do. I thought there was supposed to be a guard there, making sure I was safe. Why wasn’t he or she helping me?
I snatched up my sword, slid it into the scabbard, and reached my hand out. Sean took it, and I guided him to his feet. “I’m going to take you to a nice man. He’ll make sure you get home safely.”
“He won’t be locking me up, now, will he?”
“No, I promise.”
“All right, then.”
We made our way across the practice field. Professor Attwood had said it would take a few months before the side effects of using magic would subside. And my body was already recovering quicker than it had before. Just under the surface of my skin, the pink globe pulsated. I unfurled my fingers, and a sphere easily formed on my palm, jiggling with my steps. It was like an extension of my hand. I willed it to grow as big as a basketball and to shrink as small as a golf ball.
“Will you stop messing with that t’ing ? It’s bloody strange.”
“Oh. Sorry.” I popped the globe.
Before we made it to the castle, Arik flew out the double doors and raced toward us. Sinead was close behind him.
“Hurry! She’s behind us!”
”Who is?”
“Veronique! Just don’t stand there. Run!” Arik grabbed my arm and dragged me in the direction of the outbuilding. Sinead ran up to my other side.
“Sean, come with us,” I yelled over my shoulder.
“Who’s Sean?” Arik glanced back.
“Carrig’s changeling. Long story. I’ll tell you later.” I vaulted over a rock. “What happened to the guard that was supposed to be—guarding me?”
“I’m not sure. He wasn’t there.”
I looked back to make sure Sean was following us. He was, but so was Veronique and a menacing looking man dressed in a guard’s uniform. I stopped, fear twisting my gut.
Arik skidded to a halt. “Don’t stop!”
Veronique held up her palm, producing a red globe. She hurled the globe in our direction. It turned into a fireball as it whizzed toward me. It flew past Sean, and he dropped to his knees.
Arik tackled me. My chin hit the ground hard and my breath punched from my lungs. The globe hit just a few feet away from us and rolled, leaving a burnt trail in the grass.
More fiery globes hit around us. Veronique formed them fast, rapid firing them at us.
“Stand up,” he ordered, then called to Sinead, “Get the changeling to the outbuilding!”
I scrambled to my feet.
Arik tossed a few of his own fireballs at Veronique and the guard. She ducked one, and the guard skirted around two.
While they were distracted, he grasped my face in his hands. “Breathe. Stay focused.” I nodded, and he let me go. “They’ll get to us before we can get to the outbuilding. Toss light globes at Veronique. It’ll distract her, so I can get closer to that guard and bring him down.”
I took a deep breath to gather courage. The first one I threw was a few feet off target. But it puzzled Veronique and allowed Arik to take off for the guard. I kept forming and throwing light globes at her. It was like huge camera flashes blasting around her. She covered her eyes with her arms.
The guard charged past Veronique. Arik ran for him and shifted his globe into a flaming whip, lashing it out. It wrapped around the man’s neck, bringing him down to his knees. Arik strangled the guard until he fell, unmoving, on the ground.
Arik sprinted back to me as I continued to throw balls of light at Veronique.
“Run!” he yelled, approaching.
My boots pounded against the ground, my heart feeling like it would explode in my chest. A fire globe hit the side of my boot and ricocheted off it. I glanced down at my foot. Though it felt hot, the fire hadn’t penetrated the leather.
“That was too close,” I panted.
Arik turned and flung another sphere at her.
We dashed into the outbuilding. Sinead slammed the door shut before another fiery globe could reach us. Flames licked through the cracks of the door.
“Hurry! Do you know a charm?” Sinead asked.
Quick, think. Think! You have to lock her out.
Facing the door, weak and trembling, I shouted, “Bloccare la porta. Aperto solo per Merlin!” The flames flicking through the seams of the door vanished, leaving behind wisps of smoke. I leaned against the wall, unable to hold myself up. Pain struck my head, and I slid down the wall, resting on my heels.