Page 41 of Awakening Storm

Aidan did as she suggested and pushed it slowly this time, his bicep bulging with the effort. He twisted the sword, pushed harder, and then tried again. But the invisible barrier still did not yield.

A hissing female laugh made all four of them turn. “Well, well. What have we here?”

Dillon literally shook in his boots, Steve’s mouth gaped open, and Sean threw his arm over his eyes.

Aidan stepped to the front of the group. “I had to at least try.”

“Of course you did.” She gave a wicked laugh as she hurled fireballs at him in quick succession. He made quick work of deflecting them all, but it took a toll on him

Rhianna grabbed his arm as he stumbled, exhausted.

“Oh, gag me,” Theodora said, eyeing Aidan and Rhianna. Producing another magical net with her staff, she locked the five of them in it and floated them back to the city.

Aidan cut at the net with Rhianna’s sword, but it held strong. Everything she used had magical properties. How did he fight that?

Then a bronze chariot pulled by six black horses materialized out of thin air. Theodora hurled the net in the back and flew into the city with great fanfare.

Instead of being mad, she seemed quite pleased, as if she was utterly entertained by this change of events and their attempt to flee.

Oh God.What did she have in store for them now?