The Witch's Tool (The Witch's Tool #1)

Hold On

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JACE

I heard her scream; heard her shout my name and my nerves spiked at the sound. It was a warning, but a warning too late.

Something sharp and long pierced at my back, inserting itself into my body. It was quick and fast and mighty painful.

I stared at the Skin-shifter and it stared back, a dark smile twisted its lips and I knew. I knew and I could feel it.
My energy, my power. All of it was leaving my body. And with it my life.

Collapsing to the ground, I moved my eyes to find Zee. She was on her knees screaming my name; her face wet with tears.

I mouthed for her to go, but she wouldn't move. A dizzying cough shook me as I tried to breathe and I closed my eyes.
My lungs burned!

When I reopened them, the Skin-shifter was I'm front of me and Zee was defenseless.

And I couldn't do anything about it.

ZELENIA

Jace had told me to run if something like this happened, he had begged me that I should think of myself first. But I couldn't, not when he had always thought of me first. Not when I was madly in love with him. Not when he was bleeding out right before me eyes.

Leaving him here would be more than selfish, it would make me cruel, wicked and heartless. Words I never wanted to be associated with.

As I sat there on bended knees, every cell in me cried for me to go to him and I would have too. If it weren't for the darn Skin-shifter that stood behind him like the grim-reaper.

My looked back at Jace and his eyes seemed to be losing light every passing second. It tore at me that there wasn't anything I could do.

The boss Skin-shifter moved around Jace and my attention returned to it.
It regarded me with much interest that made my skin crawl. I trembled and as if somehow it had sensed it, grinned cruelly and started towards me.

I got of my knees and what felt like the hardest thing I ever had to do; I backed away from Jace. Jace's eyes were still on me but they looked even weaker and dull.
My chest ached.

The boss Skin-shifter had stopped and was now looking at both me and Jace; a rather peculiar look on its face.

"You feel for the boy." Closing it's eyes, it inhaled slowly. "I can smell your emotions." it's eyes snapped open and it stared at me; head cocked to the side. "Fear is the strongest, but it is not for yourself."

Even though he spoke weirdly I understood what he said. And he was right. Yes I was afraid, very afraid but it wasn't for myself. It was for Jace.
He was still on the ground; couldn't move and struggling to breathe. If I left him; with his injuries I know he would die, either by them or the Skin-shifters.
Even though their queen had said not to kill anyone that was found with me.

"Come." the Skin-shifter held out a hand and beckoned for me to come to him. I remained rooted to the spot. "You cannot hide from me, much less outrun me little one." he smiled at that little fact and took a step closer to me.

Then, not being able to stop myself I asked the one question that hasn't stopped badgering my mind. "Why does she want me so bad, your queen?"

His eyes narrowed slightly and and hand fell to his side. "You don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

He smiled and placed his hands behind his back, turning his attention back to Jace. "You have not told her. What a shame." his head slowly turned back to mine and he shouted something I couldn't decipher.