Free Witch Emerging (High Witch Book 2) by Mona Hanna

looking for her? Hallie shook her head, too confused to make sense of anything and just wishing this was over. She glanced at Nicholas and found he was staring at her, as if he was trying to read her thoughts. She frowned. “Is Ariel a witch?” she asked. Nicholas didn’t say anything. She felt that confirmed it. “If Ariel’s a witch, she’ll fight you,” she said, looking at the table. “Unless her power is very weak.”
    She looked up at Nicholas again, and then it clicked.
    “Her power isn’t weak—her magic is strong, isn’t it? That’s why you need me—that’s why you’re not going to her. You want her to come to you, so you’ll have the advantage. Her power is strong.” Hallie gulped, wondering if she’d figured it out. Nicholas rested his chin on his palm, staring at her. She met his gaze with trepidation, wondering if what she was saying was going to get her into trouble.
    Nicholas sighed, lowering his arm. He ran a finger over the flame on the candles, their light reflected in his eyes. He chewed on his lip. “You’re a little too smart for your own good, Hallie,” he murmured. “I hope you don’t keep prying into things that are none of your business. We wouldn’t want Sean to stay trapped without food and water, now, would we? I’m the only one who knows where he is. I’m the only one who can release him.”
    Hallie caught her breath. The thought of the one she loved being trapped with no help horrified her. She shook her head. She had to stay calm. Had to play this safe. Had to bide her time until she could get Sean out of this. But then she started to think—why was this Ariel person looking for her? Did they have something in common? Was… she nearly couldn’t breathe when the realization hit her.
    Was Ariel like her? Did she have the same kind of strange power? Hallie looked at Nicholas, wanting to ask one final thing. Just in case he had the answer. Just in case he knew more about her than he was letting on. “Nicholas, what am I?” she said.
    He looked at her, seeming surprised she would say that. He took a deep breath. “A rare kind of person,” he admitted. “You’re both blessed and cursed. If you meet the wrong person, your life is over. I’m a kitten compared to some people out there, people who wouldn’t think twice about using you in far worse ways than I ever would. Be thankful I only want you to get to Ariel. Be thankful all I’m after is revenge.”
    Hallie felt her heart race in her chest. “And what is Ariel?”
    “When I get to her, she’s dead.”
     
    ***
    Brayden paced the front room of his house, two seconds away from going after Ariel, when she burst through the front door, slammed it behind her, and threw herself into his arms. He held her in astonishment, wondering what had happened to make her react this way. He held her face in his hands, staring at her. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
    “It’s—she’s—he’s….” Ariel shook her head and started to pace the room as he’d just been doing. “I had a vision of the other High Witch—she’s a teenager, about seventeen or eighteen. She’s going to cast a huge spell tomorrow to try and save herself and a man. They’re trapped. I also saw their captor. He’s… oh, Brayden, I can’t believe it.”
    “What? Can’t believe what? You’re scaring me.”
    Ariel stopped, moved towards him, and kissed him deeply. Brayden held her as she moved her mouth against his, her tongue dancing with his own. He was overcome with emotion, fear, arousal, but lost himself in the moment. She gasped in his arms, moaning slightly, and then she came up for air and kissed him lightly a couple more times.
    Brayden gazed at her in surprise. “Okay, I’m slightly less scared,” he said, suddenly forgetting what they were talking about.
    Ariel half-smiled at him, cupping his face with her hands. She bit her lip. “I saw their captor,” she repeated, her expression now serious. “He looked just like