Fae Chronicles 01 - Fighting Destiny by Amelia Hutchins Page B

them. The odds of fighting them all were slim if they decided they wanted a fight. Hot breath touched the side of my neck and I instantly realized I'd stepped towards Ryder for protection. He'd probably help them beat the shit out of me.
    "Behave, or I will make you," Ryder growled low and huskily into my ear, quiet enough that those striding towards us wouldn’t be able to hear him.
    I watched the men get closer, their features hidden in the shadows by the hallways dim lighting. As they all got closer to where I stood, motionless on high alert, my hands itched for weapons I'd left at home. I hated that I was defenseless except for my spells.
    They nodded dark heads in Ryder's direction before he opened the door beside us and walked through, the others waiting for me to follow his lead. I did, but the moment I passed over the threshold I felt it again, the slithering. And then a violent pain rocked me and nausea fought to get out from my throat.
    "What the fuck!" I shouted even as I tried to keep the bile at bay.
    "It is magic proof," someone behind me said, pushing past me into the room. “Well at least from your kind of magic,” he snorted.
    I held my hand out in front of me. The scars normally hidden by the faint glamour I usually generated to hide them, now showed vividly. Whatever they had inside this room stripped all magic from me, all glamour. I was officially one hundred percent fucked. They watched me, seeing me.
    A Witch was normally covered in spells. Most ran out of room and would be forced to use their faces or necks to complete their spells. Most were ruined of flesh by the time they had hit my age. I had one spell, to bar Fae from using me for sex and that had been done at the base of my neck. Two stars sat on my shoulders, marking the two deaths that had touched my soul. And another on my hip to always remember what had happened. The rest were not visible unless I chose them to be, or unless I stepped under a black light.
    "Fuck me, she isn't all fuglied out." The Fae who Ryder had referred to as Savlian said as he came around with his eyes narrowed slightly as he took in my features more carefully.
    I glared at him, and then closed my eyes briefly as I felt nausea rolling deep inside of me, removing power that quickly was dangerous and it was taking everything I had to stay upright on my feet. Ryder was watching me, intently. It took a very powerful Witch not to succumb to the loss of their powers. Most would be flopping on the floor at his feet like a fish out of water.
    I flicked my gaze to the walls, white walls to the naked eye. Sanction spells were written upon them, rendering anyone not of the Fae defenseless inside the room. "Cool trick," I growled righting myself and squaring my shoulders firmly.
    "You have no visible ink, explain." Ryder said in disdain.
    I smiled coldly, unwilling to share my secrets with him.
    "Want another example of why you don’t want to fuck with me?"
    "I don't need ink," I whispered narrowing my eyes at Ryder.
    "Explain."
    "I can't explain it, not here."
    "Try," he barked angrily.
    "I can't! Not without having a fucking target, so unless you want give me one…?" I let the question trail off leaving it for him to figure out. I was bluffing, of course, if I stepped out of the room I could call up the power to light up my spells, but he wasn’t on my need to know list as far as I was concerned.
    "Sinjinn, bring me the contract. Zahruk, get to it."
    I wanted to leave like this instant. The slithering feeling had yet to go away, as if something was literally crawling over my skin. I hated being unarmed, felt weak and the worst part was they knew I was. I knew how to fight better than most, but the odds were seriously not in my favor.
    "On your knees," the one called Zahruk growled with a thick accent I tried to place.
    "On my knees?" I exhaled slowly. I was in severe need of a stiff drink.
    "Zahruk, give her some options first," Ryder said moving to lean his shoulder against