SWNOVELS Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
For nearly two hours I sat on the cold hard ground waiting to see if Cal would grace me with his presence, but he never did. Tipping my neck from left to right, I tried to stretch my muscles to keep them from getting stiff. I would like to say that as the good girl that I am, I sat idly by and waited to be rescued. This would be a lie though as I for one do not like being locked up and caged like an animal!
Once I was confident that he would not be coming to visit me, I decided I was done waiting. Closing my eyes, I focused my attention to the band that held my arms clasped together. I quickly determined that they bound me with a zip tie and began to push my energy towards breaking it. I could feel heat settle around my wrists, warming my hands from the inside out. As I continued to focus my power into the tie, I worked my arms back and forth at the same time. A second later I hear a sound in between a pop and a snap and then suddenly my arms a free.
Shaking my hands to get the circulation going again, I pull my legs up to my chest and place my hand upon the zip tie that has been placed around them, heating it to breaking point as well. Standing up, I stand still for a moment to allow the circulation to flow proper through my legs as they wobble for a few from lack of blood flow.
Once I am confident that I can move without stumbling, I slowly make my way through the seemingly empty building. Looking from left to right I move through the shadows, avoiding all bits of light that I may encounter. As I continue on my chosen path, I try to recall my childhood memories of the layout from the many times we used to play hide and seek, I can quickly locate and get myself to the closes exit without being detected.
*
“Okay.” Rifqa began; “I may not have any magical powers, but I am more than willing to help. What would you like me to do?” I nodded my head in agreement, she and I might be the oddballs out, but we wanted nothing more than to be able to lend a hand.
“Ella, can you find anything of Ali’s? It will make this whole task easier if we have something of hers to focus on during the location spell.” Jess asks as she looks towards me. I nod my head yes and walk over to the entry closet, where I knew she had a couple of sweaters hanging up.
“Will this work?” I yank Ali’s favorite wine-colored top from a hanger and then I toss the sweater to Jessica and she splays it across the kitchen table. Jess then placed a printed map of the town out on top of the sweater before positioning herself and a scrying stone that hung from a silver chain above it all.
“So now what?” Dominic crossed his arms over his chest as he looked questioningly at Jessica.
~~
Mid-step I gasp. I have come face to face with Joey, Ella’s ex-boyfriend. Offering a hesitant smile, many thoughts begin to run through my mind, colliding into one another, nothing more than a jumbled mess of half thoughts, none of which I knew he would want to hear from me.
“Save it, Ali! I don’t want to hear whatever lies you are thinking of spewing my way.” Joey threw his hand in the air, right in front of my face, what nerve! This of course causes my blood to start to boil.
“Okay, Joey. I won’t say anything, but I don’t want to fight you either, so don’t try to stop me from leaving this place.” I give him a pleading look, willing him to allow me to pass by him. Unfortunately for him, his response to my plea is to lift the right side of his lip and sneer at me. With a sigh I take a fighter’s stance while in the back of my mind I think he would surely remember I was ranked top fighter while at the Black Sun Academy.
“You’ve no idea what you’re up against, Alina. Cal is superior to all the humans and the witches are powerless against him! You will not win this battle.” I roll my eyes at his claim. As much as I want to say otherwise; I decide I would rather be out of here more. I know everyone at home had to be going bat-shit-crazy, not knowing where I am or if I am okay. So I pull my arm back and then throw it into his face, punching him square between the eyes.
Joey stood motionless as a statue for a few seconds before collapsing to the floor, I had knocked him out cold. I will admit that a smug smile tugged at the corners of my lips, no need to waste magic on his punk ass. Only for a brief moment though and then I am running full speed down the dark halls, until I finally found myself standing in front of an exit.
*
Everyone sat anxiously in a circle around Jessica as she held an amethyst pendant from a silver chain in the air above a map of the town. We watched with bated breath as the necklace swirled around in a circular motion for what felt like hours, though I am more than certain only minutes had passed by. Just as I open my mouth to ask, Jess squeals out; “I’ve found her!
I along with everyone else jump from our seated positions to get a closer look at the location of the rim-rod straight setting of the pendant and where it has crash landed onto the map. I hear Rifqa shout out, “hey, Mr. Hopkins’ is right! The old abandoned warehouse is the only thing in that area where anyone could actually hide anything. That has to be where they took her.”
Dawning realization begins to settle upon all of us and then in a flash, everyone began to move. “Those who need weapons, gear up now! Everyone else grab your jackets and head to the cars. Let’s move!” Dominic shouts out the orders as he slides his black leather jacket over his arms. For the briefest of moments, the Hopkins’ house is in utter chaos and then we are all piling into the closest vehicles and hitting the road.
It takes less than 10 minutes before we descend upon the warehouse at the edge of town. “Shouldn’t we have some type of plan before we barge in?” I question as I catch up with Nic. A manic grin upon his face, he shrugs his shoulders.