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

down. That was the last thing she remembered. Now Nicholas was gone. She knew he’d be back soon. She had to act fast.
    What was she going to do? She looked around the empty room as she thought. It contained only the bed and a table next to it—there was nothing else other than the chair. The walls and the floor were plain grey wood, not even a coat of paint to brighten the place. On the table was a tray with a plate of cheese and bread and a glass of water. She had no intention of eating; she didn’t trust anything Nicholas gave her.
    She clasped her hands together and thought of the obvious solution. Why not just magically transport home? She could get help and transport back here with someone. But what if Nicholas found she’d left? She remembered his threats. What if in the time she was gone, Nicholas killed Sean, thinking she’d left for good? Her stomach turned at the thought. She couldn’t just leave, but she wasn’t going to just sit there and do nothing.
    She started towards the door, but felt she had to be prepared somehow. Thinking back over her childhood, she remembered she could make herself invisible with her magic. It was something she hadn’t tried in years, but she knew anyone with magic could do it. She chewed her lip, the question she’d been asking herself since yesterday coming to the forefront of her mind: was she willing to use her magic to get her and Sean out of there? If it came to it—if there was a chance for them to get out—was she willing to use her powers? Even if it hurt Nicholas? Was she willing to hurt him?
    The thought horrified her. As much as she hated him, as much as she thought he was insane, she didn’t want to be responsible for hurting anyone else ever again. And she hadn’t used her magic on purpose in years; it pouring out of her when she became upset—or extraordinarily happy, like when she was with Sean—wasn’t the same as having control of it. Wasn’t the same as being able to cast a spell carefully and with finesse. Anything she tried would likely come out all wrong, and there was always danger when she used her magic. She couldn’t even think how to start a spell properly. She looked at the door, became sick of wasting time, and walked over. She just had to try something. Anything.
     
    ***
    Brayden watched Ariel as she sat at the kitchen table the next morning, the map before her just like yesterday, some of the potion in a mug, and the string attached the vial in her hand. She was very still, waiting. She’d been periodically casting the locating spell for the last hour, convinced it would work somehow. She said she wasn’t going to give up until she found the other High Witch. Brayden just hoped all her work wouldn’t be for nothing.
    “I can’t have had that vision for no reason,” Ariel said. “I’m just going to keep trying until I find her. You believe it will work, don’t you Brayden?”
    He tried to smile, but couldn’t quite manage it. “I think it’s your best shot. I think if anyone can make that spell work, it’s you. And no, I don’t think you had the vision for no reason. Just keep trying. It’s all you can do.”
    She nodded, shut her eyes, and took a deep breath.
    Brayden paced the room, wondering what was going on. He could barely sleep last night thinking about someone related to Julius trying to turn another High Witch. That was the man’s plan, wasn’t it? Ariel had seen the High Witch and a young man both trapped—what else could it be? It had to be about turning her. Ariel had been dreading this—dreading someone else wanting to hurt those like her. He knew this must be killing her; it was killing him. He looked back at Ariel, and she was gazing at him sadly. He frowned, going over to her and kissing her on the forehead. “Don’t you worry too,” he said. “I’ll worry enough for both of us. You just cast the spell.”
    Ariel bit her lip. “Do you think… do you think the man is Julius’ son? Julius lived for