Page 20 of Rogue Witch

Jessica.

Behind her, a larger, bulkier form follows.

Elijah.

“Show yourself, Blade,” Elijah calls.

I mentally laugh. Not bloody likely, you bastard.

As if having read my thoughts, he laughs, low, and with an amusement that comes with immense confidence. I should have killed him two years ago when I had the chance.

“Boss,” my earpiece crackles with Josh’s voice.

“I know,” I reply. “Remain calm.”

I fear saying more. I have no idea who betrayed us—or how many others are hidden among the trees.

Spirit of wind, I telepath, show me who hides amongst the trees.

A breeze rustles the canopy, creating a murmur of voices that says, “One for one they match the twenty who protect the two—with four to spare.”

Twenty-four witches? My heart pounds.

“Not of your world, their lives are charmed.”

Charmed?

I stiffen. Elijah hasn’t brought witches or even Shadow-infected Margiddians. He’s brought humans he’s fed on. Humans he controls, but who have no power over Margiddians. Why do that? Then I know.

I press the button on the headset and say in a bare whisper that I pray Elijah can’t hear, “Josh, there are humans in the trees. They intend to attack the circles. Radio the others and find them—stop them. Anything. Now.”

The radio’s high-pitched squeal is my answer. I scan the trees. Where are the humans? They must be on the other side of the field Melinda and Harrison patrol, or I would have seen them.

I need to locate the humans. Jessica and Elijah can’t enter the white light, but if the witches’ chain breaks, the white light will extinguish and the witches will be vulnerable. Double fool that I am, I thought four Fae would be enough to guard the witches. I should have brought a battalion.

To my right—in the direction Jessica and Elijah have melted back into the trees—the sprites flit and surge like a flock of birds evading a predator.

“Sprites, I command you to protect the witches.”

Wind whips my hair. The sprites fan out, leaving an intricate webbing of light in their wake that blocks Jessica and Elijah from the witches—for at least a few precious moments—should the circle falter.

I throw my fists heavenward and shout, “Spirit of lightning!”

A roiling black mass blocks out the moon and stars and a deafening thunderclap shakes the ground. The circles of light flicker. I lunge toward the field. With a banshee cry, humans break from the trees on the far side of the field.

Their screams tell me they have been worked into a frenzy that can only be sated with blood. Lightning strikes the ground in front of the attackers. Leaves and brush burst into flame. The humans race through the flames despite screams of pain.

“We are kin far removed,” I speak to the earth as I jump a log. “In kinship’s name, I call upon earth, wind, fire and”—I hesitate. Once spoken, the result can’t be altered—“air.”

A blast of wind throws me to the ground. The white light flickers. Panic twists through me. I shove to my feet, breathing hard. Massive energy emanates from across the field beyond the circle of light. I recognize the energy as originating from nature, but it’s massive. I have no idea what has responded to my call. Has Jessica found a way to control nature spirits? I start at a run through the forest, then halt as a creature steps from the trees from which the humans emerged. Fear constricts my throat. A naked man—a giant—towers ten feet higher than the trees. Earth hangs from his hair and dirt smudges his perfectly muscled body.

An eudaimon, I realize. I stare in shock. I’ve never seen one of the ancient forest spirits. They are believed to be extinct. He bellows an unearthly animal cry that reverberates inside my skull and leaves my ears ringing. He bends and, with a backhanded blow, sends half the mortal attackers flying through the air like rag dolls, back toward the tree line. The remaining scatter in terror. The creature reaches them in one massive step and backhands left, then right. They hurtle through the air.

Their screams are silenced when they crash into trees and drop, limp, to the ground. The witches’ light flickers. Again, I start running toward the clearing. The creature takes ground-shaking steps toward the witches. Legend says the eudaimon are guardians of light and goodness. Will the forest spirit harm the witches?

“Boss!” Melinda shouts into my earpiece, as she bursts from the trees on the other side of the field.

Movement to my left yanks my attention onto two figures, one slight, one large, running through the trees toward the clearing.