Empyreal, Book 1

Chapter 3

Max jolted awake to find a statuesque woman with steel gray hair and blue eyes that sparkled with an intensity that both mesmerized and terrified Max standing at the foot of his bed.

Though her face was lined with age, she held herself with double his strength and dignity.

"Who are you?" Max blurted as he scrambled backwards out of the bed. "How did you get in here?"

Max lunged forward, swinging his fist at the intruder. But the woman merely raised her palm and a bolt of light exploded forth, slamming Max back into the bedpost. He cried out as pain exploded across his shoulders.

The woman gestured again, and glowing bands of light wrapped around Max's limbs, pinning him to the mattress. He struggled against the magical bonds, but it was useless.

"Let me go!" Max shouted, straining with all his might. He tried to summon his own power to counteract the spell, but nothing happened. The woman was too strong.

Max collapsed back, his chest heaving heavily. Fear crept into his eyes as he stared up at the stranger standing over him.

The woman stared down at Max, her eyes hard. "Well, now that we've gotten acquainted, would you like to tell me how Malachi took my daughter?"

Max's eyes went wide with confusion and fright. "What? What are you talking about?" he stammered.

His mind raced, trying to make sense of the woman's words. Malachi? Her daughter? He had no idea what she was talking about.

"I don't know any Malachi," Max said carefully. "And Sarah is just in the next room, sleeping. I swear, I don't know what you mean."

Max's heartbeat thudded in his ears as he looked imploringly at the sorceress. He had no idea why she had come here or what she thought he'd done. But he knew he had to convince her of the truth, and fast, before she decided to end him.

The woman peered closely at Max, as if trying to discern whether he was telling the truth.

Max held her gaze, putting all his effort into projecting innocence and honesty.

Melina stood tall and resolute before Max; the subtle moonlight flickered off her silver armor. "I am a Moonstone Guardian. I am all knowing. Malachi took Sarah, of this I am certain."

Max narrowed his eyes. "If you know he took her, why aren't you going after her?"

Melina met his gaze steadily. "I can't. My duty binds me here, to my post, through day and night. I cannot abandon my charge, even to hunt the one who stole my daughter away." She clenched her fist, rage, and helplessness warring within her.

Max studied her face, seeing the anguish in her eyes that her stoic demeanor tried to hide.

He thought of Sarah, scared and alone. His heart hardened with determination.

"You can't go after her," he said. "But I can, and I will. Tell me where to find Malachi."

Melina fixed Max with a stern gaze, the irritation in her eyes flashing. "Whoa now, hold your horses. You can't just go running after Malachi. He is a powerful sorcerer, and you couldn't even get away from a few little restraints."

Max scoffed, his jaw tightening. "I could have gotten away if I wanted to." He flexed his muscular arms, the corded bands of his forearms rippling.

Melina was not impressed. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh really? So, you wanted to be tied up by little ole me?"

"I didn't want to hurt you, okay?" Max said defensively. He ran a hand through his tousled hair in frustration. "Look, none of that matters now. What's done is done. How do I fix this?"