Magic Misled (Lizzie Grace #7) - Keri Arthur Page 0,86

into the air. Jaz shifted aim, obviously scenting her now. Another shot, followed by a high-pitched squeal. Blood sprayed across the nearby machine, but it didn’t stop the bitch. She hit the shield hard enough to press the magic toward Jaz, and pain fizzed through my brain as she was flung away.

“You’ve shielded us?” Jaz said, surprised.

“Yes, so keep close to me in case she attacks again.”

I ran into the walkway between two machines, a tracker spell spinning around my fingertips. There were drops of blood on the floor, a gleaming path that led around to the right.

Again, it was the shift of air that warned us. Jaz fired; the sharp noise so close to my ear was painful, but I ignored it and flung the tracker spell. Magic surged, and the spell was batted away, but the rogue couldn’t so easily bat away a bullet. Blood sprayed through the air, splatting across my face and the nearby machine. She didn’t attack. She ran.

I swore and bolted after her, Jaz so close on my heels I could feel her breath on my neck. As we half slid around the end of the machine and headed for the end of the room, claws scraped against metal. The last skylight in the room was flung open, and the dripping trail of blood disappeared from sight.

“Fuck, we can’t lose her now,” Jaz said.

“I don’t aim to. Boost me up.”

She did so, then leapt up beside me. I grabbed the edge of the skylight and hauled my butt up onto the roof. The protecting shield shimmered and stretched, but didn’t snap.

It was the only thing that saved me.

Chapter Thirteen

Her claws tore across the surface of the magic protecting my spine; it briefly bent with the pressure, then responded, flinging her across the rooftop and over its edge.

I swore, scrambled upright, and raced to the end of the building. There was no sign of her, but her blood left a trail we could easily follow.

If I could jump from the rooftop without breaking something, that was.

“This way.”

Jaz grabbed my hand and led me across to the half-destroyed ladder, then held it steady while I climbed down the portion still attached to the building. When I reached the broken end, I released my grip and dropped the rest of the way to the ground. It was far enough that the impact shuddered up my spine, but I didn’t break anything, and that was definitely a bonus. Jaz leapt down beside me, then raced on, pulling ahead all too quickly.

“Jaz,” I said as the shield began to unravel, “we need to keep together.”

She growled, a low sound of frustration if ever I’d heard one, but her speed nevertheless slowed enough for me to keep up.

We raced through the maze of factories, following the rogue’s blood more than her scent, but getting no closer to catching the bitch. Then, from up ahead, came a sharp yelp of pain followed by the thud of a door slamming and the squeal of tires.

“Oh fuck,” Jaz said and raced ahead again.

This time, the shield did shatter, and the force of it rebounded through me, tearing a gasp from my throat. I stumbled, my fingers brushing the ground for several seconds before I caught my balance and chased after her.

By the time I’d caught up, she was on the phone and kneeling in the middle of the road. Beside her was a well-dressed, gray-haired woman who looked to be in her mid-sixties. The side of her face was scraped and bloody, and she was nursing a wrist that—if the swelling already evident was anything to go by—was probably broken.

I squatted beside her and pulled my backpack around. “I’ve got a pain potion in here—would you like it?”

Her brown eyes were a little unfocused. Shock, probably. “You’re one of the witches that runs the café.”

I nodded. “The pain potion is natural but strong. It’ll subdue the throbbing in your wrist.”

“The face scrapes are worse.”

Her voice was barely audible, suggesting she might be on the cusp of fainting. I shifted so I could catch her if she did and then uncorked the small vial. “Here, drink this.”

She didn’t reply, but when I raised the bottle to her lips, she swallowed it. “The potion is fast-acting, so you should start feeling better within a couple of minutes.”

“Thank you.”

Jaz hung up and shoved her phone back into her pocket. “I put an APB out for the stolen car, but I’m betting she’ll abandon it long before