The Witch's Retribution

Chapter 36

Lily fought the urge to lash out at Liam, her anger resonating from her brother's actions and the way her enemy had slipped away. She had felt her brother's magic shoot through her before it changed, becoming far too similar to the way Bane's magic had felt when he first began dabbling in the dark arts. It had startled her, caused her to look away from her enemy long enough for him to disappear into the receding dark cloud. To make matters worse, she found that every time she reached for her magic, it slipped through her fingers like wet sand. It wasn't painful. It was irritating.

She glanced at Liam who kept looking over at her. "I'm fine. Stop worrying." She assured him as they fought through the remaining dark cloud. "I don't know exactly what my brother's done, but he's made it impossible for me to use my magic."

"Why would he do that?" Liam asked. "Wouldn't it affect him too?"

"Yes, it would. I don't know what he's thinking."

"So that's why our enemies are slowing down."

"What?" Lily blinked at him.

"Those knights out there." Liam clarified. "They're not moving as they were before. More like the puppets they are now."

"Puppets..." She murmured.

"Lily?"

"Basil. He must have been trying to cut the ties between those knights and the ones controlling them. In order to do that, he had to damage our own magic as well." Catching Liam's panicked look, she hastened to say, "it's temporary. My magic will return as will our enemies'. We should finish them off while we have the chance."

"Are you sure you're well enough?"

Lily huffed, quickening her pace. "Yes, I'm sure. Don't forget: I'm a knight as well as a sorceress. Magic's not my only weapon." She gave his a sidelong look as he jogged to keep up with her. "Shouldn't you be helping the injured escape?"

"Ah, well, yes, but--"

"Please tell me you didn't rush to my aid and leave them defenseless."

"They're not defenseless." Liam protested. "There are plenty of knights protecting them. Whereas you are alone."

The cloud dissipated, and Lily looked around with a frown at the increased number of pale knights. "There seems to be more of them."

"They're a distraction."

"Yes, they are. We need to find Enya, at the very least." Lily froze, remembering something she shouldn't have forgotten so easily. "Liam, there was a boy with the injured. A very young one. Did you see him?"

Liam seemed to think about it and slowly nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

"I want you to keep an eye on him."

"Lily."

"It has to be you specifically." She insisted. "It is vital that he not be allowed to vanish as Enya has."

Liam narrowed his eyes at her. "If he's one of our enemies, shouldn't we kill him here?"

"Oh, I would prefer it," she replied, "but killing children, no matter whose they are, is not an option. He's only six, Liam, so protect him. Any damage Enya has caused him might yet be reversed."

"I'll protect him," he promised, "but mind telling me whose child he is?"

By Liam's suspicious gaze, she suspected he already knew, but she answered him anyway. "My brother's. Bane's." Before he could reply, she cut him off. "I know what you're going to say, but he's a child, and the only thing I have left of my brother. Just keep him safe. We'll deal with it later."