SpellShocked (SpellShocked Saga: Book 1)

Chapter 37 - Agenda

"Shut up!" she screamed, kicking the bottom of my legs to get me to move. But I had been preparing for this moment while she had been talking. Through the familiar bond, I had been trying desperately to talk to Ryo in my mind, to get him to wake up. He had responded sluggishly a minute ago and I had asked him to try to gather as much strength as he could.

As Maya walked us both towards the woman, I spoke to Ryo in my mind.

'Ryo, when I say now, attack Maya with as much fox fire as you can make.'

'I'll try,' he replied, and I saw his tails begin to rub together slowly, subtly, small crackles of lightning and fire building up, but not enough to be immediately noticeable. I watched carefully and as soon as Maya's foot was in range of Ryo, I said, "Now!"

Ryo swung his tails at Maya's legs, scalding her and sending electricity shooting up her body. Maya screamed with pain, but I used the distraction to make a move. I slid out from under her arm, dropped down into a crouch and released a wave of force magic from both hands directly into her side, sending her twitching body rocketing across the clearing and into the side of a tree. She hit the ground with a thud and struggled to get back to her feet.

But as soon as I was free, Hunter, Olivia, Az and Mr Beck were by my side once more.

"You're deluded," I told Maya and the woman, "I actually agree with you that we should use our power to help people, but there's a better way, and we certainly don't have the right to use our power to punish people. I'm sorry for what you've been through Maya, but you've allowed your pain to twist you into this. Look at Hunter," I said, looking over at him, "He's been through exactly the same things you have, and it's only made him kinder. You've just become bitter and resentful."

"If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it," she muttered through gritted teeth as she finally made it back to her feet. The woman moved to stand beside her, but Mr Beck raised a rock wall between the two of them before she could get near Maya.

"Stay away from her," Mr Beck warned, "You've twisted her mind quite enough already."

"We have enlightened her!" the woman screeched.

"You'll do no more harm here, not on my watch." I felt a tremendous amount of magic begin to build up around Mr Beck as he channelled. He turned to us and in a low voice whispered, "I'll deal with her, can you four stop Maya from interfering?"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'll stop her...if I can."

"I'll help," Olivia agreed.

"I'm not sure what use I'll be but I can try," Az mumbled.

When Hunter didn't speak, I looked over at him. His face was pale and he was shivering slightly. He looked at me with dead eyes and shook his head. "I-I...I can't, Charlie. She's my sister."

I took his hand in mine. "You shouldn't ever have to, Hunter. I'd never make you do that. We'll hold her back, and I'll try my hardest not to hurt her, I swear to you." He just nodded slightly and stood staring at her, looking like he had been drugged.

Mr Beck made to move towards the woman, summoning a staff made of pure fire as he walked. The woman responded by raising both fists in an upwards arc into the air, at which point bones began to erupt from the dirt and formed four completely intact skeletons, which shuddered and ran at Mr Beck. I saw him dispatch one with a well-aimed swing of his flaming staff before I turned my attention on Maya once more.

Olivia put her hand on my shoulder and then stood back and crouched down. 'Charlie,' her voice said inside of my mind, "I've linked our minds together. I'm going to use my Futuresight to predict her actions. Az will try to defend me with any ward he can conjure. I need you to listen to what I see and act accordingly."