Winter Fire (The Witchling #3)(68)

“Got her!” the guy shouted into the hallway.

He strode towards her and gripped her arm, pulling her up. Morgan gasped at the agony in her shin.

Unable to handle the pain, she took two steps and dropped into the world between consciousness and black-out. The guy tried to catch her then leaned down and lifted her over his shoulders. Vaguely aware of the world, she did her best to keep from sinking into unconsciousness.

He took her up the stairs, out of the basement. A cold breeze helped clear her head. The Dark teen walked through neighboring ballrooms rather than take the treacherous hallway. His step was careful, his grip on her tight. He moved through the ballrooms then exited into the main hallway. He entered the room where she’d seen the light during their first trip down the hall.

The teen lowered her to the ground with more care than she expected. She recognized him from her trip to the Dark Campus. It was Noah, Dawn’s brother.

“Are you okay?” Summer asked.

Morgan shook her head and looked around. The Dark teens had set up a small campsite in one part of the room, complete with two small tents, lanterns and a small grill. Summer sat against one wall, cuffed once more, near a small space heater.

“I think my leg is broken,” Morgan replied.

Noah knelt at her feet and studied her leg. The jeans around her shin were tight from the swelling.

“Prop it up, Noah. We’ll get a brace when Jason comes back with the third one,” the other Dark teen said. He glowed with fire magick, and Morgan vaguely recalled Decker referring to the other fire witchling as Troy.

Morgan glanced around, realizing Biji wasn’t there. She prayed the small girl had either escaped or called someone. Noah was six feet tall and athletic, his movements shadowed by Darkness. He propped up her knee gently with books. She hissed at the pain, and he glanced at her.

“You won’t be here long,” he said. “We didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You taser-d me!” she retorted.

“What?” he frowned. “I never taser-d you.”

“Alexa did,” Troy said.

“Why?” Noah demanded. “She’s just a little girl.”

“Ask your sister.”

“I need ice,” Morgan interrupted. “For the swelling.”

“I’ll get some,” Noah said and rose.

Morgan looked at Summer questioningly.

“I can give her a pain patch,” Summer said to the boys. “She’s going into shock.”

Both teens hesitated, before Noah’s eyes settled on Morgan.

“No funny stuff,” he told Summer. “Go ahead.”

Summer rose and crossed to Morgan. She sat beside her and placed her bound hands on Morgan’s arm. Morgan groaned as the warmth of earth slid between her and the pain.

“It won’t last long, but it’ll help,” Summer said. “Only Beck can heal people.”

At his name, Morgan almost told Summer to take the pain patch away, so she could feel what she’d done to Beck.

“Noah, stay here. I’m going to check on Jason,” Troy said.

Noah nodded and sat near one of the heaters.

“Can you walk at all?” Summer asked.

Morgan shook her head. “But if you get the chance to run, go. I deserve to be here.”

Summer frowned.

“Just promise me you’ll run, if you can.”

“Straight to Beck.”

“No. Not to Beck.”

Summer waited for her to explain, but she didn’t.

“We should be okay, until Dawn gets here,” Summer murmured. “These guys could’ve done some damage to both of us and didn’t.”

“Who would listen to that psycho bitch?” Morgan demanded quietly.

“She’s powerful and scary and currently, completely immune from Decker dealing with her like she deserves,” Summer explained. “She’s invincible with magick.”

“No, she thinks she’s invincible. Bullies always think they are.”

“Someday, we’re going to sit down and talk,” Summer said firmly.

“If we survive. If Dawn’s smart, she’ll probably kill us. Or at least, me. She thinks I’m with Beck.”

“I did, too. You’re not?”

“No,” Morgan said softly. “Not anymore.”

“Quiet, guys,” Noah said gruffly. “If you’re done … what’s your name?” He looked at Summer.

“Summer,” she replied.

“Sounds familiar, but I don’t recognize you.”

“She’s Decker’s girlfriend,” Morgan supplied.

Noah stared.

“Yeah, he’ll chop off your head when he finds out,” she added.

He appeared genuinely surprised then uneasy.

“Go back to your corner,” he told Summer. “Nothing will happen to you guys. This was just some stupid joke Dawn was playing.”

Summer went back to her corner.

“You really believe that?” Morgan asked, surprised. “Alexa tried to beat me up in the forest twice because your sister told her to.”

“Dawn isn’t playing a joke. She’s going to kill us, Noah,” Summer added. “She’s tried to hurt me twice already.”