The Wizard's Queen

Chapter 39

Everything was numb. Even with several layers of clothes and winter wear, Rachel could have sworn she had frostbite. The air burnt her lungs it was so cold. She rocked back and forth on her heels as they rode the boat to the middle of the Arctic. It wasn't safe to apparate here plus anti-apparition wards had been placed around the perimeter. They had taken a private plane to the Northern most points of Finland then they then loaded on an Icebreaker to go farther north. Their destination was right smack dab middle of the north pole.

They had to be stealthy in their movements. Giants roamed these lands, and many weren't friendly. It was what made her father's prison impermeable. Kenny, Voisin and Jude looked unfazed to the cold. Rachel knew that Spell-master Voisin spent most of his life in Russia and then went on to attend Gottskalk in Iceland while Jude was from Canada and spent much of his youth exploring the magical creatures in the northernmost points. Kenny was a mysterious case, but Rachel knew he possessed a powerful strength that probably rivaled Riley's own abilities being trained by Merlin. Rachel, on the other hand, would rather hike her butt back down to the south where it was warm.

Bouncing around isn't going to warm you.

Rachel knew Niko didn't have to remind her. She wished she could perform a warming spell, but the Giants would sense the magic. Instead, she was stuck freezing her ass off. Voisin sighed as he rolled his eyes at Rachel for the millionth time. She was the only one acting even a tiny bit phased by the cold.

Rachel was nervous to see their destination coming to sight. She hadn't seen her father since that day they came to take him. He had taken out several wizards in the process, almost killing Rachel herself. She doubted he would be pleased to see her again. That was if he could even recognize her. Rachel shuddered as she recalled everything that happened leading up to her father's detainment....

Rachel slipped and fell as she ran, tears streaming down her face as the giant man stepped through the woods, a lifeless look in his eyes as his wand was drawn, firing hexes at her. His skin had begun to rot, and bits of his arm was burned from her firing back in self-defense. It didn't slow him down. No, he was going to kill her.

Rachel cried out in pain as she fell. The mud made it difficult for her to get up as she crawled backward, fear in her eyes as he stood over her. "Daddy, please, don't hurt me! It's me, Rachel!"

The man didn't respond, just raised his wand to her face. Rachel glanced down at her belt, the dead animals dangling around it lifeless. A mouse, a chipmunk, and baby bat were all that she had left. The birds had failed in the attack of slowing him down. All they had succeeded in were scratching his face before he swatted them away, breaking her spell. She wished she had something bigger, but she couldn't carry them around with her. The small animals were easy to transport. They weren't meant for defensive purposes, only companionship.

Rachel, let me help you!

Rachel looked up, seeing her friend had returned. He floated in the air, ready to be summoned, Rachel nodded her head, watching as the spirit flew and tried to possess the corpse. Her dad struggled, trying to fight off the spirit. He used his magic to repel the mist.

"Niko!" Her spirit went flying towards safety into one of her stuffed animals.

I'm sorry, I can't control him any longer. He is too strong.

"It's ok, we can keep running," Rachel said.

She looked up as she saw more wizards with robes rushing through the woods. The bad men had come. She whimpered as she watched them take her father down, restraining the man was tough, but they finally got him. Rachel tried to run, but she never got away. She sensed the spell coming as she tried to dodge. The knockback jinx sent her flying off her feet as she stumbled to the ground, tears streaming down her face. Rachel could hear her father roaring in the background as the Wizards struggled to detain him. More were coming after her.