For the Love of Magic

Not exactly happily ever after.... but it works

I rush forward toward Ryan but he sends wires coiling around my ankles to hold me back.

"RYAN ABRAHAM LINCOLN! TURN THIS THING OFF RIGHT NOW OR I'LL GO OVER THERE AND DO IT FOR YOU!" I threaten him. Ryan just shakes his blond curls at me.

"No, Fayeleia, actually, you won't. You can't stop it, and neither can I. I've been generating enough power to fry an entire state! You can't just 'turn off' that sort of energy. It has to be released somewhere doesn't it? You're practically a mechanic yourself, you should know this sort of thing," Ryan calmly replies. I don't know what bothers me more, his collected tone or the fact that he's probably right. "And lucky you! Since you decided to rise from the dead for this occasion, the least I can give you is a front row seat."

"How sweet," I growl at him. He glowers at my sarcasm and then my whole body is pulsed with energy springing directly from the wires that are holding me captive. I'm caught off guard and let out a shriek of pain.

"FAYE!" I hear Dominico yell, rushing up behind me before Ryan uses wires to catch him too.

"Stay," Ryan says with magic lacing his voice. Melissa, Dominico and I are immediately rendered unable to move. I try to keep my jaw clenched to keep from screaming anymore but I end up just hissing in pain instead.

"Stop hurting her!" Dominico yells at Ryan in a powerful tone. I'm shocked (pun intended) when the courses of electricity immediately stop at Dominico's command. Ryan looks surprised too.

"Pity you're so set on being with your girlfriend, Dominico. You could have been of great use to me," he says.

"Yeah, real bummer," Dominico replies. He glares at Ryan but I catch his eyes flick to my direction to make sure I'm alright. I give a half-nod to indicate that I'm still alive. I kick at the wires around my ankles but that only makes them tighten. I glower at the plastic coated wire- as if that could do anything. Let me go, I think to the wires' presence. I feel a hard wall of resisting will but I power on with persuasion and sheer force until the wires loosen just enough for me to slip through. Ryan doesn't notice my escape from his bounds though as Melissa and Dominico have engaged him in a screaming match loud enough to give the thickest- skulled troll a headache.

"YOU'RE A PSYCOPATHIC LUNATIC-MORON! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!" Melissa screams at Ryan.

"I'M DOING WHAT'S RIGHT! YOU'RE THE ONE HOLDING ONTO EVERY WORD THAT TERRIFYING OLD HAG SAYS AS GOSPEL AND TRUTH!" Ryan yells back. Awww... their first fight as a couple. How cute.

I step quietly out of the reach of the wires before starting on Dominico's. Knowing what to do now, it takes less time to convince the wires to give the anaconda charade a rest. Dominico looks quickly down at his feet when I get them undone and I resist the urge to smack him. Could he be more obvious if he tried?! Luckily, Ryan's eyes are still fixed on Melissa with a heated anger. My eyes meet Dominico's and we nod with an unspoken agreement.

"RYAN! FREEZE!" Dominico commands in a deep, magic filled voice. I jump forward before Ryan can recover and slam my fist into his jaw. OUCH! My knuckles throb but I ignore the pain by covering it with the satisfaction I feel for successfully punching Ryan. He had that one coming for him. His jaw cracks violently as he falls backwards to the ground. I send a hard kick to his ribs but after my foot connects and I hear the crunch, Ryan works through his pain by grabbing my ankle and twisting it so that I fall down next to him with a gasp of surprise.

"You're not going to get away with that," Ryan seethes, rolling over me to pin me down. I use magic to try to lift him up but he uses the same sort to push him down. The winds we make collide and rush out, keeping Melissa and Dominico from being able to come anywhere near us. Ryan throws a punch at my face but I quickly move my head so he only clips my ear.