Anna's Hope Episode One by Odette C. Bell

Author:Odette C. Bell
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: magic mystery, magic, witches, light romance, urban fantasy

Chapter 9

“Are you sure this is going to work?”

“Do not question me,” Luminaria snapped as she prowled the mouth of the dark alley.

Anna stood in the shadows, her hands in her pockets and her head tucked firmly into her collar and scarf.

She wasn’t scared. She was cold.

Though hanging about in dark alleys as a young witch wasn’t recommended, she wasn’t defenseless. She had a cat possessed by a dark criminal mastermind. While Luminaria would love to be mugged, the mugger wouldn’t love it.

The terms of Luminaria von Tippit’s heirloom contract were simple. She could only use magic if she was attacked with magic. Starvation, sickness, or misfortune could not be fought with a hex or blessing. She couldn’t use a quick curse to slow down a mouse. No, she could only reply with a fireball if one was thrown at her.

Despite that limitation, in many ways she was the perfect person (cat) to have watching Anna’s back.

Luminaria snarled into the darkness. “I can sense dark magic. Far off,” she sniffed the air, her long silver whiskers catching the moonlight, “but still strong enough to taste.”

Almost on cue, Anna sneezed. She reached into her pocket and drew out a hanky.

“This way.” Luminaria trotted off, her tail high in the air.

Anna plunged her hands further into her pockets and tried to ward off the chill by jittering under her coat. It wasn’t a particularly cold night, but her muscles were still locked with an icy rigidity.

The longer she was out here, the more the reality of the situation sunk in.

She was tracking down a seriously strong, seriously bad wizard. On her own with nothing but a possessed cat for back up. While Luminaria was strong, it was still a huge risk.

Oh god I hope this works, Anna thought as she winced, I really don’t want to die.

She followed Luminaria’s trotting form.

Anna’s only comfort was that the soul catcher wouldn’t be there. The wizard would have to find another sacrifice before he could call it again. If Anna got there before he could, she had a chance at winning this.

If she was late … she’d run away.

It was a plan, of sorts.

Luminaria took her on a circuitous route around the back alleys and laneways of town. Though occasionally they came across some pretty shoddy looking types, all it would take was a well-placed evil insult from Luminaria to see them run away.

It took half an hour or so, but soon they came across a strange building.

It was low and shaped like an ordinary house, yet it was squeezed between two huge brick buildings, their sidewalls towering high above the house’s sloped roof and chimney.

You didn’t need to be a genius to realize this house was out of place. You did however need to be a witch to realize it was riddled with magic.

Anna patted at her nose as she held back a sneeze. “Okay, so he’s in there?”

“Yes. Or at least something terribly dark is in there.”

“… You haven’t taken me on an

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