Katrina woke up to a small noise outside her window. She sat up in bed slowly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and straining her ears.
The hairs on the back of her neck bristled and her skin crawled.
Something wasn't right. She could sense it in the air, a change in the atmosphere. A powerful presence.
Something very old and ancient, something that didn't belong in Terial.
Katrina released a slow breath, shivering when her bare feet hit the wooded floor.
Maybe it was Larissa, come back for revenge—to finish the job.
Katrina tiptoed over to the window, holding her breath as her thoughts raced.
Unforbidden, a picture of Karel curled up on the ground as he was beaten by a group came to mind. Again and again.
"Maybe we all deserve to burn," she whispered miserably, pulling the curtain aside and peeking up at the moon.
Would Larissa spare Karel? Would she see that it was her own actions that made him an outcast? Would she view him differently than the rest of them?
An owl on a low-hanging branch outside her window swiveled its head to meet her eyes. It blinked its round eyes before stretching its wings and taking off.
Katrina pushed her hair back and sighed, closing the window and securing the curtains in place.
Maybe it was just a nightmare.
When she took a step back to her bed, she paused.
Her arms were covered in goosebumps and the blood in her veins strummed with energy, reacting.
Closing her eyes, Katrina dropped her chin to her chest.
There was a new witch in town, and their presence was powerful enough to upstart everything.
********
"You seem jittery," Liam observed, wiping the blade with a disinfected towel. "Is everything okay?"
The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and a pleasant breeze drifted in through the open window.
Everything seemed right in Kor, and still Katrina couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had.
"I'm fine," she said, looking over her father's shoulder to stare at Dante standing in the doorway.
Her brother's arms were folded over his chest, a frown engraved on his face. His eyes darted down to the floor when he noticed her glare.
"Move to Jalel with me," Liam told her, setting the blade down. "You won't have to hide who you are there."
"The Young Executioners are growing stronger and bigger by the day," Dante interrupted. "You can't actually want her to expose herself like that. It's still a risk."
"No land but Terial approves of those murderers," Liam snarled. "I heard rumors that Jalel's king is strongly considering having them sentenced to death whenever they're caught."
Katrina tugged the end of her sleeve over her hand, biting her lip. "It's just an endless cycle of death," she muttered. "Once they start it, it won't ever end."
"Jalel depends on its magickers," Dante said. "It has the most magic users in any other land—"
"Which is why it will be easier for Katrina to blend in," Liam said.
"I'm not going anywhere," Katrina said stiffly. "I'm staying right here."
"Terial has nothing to offer you," Liam told her solemnly, meeting her eyes.
YOU ARE READING
Imposter
FantasyWhen Jericho's nephew dies, he suspects Karel, the last remaining sorcerer of Terial, to be the cause. Lacking evidence to back up his claim, his accusation only results in Karel becoming a social pariah. Jericho vows to bring justice to his grievi...