Cursed by Malignant Magic (Once Upon A Curse)

Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

G lass crunched as I pulled my hips through the narrow gap, carefully placing my hands on the ground to pull myself inside. If there had been anyone inside, there was no doubt they would have heard me break the window.

I forced myself to straighten as quickly as I could, magic curling on my fingertips. My eyes widened. The source of the magic was suddenly all too clear.

A mass of wooden barrels stood stacked in the center of the building in a haphazard pyramid. Glass jars of magic sat on top, glowing a sickly yellow green, and my heart sank when I saw the fuses curling on the floor, dipping into the jars. Now that I was closer, the burning, charred mix of the smoldering fuses and rotting wood tempered the overwhelming smell of magic.

My mind raced as I surged forward, picking through the tangle of fuses to find the one I needed. There had been no one here when I broke the window. I was sure of that much. Even with as slow as the fuse was burning, it would have caused an explosion by now if it had been lit long before I came. This much magic would cause a big enough explosion to level the whole market.

And yet someone had waited for me to come, as if they wanted me to see this mess. Or put a stop to it.

"Or perhaps not," I wheezed as a wire tightened around my throat from behind me, leaving me scrambling for air.

I wedged my fingers under the wire, the cool metal biting into my skin as I struggled to pull it away. Already, black spots danced at the edges of my vision. My lungs cried for air as I gasped, but the wire tightened. Warm blood slickened my palm and throat, making the wire even harder to hold on to.

I yanked harder then gave up on pulling away. Whoever this person was, they were clearly far stronger than I, and I wouldn’t be able to get them off me with brute strength.

In one last-ditch effort, I threw my elbow back into where I thought their stomach would be as hard as I could. Instead of the gust of air I had expected as a result of the blow, all I got was a grunt, and any hope I had was destroyed.

That left one last hope—magic.

Magic seared through my bones, my fingers burning as it burst out. I jammed my hand over my shoulder, driving my palm toward their face. A burst of magic flashed, and they cried out, but the burning, acrid scent filling my nostrils warned me that I had made a critical mistake.

My magic had ignited the fuses on the ground. Rather than merely one of them burning, every short fuse was now aflame.

My attacker shifted and dragged me with them, as if their eyes were drawn to our impending doom as well. Taking advantage of the distraction, I dug my feet into the ground and shoved backward as hard as I could. A combination of surprise and my weight suddenly flung back was enough to knock us both over.

I wheezed for air as the wire slipped free, my blood making it slick as I gave it one last yank and tossed it away. I crawled off my attacker and looked back at the fuses, burning to the last sparks.

Too late.

I was out of time.

I flung my magic up and out, creating a shield. But not for myself. I was made of magic, in a way people should not be. If anyone had a chance of surviving a burst of magic as large as this one, it would be me.

I dropped to my knees, feeling the sharp edges of rubble and debris dig into my hands as I reached for the magic pulsing within me. My shield expanded outward, a shimmering barrier of energy that would hopefully protect the villagers from the impending danger.

My heart raced as I prepared to sacrifice myself if necessary, cursing the fool who had orchestrated this chaotic scene. The air thickened with dust and smoke, but I pushed on, determined to do whatever it took to save innocent lives.

A deafening explosion made me cry out, the flames of the wicks rising as magical fire roared outward in a riot of shimmering colors. Bright crimson filled my vision, and I half closed my eyes as I thrust my hands toward the enchantment.

The stone in my gauntlet cracked, veins webbing across the surface as the magic overloaded it. Pain seared through my palms as the light filled my body, and my scream burned in my throat. It felt like my bones were burning, the magic incinerating me from the inside out as I fought to contain it.

The brilliant light faded to blackness as my body finally gave way under the onslaught. I pitched forward, my arms too weak to catch myself, and I knew no more.