Fantasy
From Writers Exchange
"Ha!" Neelian shrieked, as she popped out of
thin air onto the gravel of the trail. She lunged, off balance and disoriented
for a precious two seconds.
Dayree spun sharply left, when common sense said to
turn right and leap onto the trail.
Neelian fell to her knees on the place where Dayree
should have been. Her triumphant cry turned to a yelp of pain.
Dayree's skin tingled on her left arm. She turned,
sensing power at work like when her father created an illusion solid enough to
hold in her hands. Neelian appeared only three steps away. Dayree twisted back
toward the trail, putting all her strength into her legs. Neelian let out a
shriek, echoed by her brother and cousin as they stumbled onto the gravel path
and lunged at Dayree.
She leaped out of their way and threw herself straight
at Neelian.
Dayree wished she could Skip, just once.
Anywhere away from here. To her parents' suite. To the Council's chamber, to
prove to them she did have Talent. To the forest gate. Even twenty steps away,
to startle her enemies and give her time to flee.
Neelian yelped and her arms automatically closed
around Dayree as their chests collided.
The world went blank for a heartbeat, then reappeared,
with the sunlight at a different angle and brighter. The smells were no longer
of green, moldering forest life but flowers and stone baking in the hot
afternoon sunlight.
Neelian collapsed to the grass, retching, shaking, her
wheat-toned skin like alabaster. Dayree staggered backwards a few steps,
straining to find Noris and Miklan before they attacked.
Her hand touched iron bars. She turned, stumbling, and
stared at the forest gate.
Ten steps into the outer gardens, Dayree could think clearly enough to wonder how that had happened. The forest gate was nearly ten minutes' walk from the spot on the trail where the three had ambushed her. Neelian had only enough strength and control to Skip from one floor to the next in the Clan House, and that effort left her breathless and dizzy for a good ten-count. How had they Skipped so far?
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