Anybody But You

109

Chapter One-O'-Nine

Vibe: Dancing With a Wolf by All Time Low

Until Ana and Charles were out of harms way, any move Arthur's group made would very likely come with consequences. The same rules applied to Alice using magic on the men—since she didn't know her limitations, missing just one man or not being strong enough could jeopardize Ana and Charles' lives.

Instead, Alice had to get creative.

As Talia narrated everything in a hushed voice, Alice strategized. Focusing on the buzzing strings of energies all around her, it was like trying to pick the correct colour from a black and white photograph. They blurred together... Yet each energy felt a bit unique—like they were different shades when you stared at it long enough... Which took time that Alice did not currently have.

Fortunately, with the staff already binding the mages' cords of energy, the mages would be her eyes as she told them what to do through the staff. The only limitations to this arrangement was that she wouldn't be able to use forbidden magic (due to the mages' inability to see it like Alice could), nor order a specific mage around at a time (due to her inability to see which energy strand tied to the staff was which, and which sting connected to which mage).

"Mages, I call on you." She whispered lowly. With the mages already bound to the staff, she knew they could hear her—the staff entangling her energy within its own like it was pulling her energy in. "A terrible wrong has been done to you and the people around you." Alice spoke, wanting them to use their energies willingly if they could—a willing participant easier to control than one fighting it. "We need your help to correct the wrongs being done. Allow me the use of your energy." Moving on, Alice internalized her orders.

Without moving from your spot, make them fall—one by one—as if they had gotten into something poisonous.

Before Talia could even process and reiterate what was happening, Alice heard the shock and confusion from the men and women. With the startled neighing of the horses, she listened with gritted teeth as Talia told her which stallion fell first. She could hear the startled curses as the men fell off the backs of the abruptly collapsing horses—Alice only hoped that Arthur took advantage of the distraction.

Rumble the ground beneath their feet to try to shake free the grasps on Ana and Charles.

"They got away!" Talia spoke hurriedly, "Was that you? Ana and Charles ran during the trembles and Arthur quickly grabbed them while Maggie guarded them." She explained, her voice sounding relieved.

Alice had to act fast as she sat up. Bracing herself, she revealed her existence to the befuddled men, her body full on vibrating from both the cold and the energy as she carefully stood by her good foot—appearing from the depths of the bloody river like a goddess in white. "These mages are in my control." She called out, distracting them from waging war on the three practically defenceless warriors. "You no longer have any leverage, and unless you have a great aim, you can't stop me from ruining you all with the snap of my fingers." She bluffed, flicking her eyes to George who was now covered horrifically in blood splatters. "Mages, unbind everyone's ankle chains and George, Talia, Ana, and Charles' wrist chains."

While the wrist chains were weapons in Henry, Arthur, and Maggie's hands, they would only make it harder for the others to move around.

Showing her power, the men and women watched silently for a moment as a few of the many mages stepped forwards to unbind everyone. Alice didn't particularly like the odds: controlling only five out of the dozens of mages. It was as she feared—she was unable to control them all at the same time. It was unpredictable.