EMBERS by Salena Casha

CHAPTER ONE

“Melody.”

My heartbeat quickened and I froze. How did they know my name? The half-crescent light of the moon glowed off stone. An alleyway, shrouded in darkness, slithered between the buildings. I reached for the familiar hilt of my knife, but my fingers grasped at air.

A cackle pierced through the night. The hair on my arm bristled. “You can’t hide from us, dearest,” the voice sang. “We only want to talk with you”.

Yeah right. Their medallion burned against my chest. I tried not to wrinkle my nose. Who knew how many of those foul creatures had caressed the ruby with their hands. Its heat soothed me, and my muscles relaxed. The swish of satin brought me out of the trance.

“You’ll be my undoing,” I whispered to it and tucked it under my tunic.

Interminable darkness stretched in front of me as I slowly backed down the alley. My current position was far from advantageous. They’d find me eventually. I shivered at the thought of the Specters: those who trailed me. They were monsters that no one knew existed, except us, the Order. And our duty was to protect everyone else from them.

I quickened my pace, my feet soundless against the stone pavement. Not that it made a difference. If I had worn a silence spell, they still would be able to hear me. They had senses beyond those of humans. They were probably enjoying the fast beat of my heart. My feet tripped into a run as I slipped through the side-streets of Brita. The roads of the village were barren, the silence emphasized by my blood pounding away in my ears.

“Melody, I see you,” the voice called out again. Its high tone vibrated against the walls. I took another step forward when something grabbed my feet and slammed them into the ground. Panic built up in my chest as my throat threatened to close. I struggled against their magic as it paralyzed my legs, rooting me in my spot. Iciness spread through my veins; a cold breath slid down my back. I winced as the chill made its way deeper into my body.  Focus, I urged myself. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Control. Do not let them take your body from you.

A pale white form materialized in front of my eyes in a cyclone of wind. Her sharp teeth glistened in the moonlight, their sharpness punctuated by beady black eyes that stood out against white skin and hair. She traced my face with a long finger, her skin hard as marble. I tried not to wince as her nails scratched against my cheek, hot blood blooming from the scrapes.

“I believe you have something of ours,” she purred from her perch a few feet above the cracked ground.

The ruby’s heat radiated through my body as it undid the cold of the Specter’s magic. “Is that a question? Because if you’re asking, you’re supposed to say please,” I replied. Acid rose in my throat and I tried to swallow.

She swooped down, inches from my face, enraged. The rotting smell of her breath overwhelmed my senses. “Give it to me. Now.”

“No,” I said. My body thrummed with energy. The nerves in my hands felt as though they pulsed outside of my skin, shocked through with adrenaline. If I lost the gem to her, there was no telling what the Captain would do to me.

“I would tell you I won’t hurt you, dear, but I don’t like to lie.” Her eyes hardened as she barred her teeth.

The Specter’s magic slipped slowly off my body like melting ice. My muscles tensed as she reached out to touch my arm, her hand twisted into a claw. I delved deep into my mind and tugged at the core of my powers. Gritting my teeth, I pushed the blue string of magic out of my fingertips toward the creature. The sparks tunneled together, entwined in a long blast of light. She screamed out in pain and withdrew her outstretched hand. Magic rolled off my skin, escaping from my pores. It molded itself over my body in a bubble.

A loud crash bounced off the walls of the alley. I whirled around, my hand poised to send another stream of magic toward the disturbance. A dark silhouette tripped over a pile of rubbish.

“Melody, we have to get out of here,” someone cried. I wiped away the sweat that bled down my forehead. It was Aaron, my partner, the most notorious wimp in the entire kingdom. Always came out at the last possible moment.

“Easy for you to say,” I grimaced as I sent another string of magic from my fingers toward the Specter’s image. Something sharp cut against my hand and burnt my skin.

“My shield’s faltering. She’d breaking through,” I muttered.

I fell back onto hard rock. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The Specters only weapon was fear; they had little true magic of their own. Aaron grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet as the Specter began her approach. Patches of red decorated her white skin where my shield had scorched her.

“Let’s get out of here,” Aaron whispered.

“The Captain wanted a prisoner this time,” I snapped.

Aaron’s eyes widened, but he knew better than to protest, so he stepped behind me. I delved deeper into my power to search the hidden crevices of my reserves. I pressed my palms together and opened them. A whirlwind of blue heat erupted from my skin. The Specter clawed and shrieked against it as I twisted the blue wire around her figure. With one final twirl, I formed the magic into a cage. She clawed against the barriers. Part two of mission completed.

“We ready now?” Aaron asked. A loud howl ripped through the air, the sound of Specters screeching through the night. I didn’t think it wise to wait for them. I slung the cage over my shoulder, and he grabbed onto my arm. His touch seared my skin as he mumbled words beneath his breath. Pressure built inside my chest. Air pushed down on me. The alley tunneled and I closed my eyes. Wind sucked at my skin. And then there was only silence.