Sapphire Spells

Chapter 27 - Three of Wands

The forest is alive with the sound of grunts, moans, and gunfire.

Earlier in the morning, Drew set up training exercises, several of them. He unloaded a small section of his arsenal of weaponry and demanded that everyone learn how to shoot and practice hand-to-hand combat. What's even more surprised is the fact that Phiona agreed to give up a few hours a day so the witches could take part.

"You lot may wonder why you're here, especially when some of you can whisper magic into existence." Drew addresses the group.

I stand with Ally and Charlie amongst the rest of the witches. Fallon, Violet, and Wren huddle together, looking skeptically at the table with weapons littered all over it. Off in the distance, the wolves perform their own training, focused mostly on endurance and physical attacks. Alaric is in the center of it all, his presence commanding and domineering over all of them. It is so potent that I can feel it all the way over to where I am standing.

Drew steps forward with an eyebrow raised, eyes locked on mine as he blocks my view of Alaric.

My throat goes dry and just before I attempt to say something, make up an excuse for my blatant staring, Fallon speaks. "Yeah. I mean, if anyone attacks I can just light them on fire."

Thankfully, the comment redirects Drew's attention just as my cheeks burn hot. Drew grunts, savoring the challenge. "And have you faced a Fairy before?"

Fallon shrugs a shoulder. "No, but they burn, don't they?"

"He can set me on fire any day," Charlie whispers under his breath so that only Ally and I hear.

Ally giggles. "I think he already has."

Drew's lips quirk at the side. I recognize the look in his eyes, the danger of the hunt gleaming in them. Without knowing it, Fallon just agreed to become Drew's target. Taking a step away from Fallon, I tug Charlie and Ally with me so that we can distance ourselves from the chaos that is sure to be unleashed.

"Okay, Fallon." Drew strolls over to a table and picks up a weapon, choosing a small paintball gun. "Defend yourself. Try to burn me before I shoot you."

Fallon looks at me, as if to ask whether he is serious.

"Better get your lighter out," I say. When it comes to this sort of stuff, Drew is always serious.

"Three." Drew begins his count down. Which is kind of him, typically he gives no warnings because in real life there are no warnings. "Two"

Fallon snaps into action and fumbles in his pocket, pulling free a lighter, and flipping the lid.

"One." Drew aims and fires in one smooth movement, landing a shot square on Fallon's chest. The blow pushes him back before he ever even can light a spark. He drops the lighter, and it tumbles to the ground.

Fallon's hand flies to his chest, his face contorting in pain.

"Faries are not above using human weaponry. They will kill you before you even know what hit you, and they certainly will not give you a warning and a countdown before they take what they want," Drew states.

"That's going to bruise," Fallon mumbles to himself, rubbing his chest with one hand while bending down to pick up the dropped lighter with the other.

"Excuse me," Charlie waves a hand as if to get Drew's attention in case his words are not enough. I cringe. He continues when Drew looks at him expectantly. "I am not cut out for warfare. Nor did I sign up to get shot at." Little does Charlie know that by interrupting the lesson, he invites himself to join it.

"Lots of people do not sign up to get shot at, and yet." Drew aims and fires off another shot. It lands in the center of Charlie's chest. He is so thrown off he stumbles and I hardly respond in time, grabbing hold of his arm before he further trips over himself and falls to the ground.