Magic Misled (Lizzie Grace #7) - Keri Arthur Page 0,9

I did need to understand what was happening, I also feared taking that step would send me down a path from which there was no retreat.

I’d say retreat hasn’t been an option for a while now came Belle’s comment. Besides, ignoring a problem—or running from it—never leads to anything good.

Depends on the problem. Running from Clayton had given us the time—and, in the end, the power—to deal with him.

That was a somewhat unique situation, though.

In terms of uniqueness, I think my connection to the wild magic would be so far off the scale it’d be in space. And why are you listening to my thoughts? Where’s Monty?

Running late, apparently. Her tone was somewhat peeved, though I was well aware she was in fact only talking to keep my mind off the death I’d soon be finding. If he doesn’t hurry up, we’ll miss the start of the movie.

I’m sure he has a good reason.

He hasn’t. A phone call delayed him, apparently.

He does have to work occasionally—although I will admit it’s odd that he’s chosen a call over a date with his future wife.

I could almost see her eye roll. Seriously? Enough with that crap.

Okay. But only if you promise to block my thoughts and just enjoy your night out.

She sighed. It was a very put-upon sound. Fine. I promise.

Aiden’s hand appeared in front of my nose. “Let’s go.”

I took another of those deep breaths that didn’t do jack-squat to ease the inner tension, then clasped his hand. He pulled me up easily, but the pulse of his sorrow once again echoed through me.

I blinked back the sting of tears and ducked away from his gaze. “Am I able to take the cloth with me?”

“Yes.” He quickly untangled it and handed it to me. “How far away is he?”

“Some distance.”

I wrapped my fingers around the material and reached again for the inner wild magic. Though I directed it back onto the cloth, slivers also shot down my legs, only to pool around my toes.

As if blocked.

Instinct stirred again. My boots …

I swore, sat back down, and quickly pulled them off.

“What the hell are you doing?” Aiden asked.

“I’ll explain later.”

Though I wasn’t entirely sure there was any way to explain the sudden certainty I needed to be barefoot. But it wasn’t the first time I’d buried my toes into the earth to draw on her power—I’d done the same thing up in Kalimna Park when I’d summoned a will-ó-the-wisp to light the way the night I’d unsuccessfully tried to save a teenager from a vampire.

And perhaps the reason the wisp had answered me—and had, in fact, interacted with me several times since, even though they had a well-deserved reputation for mischief—was due not so much to a decision to be helpful, but rather the connection we both shared to the energy of the earth. Perhaps it had sensed what I hadn’t then begun to suspect.

I shoved my socks into my boots, then tied the laces together and rose. The minute my toes dug into the ground, the pooling magic slipped deep into the earth. A heartbeat later—with my body acting as a conduit—a connection formed between the strip of material gripped in my right hand and the energy of the earth. It was a connection that would lead me directly to death.

I could feel it. “See” it. In my mind, if not yet in reality.

“Liz.” Aiden’s voice held an edge of uncertainty and concern. “What are you doing?”

“Finding.” My reply was soft. Distracted.

I handed him my shoes and walked away, concentrating on what I was seeing in my mind rather than where each step was going. I had no real awareness of my surroundings, and yet I didn’t trip. I didn’t stumble. My feet moved unerringly over the rough ground as I led the rangers deeper and deeper into the forest.

Eventually, we reached the top of a deep ravine. I paused and stared at the shadows haunting the steep, heavily treed slope. Death waited for us below. I couldn’t see the full extent of that death, but I could certainly feel its weight on the earth. Could taste the bitterness of the blood that had leached into the soil.

I swallowed heavily, then blinked as the ravine and the trees began to fade in and out of existence. The pulsing connection between the earth and me briefly faltered, and I became aware of the unnatural racing of my heart and of the fierce pounding in my head. Moisture trickled over my eyelashes and