Story of my life

Chapter Ten

We crashed. The spell took more strength than I had, so I had to release it. I heard Cato scream beside me, as we free fell back to the ground. I would've found the situation funny if I wasn't so exhausted and shaken up by how close I came to being Anubis' prisoner again. 

We hit the ground, with a force great enough to rattle us, but not hard enough to cause any real harm. 

"Dang it, Bella!" Cato cursed. I swallowed hard, 

"Oops, sorry about that." Cato glared at me, before turning to Luke, 

"And you, where have you been?"

Luke quirked an eyebrow at me before answering him, "A place so disturbing you would have nightmares for weeks if I told you about it." He stood up, pulling me up with him. 

"So. You're a wizard too?" Cato asked, I could tell he was still shaken up from what had just happened, but I admired him for trying to move on as if nothing had happened.

Luke didn't answer, instead he just walke me over to rest under an oak. He slowly eased me down and I winced as the necklace flared up.

"What's wrong, where does it hurt?" he inquired immediately. 

"Its the necklace." I told him, "Thats why I came looking for you. Anubis put it on me and it won't come off. He uses it to cause me pain and to influence my actions and my... emotions. He said it was serrated with demon poison. I was hoping you could help me get rid of it." 

Luke sat back on his heels, watching me thoughtfully. He was quiet for a long moment before Cato broke the silence again.

"Well, we found him, that means we can go back to Stevie now doesn't it?" Luke and I both stared at him, 

"No." I answered, "Cato, I'm not going back anywhere. Stevie doesn't know how to do what she's trying to do, and do you think she will willingly give the position back to Luke? You know as well as I do, that she won't do that. She tells everyone that he left us, but she knows thats not true. That alone speaks volumes of her character to me. We can't go back. You can, but we can't"

Cato shook his head, "No, she told me to make sure I got you back safely, I can't just go back without you!"

Luke laughed, "Trust me Cato, she expected Bella to leave you behind a long time ago. She was just hoping you would learn something from her before then."

"Learn something? I- I don't-"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Magic, Cato. She doesn't know a lick except how to get into someone's mind. But even then only if they are willing. And why wouldn't you be? Its clear you have high regards for her."

"She protected us, She stopped his spell."

I interupted him, quickly about to lose my temper, "She did? She did? Cato, the only reason, you and the others got out of that arena alive is because of me. I sent a shield to protect you, thats what broke my concentration long enough for Anubis to pin me in the first place!"

Cato shook his head, "You're wrong. You're just jealous of her. You deserve this. I'm going home!"

And with that he stomped away, leaving Luke and I speechless.

"Did he just-"

Luke nodded. 

"He won't make it two miles" I declared.

Luke shrugged, "Nah, I bet he'll get two miles, but no more than two and a half."

I laughed, "I'm sorry about that, I didn't leave him earlier because-" I stopped there, I didn't really know why I hadn't left before then.