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Chapter no 16 – SUCH TROUBLE

Phantasma (Wicked Games, #1)

Warm blood soaked through her chemise and spilled down the front of her ruined corset. The serpent unclenched its jaw from her shoulder and readied itself to strike again. She lifted up her uninjured arm, trying to conjure even the slightest bit of her magic as she held her palm out toward the beast. She knew the well of power inside of her was nearly depleted, and just a few small blue zaps managed to putter out, the sparks quickly snuffing away like the last embers in a fireplace.

Her magic wasnโ€™t like a Witchโ€™s or Demonโ€™sโ€”it could not transform into ice or fire, or any other element. A Necromancerโ€™s magic came out as pure energy. So, while she could light a candle with her magicโ€™s friction, she wasnโ€™t able to actually wield the flames. Necromancers were meant to be a bridge between the corporeal plane and the Other Side, to bring life and energy to that which was dead or undead. Replenishing that sort of magic quickly required one of two things: the life force of another being, or rest. Neither of which was currently an option.

Her tiny sparks made the serpent pause for all of ten seconds, but it was just enough time for her to spot a long sword hanging on the wall above the pedestal she had knocked over. She gathered the rest of her strength and hauled herself from the ground, reaching up to tug the sword from its mount one-handed. Just as she spun around to point it at the beast, the creature regained its bearings. It unlocked its jaw to strike at her again, and she shoved the sword, and half her arm, into its gaping mouth.

Blood spurted everywhere. The hot, sticky liquid splattered across her face and flooded down her arm. She let go of the sword and snatched her arm back out of the snakeโ€™s mouth as it began to twist and writhe, swinging its head through the air as its long body curled into itself. A moment later, the entire reptile dissolved into a cloud of smoke, the illusion Phantasma had conjured destroyed.

Ophelia stared at the now-empty spot in front of her, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. That had almost been harder than the actual trial.

โ€œOphie?โ€ a familiar voice gasped behind her.

โ€œGenevieve?โ€ Ophelia spun around. There, in the archway, was her sisterโ€™s silhouette.

Ophelia staggered a step forward. โ€œGenevieveโ โ€”โ€

โ€œOphie! Hurry!โ€ Genevieve urged, her face drenched in shadows as she turned on her heel and ran from the room.

Ophelia didnโ€™t hesitate. She stumbled after her sister into the hallway.

โ€œFaster,โ€ Genevieve implored from the end of the long corridor.

Ophelia didnโ€™t know how her sister moved that fast, or perhaps Ophelia was just moving very slowly, but she spurred her feet on, ignoring the rippling pain coursing through her body with every movement. Just before she could reach Genevieve, her sister jetted around the corner and out of sight.

โ€œGenevieve, wait!โ€ Ophelia cried. She tried to pick up her pace, but something was wrong. Her feet werenโ€™t moving as quickly as she wanted them to and her vision was becoming blurry, the throbbing wound in her shoulder burning hotter. Still, she pushed herself on, turning the corner and scanning for her sister in the dark.

โ€œOver here, Ophie,โ€ Genevieve directed, but something in herย tone was off now.

โ€œVivi, I donโ€™t feel well.โ€ Ophelia swallowed as she stumbled closer, the room around her beginning to sway, and Genevieveโ€™s silhouette growing distant. โ€œWhere have you been? Iโ€™ve been looking for youโ€ฆโ€

โ€œIโ€™ve been looking for you, too,โ€ her sister crooned, a hint of something dangerous peeking through the words. โ€œWhy donโ€™t you come closer, and Iโ€™ll show you how much Iโ€™ve missed you.โ€

โ€œMy feet arenโ€™t workingโ€ฆโ€ Ophelia said, her words slurred to her own ears. โ€œIโ€™m soโ€ฆย tired.โ€

The room was tilting now, darkness closing in on the edges of her vision as she tried to trudge another step forward. Her body became too heavy to move, but all she could think about was how close she was to reaching her sister.ย Only two more steps.

Before she could take them, however, she heard something thud in front of her and then a pair of arms scooped her up off her feet and carried her through the shadows.

โ€œYouโ€™re going to be such trouble,โ€ a velvet voice whispered above her in the dark.

She hadnโ€™t realized her eyes had fully shut until she tried to pry them open to see who was speaking. But she couldnโ€™t. Her lids were too heavy.

She knew the voice didnโ€™t belong to Genevieve, but she still tried to whisper back, to ask if they could take her home.

There was no answer. For a long moment, she felt like she was floating in the air, untethered by gravity. Then she was sinking into something soft. She thought she heard something rip, followed by words she didnโ€™t understand, and a beat later something cool draped over her feverish forehead.

The velvet voice said something else, but she was already slipping away.

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