creepy hollow 05.5 - scarlett (16 page)
Read creepy hollow 05.5 - scarlett Online
Authors: rachel morgan
“No!” Malena shrieked, launching herself at Scarlett.
Scarlett kicked the chair at Malena, then swung herself around and off the other side of the workbench as she clenched her fist around the flower. It wasn’t nearly as delicate as it looked, and it resisted being crushed with a strength that only magic could produce. But Scarlett’s magic was stronger, different, and that energy she’d sensed—that pulsing, vibrant energy, more intensely powerful than anything she’d ever felt—flowed through her hand and into her body.
Wind swirled around the room, nearly toppling her over as Tilda tore around the side of the workbench, arms outstretched and rage dancing in her wild eyes. “After everything I’ve done for you!” she screamed. “You crazy, ungrateful b—”
With a wordless cry, Scarlett gripped the petals in both hands and tore the entire flower in half. The floor shuddered, cracked, and split, throwing Scarlett one way and Tilda the other. Sand and stones rained down from the crumbling ceiling, their pattering sound mingling with falling apparatus and Malena’s wails. Tilda clawed her way across the jagged tear in the ground, reaching for Scarlett with hands tensed like claws. But Scarlett was ready for her. An iron pot was one of the many items that had fallen from the shelves and landed near her feet. As Tilda lunged for her, Scarlett swung the pot at the other girl’s head. She crumpled to the floor, her cloud of golden blonde hair concealing her face.
Scarlett dropped the pot, readjusted the backpack on her shoulders, and stood. It was time for her to leave now, before the mountain fell apart completely. She had everything she needed, so—
“What have you DONE?”
Scarlett looked up in time to see Sorena fling a ball of fire straight at her. She dodged, but the fire hit her shoulder and began burning her jacket. She slapped at it with her sleeve, which seemed to help, but Sorena was already around the workbench. The witch threw herself at Scarlett and attacked with her bare hands. The two of them crashed into the shelves. Sorena gripped Scarlett’s neck and shook her, squeezing tight and letting out a wordless yell. It was all too easy for Scarlett to reach up and touch the woman’s arm. Sorena weakened instantly.
The ground shook. More stones fell from the ceiling. Scarlett pushed Sorena away from her, and the gasping woman stumbled and fell. The flames on her jacket were dead, so that was one less thing to worry about. Among the scattered ingredients, broken apparatus and bits of stone on the floor, Scarlett saw a black candle. She bent and picked it up. As she straightened, silence descended upon the workshop.
Malena’s wailing had stopped.
Scarlett spun around, not wanting to be taken by surprise again, but Malena wasn’t behind her. Snapping her fingers and still looking all around, Scarlett backed away from Tilda and Sorena. A flame blazed to life above the black candle—and something grabbed Scarlett’s ankle and tugged.
She crashed to the floor and felt the candle kicked from her hand. She cried out just as Malena screamed, “I will tear you apart!” The witch scrambled out of Scarlett’s reach, pulled her arm back, then flung it forward, releasing a shower of razor-edged stones. Scarlett rolled onto her stomach and shielded her face. As the stones struck her back, she pushed her magic outward with as much force as she could muster. Malena’s resulting scream and the sound of stones striking other parts of the room told Scarlett she must have done something right. She pushed herself onto her hands and knees and scrambled away from Malena and behind the workbench. As the ground shuddered once more and Malena lunged after her with a cloud of toxic green smoke, she jumped up, hurtled around the bench, and ran from the room.
Boulders and stones littered the tunnels, and cracks zig-zagged across the walls. The mountain shook, and Scarlett shrieked as the ceiling split apart above her, releasing shards of ice. She ducked out of the way. She needed to get the bag off her back so she could find a candle, but with Malena’s shouts ringing through the tunnel behind her, she didn’t dare stop running.
But there, near the blocked doorway of the kitchen, was a boulder large enough to shield her. She ducked behind it at the last moment, hoping Malena hadn’t seen her. She waited, barely breathing, as the witch’s running footsteps grew closer—and then she jumped.
They went down together, nails flashing, teeth snapping, and arms hitting. Scarlett grabbed Malena’s hair and yanked her head to the side, then pushed her hand against the witch’s neck just as those pointed nails slashed across her cheek. Pain ripped through Scarlett’s face, but it was too late for Malena. Too late as her life began to drain from her like water from an open faucet. Ice and rock shattered around them, but Scarlett didn’t let go. She held on until Malena’s chest stopped rising. Until her eyes became glassy and unseeing. Until she was gone for good.
She tugged the backpack off her back and felt inside for a candle. As the mountain heaved again, she fell off Malena, and there was heat—terrible, searing heat—coming from somewhere. She pulled a candle from the bag as she looked up—and saw the river of lava streaming toward her. Her fear almost knocked her down, but she raised the candle and snapped her fingers. Snapped and snapped again, and eventually there was a flame, but the molten rock was almost upon her, and she jumped to her feet and ran as blinding white heat consumed everything.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Scarlett stood at the rocky edge of the cliff, looking out across the misty forest below. Across the world that was now hers. She had fled through this very forest in terror, but she felt none of that fear now. It might have been the glow of energy pulsing through her body, or the realization of the immense power she possessed. Either way, fear seemed like a silly concept she had wasted unnecessary time on. A person who could do the things she could do needn’t be afraid of anything.
She looked down as she uncurled her clenched fist. A silver chain lay on her palm. She touched the letters lightly, one by one, whispering her old name in the depths of her heart. Then she pulled her arm back and threw with all her might. The silver flashed in the morning light as it sailed toward the forest below and disappeared among the trees.
Gone forever.
She turned back to the area behind her. The witch candle had brought her to this cliff late in the afternoon the day before. She’d sat with her back against an outcrop of rocks and lit an enchanted fire around her to keep inquisitive creatures away. Then she’d closed her eyes and rested, waiting for her scratches and burns to heal.
She walked back to those rocks now and sat on her jacket. She pulled her backpack closer and examined the contents again. Food was a priority—she’d finished the chocolate-covered berries after waking this morning—but she needed to decide where to go first. The maps she’d been studying all morning were fascinating, but she didn’t think they’d help if she wasn’t able to accurately visualize the destination she hoped to get to. Hadn’t Thoren told her to think of places she knew when using a witch candle? So that left the various places she had already traveled to. The clearing in Creepy Hollow was an attractive option. So many stores to choose from, and if she ran out of money, she could use her siren influence to convince someone to give her whatever she wanted. Her conscience stirred at the thought, but she beat it back down before it could gain traction. She needed to survive, and if using her power ended up being the only option, she wouldn’t hesitate.
First, though, she needed to find water to clean herself with. All her wounds had healed during the night, but the dried blood smeared across her face would no doubt raise unnecessary attention in—
A twig snapped somewhere behind her. She was up in an instant, fishing inside the bag for the knife she’d found in one of the pockets. Her hand wrapped around the handle. She dropped the bag and looked up to face whatever creature was stalking her.
“Good morning,” the man said as he emerged from the faerie paths, his hands raised, palms facing her. He stopped and asked, “Is now a good time to talk?”
A man. What good fortune. She smiled, fluttered her eyelashes, and said, “Come a little closer.”
He didn’t move. “Scarlett, my dear,” he said, “please don’t be alarmed when I tell you that your persuasiveness will not work on me. I came prepared.”
Fear—that crippling, detestable emotion she had hoped never to face again—rippled through her. She pushed it away and gripped the knife tighter. She might be unable to influence this man, but if he came close enough to hurt her, she’d suck the life from him without pause. “Who are you?” she demanded.
“An admirer of your skills. I have come to you with an offer you’ll find difficult to refuse.”
“I don’t care if you’re the king of the whole damn world,” she said. “I doubt you have anything I want, and I won’t be manipulated by anyone ever again.”
“Relax. I’m not the king of anything. Yet,” he added with a sly smile. He lowered his hands. “I’m going to be upfront with you, Miss Scarlett, since you’ve obviously had your fill of lies and deception.” He walked slowly toward her. “I’m on a quest to find power. Power like you’ve never imagined. I was wondering if you might want to work with me in achieving that goal.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What’s the catch?”
“Catch? There is no catch. Well, unless you count having the opportunity to use your unique magic, as well as any witch spells you may have learned, a catch.”
“So you’d like to use me for my power. Like I said, Mr. Not-The-King-Of-Anything, I’m in no mood to be manipulated.”
“Scarlett. A mutually beneficial relationship is not manipulation. If we’re both upfront about what we want from each other, there need never be any confusion, unpleasant surprises, or hurt feelings.”
Her eyebrows drew closer together. It sounded suspiciously as though this man knew everything she’d been through with the witches. “I see. So tell me then, what benefit do I stand to gain by working with you?”
“Aside from the enormous power we’ll unlock at the end of our quest? Well, anything you’d like. For a start, how does living in a palace sound to you?”
Considering she currently had no home, living in a palace sounded wonderful. Too good to be true, probably. “What palace would that be?” she asked.
“The Unseelie one,” he replied. “I assume you’ve heard of it. Your mother visited several times, as did your father. It’s where they met, in fact.”
Her heart thundered in her chest. “Who are you?”
“I am Prince Marzell.” He removed a pair of gloves from his pocket and pulled them on before extending his hand to her. “Call me Zell.”
Thanks for reading Scarlett’s story!
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And if you haven’t read any other books from the Creepy Hollow series, you can find out how Scarlett and Zell are involved by starting with
The Faerie Guardian
.
BOOKS BY RACHEL MORGAN
Bestselling YA fantasy series
Kick-butt faerie Violet is about to graduate as the top guardian of her class, but when an assignment goes wrong and the human boy she’s meant to be protecting follows her back into the fae realm, a dangerous plot is set in motion.
Magic, mystery, danger, action, romance … This series has it all!
An A to Z of Creepy Hollow Fae (Prequel Short Stories)
Swoon-worthy guys, comical moments, witty dialogue, and hot kisses ...
This sweet contemporary romance series will sweep you off your feet!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
