Goody Magic Academy, Year Three

Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

R ose’s fingers trembled slightly as she picked up the bracelets from the floor. The soft clink of metal against metal sent a shiver down my spine. “I know you probably don’t want to,” she said, eying me nervously, “but I think you should wear these while you’re driving in the car.”

My gut clenched, a wave of nausea rolling through me at the thought of wearing those cold, restricting bands during the drive. It made everything feel suddenly, terrifyingly real, and I could almost taste the bitter tang of fear in the back of my throat. But I knew this had to look authentic. The charade of Jaxon and I as enemies had to be executed flawlessly.

“You’re right. Put them on,” I mumbled, the words feeling like sandpaper in my mouth. My hands shook as I extended them toward Rose.

The cool metal snapped around my wrists with a soft click that echoed in the tense silence of the room. This was it. I was standing on the precipice, one step away from plunging into hell.

“I don’t think that’s enough.” The headmaster’s voice cut through the air, sharp and decisive. “Most of the kidnapped girls are given drugs to make them pass out. They’re easier to”…his nose wrinkled…“ manage that way.”

My stomach lurched violently at his words. “Do I have to?” I choked out, my voice small. “I don’t want to lose control.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.” The headmaster’s sympathetic look did nothing to quell the terror coursing through my veins. Before I could process what was happening, he moved with startling speed. A damp cloth was pressed against my face, the fibers rough against my skin.

I thrashed wildly, my bound hands clawing at the air, desperately trying to push the cloth away. My lungs burned as I fought not to inhale, but my instincts betrayed me and forced me to gasp, inhaling the sickly-sweet fumes. The room began to tilt and spin, faces blurring into indistinct shapes.

My knees buckled, and I felt strong arms catch me as I started to fall. Was it Jaxon? Finn? I couldn’t even tell anymore. The voices around me became muffled, as if I was underwater. Twyla’s sobs…Finn’s angry protests…the headmaster’s calm explanations… They all blended into a cacophony of sound that grew fainter with each passing second.

As darkness encroached on the edges of my vision, I made one last attempt to fight. But my body refused to respond, my limbs growing heavier with each heartbeat. The last thing I felt was a single tear rolling down my cheek before consciousness slipped away entirely, leaving me adrift on a sea of artificial slumber.

My eyes fluttered open, revealing a world that was a hazy blur of white. I blinked rapidly as I tried to bring my surroundings into focus. The acrid taste of the chemicals still lingered on my tongue, making me gag slightly. When my vision finally cleared, panic began to set in.

My arms were stretched uncomfortably over my head, my shoulder muscles already aching from the unnatural position. The soft give of a grimy mattress beneath me contrasted sharply with the cold metal around my wrists. I not only had the binding bracelets on my wrists but manacles as well. I twisted my head, taking in the stark room. Thick metal bars on the windows glinted mockingly in the dim light, and the emptiness of the space, save for the queen-sized bed I lay on, made my heart race even faster.

Shitshitshitshit

I was inside Ravenwood Estate.

Terror seized me, an icy fist clenching around my heart. My breath came in short, ragged gasps; I fought against the urge to scream. I needed to get the fuck out of here.

I scanned the room frantically, searching desperately for Jaxon’s familiar, muscular form. Nothing. I was completely and utterly alone in the depths of hell.

The sudden creak of the door opening sent a jolt of adrenaline through my system. A tall, muscular man with steel gray hair stepped into the room, his dark presence and filling the space with an oppressive aura. Behind him, a woman followed. Her dress seemed to absorb what little light there was in the room like a black hole, and her severe bun pulled her skin so taut that her face was a mask of barely contained cruelty.

The man’s gaze raked over me, brittle and assessing. I felt exposed, vulnerable, like an insect pinned to a board for examination. “Marsha,” he said, his voice a low rumble that made my skin crawl, “are you sure her powers are bound? I don’t want her turning me into a frog or worse.”

Marsha’s heels clicked ominously on the floor as she approached the bed. Her bony fingers clamped around my wrist, squeezing so hard I could feel my pulse throbbing underneath her grip. “Not in these bracelets, she won’t,” she said. “They bind her magic. Relax, Simon. She’s powerless.”

I panted hard, my chest heaving with each breath. Revulsion crawled over my skin where she touched me. “Get away from me,” I spat, trying to wrench my arm free. But my voice came out hoarse and weak, betraying my fear.

Marsha released my wrist, but before I could experience any relief, her fingers were digging into my cheeks. Her nails bit into my skin as she forced me to look at her. “You belong to us now, Peyton,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. “You’re our slave.”

Her grip tightened, and I could feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. “If you don’t do exactly what we tell you to…” She paused, her lips curling into a smile that chilled me to my very core. “You’ll experience agony as you have never known. These bracelets not only bind your magic but prevent you from being able to shift into a dragon.”

When she finally released me, my cheeks throbbed where she had gripped them. The room felt like it was closing in around me, the air thick and suffocating. I could hear my heart pounding rhythmically in my ears, fearful and desperate.

As Marsha stepped back, her cruel smile still in place, I fought back the urge to curl sobbing into a ball and instead forced myself to meet her gaze, summoning every ounce of defiance I could muster. Inside, terror clawed at me, and a single thought echoed through my mind over and over: How the hell was I going to survive this?

Simon’s gaze raked over me, cold and calculating, as he tilted his head, appraising me like a piece of meat at a market. “How much do you think she’s worth?” His voice was casual, as if discussing the price of a used car.

“A lot.” Marsha’s tone was smug and satisfied. “The kings would all want such a prized witch to do their bidding.”

My stomach churned at their casual discussion of my value. Anger flared, momentarily overshadowing my fear. “Who?” I spat out, unable to keep the contempt from my voice.

Simon met my stare, his eyes glinting with amusement. “The mafia kings of New Orleans,” he said, as if indulging a child’s curiosity. “They only come to my most exclusive showings. One is a vampire, another is a wolf shifter, the third is human, and the last an Unseelie.” He paused, savoring my confusion. “In case you didn’t know, an Unseelie is a dark fae.”

His announcement turned my blood ice cold. The situation was a thousand times worse than I’d imagined. I had to get out of here before one of these kings bought me.

Marsha ran her bony finger lazily along the mattress, the gesture somehow more threatening than any outright violence. “As well as the kings, we have a special guest coming. One who may want to buy you just to destroy you.”

Dread crawled up my throat, thick and choking. I knew full well who she meant.

Marsha glared down at me. “High Priestess Dixon from Goody Magic Academy is a dear friend of mine, and she’s most displeased with you.” Her lips curled into a sadistic smile. “If she buys you, don’t think you’ll ever see Goody Magic or your friends again.”

The blood drained from my face, leaving me lightheaded and nauseous. Where was Jaxon? The thought flashed into my mind, a desperate plea for rescue. Was he really going to find a way into this horrible place?

Simon headed toward the door. “Come along, Marsha. Quickly. We have other merchandise to inspect.”

Merchandise? Was he talking magical objects or…people?

The door slammed shut with a finality that echoed in the empty room. The sound of the lock clicking into place reverberated through my very bones. I was alone again.

This was it—the moment of truth. Could I really do this with panic rushing through me like a tsunami?

I took a deep breath then whispered, “By moon’s light and shadow’s might, Let chains of magic take their flight. Bracelets break, release the power, Return to me in this hour.”

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened. Then, with a soft click, the bracelets fell away from my wrists.

Relief washed over me like a cool wave, momentarily drowning out my fear and despair. Even through my panic, my magic had worked. It was only a small victory, but one that kindled a spark of hope in my chest.

I still wasn’t free, though. The other manacles still bound me, cold and unyielding against my skin. Jaxon’s words echoed in my mind: draw on the power of my dragon. I had never attempted this before, and doubt gnawed at my insides like a rat chewing on old shoe leather. Would it even work? Marsha had said the manacles would make me unable to shift.

I closed my eyes. The frantic thoughts racing through my mind were a cacophony of fear and desperation, but I forced them to quiet, drawing on every scrap of knowledge I’d gleaned about shifters and shifting at Goody Academy.

Deep breaths. In, out. In, out. With each exhalation, I pushed away the terror, replacing it with focus on the following inhalation.

In my mind’s eye, I pictured myself transforming. No longer a helpless girl chained to a bed, but a majestic black dragon. I envisioned scales rippling across my skin, obsidian and gleaming. Wings, powerful and vast, unfurling from my back. I was wild, untamed, a force of nature just waiting to be unleashed.

The image crystallized, becoming more vivid with each passing second. I could almost feel the weight of the horns on my head, the strength in my clawed limbs. And then, unbidden, a new vision blazed to life.

Fire. Not just any fire…dragon fire. White-hot and all-consuming, it danced behind my closed eyelids. I could almost smell the smoke, feel the searing heat on my face. In the vision, the flames licked at the manacles, the metal glowing red, then white, then beginning to warp and melt.

Burn, burn, burn, manacles.

I chanted repeatedly, silently willing the imaginary fire to become real.

My entire body tensed up, my muscles straining against the restraints. Sweat beaded on my forehead, rolling down my temples. The air around me felt like it was thickening, charged with magical energy.

“Come on,” I muttered through gritted teeth, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. “Work, damn it. Work!”

I poured every ounce of will, every shred of desperation and determination into my command. The manacles simply had to melt. They had to break. My life, my freedom, everything… It all depended on this moment.

A tingling sensation began in my fingertips, spreading slowly up my arms. Was it just my imagination, or did the metal around my wrists feel warmer? The air felt like it shimmered, as if distorted by intense heat.

My heart raced, pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat, and the tingling intensified, becoming a burning that surged through my veins. It was overwhelming, like liquid fire coursing through my body seeking release.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “Break,” I hissed, no longer sure if I was speaking aloud or just in my mind. “Break!”

The burning sensation reached a violent crescendo, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a sound like a thunderclap, energy exploded outward from my body.

My eyes flew open, blinking against the sudden brightness. Spots danced in my vision, and for a terrifying second, I wasn’t sure if anything had changed. But as my sight cleared, I saw the manacles lying in twisted, smoking heaps on either side of the bed.

I stared in disbelief, my wrists raw but gloriously free. A hysterical laugh bubbled up in my throat, equal parts relief and shock.

It had worked. Against all odds, it had actually worked! I wasn’t powerless after all!

A new determination settled into my spine. I wasn’t just a victim anymore. I was Peyton, witch and black dragon, and I was going to bust my way out of this prison.

And then I was going to find the Dragon Nexus.