Magic Born: The Uprising (Wattys2016)

Chapter Fourteen: New Allies

Theresa nodded and closed her eyes. She stiffed her fingers and laid her hands by her side. As she inhaled the arrow slowly began to rise upward. After the whole projectile had been removed Theresa opened her eyes and the blood covered arrow dropped from its hovering potion is the air.

Taking her ripped garments Theresa wrapped Mace's wound, and locked eyes with Lilith waiting for a reply.

"He'll survive, but we need to get him out of the open, he needs some rest." Lilith said as she rose to her feet.

"That's it, just like that, poof, he's all better and nothing ever happened?!" Theresa veins pulsed with anger.

"I didn't say that, he's still in severe pain, but he'll pull through..." Lilith said, rubbing her bicep nervously.

"No thanks to you! You caused this! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't skin you!" Theresa growled.

"IT WASN"T ME!!" Lilith roared, then immediately gasped, letting her anger take control, she feared for the worst. She didn't need her to come out again, she prayed the beast would stay hidden.

"Mace is my priority now...It doesn't matter if it was you who was going to rip out his heart or not. Just stay away from us!" Theresa whistled for Nyx and the panther raced to her side.

"No! I'm staying...for Mace." Lilith said.

"For Mace? How can you say that when you were going to kill him!" Theresa growled.

"It was you who embedded the arrow in his skin, not me!" Lilith countered.

Theresa clenched her fist and slowly replied. "I was aiming for you..."

"It doesn't matter now." Lilith said. "All that matters is that I see to it that Mace's wound heals.

Theresa massaged her temples with her forefinger and thumb. "If you're going to stay, then I could use your help. But if you try anything, anything remotely dangerous, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Theresa's words hung in the air and Lilith slowly and calmly nodded.

She motioned for Lilith to help her lift Mace onto Nyx's back. The two cautiously placed the unconscious Magic Born on the panther's back. Theresa's gaze drifted to where Nyx had penned one of the thieves, and she saw no body, only the bloody remains Nyx had scattered across the ground.

Her heart sunk and she thought, you didn't have to kill him, forgetting Nyx could hear her.

Yes I did..., Nyx replied, though her mind.

Theresa turned to Ares and the bear was still looming over the last thief. She rushed over to the man and ripped up a nearby vine, bounding the man's hands and feet.

Theresa stroked the bear's fur and spoke into his ear, "Let's go boy, let's go..."

Almost forgetting Lilith was there, Theresa stumbled backwards when she whirled around and the girl was standing behind her.

"We need to find a safe place to let Mace rest, it's starting to get dark." Lilith said, with mixed emotions of fear and sorrow swirling in her tone.

***

Rayner hurried to his feet and snatched up both swords as a despicable, glee filled smile rolled across Adisa's face.

Adisa tightened her grip around the leather bound handle of her weapon, and cracked the whip, sending the pop sound surging through the air.

Along with the cry of the whip came a dark mist that seared the world of all hope, the darkness streamed through the air and seemed to devour the happiness from everything around it.