Necromancer's Control (Trix SinClara) Read Free Page A

Ali replied louder.
    “I said shut up.” The first man bought his gun up to join the others but wavered over who to point it at. “Step away from each other ,” he said, swishing the gun from side to side. Ali looked at me then let go of my arm and took a step to the side; forcing the man with the gun to her head to move with her. I tried to keep everyone in my peripheral vision without moving my head; more and more playing the helpless blind woman.
    “Get the crosses.” The main man pointed his gun more solidly at me , leaving man number two to put his down and reach into his bag. He pulled out a flash of silver that sparkled in the witch-light. I was surprised that they hadn’t made us put it out but then they’d have had to hold their own lights.
    I heard Ali snigger as man number two handled the silver. Man number one took the butt of his gun to Ali’s face while she stood there. I heard the crack as it connected and took a deep breath to keep myself from doing anything. It wasn’t the first time I’d been at the point of someone’s weapon and I knew how it went. There was nothing I could do with the guns still out. But I was determined that this time would end differently to the last one.
    “Shut it , bitch. Put it on her ,” the main man said. Man number two half draped and half threw a tangle of chains around me. They jangled horribly and I figured they’d put crosses on them. Probably made them out of silver too. Idiots. It was heavy over my shoulders but it wasn’t actually tying me up at all. Man number two seemed hesitant to get close enough to wrap the chains around me. “Fix them properly so she can’t step out of them.”
    Number two man took out what appeared to be a padlock from his bag and proceeded to tighten the chains around me while Ali gave me wide eyes. There was a splash of red across her temple where man number one had connected. I gave a tiny shake of my head. Ali had seen plenty of violence but I’d yet to see her bow down before anyone.
    The chains were loose but heavy around me and I could still move my arms if I chose to. I let them think I was cowed, that the cold metal was hurting me. To finish off their chaining of me, number two man wrapped one around my head with something dangling down my forehead. I presumed it was a cross but it could have been a fairy for all the difference it made.
    “Come.” Man number two put his gun back against my face as the main man turned and gestured us to follow. Not only did I have a gun to my head I was also being tugged along by the chains. Ali had fallen into step behind me so I couldn’t see what kind of state she was in. She kept up perfectly, her steps matching mine just as they did when she guided me.
    We followed some of the main alleyways but didn’t see anyone. I took deep , even breaths and thought of my mother. The last walk I’d taken at the end of a weapon had led to her death. But that had been different. The weapon had been held by witches, people who knew what we were. People who remembered to divest us of our own blades before taking us anywhere.

We were guided to a small square with only one entrance to the alleyways. There were doors on three of the walls and a small wooden platform in the centre. Number two man took the end of the chain and attached it to the wall without a door in it. The other guy shoved Ali into the wall next to me and finally put his gun down. When Ali stood up and went for him he backhanded her against the wall again.
    “It’s not worth it, ” I said through gritted teeth. In response, the man slapped me. I let my head snap back at the impact and couldn’t resist smiling at him as I looked up again. The blood blossoming on Ali’s face was calling something terrible out of me and it ignited a rage I’d not felt in a very long time.
    “That’s right bitch. It’s not worth it.” The main man took my chin in his hands and I spat at him. He squeezed harder and I felt my jaw about to pop