Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(54)

“We need something as a distraction,” I say. “Something big. I think I know just the thing. Firework spells. Only aimed at them instead of at the sky.”

“It could work,” Cynthia says. “We'll have to throw as many as we can, and get out of here as fast as we can, covering our tracks as we go.”

“I can cover our tracks,” Jack says. “It's the one thing I'm good at.”

“Good. You take the rear. The rest of you, on the count of three, send as many firework spells at the army as you can. Put some on delay if possible.” Cynthia crouches as if readying to run, and I do the same. “One. Two. Three.”

I push out the spell as hard and fast as I can, exploding colors in front of them so hopefully they can't see us. And run. I stay toward the back of the group by Jack, ready to defend him if need be. While we run, I throw out more firework spells. The bigger the better, as many as I possibly can. I've never put so much into what I once thought was a frivolous spell before. We run and run, making it to the cover of the trees.

The flashing lights can be seen in glimpses as we go but fade with each footstep. I stay close to Jack as he slows to cover our tracks with a muddy brown spell. It fills them in with dirt from the surrounding areas.

A maroon spell whizzes just over our heads, slamming into a tree behind us, making it explode.

“Faster,” I say.

“I can only go so fast.”

“Let me help.” I cover our tracks just ahead of him with a tan spell that leaves things almost all hidden, but not perfectly. He comes after and wipes the rest away, hiding everything from view.

“Good. Now you move faster,” he says.

I grunt and hurry as quickly as I can, but my power is tired after all those firework spells, and I've always struggled with track-covering spells. My power aches within me, struggling to do the spell. At least it seems to be helping Jack to go faster, which was the point.

The lights are getting further away now. The noise of the army is dimming. We're going to make it out of this trap. We'll make it back home, and hopefully be back here to save these people another day. A day in the near future, I hope.

Suddenly, a bronze spell smacks into Jack’s leg. He lets out a hiss.

“What can I do?” I ask, wondering how bad it is.

“Keep going,” he replies through gritted teeth.

I continue on, but look for the target who hit Jack. Nothing is in sight but trees now, and the group ahead of us we're working to hide the tracks of. Only a few seconds later, another bronze spells spits out, this time coming straight for me. I dive away from it, but not in time. It sizzles against my hand, leaving it burning.

“You all right?” Jack asks, voice still strained.

“As much as you are,” I reply, pain lacing my words.

Cynthia is suddenly at our side, helping us with hiding everyone's tracks. If we could just move fast enough to lose this last hex we'll make it. Between the three of us, the work goes a lot faster. Until I spot another bronze spell coming our way.

“Down,” I call out, but not loud enough to carry.

All three of us dodge to the ground. I pop back up as soon as the spell flies overhead and aim a sleep spell at where the bronze spell came from. The power blue light flashes through the air, hitting the culprit, knocking him to the ground.

“Nice shot,” Cynthia says as she continues covering our tracks.

No one else follows, though the run out is scary. The three of us start the track-hiding spell back up. By the time we have been running for what seems like hours, it finally appears safe enough to stop.

“What happened inside?” Annabelle asks.

“That was a bad trap,” I respond. “We're going to need an entirely different approach. I don't know if we can hit another power plant for a while.”

My heart aches to think of all those we left behind. Those that were in such horrendous circumstances.

“How can we not go back?” Cynthia asks.

“Because we'll just end up right beside them,” I say. “We'll be no use to them there.”

“None of it's acceptable,” Chadwick says.

“Agreed,” Jack replies. “But we won't do anything but get caught if we stand around here talking instead of getting home safe. Let's move.”

And we all listen, getting a move on toward what's become home. But I have a feeling the nightmares I had about the power plants before will be nothing in comparison to what I'll have now. As well I should.





Chapter Forty-Two





I collapse onto my bed, completely worn and unwilling to move again for months. Fine, I'll have to move before then. One does need to use the necessity and eat, but that doesn't mean I have to move any more than that.

More than physically exhausted, I'm emotionally drained. How could we just leave all those people behind? I know it would have been our capture had we not, but it's the worst kind of struggle to get the image of them out of the forefront of my mind. How can one human treat another human so cruel?

“Knock, knock,” a male voice sounds just outside my shared room.

Inwardly, I groan. The last thing I want right now is someone else around. “Come in.”

Jack rounds the corner and leans against the archway leading into my room but doesn't say anything. My heartbeat quickens. “Is there something I can help you with?”