Magic and Thorns

ch 28

Frantic. 

I appeared in the rose garden as fast as my magic could carry me. I started calling out for Sage. She wasn't here yet, but she should have gotten here before me. I left my phone on the counter in my hurry to see her, so I couldn't call and check in. I was kicking myself for that as I debated whether to stay and wait for her or get her. The weight of not knowing if she was okay was crushing the air from my chest. I looked around the garden. Then moved on to other sections of the gardens in search of her. I was practically chanting to myself that she was coming and she was fine. I think my heart stopped when I saw a person walk out of the shadows and run towards me. 

"Reed," Sage threw herself at me, "He grabbed me, and I tried to lose him, but I don't know!" She was crying, hysterical as she glanced around for Hollis. 

"We are leaving" I grabbed her hand to pull her close; she was in no condition to shadow step. Then I was thrown several feet back and landed with a groan. Sage screamed tried to run to me. Hollis caught her hair and dragged her back to his side. Sage released a sickening stream of pain at his touch. 

"Didn't I kill you already?" Hollis asked, running his hand down Sage's face as the tears poured from her eyes. "No need to cry, your husband is here," He spoke against the skin of her cheek, causing both Sage and myself to cringe. It was even worse when he licked up the tears. Sages gasped out in disgust and tried to squirm away. I wanted to get her away from him, but I didn't know how he held her so tightly. The only good thing was that he hadn't taken her away. He was enjoying tormenting me and her too much to leave yet. I glanced to the side, unable to look at her like this, when I noticed that the trees, flowers, bushes, and anything else alive was shaking with Sage's magic. She was projecting her magic to them without even knowing it. 

"Sage!" I cried out to her, "don't hold it back!" if she could release all her feelings to the plants, then maybe we could get her free. I forced myself to hold her gaze even as Hollis' hands traveled over her in an attempt to break us. I tried to convey with my eyes that I believed in her that she could do this, but I have no idea if it was getting across. Sage closed her eyes as Hollis leaned his face in closer, she squirmed and pulled back, but he was holding her head so tightly that she couldn't get away. 

"I can't!" she screamed out in a panic. It was one of the first things we learn about the magic you needed to have a clear mind to do it, and her mind was anything but clear. That is when I saw one of the cameras that we left behind when we were going to make that video. I used my magic to turn it towards Hollis and turn on the flash. I closed my eyes to focus on the task at hand; I needed a clear mind. When he pulled his head back and opened his eyes, I struck. 

"Flash," The camera went off, causing him to stumble back in surprise and loosen his grip. I couldn't wait for Sage to catch on, so I called her to me. "Mine," she was dragged to my side, where I grabbed her hand and ran. I ran through the paths of the garden, nothing on my mind except for the desire to get away from Hollis, who was raging and yelling like a madman. Sage was gasping and crying next to me as we ran, and I knew she wouldn't be able to keep this up. "Sage, focus on what you can control. You need to breathe and think, you have a lot of magic, and we need you to be able to use it." 

"I can't," She gasped out. Hollis appeared in front of us, but now I had a plan. 

"Cute trick, now give me back my wife." 

"Nope, flash," Another camera went off, causing Hollis to roar and throw his hands up. I grabbed Sage and pulled her through a hedge next to us as an escape. We came out the other side cut and scraped from the hedge but together and alive. "Sage, focus on something that gives you peace like the flowers and then breath" That flash trick isn't going to work much longer.