Page 5 of The Immortal’s Mark

It starts to descend, and I realize the ball is much bigger up close. My nerves go haywire.

Focus, I tell myself. Just block it.

I hold out my arms, rotating my wrists to make my palms face out.

Furrowing my brow, I work to create a shield out of the traces of magic residing in my veins. I bite down on my lip when the effort only produces puny sparks of light. The coppery taste of blood coats my tongue.

Come on!

I will warmth into my hands.

Come on!

At last, a faint outline of a shield appears. The size might be small, only about the circumference of a large pizza, but it’s a shield, nonetheless.

I stare happily at my creation, taking in all of its little details.

I did it!

After weeks of trying to conjure any sort of physical manifestation of my powers, I finally did it. I finally managed to use my powers.

And I did it all without her.

I’m so preoccupied with patting myself on the back that I almost miss Alex’s warning.

“Duck, Darcie!” the vampire shouts. “Lift the shield!”

I glance over and catch the urgency in his wide eyes.

Instinctively, I do as he says and angle my arms higher, but make the mistake of not heeding the first command.

I turn to the side just in time to see the purple sphere collide with my shield. The impact reverberates through my hands and down my arms. The defensive object shatters, allowing the sphere unhindered passage toward my head.

I cross my forearms in front of my face and cower beneath the useless protection of my mortal body, praying for a miracle.

The sphere never makes impact.

But a hit on my side sends me sprawling out across the grass.

“Oomph.” I throw my hands out to protect my face from scraping along the ground, rolling over and over until I stop, staring at the cloudless sky as I work to catch my breath.

A throat clears beside me.

I meet the frustrated blue eyes of the duel’s spectator.

Alex’s lips turn down. “You weren’t focused.”

I groan and drop my head back onto the soft grass. “I know.”

“You had a shield.” His pitch rises an octave. “Why didn’t you use it?”

“I tried.”

“No, you didn’t.”

I sigh. “I got distracted. Okay? It was the first time I was able to conjure a protective spell. I was excited.”

He doesn’t accept the excuse. “You were reckless. Henry’s spell could have done serious damage.”