Sapphire Spells

Chapter 4 - Wheel of Fortune

Seriously, who is this man?

Preston's hand snaps away, pulled towards himself. Another gust of wind moves around the wolf and suddenly he falls to the ground as if an elephant was sitting on his back. He grunts, viciously scrambling against the ground. His movements are slow. It is as if he is being suffocated before my eyes.

"Preston." I caution.

"It's fine. Your guest here is finding it difficult to breathe right now. He is about to pass out. I am not killing him." He answers me without looking away from the struggling wolf.

I can no longer bear to look at the stranger. Unease slithers over my skin.

Eventually, he stops moving and a chill settles over me.

Preston strolls over to him, taking the stranger by the ankle and simply dragging him over to me. Even knocked out the wolf feels dangerous, like something I shouldn't be near. His entire body is a weapon, honed and trained.

Expectant eyes pin me as Preston stands before me.

"What?" I ask, forcing myself to not look at the unconscious body.

"Mind if I bring him inside?"

"Absolutely not."

"Look, your wards can have him pushed out of there in a moment. I will keep him seated in the meantime." He waits while I don't respond. "Do you not want answers?"

I swallow.

I need answers. But the wolf's presence is pressing against a memory I have not thought of in a while, and now it pushes against all of me. Desiring to be remembered fully. It threatens to take over my senses. To fill not only my mind but also touch, taste, and sound. I tiptoe on a dangerous edge. It is a balance beam I have not stood on in a while, yet it is still so familiar. I had at one point lived life by balancing on it.

Taking a deep breath I force the thoughts deeper within myself.

"Fine." I step back giving Preston room to drag the stranger into the house. His head hits the few steps up to the door and I can't help but cringe at the sound.

I move towards the living room. Luna remains at my side, growling under her breath as Preston sets the stranger up on my couch in a sitting position. His long limbs seem so massive on my small couch. Him being unconscious does nothing to make him appear less lethal. If anything, I now fear waking the beast.

I reach for the kniffel tower on my mantel. A lovely decorative Eiffel Tower statue that doubles as a nice hidden double edge blade. I had always wondered if I ever would find a use for it against an intruder. Never had I thought I would allow the intruder to actually enter my house.

Gripping the knife I turn to Preston who raises an eyebrow, a smirk pulling at his lips.

"You're cute, but I got this," he says.

"Let's get this over with." I nod towards the wolf, ignoring Preston's remark. I don't care if he had this. I feel better with a blade in my hand.

Preston's attention shifts to the stranger a moment before his palm slams across his face, snapping breath and reality back into the beast. The stranger immediately lunges only to be pressed back into the couch by an unseen force. Disoriented dark eyes absorb the room, flickering to me, the blade clutched in my hand, before finally setting on Preston. He stops struggling and his breathing returns to normal.

"What is your problem with me?" Preston asks.

The wolf's icy stare turns to me. "Not only is he a fairy but he is a fucking royal? Seriously, do you have a death wish?" He says to me. Voice filled with angry judgment.