FIRST BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF FANTASILIA SERIES
𝘈𝘯 𝘢𝘨𝘦-𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘺. 𝘈 𝘵𝘺𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘯. 𝘈 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳.
Xanthiene Vivenca's life drones on in a cycle of finding her next meal, ensuring...
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"Marin, the word is contain!" Xanthy yelled. Footsteps other than theirs echoed behind them. The dark, if possible, went deeper. "Aim behind us and cast!"
"Contain!" Marin shouted. A blast of white light sheared a path through the darkness until it slammed into something. Grunts and curses ensued. Xanthy leaned against the wall with her chest heaving. Her forehead was slick with sweat. Her world spun. She wasn't thinking straight.
They deviated from the path Xanthy remembered. Xanthy didn't know where they were or how would they ever get out of the tunnels. Doomed. They're so doomed.
How did their pursuants find them?
"Give us some light, Marin," Xanthy rested her head against the wall. June was dead weight beside her.
Marin nodded. "Call," the girl chanted. An array of bright orbs formed from Marin's open palm and floated into the air. Xanthy's temples throbbed at the explosion of light even though it was soft enough to not blind her. She blinked.
Xanthy glanced to her right to see Marin's containment spell had formed a transparent box of barriers around two more men clad in black. Who were these people? Why would they bother chasing three children across dark, dusty tunnels?
Unless...
Vikara's words flashed back into head. People are going to be coming after you and your power. The human mentioned the rival of Synketros. Could it be that these people were from...
Cardovia? Heiress?
It couldn't be.
"What do we do with them?" Marin asked, jerking her chin at the men pounding against her spell. Muffled voices of aggression rang from the inside.
Xanthy sighed, pushing herself off the wall and wincing when pain bit at her ankle again. She fixed her hold of June. He groaned against her neck. "Leave them," she began limping forward. "Come on."
Marin pursed her lips and followed. Xanthy's heartbeat had been on her throat since the moment they entered that surprise doorway. Now, not only didn't she know where they were but she got two dudes on her tail who might be working for Vikara's enemy organization and a friend who could bleed to death any time. Not to mention a busted ankle and the fact that she couldn't access her magic.
Xanthy chewed the inside of her cheek. As they walked, as the pain tormented her every step, she summoned her magic again. Like all the other times she tried, she was met with cold and a dark void in her soul.
Queen's britches.
A groan rang from behind Xanthy. She turned just in time to see Marin clutching her head. In the soft light, Xanthy noted the girl's pale lips and sweaty neck.
"I could not hold the containment spell longer," Marin shook her head and wiped at her sweat. Her chest heaved, taking in huge breaths. "Reserves too low."
