Witch Awakened (Blackwood Supernatural Prison Book 3) Read online

  Witch Awakened

  Blackwood Supernatural Prison #3

  Valia Lind

  Contents

  Witch Awakened

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Note from the Author

  Next in the Blackwood Prison series

  Do you like academy adventure romance?

  Looking for your next Fae read?

  About the Author

  Also by Valia Lind

  Copyright © 2020 by Valia Lind

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover by Gombar Cover Designs

  Witch Awakened

  Blackwood Supernatural Prison - Book Three

  Valia Lind

  Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Chapter 1

  This is probably my worst idea yet. Not that there is any way we're going back. But we might be lost in these woods forever.

  "Is it me, or are the trees shifting into our path?" I ask after another hour of walking. There's no easy way around the fact that we have to do this on foot. My magic and the relic's would like nothing more than to blast me straight into the prison's walls. Just to save some time. But that would work against us, not for, so walking it is.

  "It's not you," Eric replies, keeping his answer short, as he's been doing since I told him we had to break into Blackwood Supernatural Prison. The very place he helped me escape.

  "Eric?"

  He's silent for a moment before replying. "The forest around the prison is enchanted. It rearranges itself every now and then to keep anyone who's looking for the prison lost."

  "I knew as much, but it's doing it more and more."

  "It might be reacting to the magic." I glance over my shoulder, trying to gauge what kind of tone he's using. It's standoffish but not in his usual sense. My suspicion that he's hiding something is growing bigger.

  "Or we're getting closer?"

  "We're not."

  That stops me in my tracks. I don't think he meant to say it out loud, but I heard it anyway. The forest is awfully quiet around us. Eric notices right away that I'm no longer walking and stops as well.

  "What are you not telling me?" I ask, crossing my arms against my chest. He studies me from a few feet away, and for the first time, I notice how tired he looks. Probably as tired as I am.

  We didn't exactly sit around and let ourselves heal. Tom and Letty are still missing, and Mitch was picked up by my parents. We hope. Even though Eric's shifter powers are back, he's still pretty weak. But we didn't hesitate to find one of the black-market portals and portal in as close as we could to the prison. The only way I know we're even in the right vicinity is because the relic magic knows somehow.

  I wouldn't be able to figure it out on my own.

  But Eric seems to know. Somehow.

  "Honestly, a lot," he finally replies, sighing. Then, he does something very uncharacteristic of him. He shows weakness.

  After a quick look around, he sits down by a tree, leaning his back against the bark. He closes his eyes briefly, and my heart squeezes in my chest at the image. I think of the last time his eyes were closed, and I didn't know if he would ever wake up.

  "Eric—"

  But I'm not sure what I would've said. I'm interrupted when a burst of magic rushes through me. It's the relic letting me know something is not right. At the same time, Eric jumps up to his feet, his body rigid.

  "What is it?"

  I don't have shifter sense, so I can only see what's in front of me. Clearly, the magic is a little more sensitive, but it doesn't help me much beyond a warning. Eric spins in a slow circle, his eyes looking through the trees.

  "Hunters. About four that I can sense." He whispers, but I hear him as I move closer. He reaches for my hand. I grasp his without hesitation. My magic jumps at the contact, as if thrilled to be connected. I almost pull back. Eric throws a quizzical look over his shoulder, but I only shake my head. Now is not the time to talk about my emotions. Which are apparently getting all kinds of hot and bothered with Eric around. And now, my magic is acting the same.

  "Can we outrun them?" I ask, keeping my focus on the issue at hand.

  "No."

  "So, what's your plan?" I ask, my magic ready to go at a moment's notice. He gives me a quick study, and I briefly wonder if he can see the eagerness I feel at the prospect of a fight.

  "We need a better position. This," he gives the trees a quick scan, "does not work to our advantage."

  Since his shifter senses are much better prepared for this type of thing, I don't even hesitate when he takes off running, pulling me behind him. I keep up easy enough. I can tell Eric isn't running at his normal speed. I'm not sure it's because he's got my hand in his or if it's the aftermath of the beating he went through. When the time comes, I need to be ready to do whatever it takes to help him out. It doesn't matter how unsure of him I am. Or how confused I am by my feelings. Right now, we're partners. And that means I will protect him.

  The time comes sooner than I anticipate.

  We burst through the trees, coming into a small meadow. The sun blinds me. I didn't realize how early it was since the dense forest blocks most of the light. The difference is night and day.

  "They're right on our heels, Cordy," Eric says, tugging me around. I spin automatically, my back pressed against his. He's put us in a good spot where we can cover all the points of possible ambush.

  My magic is ready to come out and play, the bracelet humming in awareness. In the last few days, the connection I had to the relic wrapped around my wrist has doubled. There is a constant awareness of each other between us. It's hard to explain, so I haven't even tried.

  But I need her power now and my own. We're in too deep with this whole thing to turn back now.

  I sense them before I see them. The relic's magic must pick up what I don't.

  "Shifters?" I ask, my focus on the tree line in front of me. I can feel Eric rigid at my back.

  "Yes. Get ready."

  They burst out of the trees in the next moment. There are two on my end. When I glance over my shoulder, I see two on Eric's. I can tell they're shifters, even without asking Eric about them. They all carry themselves with that sense of danger.

  All four are wearing dark clothing. I can see why they've been picked to be the ones to patrol the forest. They look intimidating and capable.

  And Eric is still weakened after the fiasco at the compound.

  The magic at my wrist dances, eager to be set free. She's asking me for permission, that much I can sense. And I'm thankful. But I'm also cautious. Instead of reaching for the relic, I reach for my own magic first, but I keep the door slightly cracked for the relic. She seems satisfied and ready the moment I want her.

  This whole relationship has truly turne
d into one for the books.

  There's a moment of confusion on the guards’ faces as they get a good look at us. Especially when they get a look at Eric.

  "You're back," the blonde haired one says, taking a tiny step toward us. He's about halfway between us, so we can both look at him. But he's only watching Eric.

  "I thought—"

  "I'm not back." Eric's voice halts whatever the blonde guy was going to say. The guard narrows his eyes, as if he's trying to uncover some hidden meaning. But I can feel the tension in Eric's body as he stands beside me. The two share a look, and I wish I could guess what's happening between them because it's definitely something. They know each other, maybe even in more than just a coworkers kind of way. I think they're friends, and I think there's a part of the narrative I'm missing.

  "If you're not," the blonde guy says after he seems to come to some kind of a conclusion, "then you know what this means."

  "I don't think you want to try it," Eric comments.

  "We don't have a choice."

  There's another moment of silence as the other three move a step closer. The fire is at my fingertips, ready for whatever is about to happen.

  "I suggest you tell your girl to stand down," the blonde one says, nodding in my direction.

  A dozen retorts come to mind, but before I can answer, Eric does.

  "She's her own person. She does what she wants."

  That brings a smile to my lips that I don't even bother hiding. The blonde guy gives me another once over. This time, it's as if he's finally seeing me for who I am. His shoulders square just a tad, like he's actually worried about what I can do. I'm sure the smile on my face isn't helping me look any less threatening.

  "Fine. By the authority given to me by Blackwood himself, both of you are under arrest and must immediately surrender your powers."

  "Eric?" My voice is but a whisper, but since all of them are shifters, they hear me anyway. A part of me thinks this might be what we need, a way in. But the other part is worried we'd never have a chance if we're taken.

  "We're not coming with you, Leo," Eric replies, taking a tiny step to the side so that our shoulders are touching. If I could feel the tension before, I can definitely feel it now. He's on the verge of shifting, but I have no idea if his wolf is strong enough to make a difference here. Not against four of his kind.

  "You leave me no choice, Eric," Leo says right before they descend on us.

  It's one fluid attack. There's a precision to it that takes my breath away. The three who've remained silent shift as one, and suddenly, there are three huge wolfs in the meadow. Leo stays in his human form, his eyes on Eric. I'd have to be blind not to see history there. It's a good reminder that I truly don't know that much about him.

  When the wolves pounce, I'm ready. Reaching for my fire, I send a wall toward my attackers, stopping their progress. There's a yelp and then they're upright again, racing for me. I go to send up another wall of fire, but I'm a second too slow. The grey wolf is on me. I twist my body to the side to avoid being squished.

  The wolves are bigger than I am, a type I've never seen before. It's like they're on steroids. Bigger, stronger, more resistant to magic. The fire would've stopped a regular shifter. But not these.

  "Cordy!"

  Eric's voice reaches me right as another wolf descends. I scream as the wolf's teeth sink into my leg, yanking me down. My body slams into the ground, head spinning from the impact and the pain. The other wolf has its front paws on my chest, holding me in place. I turn my head looking for Eric, I see him in hand-to-hand combat with Leo. They're both equally matched, but I can tell Eric is fighting against his weakness. He's not at his best, and my heart squeezes in fear.

  I push against my captors, but I can barely move. Eric said not to use the relic's magic, but that's a moot point now. They've found us. Diving into myself, I reach for the magic. My own and the bracelet. There's a surge of power and then, it's like it bursts out of me, throwing the wolves off. They slam to the ground a few feet away as I push to my hands and knees.

  The pain in my leg is excruciating, blood gushing out and staining my jeans. But there's no time to waste. I can see Eric losing the fight. My heart squeezes in awareness, my focus entirely on helping Eric. Getting to my feet, I square my shoulders, pushing everything else away. The magic twirls around me, fueling my every move. When Eric kicks Leo away, I send a blast of my fire at him, pushing the shifter back. The extra kick from the relic takes Leo much farther than I expected, slamming him into a tree. Eric stumbles. I rush toward him, dropping to my knees just as he does.

  "We need to get out of here," he says, his skin stained with sweat. We can't outrun the shifters, and they're already recovering. Glancing around frantically, I try to find a way out when it comes to me.

  "I have an idea."

  As Eric tries to catch his breath, I turn back to the shifters, who are now up and walking toward us. I’m not sure if my idea will work, but I know the only way to know is to try it.

  "Help me out here," I mumble out loud before I send another wave of magic at the shifters. Except this time, I don't aim at their bodies. I aim at their feet. My magic sweeps around them, burning the ground and caging them in between the flames. With the relic's magic, the flames are hotter and bigger than I've ever managed before. The shifters try to jump over them but can't. There's a yelp and some cursing. I grin, turning back to Eric.

  "Can you walk?"

  He stares at me with pride in his gaze before he nods. We reach for each other and then we race into the forest.

  Chapter 2

  We make it a few dozen yards before I can't go on anymore.

  "Hold on," I say as the pain in my leg becomes unbearable. Dropping down to the ground, I reach for my pant leg. It has now soaked through with my blood and won't budge.

  "We need to stop the bleeding."

  "We don't have that much time right now," I reply. I shrug my jacket off and reach for one of my sleeves.

  "Here, let me." Eric moves closer, grabbing the fabric before he yanks it down. The sleeve tears off and I pull it down over my hand. Before I can do it, Eric moves down and wraps the sleeve around my leg, stopping the flow of blood. At least for the time being. "Can you walk?"

  "I don't have a choice, do I?"

  Eric grabs my hands, pulling me to a standing position. Tentatively, I move my leg around and find that it's a little better now that the compress is on it.

  "I should be able to do it slow and steady. That back there was pure adrenaline."

  He studies me for a moment, but I won't meet his eye. Because I'm not about to tell him that the adrenaline came from seeing him nearly torn apart. Those emotions are something I will have to deal with eventually. But not right now.

  "Let me know when you need to stop," Eric says, giving me one of his super intense looks. I can never get used to the way he looks at me. It's as if he's seeing all of me, all at once. And still somehow likes me anyway. He wants to protect me. But I need to go back to the place where I protected myself. Relying on him is a bad idea, especially since Kelsey's voice is still a nagging reminder in my head that I can't trust anyone. Including him.

  "We should get moving," I reply, pushing past him. I lead the way only for a few minutes before I realize I have no idea where I'm going. When I glance back at Eric, he gives me a nod and takes over. With the shifting forest around us, I'm not sure I have any faith in us finding the prison anymore. We might have to rethink our strategy.

  The bracelet heats up on my wrist, catching my attention. She's satisfied, that much I can tell. But she's also trying to encourage me or tell me something. I just don't know what. This whole one-sided communication thing is really frustrating at a time like this.

  Eric and I walk in silence for a while. He seems to know where he's going. Since he's got his shifter senses on his side, I don't question it. Honestly, I'm simply trying to stay upright. The pain in my leg is becoming nearly impossible to withstand, but I refuse
to be a weakling. I've already shown my softer side in front of Eric way too often. He's seen more of me than anyone probably. For some reason, it doesn't make me feel safer. And I have no idea what to do with my mixed emotions. It's a ride I did not sign up to be on.

  "I haven't sensed anyone near in a while." Eric breaks the silence, and I'm thankful I can stop agonizing for a moment. "We should make camp and take a look at your leg."

  "Is it safe for a fire?" I ask as Eric guides me to a small clearing. Here, I can see the sky much better. There are so many stars I realize it's later than I thought.

  "It should be. But if you can do one of your protection spells beforehand, it'll be better."

  I glance at him sharply, narrowing my eyes.

  "What? I do know how you witches operate." He shrugs, but his nonchalance just raises more questions. Eric is probably the most knowledgeable person I've ever met. He's told me before that he enjoys learning, but this guy seems to have read every book imaginable. Sure, everyone might know witches cast protection spells. But you would need to do specific research to know there's a protection spell for a time such as this, where a fire is needed but can be tracked.

  "It's been a while since I've done one of these." And last time, it was only in school. But I won't mention that last part. Eric walks off to find some branches as I settle on the ground. Connecting to the space around me is the hardest part of the spell. Especially since I don't have any of the tools with me. I'll have to search for the crystals deep within the earth and hope I'm strong enough to do it.