Feral Magic

supplies?”
“You just let me worry about that.”
~~~
Rolfe came for her and Zak before sunrise. Neither had slept and though she’d given Zak all the assurance she could offer, he still didn’t like the idea of them being separated.
It was inevitable.
The guards ushered them out the door, gruff, but not violent. It was there that one took her by the arm and led her right, while Rolfe escorted Zak to the left. He gave her a worried glance, but all she could offer was a shy smile in return. It was only until tonight.
Vixin allowed the guard to escort her by the arm, playing the ever-submissive female. She’d like to find him later and give him a friendly reminder to keep his hands to himself.
Calm. Focus. Control.
She could do this. Less than twelve hours and she’d be free to do as she pleased.
Vixin’s stomach grumbled as they passed the bakery, but her appetite quickly disappeared when they entered the next room and the smell of days old sweaty clothes hit her full in the face.
She coughed and struggled not to gag.
“Maria, find her work to do.”
A woman in her thirties took Vixin by her other arm and guided her to a washtub. Maria gave her a quick rundown of her tasks and disappeared behind a line of hanging garments.
Vixin stared at the dirty water and the things floating within.
One day.
She took a breath, grabbed a brush, and pinched the ends of a soiled shirt. This had to be the worst day of her life.
~~~
Vixin peeked her head from behind the doors. Most of the other women were cleaning up and she’d finished an hour ago. She eyed the fresh bread and stew next door.
After a quick glance, Vixin snuck from the room and grabbed a bowl from the large serving table. She stuffed a piece of bread in her shirt and another in her mouth. It melted and she couldn’t stifle the moan that escaped her lips. Sam needed this recipe.
Vixin scanned the area, looking over each person, trailer, and box. A man opened a large swinging door and she glimpsed weapons lining the walls before he closed it again. Bingo.
“Hey, what are you doing out here?” The same guard from earlier ripped the bowl from her hands. She stared at the ground even though every instinct in her wanted to claw his eyes out.
“I’m sorry. I was hungry.”
“People who leave early don’t eat.” She didn’t respond. “You’ll work twice as hard tomorrow, then we’ll talk about food.”
Asshole.
Despicable lowlife, picking on a seemingly innocent girl. If Zak weren’t somewhere in the compound, she might have blown their cover right there.
“I’m sorry.” She donned the face of a meek girl. The very girl her father had trained out of her. She’d never be weak, never be like the woman surrounding her.
He grunted and led her back to the room without the offer of a bath. Zak was already pacing by the time she arrived.
He let out a long breath upon seeing her. “You all right?”
Vixin nodded and let the guard leave the room before looking him over. His boots sat in the corner, covered in mud and the redness in his hands told her they’d assigned him to hard labor.
“What’d they have you doing?”
“Cutting logs to reinforce the wall.” His gaze roamed over her. “And you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She reached inside her shirt. “But I did steal you a present.” Zak’s eyes lit up upon seeing the loaf.
“Did you find anything else?”
“Yep.”
“And?”
“I’m not staying to work double duty tomorrow.”

Chapter Eleven
Vixin slipped the knife in her boot and climbed out the third story window. She shimmied along the narrow space and heard a string of curses as Zak followed.
Both froze when a pair of guards passed below, then Vixin dropped herself onto a beam and slid to the ground. She pressed her body against the nearest wall then whistled the all clear for Zak to follow.
They could do this. She’d snuck into a hundred places even before being pulled into this crazy world and she hadn’t had magic back then.
The pair of them rounded another building and Vixin stopped dead. Two guards stood before her, both with their backs turned. She shifted her gaze to her feet and took two silent steps backward before Zak yanked her behind a wall.
They waited and after what felt like an eternity, the men moved on. She crawled toward the main door to inspect the lock.
Chains. They’d make too much noise and she couldn’t afford to get caught.
Vixin pointed toward the back and they crawled along the border. She checked the first window, then the second. Nothing.
Plan B then.
She knelt and pulled at the plants below the surface, shifting the dirt to the side so they could jump through.
Vixin took a final glance at their surroundings then jerked her head toward the hole. Zak gave her a ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ look as he sized up the hole and then himself.
She repressed the urge to giggle as he lowered himself down, then followed, shifting the dirt back in place to cover their tracks.
Inside, Vixin stood, made an attempt at wiping the dirt from her clothes and gave up upon smearing mud across her pants.
“Please tell me your escape plan doesn’t involve going underground.”
“Brilliant idea, right?”
“And if I’m claustrophobic?”
“Then I guess it’s the hard labor life for you.”
“You promised Sam you wouldn’t leave me behind.”
“I won’t, but I’d prefer not to waste energy dragging you either.”
Zak grimaced and Vixin went to survey the warehouse. She waltzed over to a box and removed the lid to find several high-quality swords and daggers. Perfect. Too bad they