The Uni's Secrets: The Lost Mother

Chapter Eleven: Prisoner

Think about it," Anwir said, as if that wasn't what I was already doing. "I'll help you regain your magic, but you have to come with me."

In my mind, my freedom was far more valuable than my magic. "And where would you take me?" I inquired.

"Artemis!" Lexie gasped. "Please tell me you're not actually considering this." I ignored her.

"I cannot disclose that information at this time," Anwir told me.

I rolled my eyes. Of course he couldn't. "Then I don't believe I shall be accepting this bargain of yours."

Anwir's lips tightened, but other than that he gave no indication that he was displeased. "I hope you will reconsider."

"I don't believe I shall."

"As to be expected," he muttered, then sighed loudly. He straightened up and gave me a sort-of menacing stare. "Then I suppose I shall just have to force you to come with me."

I gritted my teeth, reached into my cloak and knocked an arrow, aiming at his eye. "You can try."

"I shall."

I double-checked my aim, and then released the string. Anwir ducked, and the arrow reappeared in my bow. I smirked. I was really glad it wasn't related to my own magic; at least I still had one magical item I could use.

I aimed and shot again and missed again. Anwir was too quick. Then he lunged forward and shoved me. I was unready, and I stumbled backward a few steps before I caught myself and drove one of my arrows into his arm.

Anwir yowled with pain. I knocked another arrow and lunged for him. He shouted some profanity, but I barely heard. Apollo and Lexie flanked me, assisting with their own–magical–energy as I leaped, twisting in the air. I landed behind him, then gripped him by the neck and used Apollo's and Lexie's borrowed energy to knock him to the ground.

He yelped. I held an arrow to his neck and growled, "So. Tell me how to regain my magic."

"I can't," Anwir rasped. Before I could leap away, he grabbed the arrow I was holding at his throat and spun it to my wrist. He stabbed, but the arrow didn't penetrate. I grinned slightly. My arrows still respected me.

Anwir appeared to be unnerved by this. But it didn't stop him from throwing me off and leaping up to knock me to the ground. Having always relied on magic in fights, I wasn't going to hold my own without help.

I shouted to Apollo and Lexie, but even with their help, I was unable to get Anwir off me. Instead, he flicked his finger, and Apollo and Lexie froze.

I swatted at my arrow, growling as he grabbed my bow. I didn't know how he was so powerful. Apollo, Lexie, and I had always been the most formidable in Zeliaras, and I didn't know where else he would get such good training.

Unless . . .

A thought occurred to me, but it wasn't a helpful one. Moreover, I would have to consider it later. I struggled against Anwir, but he was too strong. Normally, I would have just converted mental energy into physical energy, but that was before.

Now, in the after, I had no escape.

Throwing myself into a role, I pulled the arm he was taunting me with underneath me, swinging him as far away as possible. Then I stood up and sprang backward, ready as I'd ever be.