Free Mythical (The Mystical Series Book 2) by Michael Weekly Page A

ground.
    I roll to my side and lash out, punching her across the forest floor. The adrenaline rush is exhilarating. She gets up, circling around me.
    “You think you’re going to win this game?”
    “Whatever I have to do to stop you,” I say with a glare.
    “You’re trying to impress Christian, yeah?” She bends down to pick up a broken branch. “He doesn’t like you. It’s all a game, witch.”
    “I can care less if he likes me or not.”
    Her boots crack a branch on the ground. “Is that so? How was the treehouse? You aren’t the first he’s taken there.” Maybe that’s an elf thing; playing mind games is what they do best.
    Donovan warned me about this; I didn’t listen.
    “If you’re going to let an elf trick and play with your heart like this, you’ll never survive in Rav.” She flips around, swiftly climbing up the tree behind her.
    I remember what Christian said about her getting on a tree, and I dart after her. I grab on to one of her legs, pulling her back down. She twirls her legs in the air while she’s on her back, causing me to fall, but I land on the dirt in push-up position. She kicks me across the scattered leaves and twigs.
    “Still pathetic.” She swipes her thighs, allowing the foliage to come alive, holding me in place.
    Donovan finally reaches us, panting and struggling for air.
    “Coming to get me, lover boy?” She blows another kiss, flipping away and vanishing.
    Donovan’s rushes toward me, completely angered.
    “Get it together, Rose,” he snaps, leaning down to help me up.
    “I’m trying, okay!” I’m so on the urge of punching him next; this isn’t a normal child game.
    “You’re not trying hard enough.”
    We hear giggles through the bushes Emily ran through. Two birds fly through the leaves on the trees and a squirrel scurries across the ground. These sounds are driving me crazy. A branch breaks behind us, but I don’t think Donovan is aware of the snap. I turn my head to my side. I know Emily’s still in this forest and it’s like I can track her steps.
    A pink leaf flutters down, and Donovan steps forward but I tug on his arm, pulling him back to face me.
    “What if we cut her off?” I suggest. “Trap her.”
    Really what else can we do? She has powers, and she’s fast, not to mention her flexibility’s pretty incredible.
    He leans in closer toward me with his icy blue eyes staring down my neck. Time is of the essence, and soon it will be dark. I can already start to see my breath in front of me; it’s becoming awfully cold in Ellevil. I walk next to a tree, placing my hand on its bark. It glows up light pink, tracing up to the ends of the tree’s leaves. I glance up and see Donovan is completely puzzled.
    “What the hell? How is that glowing?”
    “I have no clue. I brush my hands against the bark and it glows.”
    “That isn’t normal, Rose.”
    I remove my palm, staring up at him as he walks in closer.
    “Look, do you want to end this game and get out of this place? Do you want to go back home or not?” He lifts up my hand and holds it, his eyes searching my face. “Will you come with me if we end this?”
    “Donovan, you know what I’m here for.” I try to jerk my hand away, but he won’t let go. He pulls me in against his chest and I resist. “I don’t think this is the time to hug.”
    “I’m not trying to hug you.” His silver markings are glowing and so are mine, only they’re sizzling; it’s like we’re being glued together. The feeling fades away as we part. I press my cheek on his hardened chest and the end of his chin is on my head.
    There’s silence in the forest, and I’ve lost track of Emily. This strange interaction and incomplete connection we keep trying to build is inevitable. He’s always saving me; he’s always here. What if Donovan is gone, how will I cope, and will I ever be complete without him here? I know I can handle things on my own. There’s no hesitation in killing a mystic that intends harm