Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(43)

“Lukas was with me.”

I glare at him and then roll my eyes. No point in getting upset over something that already happened. At least it wasn't Tawny so carelessly risking her neck. If her mother found out all she's doing, she'd have my head. Then again, the Queen may have known how dangerous it was here. Maybe she wanted Tawny to come and have the experience to help her be a better Queen when it's her time.

But my thoughts are trailing off. I need to think on the here and now. On Cynthia at Chancellor Ryan's house. “And you found what?”

“It's only guarded with spells. They appear tough, but once you take a closer look at them, they’re easy to break through,” she says and grins. “Ryan is overconfident.”

“Let's start there, then,” Jack says. “While Bethany learns more information about the power plants, we'll attack the Chancellor's home. That will be the perfect place to hit first. Who'd like to head up the task?”

“I believe I'd love the job,” Cynthia says.

“I'll go with.” Someone needs to help Lukas keep an eye on her revenge so it doesn't get out of hand. But oh the joy this will bring. Our first real hit, right to the second in command.





Chapter Thirty-One





Jack insisted on coming as well. So there are four of us hidden in a crop of trees, staring at a house surrounded by all sorts of flashy colored spells. It looks like a rainbow dome threw up over the entire house.

“Are you sure this is just flashy?” I ask Cynthia in a whisper.

“Not only is it just flashy, only servants are home. Ryan is with the Grand Chancellor.”

I shake my head, trying to be hopeful, but I have to be honest with myself. I'm more scared than I've ever been in my entire life.

We move closer to the building, waiting a little each time we move. When we stop, Cynthia concentrates a moment before sending out a spell, each one unraveling a little more of the throw up rainbow dome, getting us a layer closer to the house. She was right, the spells are fierce looking, but for her, they're nothing to break through.

When we're almost to the mansion, an animal starts howling. Grand. A watchdog.

“You didn't say anything about a dog,” I tell Cynthia.

“I didn't know there was one.”

We sit tight for several minutes, but the dog never comes into sight. All the while worry flutters through me. If we're caught before were ready, it could mean a fight we don't want. But the way remains clear. “I think it's safe.”

Jack nods and, together, the four of us make our way closer still. Suddenly, there's a bang of a door closing. We dive to the ground, practically eating the grass that used to be under our feet. My heart thuds in my chest.

Through the line of bushes, I see several warlocks headed our way. Stupid dogs.

One warlock with a deep voice calls out, “Who's there?”

Might as well get this over with. I give Cynthia a glance. She nods.

Together, Cynthia and I rise, standing together. My full height usually leaves me feeling odd in Chardonia, but not tonight. Tonight, its full effect has me towering over these bumbling servant idiots, powerful and strong.

“It's a barbarian and the witch,” one of them squeaks.

They want me to be a barbarian? A barbarian I'll be.

I run straight at them with a warrior scream. At the same time, Cynthia zaps a black spell streaked with crimson at them. They cower like frightened Chardonian women before scampering away.

As soon as they're out of earshot, I turn to Cynthia laughing. “We should do that again.”

“Definitely.” She's laughing as well.

Jack stands, and he is most definitely not laughing. “Don't worry. There's going to be more chances for that than you want.”

That sobers me right up, even if it was funny to see the looks on their faces.

We move toward the house, not another guard in sight. I suppose the throw up dome was supposed to deter everyone. The building is massive. Four floors and as wide as Zade's. Who knows how many people could be hiding in there?

As we stand in front of the main door, I say, “I feel like we should knock.”

“It does feel that way,” Cynthia says.

Jack shakes his head and barges forward, swinging the door open. A butler stands several feet away.

“Get out of here if you don't want to be hexed,” Jack growls.

The butler scampers off. We hurry through the halls, searching the house, servants running from us as Cynthia flashes spells at them. We gather what supplies we can carry in our packs, food that's much needed. “It's too bad we can't take more of this with us.”

“There isn't time,” Jack says. “They're sure to have warned Ryan, and we can't be slowed down.”

I sigh as we leave the house, packs full. It's just a shame not only to waste all this precious food but to destroy such a beautiful building. We stand out in front of the grass, and I suddenly worry that we've missed someone in the house. It was so big, and we moved through it so quickly.

I can't worry about that too hard. This is war. We were kind enough to go through the house before hand.

“Do it,” I tell Cynthia before I chicken out.

She faces the building, and with a spell of flaming orange and yellow, she sets the building alight. It quickly blazes up, bright and hot. If there is someone left in there, I hope they have time to escape out the back. For now though, we've done what we came to do.