Rogue Fae, A Starseed Universe Novella

Second Skin

"Let go of me!" Robert snarled through bloody lips as Rena yanked him up onto a chair at Gwenn's behest.

"Mahasoka." Vines snaked up from the floor to wrap around Robert's body, binding him to the chair.

"Shut it, Robert," Augusta said. "You have no room to be makin' threats. You'll be lucky to avoid jail time."

"I didn't do anything illegal." As soon as the words were out of his mouth Robert's head snapped to the side.

Augusta gasped and Gwenn's eyebrows rose as she recognized the signs of a magical slap in the face.

"Couldn't help myself," Rena growled.

Augusta nodded, accepting the violence against her coven member, and turned her attention back to Robert. "You never were the brightest one in our coven but come on, Robert. No one's going to fall for that line. You kidnapped someone! That's illegal as far as both supes and humans are concerned. And that's not even takin' into account you broke supernatural law by accepting Violet's power. I don't even have to take you to supernatural court to serve the minimum penalty for that one."

Robert's eyes widened, and he pushed back into the chair. "No! You know my family, Augusta. And I'm one of your own coven! You wouldn't bind my magic inside me!"

"Like hell, I wouldn't, Robert," Augusta spat back. "You and Daniel have caused a public relations nightmare. If anyone outside the coven finds out our group had anything to do with this mess . . . Hell, I don't even think a witch hunt is out of the question. Not with all the rich women you screwed with. And what about the fae? After we blocked them from selling their own powers and then Daniel went and sold the magic of one of their own tribe members? Once we pull the rest of this fae's power out of you, you'll receive the mandatory minimum punishment straight away. A congregation will decide if you deserve more once we have the trial."

"Two years!? You'd bind my magic for two years?"

"Aye, and I'd like to offer my assistance," Gwenn said her eyes narrowed. She hoped Augusta would take her up on her offer. Gwenn had a few tricks up her sleeve she was confident no one in the Nashville coven had mastered. There was no way she wanted Robert practicing magic before his two years were up.

"She can't help! She's not part of our coven." Robert's eyes grew round at the realization that he wouldn't be able to scheme his way out of a binding once Gwenn left town.

"As high priestess of the Nashville coven I'd be honored to have a McKay witch help with the binding," Augusta said. "And if you realize what's best for you, Robert Daily, you'll stop talkin'. Or maybe I'll change my mind and allow Violet to take her own magic from you. She didn't seem adept at it. Killin' people and drivin' them crazy aren't good side effects, after all, but maybe she needs more practice? You volunteerin' to be Violet's fifth try?"

Robert's mouth snapped shut and a trickle of blood ran down his lips.

Gwenn set her hand on Robert's arm. She pushed a sensory charm through her fingers and inside Robert. Almost immediately, she met with the ward she'd suspected and sighed.

This must be the ward blocking his fae magic. Robert's smarter than he looks, hiding a ward deep inside him. Even if someone did suspect something was off about him, Robert guessed correctly that no one would analyze his magic so deeply without his blessing. To feel magic radiate from someone was one thing, to root around inside them without consent and purposefully was taboo.

Unfortunately, for Robert, he was not as powerful as he was clever and Gwenn dismantled his ward after two tries.

Moving deeper, Gwenn's palms burned as Robert tried to shove her invasive sensory spell from his body with a mix of tightly woven together witch and fae magic. He could fight all he wanted, but he would never win. Even with stolen fae magic, he was no competition for Gwenn. Slowly, so there was no doubt she was the one in control, Gwenn pulled her power from him and took a couple steps back.