Free Earth Warden by Mina Carter Page A

trust Hawk would get them out.
    Flicking a glance sideways, she studied the man crouched at her side. He wore a determined frown, his sharp eyes noting the positions of the Wardens around them. She didn’t bother; she already knew they would be arranged. Like all magic, there was a pattern to these things, and they would set themselves up in the best configuration to channel the witching through the ley-lines.
    And there seemed to be a lot of those about here. She frowned and held her hand over the ground, palm down, as she concentrated. She was a null, yes, but she’d always been sensitive to magic. She knew where to set a circle for the best draw on the witching, or for maximum protection, she just couldn’t power the damn things.
    She yelped as the power rose, sharp and immediate to bite at her fingers like an over-eager terrier. “Bloody hell!”
    “What? What’s the matter? Are you hurt?” Instantly Hawk was by her side, his face anxious as he checked her over.
    A chuckle startled out of her as she slapped his hands away. “ Gettoffme I’m fine you big lummox. Just got a belt from a ley-line. They’re strong around here, never felt one that powerful before.”
    She frowned, shaking the last of the sting out of her fingers. She looked up and smiled. It was a reassuring smile, or tried to be. They were both rumpled, stressed, and running for their lives. So why did the look of worry in his eyes strike her to the core?
    “I’m fine, so come on. We need to move before they manage to barbeque us properly.”
    Hawk smiled. Not an expression she’d seen before. At least, not this one where his eyes were warm with something she didn’t want to name, and the tiny creases in the corners of his eyes crinkled. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “So we should...three.”
    He launched himself into movement, hauling her to her feet and shoving her ahead of him. She squeaked once but then saved her breath for running, hearing Hawk pounding concrete behind her as she raced for the alleyway. Fire erupted around them as the Wardens shouted their battle cries and did their level best to make sure neither Lyssa nor the Warrior behind her made it to their objective alive.
    “Keep going,” Hawk yelled as she thundered into the alleyway and started to slow. “Far as you can.”
    There was the sound of steel being drawn behind her, and she risked a glance over her shoulder. Hawk stood in the center of the alleyway, blades in both his hands as he prepared to take on the Wardens who followed them. From the grim look on his face, she almost felt sorry for them. Almost. Her lungs burned as she burst out the end of the alley and into a small courtyard between the buildings.
    She wasn’t alone.
    Her eyes widened as she skidded to a halt in front of another group of Wardens. But these weren’t Wardens in training. No, these Wardens were something far more powerful and dangerous. These wore the plain clothes of the Haven-master’s personal guard and, in the middle of them stood the Master himself.
    “Hello, Lyssa. A merry little dance you’ve led us, haven’t you?”

Chapter Nine
     
    “Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me.”
    Lyssa's voice was full of disbelief as she looked about the semi-circle facing her. Forget the group behind her that Hawk was valiantly fending off—or making mincemeat of if the sounds coming from the alley were any indication—the real danger was right here in front of her.
    Her gaze flicked along the line of silent, grey-shrouded figures. Again, she had a name to go with every face. But these weren't kids. These weren't Second Sigil wardens with their eyes on the elaborate triple swirl of mastery. These were full-on battle-Wardens. Masters in their own right but in service to the Haven-master—the guy who led the whole magical shooting match in this area.
    The fear trickling down her spine slowed to an icy crawl. She couldn't out-run them—there was nowhere left to run.