Page 177 of Devil's Deal

Let him not find me. Let his shadows not touch me. Let him not know where I am. Let him not find me.

And my magic flows. My hand grows hot, my heart hammers, not just from exertion but from all the power singing in my veins. When it finds its peak, there is no wall to stop it. It pours into my pendant, suffusing it with my magic, my intention glittering red.

“Jaga!” Woland roars so loudly, the ground vibrates beneath my bare feet.

I dart among the trees, but he’s close, his long legs faster than mine. Shadows reach for me but they don’t stop me, helpless against my spell. I run into ferns and duck under a low-hanging branch. And still, I hear his breath close by, his rage like heat beating against my back.

If he catches me, I’m not sure he will be able to hold back. He could do anything.

So I run faster, determined not to let him. I grab a tree to turn, its bark scratching my hand. Brambles tangle between my naked legs, but I don’t let them slow me down.

When there’s enough distance between us, I risk a glance back. He’s close, but I’ve bought myself a moment.

My heart hammering with excitement and fear, I stop and point both hands at him, palms open, my power tingling at my fingertips.

“Fly!” I order.

A torrent of magic tears out of me, and Woland is yanked up in the air and thrown, far and fast through the woods, until he disappears in a clump of ferns taller than a man.

I smile grimly and run away, leaving him far behind. My destiny awaits, and it’s not as the devil’s owned possession.

I am far too powerful and too ambitious for that.