Magic's Mark

Chapter 19

My pace quickened as I rushed down the main street. Focus. Have you felt this energy before? I turned the corner onto a larger main road, hoping that more people would mean relative safety. Another wave of power pulsated out through the evening air. A cold feeling of realisation crept up over me when I realised who it was. I am going to kill him. I spun around.

"What are you doing here?" I wheezed.

"Just coming to check up on you," he replied nonchalantly with a tone that implied he would rather be doing anything else.

"I don't need you to check up on me. I'm fine," the words came out about as hollow as my conviction.

I walked down the street and Lucas fell in step with me. I knew there was no point in trying to run and duck out, he would find me anyway. Stupid tether.

We walked in silence down the busy street, his suit was as pristine as ever.

"You know I don't enjoy it either," he replied.

I cocked an eyebrow and kept walking. We turned the street corner and headed down a quieter side road. We are not that far from my flat. All I have to do is say goodbye and go inside. Surely it's safe enough there?

"You're the one with the magic powers. You did this," I shot him an angry side-glance.

His hand gripped around my shoulder, stopping me and spinning me around to face him, "I'm not so sure about that."

I broke from his grip and started running. I knew it was fruitless but I couldn't help myself. My feet pounded against the pavement, bringing me closer to my flat. I turned the corner and spotted the familiar door at the far end. As I was laughably close, a swoop of the wind and a solid chest blocked my way.

"Have you not considered that you might be the reason why we are tethered?"

I shook my head as he continued, "You can do more things that I. You can take magic and you can also use it."

A hint of anger crept into his voice, "That's why I can't have you exposed. You shouldn't have been at court."

"So you heard about that..."

"I don't know what she was thinking..."

"Brownlow?" I looked up at him, for a second guilt crept across his face.

"Yes. I told Olivia that she doesn't have anything to do with what I do outside of our arrangement."

"You know her? The crazy person who kidnapped me?" I shouted back at him. Of course he did. Anything that was bad about magic came from him. He was there when I meet Aaron, so why wouldn't he know Olivia?

"She's my fiancé," his words came out with ease, as if it was the most natural statement in the world.

"The crazy girl who nearly exposed me to the royal court is your fiancé?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "It's just a business arrangement."

"I'm done with this. You stay on your side of town and I'll stay here. Just keep your distance. Clearly you are the only person who are bringing the danger with you!"

I shoved him away from me and headed for my front door. My feet managed a few steps before his fingers locked around my wrist.

I shot him a look filled with anger, challenging him to hold on.

"You might be relatively safe because you have the Grimstaw's protection. But don't think Aaron has forgotten who you are. As long as he is out there you are not safe."