Chapter 7

Jinx

I was awoken by the sound of my cell door shutting closed and for a moment I hoped it was Ariel. Unfortunately it was the king and he took the seat across from me again.

"Shall we try this again?" he asks. He hold the sword in front of him as though he was offering it to me, "I read all about this sword last night. Did you know that this sword has the ability to take away a mage's power?"

Oh dear. I swallow before I open my mouth.

"I was sent here to forge the blade." I begin.

"See that wasn't so hard." the king says as he leans back on his chair, "Did Fiona send you?"

"No." I lie.

The king looks annoyed at my lie and says "There is no point in lying, Jinx. My sons have told me that Fiona is alive."

"And she would be disppointed in you." I say earning me a hard slap across my right cheek. I see stars for a moment before I feel the blade's pressure on my chest.

"Fiona would undestand." he says slowly.

"That her husband murdered innocent people? My parents? Her closest friends?" I yelled at him, "You hurt your wife in ways you never thought of. Your wife hates you!"

The kings screams right before he strikes to plunge the blade into my chest.

"No father!" Ariel yells as he bursts through the room. The king breathes heavily as he stares down at me with fumes coming out of his ears. Suddenly the ground shakes from an explosion creating a split second for me to use my magic without getting shocked and I break free from the restraints and fire a ball of magic towards the king sending him flying into the opposite wall. I pick up the sword that clattered away and walk over to him, seeing red. Ariel immediately jumps in front of me holding his hands up.

"Don't kill my father, please." He pleas

"Okay." I say shocking him and I knock him out with my elbow. With Ariel on the ground and nothing to stop me I walk over to the man who murdered my parents. I hold up my sword.

"Jinx, please." Ariel whispers, shattering my heart into a million pieces. I scream out loud before dropping my arms. I pant as I step backwards. I look from the unconscious king to Ariel on the floor. I move towards him to help him but he clamours away. Azriel suddenly barges into the room and when he sees both his brother and father on the floor with me standing sword in hand. He cries out sending a blast through the room. I manage to keep my ground and Azriel just stares at his hands in shock before looking at me.

"What's happening?" He asks.

"I don't know." I reply just as shocked as he was. He flares and grabs me by the throat, pinning me to the wall.

"What is happening to me?" He asks with a shaky angry voice.

"I don't know." I manage to choke.

As though he woke from a dream, Azriel quickly lets me go.

"I'm sorry." he appologizes.

"You have to come with me." I say in between breaths.

"No. The castle has been infiltrated by mages." Azriel says. He looks over at Ariel then says, "Take Ariel out of here. We'll hold them off as long as we can."

I hesitate before I move over to Ariel and drape his arm over my shoulder.

"How will you find us?" I ask as Ariel becomes more aware of what's happening when another explosion rocks the walls.

"I don't know. I'll find a way." Azriel says looking at me. I sigh,

"Yashi." I call. Yashi turns into an eagle from the corner of the room where he was hiding. He lands on my arm and I extend it to Azriel, "Yashi will help you find us." I explain as Yashi turns into a lizard and crawls up Azriel's arm, "Just stay alive."

Azriel nods and replies, "Take care of my brother." I nod and lead Ariel away.

Once Ariel started moving again he removed his arm from my shoulders and we ran down the hall together. We stop when we here voices ahead of us and Ariel looks to his left at the broom cupboard before opening it and shoving me inside. He closes the door behind him. I could not help but notice how close he was to me. Our bodies pressed against each other in the small space. The scent of pines and peaches roll off him and I could feel his heart beat under my palm.

Ariel

I was pressed against Jinx in the small broom cupboard. Figures that the broom cupboard in this hallway had to be the smallest one in the castle. I suddenly become aware of the hand Jinx has against my chest as we wait for the intruders to pass. I look down into her hazel eyes and notice that she is looking up at me. She blushes as she looks away. It felt like eternity before we hear the voices disappear. I open the door slowly and peak out before I completely exit the room, signaling for Jinx to follow.

We hurry through the castle and make it to the stables unseen. Jinx mounts a dark brown horse while I mount my black one. We ride with as much speed as our horses can muster until we make it out of the towns radius.

We slow down and come to a stop on a hill that looks over the castle. Smoke rises from various areas of the castle and we can hear the faint screams and cries of the people within. I'm suppose to be the one protecting them, not Azriel. My heart breaks as I stare at my destroyed home and a tear slips free from my eye. I wipe it away hoping Jinx didn't see it but was too late, "I'm sorry." she apologizes.

I clear my thro

at, "We need to make camp."

"I know a place."