Thirty Days of Genius – Day Thirteen

Away, I had to get away.  The cayenne and garlic would not throw them off for long and I needed to cover a lot of ground.  I looked longingly at the lantern clutched tightly in my left hand but I dared not use it.  I was still too close; it would be a beacon in the night, leading them straight to me.

I had purposefully chosen the night of the new moon, for though their eyes were sharp in the darkness, even they would have trouble seeing tonight.  It was little comfort that they would be as blind as me.  I ran onward, using my other senses to guide me safely through the forest.  This was my home, here with nature, and the trees sang at my passing.

My steps were light but the run was taking its toll.  I could tap into my magic to aid me, but that too would lead them straight to me.  No, tonight I had to do it the hard way–all sweat and determination.  The wolves would not give up until I was well out of their territory, and even then I would not be completely safe.  Though I had carefully covered my scent it would be obvious who had broken into their compound.  Only one item was missing from their vaults–my mother’s necklace.

Technically I was not stealing it so much as returning it to its rightful owner but the Weres wouldn’t see it that way.  They were highly possessive of anything they thought of as theirs, myself included.  I’ve been dodging their pack leader for the last few years.  The man was sexy as hell and twice as irritating.  I swear he loved to rile me up just because he could.

The fall caught me by surprise.  The sensation of falling momentarily stunned my brain and I cursed myself for not paying better attention.  That damn man had distracted me again and he wasn’t even here.  I whispered a spell under my breath.  The falling stopped as I hovered in midair, an unknown distance from the ground.

My cover was blown anyway, so I whispered another spell, deeming speed more important than stealth.  I felt the magic course through my body and suddenly the world exploded into my vision.  My senses heightened and I could hear my pursuers far in the distance.  The ground was only a few feet away; a couple more seconds and I would’ve been seriously injured.

I let the first spell go and fell gently to the ground.  Energy zinged through my blood, causing my heart to race.  Now it was really time to run.  I would show up like a beacon to anyone with even a slight amount of spellcraft talent, but I didn’t care.  I could sense the pack leader getting closer.  Let’s see if he could keep up with me now.

I laughed as I sprang away.  The magic coursing through me made me giddy and I had to focus on getting away and not just racing him through the night.  He had gained quite a bit of distance in the time I had wasted and he was closing in.  However, with my new magic-fueled sight, strength, and speed I was able to pull ahead, putting more distance between us.

His pack stopped pursuit at the edge of their territory but he continued on, determined to catch me.  The magic made me playful and I slowed until I could just discern him behind me.  He had not Wered and was running breakneck through the dark forest with a surety that I envied.  It must be the instincts.  Either that or he was drawing power through the pack to help him see.

He saw me and shouted.  I grinned at him and leapt back into the race, my magic making me careless.  It was a good way to end up caught, but if push came to shove, I could always teleport myself out.  I would be laid out for two days afterward, which is why I only did it as a very last resort, but I had a safe house hidden just for that reason.

I concentrated on running and tried to decide where I would spend the night.  I couldn’t return to my apartment tonight, especially after I’d been spotted.  What had been speculation was now fact and the Weres knew where I lived.  Though my wards should protect me, I wouldn’t leave it to them alone.  No, I needed somewhere safe to spend a few days and I needed it fairly soon.  Though my magic could sustain me all night, the more I used, the longer it would take for me to recover.

Writing prompts:  lantern, sensation, fall

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