Unbound Enchantment (Unbreakable Force Book 1) by Kara Jaynes

with tips reaching up to the sky like spear points. Ember produced a small key and, unlocking the gate, slipped inside.
    I walked up to the fence, thinking to climb it, but it was practically humming with the magic that been placed on it. Kingsley must have had his slaves set a spell for security. I peered at it in the deepening gloom. Was it to keep people out or in?
    I would have to find a way to either undo the spell or redirect it. Either way, it was going to be time consuming and difficult. The longer I studied it, the more I felt that the spell might be beyond my skill. I stalked over to the gate, wondering if the lock would perhaps be easier to break, when I saw to my astonishment that it had been left unlocked!
    I scanned the yard, hoping to see her, but she had gone. I looked at the gate. Why had she left it unlocked, unless she'd seen me following? I felt a smile play on my lips as I opened the gate and slipped through. If she knew I was coming, then this could prove to be easier than I thought.
    I cautiously tiptoed up the long, white stone walkway, silently praying Kingsley didn't keep any dogs. As I approached the mansion, Ember came out the great front doors. I frowned. I had learned enough about slavery to know that slaves were rarely permitted to go through the front entrance. I shrugged. No matter. Kingsley seemed to have odd ways with his slaves. I called softly to her, but if she heard, she made no note of it. She turned and walked down a narrow path that veered off to the side of the house.
    I clicked my tongue in annoyance and followed her. How could she not hear me?
    Walking down the little path soon led me to a small, wooden door set in the side of the house. I opened it, wincing as the door squealed on its hinges. I quickly stepped inside, closing it behind me. I found myself in a narrow hallway. Wet, muddy footprints went down the entire length and disappeared as they turned to the right. It looked as if Ember had been in too much of a hurry to take off her boots. I grimaced as I followed the tracks; from the little I knew of Kingsley, I suspected muddy boots being tracked all over his house wouldn't go over well. But maybe he didn't ever come to the slaves' quarters.
    Turning the right hand corner, I faced a long, rickety staircase. There wasn't much mud on the floor now but just enough to see Ember had gone upstairs. I walked up, feeling some apprehension when the stairs squeaked and groaned, but there wasn't anything I could do about the sound.
    My mind worked busily as I climbed. The house was quiet. It was now barely past nightfall, and it seemed to me that there would still be members of the household awake. Why so quiet? Was Kingsley out? That would be ridiculously lucky. My mind went back to the party I attended with Aaric, and I rolled my eyes. On second thought, it wouldn't surprise me at all to find he was out attending some grand event.
    I reached the top of the staircase, feeling a little breathless, as it had been longer than I anticipated. It led down another hallway. This one was lined with doors. I suspected this was where the slaves were kept. I slunk down the hallway, hardly daring to breathe. I heard the sound of someone crying through one of the closed doors, a young boy, maybe. It sounded familiar, but with Ember so close, I didn't have time for any distractions and pushed the sound from my mind.
    The hallway was nearly pitch black except for the occasional glimmer of light that peeked through the cracks of the doors. The door at the far end of the hall was opened a little, and it was this room that I went to.
    I pushed the door fully open, and it swung inward without a sound. There were a couple of lit candles on a small table. Their light cast a wavering blend of light and shadow on the walls.
    Ember was in the far corner of the room, slumped on the floor, her head in her hands. The need for stealth forgotten, I rushed over to her, taking her hands in mine. My friend looked up