The Wizard's Queen

Chapter 17

Leila stood in the alley absentmindedly twirling the key in her hands while she waited for Marcus to return. It shouldn't take this long to destroy a flipping gate. Marcus had sent them the key five minutes ago, he should be back by now. However, he had shut her off from his mind, despite how much she searched for his presence. Leila couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right, her whole self filled with a sense of despair.

Nathan stood beside her, his eyes closed in annoyance from Leila's fidgeting. His hand reached up gripping her wrist, stopping the key mid spin. Leila glanced over in shock upset he had the nerve to lay a hand on her.

"Stop," Nathan snapped.

Leila sighed glancing down at the key on the edge of her finger. Maybe she was being annoying. She tended to fidget when she was worried. Marcus had gone silent in the past, but this had been abrupt even for him and she hated being left in the dark about what was going on. If only Marcus would respond she could come to his aid. She was a Noble, after all.

"Leila, he'll be fine. Stop worrying," Nathan mumbled pulling Leila from her thoughts.

She glanced up, noticing the worry in his own gaze. He felt it too. Something wasn't right. She reluctantly nodded her head as she pocketed the key, her eyes traveling towards the direction of the mosque.

"You sense it too," she muttered.

Nathan silently nodded, following her gaze as she glanced over at the mosque peeking its way through the tops of the buildings. Leila's eyes widened as the whole ground began to shake sending her stumbling back against Nathan as both of them began to struggle to keep their balance. She paled as she heard the explosion ringing through the sky. The source of the explosion was where her attention had been just moments before.

"The mosque!" Leila screamed as she pushed from Nathan, rushing through the streets towards the crumbling building.

"Leila, wait!" Nathan cried rushing after her.

She refused to wait. Marcus was still inside. She knew destroying gates caused minor damage to the area they were surrounded in, but this was not Marcus's definition of minor. The smoke mixed with the desert heat made it difficult for her to breathe as she rushed to the source. Her lungs were burning. Everyone she passed was running in the opposite direction screaming in fear of a terrorist attack.

Leila froze at the sight of rubble with the building threatening to come crashing down, a large hole blown through it as flames and smoke rose. Screams of pain and anguish vibrated through the air as families searched for their loved ones. A few wizards who had managed to escape used their magic to stop the fire. They also worked to push people back until the emergency personnel could make it.

She felt the magic in the air sensing a familiar force was there. Wiping the tears from her eye she scanned the crowd looking for the culprit. Leila about jumped as a masculine hand grabbed her shoulder whipping her around to face them.

"Don't just go rushing off like that!" Nathan snapped, flinching at her reflexes as her wand pressed against his throat.

Leila frowned upset he had snuck up on her like that. No, he didn't sneak up on her, she let her guard down. All of her focus was spent searching for Marcus. She wasn't paying attention to those in her surroundings, though she could sense them. She stepped back, lowering her wand as she hung her head in disappointment and sadness.

"Sorry, but I had to find him," Leila whispered.

"I know. You don't want to lose him," Nathan replied.

Leila nodded, glancing up to see Nathan's own eyes had welled with tears. The destruction was bringing back memories of Jasmine's own death. Nathan felt the familiar presence too, and he was ready to take revenge. Her eyes traveled down noticing his hand was gripped around his wand tightening, the muscles in his arms bulging as his strength threatened to snap his own wand in his frustration.