The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

Author:Mindee Arnett
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Publisher: Tor Teen
Published: 2013-03-05T05:00:00+00:00

14

Dead End

For a few terrible seconds, I stood there, motionless, unable to think.

The person fell to his knees, writhing on the floor in a horror-movie parody of stop, drop, and roll.

“Do something!” Eli shouted, pulling off his coat and trying to get close enough to slap at the flames. But they were too high and strong.

I could only stare. This couldn’t be happening.

“Do something!” Eli shouted again. “Put it out! Magic up some water already.”

I blinked, my brain finally breaking through the terror. I raised my shaking hand, and said, “Hydro-rhe.”

Faint, blue sparks shot sluggishly out of my fingertips, the magic weak and insubstantial. What little water the spell produced only made the flames hiss and smoke.

What was wrong with me? This spell was simple. It should be easy.

“Hydro-rhe!” I said, louder and harder this time. Faint streaks again. More hissing. The man’s screams were growing softer, his thrashing slower.

“Hydro-rhe! Hydro-rhe! Hydro-rhe!” Tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t do it. I was just a pathetic excuse for magickind, incapable of a simple water spell. “Hydro-rhe … Hydro-rhe.” I fell to my knees saying it over and over again.

Eli knelt beside me and placed a hand on my arm. “Come on, Dusty. You can do this.”

A surge of power stirred inside me at his touch, like the kind I felt when I first entered someone’s dream. “Hydro-rhe!” I screamed, reaching out with both hands.

Brilliant blue sparks flew out from my fingertips and transformed into a shower of water as strong as a burst fire hydrant, putting the flames out in seconds.

It didn’t matter.

“Oh, God, Dusty. Don’t look.” Eli moved in front of me, shielding me with his body, but it was too late. I saw enough. I saw everything.

I even knew who it was—had been.

“It’s … it’s…” I stuttered as my brain processed the sight of jeans and sandals, charred black.

“Mr. Ankil,” said Eli. “His hand is gone. Just like Rosemary.”

I scooted away, turned, and vomited. Eli stooped over me, holding my hair back from my face, his hands as gentle as my dad’s had been when I’d been sick as a kid.

“It’s all right,” he whispered, stroking my back.

By the time I finished, I heard the sound of more footsteps and someone calling my name. I looked up and saw Paul coming toward us down the main tunnel.

“Someone said they’d seen you…” The words died on his lips as he spotted Ankil’s body. He covered his nose and mouth to block out the stench. “What’s going on?”

Eli pointed at him. “Go get help.”

Paul hesitated a moment then took off at a run. I stayed where I was on the floor, not trusting my shaky legs to hold me up. Eli remained standing over me as if keeping guard. His eyes darted around the room, his body tense like he expected something to attack us.

When Paul finally returned, a bunch of people came with him, including Sheriff Brackenberry, Lady Elaine, and Mr. Marrow. I struggled to get up. Eli took me by the arm and helped me, still scanning the room.

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