotted the elf in question, but was almost immediately dashed by the urgency in which he dressed.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, rubbing her eyes and stretching. The commotion outside finally registered and she perked up, a shudder racing down her spine. It was happening again. The centaurs were attacking. She just knew it, could feel it in her gut. It was only a matter of time before they would try again.

  With the same urgency, Claire dressed, her hands shaking.

  “Here,” Farron said as she finished off the braid in her hair. He held her dagger out to her, along with the thin stiletto he’d only recently given to her. “One of the men found them.”

  Claire took her familiar blade and almost instantly felt relieved. “And then you deprived him of his spoils of war, did you?”

  “Spoils go to the victor,” he said with a grin.

  Claire just slipped the belt around her waist and tucked the thinner blade into her right boot. She didn’t want to know what he’d done to whoever had been unlucky enough to come into possession of one of his blades, let alone hers.

  Looking lethal as ever, with daggers strapped to his back along with bow and arrows and doubtless many hidden blades, Farron slid the door open and slipped out, Claire following close behind. Cool crisp air greeted her, along with the bright rays of a midday sun. Familiar-looking mercenaries scurried about, dressing or eating as they hurried to their posts. Claire wondered what had happened to the Syndicate men again. Were they locked away in a dungeon somewhere beneath the fortress? Or had they fled the night of the attack? Or a bit of both? She shook the thought from her head. There were more important matters at hand.

  She followed Farron up the steps to the top of the same wall she’d climbed a few short nights ago and was greeted by just as grim a scene. Only this time she could see the overwhelming numbers the darkness had cloaked. Centaurs covered the fields to the west of the town, thick like a blanket, dotted with the giant forms of the monsters like the one that had derailed the carriage.

  Claire froze, her mouth going dry. They hadn’t attacked the town, not yet anyway. They were preparing, waiting— for what she didn’t know for certain, but she did have a guess. The townspeople inside the meager walls were most likely anxiously doing the same. But they didn’t stand a chance, not against this horde. Stockton had fallen in a single night, and that was without the help of the giants, or whatever they were. The fact that it was even still standing…

  “Me chaqana,” came a familiar voice. “It has been too long.”

  Claire spun toward Razi, and the only reason the town below still stood. He looked remarkably unfazed by the looming threat below. Perhaps he was used to it. If so, Claire wondered just what sort of missions the Council had been sending him out on. “Razi,” she said, breathless. He was dressed simply, dark pants and deep red shirt, his intricate curved dagger at his waist, as ready for battle as she’d ever seen him.

  He took her hand and bent down low, touching it to his forehead, a peculiar custom she wasn’t quite used to yet.

  Farron cleared his throat behind her and Razi straightened up again, arrogance emanating off of him. He barely gave the elf a glance as he touched the amulet around her neck and said, “You should be more careful, me chaqana. There may be a time where you might not be so lucky.”

  �
��Thank you,” Claire said, averting her gaze, her cheeks growing warm. “For that.”

  “It was my pleasure,” he said, grinning. “Truly.” He finally spared a glance at Farron behind her, goading him.

  Claire just sighed and walked over to the low wall to look down at the town. Men and their egos. As if there weren’t more dire matters at the moment. She sensed Farron’s presence next to her more than heard him.

  “They haven’t attacked yet,” he stated simply, his voice low and calm.

  “Do you think,” Claire started, taking a deep breath, “they’re waiting for us?”

  “Perhaps,” he said. “If that is still their goal.”

  Claire frowned. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore. Was that what the centaurs still wanted? Or had their goals changed since they broke free of the Council’s influence?

  “What do you mean?” Razi said on her other side, interrupting her train of thought. “That they might be waiting for us?”

  Claire tensed. That was right. Razi still didn’t know about the centaurs and their deal with the king and Council. She turned to face him. “No one told you, did they?”

  “Told me what?” He frowned and crossed his arms.

  “The Council’s dirty little secret,” Farron said from behind her. “Though there are many of those…” he added under his breath.

  Razi shot him a sharp glance. “Just what is it you are implying?”

  “I’m not implying anything,” Farron said, his voice just as sharp as Razi’s look. “The Council that you are so loyal to is responsible for that.”

  Razi’s eyes followed the hand Farron must have pointed down to the town, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. He looked at Claire and she silently nodded.

  “It’s true,” she said softly. “They admitted it to me. The Council and the king. It was part of a strategy to help find us, our kind, to flush us out of hiding, and cause our powers to awaken so that we were easier to track down.”

  Razi shook his head, his face contorted in horror and disbelief. “It can’t…”