Jerking straight, I caught my harsh gurgle before it came from me. Gut-twisting pain doubled me over. Breathing through it, I staggered to my feet. I couldn’t think to come back with anything. I staggered forward to try to free myself from pain. If I could hit him, it might stop. If I could get my card, he couldn’t target me but would have to throw his spells.

I crashed into Lee. We went down, stones jabbing me. Lee kicked out, and I rolled as Al applauded, white-gloved hands a soft patting. Pain clouded me; thinking was impossible. Illusion, I told myself. It was a ley line charm. Only earth magic could inflict real pain. It was an illusion. Panting, I forced the charm from me with pure will. I wouldn’t feel it.

My bruised shoulder throbbed, hurting worse than it actually did. I fastened on the real pain, willing the phantom agony away. Hunched, I saw Lee from around my hair, now completely fallen out of that stupid bun. “Inflex,” Lee said, grinning as his moving fingers finished his spell, and I cringed, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did.

“Oh, I say!” Al exclaimed from his rock. “First rate. Capital!”

I wove on my feet, fighting the last shadows of pain. I was in the line again. I could feel it. If I knew how to trip the lines, I could end this right now. Bibbity bobbity boo, I thought. Alakazam. Hell, I’d even twitch my nose if I thought it would work. But it didn’t.

The rustle around me grew. They were becoming bolder as the sun threatened to set. A rock fell behind me, and I spun. My foot slipped. Crying out, I went down. Nausea hit me as my ankle twisted. Gasping, I clutched at it, feeling tears of pain start.

“Brilliant!” Al applauded. “Bad luck is extremely difficult. Take the charm off her. I don’t want a klutz in my kitchen.”

Lee gestured and a brief whirlwind smelling of burnt amber lifted through my hair. My throat tightened as the charm broke. My ankle throbbed and the cold rocks bit at me. He had cursed me with bad luck? Son of a bitch…

Jaw gritted, I reached for a rock to pull myself up. I had blasted Ivy before with raw ever-after, and I didn’t need a focusing object if I threw it at him. Anger growing, I pulled upright, reaching into my memory for the how of it. It had always been instinctive before. The fear and anger helped, and as I staggered to my feet, I pushed the ever-after from my chi into my hands. They burned, but I held it, pulling more energy off the line until my outspread hands felt like they were charring. Furious, I compressed the raw energy in my hands to baseball size. “Bastard,” I whispered, stumbling as I threw it at him.