The Keepers: Archer (Book 1)

CHAPTER ONE

  “Stop!” she cried.  “You’re hurting me!”

   “Be still, witch,” he snapped in a tone so cold that she felt the chill wash over her. 

   The result was instant.  She froze and gaped at him.  “Witch?”

  “Surprised?”  He grinned, without humour.  “Surely you knew it was only a matter of time before we came for you.”

  “I don’t know what you mean.”  She blinked, trying to clear the fog in her mind.

  He shook her, not caring as her head connected with the ground.  “Feigning ignorance won’t help you.”

  “Why are you here?  What do you want?”   

  “We’ve come for you.  For the book.”

  And just like that, in a blink of an eye, the life she’d once fled came crashing down around her. 

  A life as a powerful Beckham witch, fiercely protected by three Keepers.  She’d always known it would catch up with her.  Now that it had, fear and a crippling sense of pain and loss threatened to choke her all over again.

  “Let me go!” she yelled.

  A slap to the face left her dizzy and confused and when she fought back, he continued with the punches until she stopped struggling.

  Silent, she closed her eyes as fury washed over her, and began to tremble.

  Her body quivered from the inside out as the trembling intensified… stronger, stranger, bolder.

  With a soft cry, she flung out her arms, drawing on an inner strength that had been silenced for too long.  Air whooshed past her ears with a force that made her wince.  A moment later, without touching him, her attacker hurled through the air like a limp puppy.

  Oh, God.  Her powers.  It had been so long since she’d used them and they almost terrified her more than the attack itself.

  He flew backward, hitting the tree behind him, and stared at her, seemingly unsurprised.  With a soft growl, he jumped up and began to circle her.

  “Are you insane?” she snapped, struggling to her feet, her entire body shaking.  Although shock still riddled her from the surprise attack, anger had wedged itself deep inside, enough to clear the murkiness that lurked.  “This is a public park.  There are people here.  You know the rules.”

  “We’ve taken care of that. No one will hear you cry.”

  “Clearly, whoever sent you failed to warn you about messing with a Beckham witch.” 

  “Ah, but the witch walks without her mighty Keepers.  A fact that has had many tongues wagging.”

  An image of her Keepers came to mind.  Three powerful warrior brothers who’d been her protectors, friends, and allies fending off anything dark and evil that had upset the balance of nature.  Despite having run from them, from that life, she couldn’t deny the sense of longing that came whenever she  remembered.

  Dismissing all thoughts of her Keepers, she straightened her shoulders and summoned up a confidence she didn’t quite feel.  “And yet it’s taken this long for someone to come for me.  That makes you either super courageous or incredibly stupid.”

  His eyes narrowed at the taunt.  “You don’t scare me, witch.”

  “We’ll see how you feel when I turn you into a toad,” she said, keeping her tone light.  His eyes widened, and she almost smiled at the brief flash of apprehension.  Almost.  It wouldn’t help to tell him that toad turning wasn’t her style.  Instead, she swallowed her own unease, her mind racing for an escape route.