Witchbane by Alesha Escobar

Author:Alesha Escobar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alesha Escobar

18

“I know I barely pray,” I say in a low voice, “but please…God, let Alanna and her mom be okay.” My hands grip the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turn white. I make a right turn down the street and speed toward the Reid house. Kenneth needs Lucas alive and well, for now, at least. But Alanna’s and Nancy’s safety aren’t guaranteed. The wizard would tear right through them to retrieve the automaton.

I screech to a halt in front of the house, nearly hitting the curb. I hop out and storm through the front gate, and my heart drops when I spot the front door blown open. I rush into the living room, filling my hands with elemental fire and readying Kenneth Cherish’s name on my tongue. If he’s hurt them, I swear I’ll pronounce the words of death on his name without hesitation.

“Alanna! Nancy!” I spin around, my gaze sweeping the living room.

The teal sofa is overturned, the coffee table cracked in half, and burn marks streak the walls as if lasers were shot. From the corner of my eye, I catch someone moving in the front yard, and I dash toward the front door thinking it’s Kenneth, but to my surprise it’s the demigod Calais. His back is turned to me, and he’s reaching for the gate handle to exit, but then he pauses to turn and face me. He peers at me, his gaze piercing through every layer of my being. Then, he simply gives me a nod, and he opens the gate and passes through, leaving me alone.

A faint moan from inside sends me turning back around and sprinting into the house. I follow Alanna’s voice to the kitchen, where she’s lying on her side and stirring from probably being knocked unconscious.

“Alanna, are you okay?” I move in and crouch low, grabbing hold of her and gently helping her rise to her feet. I check for any visible wounds or injuries. Apart from a swollen cheek and a black eye, she appears to be in as good a shape as she can be, considering the circumstance.

She winces and touches the left side of her head, then bends down to pick up Witchbane. “I’m not badly hurt. Neth shielded me and took the brunt of the blast, so I think she’s recuperating. But…I couldn’t stop him. He has Lucas.”

I frown. “I know, I thought I could reach you guys in time. Where’s your mother?”

“She’s out with Shandra, thank goodness.” She hangs the hilt of her sword at her side.

“Call her and tell her to stay out with Shandra for the afternoon.”

“Okay.” She sucks in a painful breath and presses a hand against her side.

I cup her face between my hands. “Alanna…sana esto…”

Her gaze locks with mine and she takes in a deep breath before slowly exhaling. The purple ring around her eye fades and the swollen cheek subsides. Her breathing becomes rhythmic and steady, like the gentle rustle of leaves. It’s a peaceful, soothing sound, like the gentle hum of a distant waterfall.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.