Flame and Crystal Thorns by Kay L. Moody

Author:Kay L. Moody
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Marten Press

TWENTY

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COTTON DUG INTO CHLOE’S TONGUE, pressing it deep into her throat. A rope wrapped tight around one of her boots. It attached to a large branch in the leafy ceiling above. With her leather bag held tight to her chest, her body lightly swung from one side to the next.

Her fingers itched to remove her gag first, but that could cause her to lose grip on her leather bag. Instead, she flipped the bag over until its opening faced the ceiling instead of the floor. Maybe she hung upside down, but the bag didn’t have to.

Reaching inside, she retrieved her magical book. The strap of the leather bag got settled into the crook of her elbow, while she carefully tucked the bottom edge of the book against her chest.

Since she swung upside down from the ceiling, the book had a good chance of clattering to the ground if she wasn’t careful. Holding it tight against her chest helped to keep it from falling.

Her eyes scanned the pages while blood rushed into her head. She had to give her head a little shake just to keep spots from appearing in her eyes.

Remedies for illnesses along with descriptions of plants and animals stared back at her. Had she been hoping Faerie itself would communicate with her again? That it would give her a way out of this situation?

Though she knew how ridiculous and hopeful such thoughts were, she admitted to herself that had been exactly what she’d been hoping for.

But the pages of the book had no extra magic, no insightful words for her to read that could free her from the rope holding her upside down.

Buzzing tingled at the tips of her fingers. The ribbon in her bun barely held onto her hair as she swung lightly again. Magic. She had magic inside her. Could magic save her?

Closing her eyes, she pushed all her hope, all her concentration, into her hand. Perhaps a shower of golden sparks at her fingertips couldn’t help in this exact situation, but if she could manage a little magic, maybe she’d also figure out a way to use that magic to free herself.

But her hand stayed as plain and mortal as it always did.

The gash along the back of her hand even dripped more blood from it, which dribbled through the hairs on her arm. Considering all the items that had fallen onto her, the wound would probably get infected if she didn’t treat it soon.

Now, freeing herself from the rope on the ceiling seemed more important. She glanced toward the book again and immediately scowled.

Why had she felt it so important to touch something smaller than her book during that ritual to get her magic? She had tried to use magic twice now and both times she’d been holding the book in her hand. If she’d just bonded to the book, despite its inconvenience, she probably would have been able to free herself in an instant.

Instead, she had bonded to Quintus, which left him with the mortal marking of a moon on his face and the even worse mark of stars on her own.

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