Dragonfae & The Soul Catcher by H. C. Brown

making me her slave.” He sighed. “You see, some creatures of dark magyck are able to use telepathy. They can make suggestions to you as if they are your own thoughts. She will try to influence you, too. You must learn to shield your mind.”
    “Do you mean as if I have conflicting thoughts?”
    “Aye, has that happened of late?”
    With a long groan, Thalia pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes. “Gods, yes, since I met you. One moment I like you, the next I’m afraid or the complete opposite. I had convinced myself I was losing my wits.”
    “Hmm…well, it takes practice, but if it happens again, which it will, if this is the Magus’ meddling, you must try to build a wall around your thoughts. Concentrate and build the wall brick by brick. Soon, you will be able to shield your thoughts and prevent anyone from mindscaping, or dark telepathy.” Lumos threw her a smile. “Start at once, slowly, and build one brick at a time.”
    “I will, but first tell me how I may help you defeat the Hag.”
    “I’ll teach you how to conjure and throw black fire this evening. If she takes more than her due, the fire will stop her. She cannot kill me but if she drains me, I’ll take a long time to recover—weeks—and you will be left to her…appetite.” Lumos shuddered. “And I may never be free of her.”
    With an effort, she threw off the sudden desire to refuse to learn the spell. ”Then teach me now. What is black fire?”
    “It is a fire that burns like the pits in the Underworld but has no smoke or light.” Lumos regarded Thalia with an intense expression. “It comes from anger but fear may feed it.”
    Thalia stared into the distance. The sun had dropped behind the mountain range and now the countryside bathed in the glow of twilight. Overhead, birds returned to the trees to nest as owls took flight, searching for food. All around, the countryside heralded the end of summer with an abundance of ripe fruits and the trees’ slow turning of green to gold.
    I wish we could stay here and enjoy this beauty together. She grimaced at her own selfishness. If this plan failed and Lumos remained with her, even with all of nature’s wonder to power her magyck, the Fae would die and it would be her fault. Oh, Cymbeline, why did Lumos listen to my song? I can only be bad luck for him.
    Thalia screwed up her nose in concentration. She would use her anger towards Erik and his men—relive the torture in her mind—to create black fire and keep Lumos safe. With a sigh, she turned to Lumos. “I have anger, more than I need, I’m sure.” She squeezed the Fae’s strong forearm. “Tell me what I must do.”
    “The fire we conjure cannot harm the creator, so form a fireball in your hand.” Lumos pulled Albert to a halt. “Let the fireball spin and then throw it. When you have mastered a fireball, allow the fire to spin in your hand and pour hate into it until it turns black.” He smiled. “Be careful where you throw black fire, little one. It’s better to think it out.”
    “Think it out? You’ll have to explain.”
    “How do you put out a fire or stop any magyck spell?” Lumos chuckled. “See the spell, form the spell, see it gone and it is no more. Imagination is a powerful weapon, is it not?” He turned towards Thalia. “Always remember you must never perform magyck in front of a Nomag.”
    With a snort, Thalia pulled her cloak tightly around her. “I do believe I’ve learnt that lesson well, Lumos. Now you have shown me how easy it is to control my magyck, I find I’m imagining a slow and painful death for Erik and his men.”
    “Ah, little butterfly, I know you will not use your magyck to cause death. You must believe me when I tell you your name is not Soul Catcher but, rather, a new beginning. Your future is fresh and new as when a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.” Lumos shook the reins.
    “I am not a caterpillar.” Thalia snorted. She held out her arms, waving madly. “Look at me! I have