Tangled Magick Read Online Free PDF

shrugged.
Could it be that Tory has a bit of magick waking in him too?
    â€œWhat are we going to do?” he asked.
    â€œI think the best thing to do right now is pretend we are enchanted as well, like the others,” Mae answered.
    Tory nodded and lay back down, one arm tucked under his head, the other reaching for Mae’s hand. His fingers curled around hers. A ripple of excitement made her nose twitch. No one but Leif had ever held her hand before.
    Her stomach twinged as she thought of Leif.
    Leif, at home. Safe in the Wedge. Waiting for her to return.
    She closed her eyes and let the wagon rock her into a fitful sleep.

Chapter 5
    M ae was awakened by shouts. Hapennies were being pulled roughly out of the wagon and forced into a line. Their expressions were dazed, and many shook their heads as if to clear a fog from their mind. Their hands were shackled. Mae shivered, remembering the feel of the heavy iron chains her former guardian, Gelbane, had clapped on her.
    The sun was resting just barely over the trees. They had traveled all night and into the morning.
    As she was grabbed by rough hands, Mae tried to stay limp as the troll pulled her from the wagon bed.
    â€œPlay nice, Drugan,” Huldfrejya shrieked. “I don’t want my slaves so bruised that they can’t work.”
    The troll grunted and set Mae on her feet. He grabbed her chin and shook her head. “Wakey, wakey.”
    Mae opened her eyes slowly, pretending to be a little dazed, but her mind raced frantically as she took in the deeply etched lines of the troll’s face before her. He was old, with yellowing fangs and sagging ears. His black eyes looked weary, as if he hadn’t slept in years.
    Behind him, the forest spread out. Why had they stopped in the middle of a forest? Wait, there was a path. Mae squinted as she tried to see where it led. Lumpy gray-blue shapes sprouted out of the distant landscape. Ruins of a castle?
    Drugan shoved her toward the other hapennies. Poppy was crying, her tears shining like dew on her rosy cheeks. “What’shappening, Mae?” she asked as another troll pushed Maewyn next to her in line and shackled Poppy’s wrists with the heavy iron bracelets. A cold shiver travelled down her spine. She remembered all too well the feel of shackles against her skin. Just then, another troll leading a pony passed them. Callum was draped over the saddle, his toes dragging on the brown earth.
    Mae swallowed hard. Her nose twitched and her ears drooped in defeat. “It will be all right, Poppy. Try not to fret.”
    â€œBut Callum—”
    â€œI know.” Mae sighed. She had no idea what Huldfrejya had done to the wizard or where she was taking him. “Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out.” But she wasn’t sure she would.
    The line began to move like molasses on a cold morning. Mae’s eyes darted to and fro, looking for an escape route, but there were trees and trolls everywhere. Some of the trolls bustled around carrying barrels and casks from the wagon. Others made sure the hapenny line kept moving. Maewyn saw Mr. Whiteknoll leaning heavily on Cook Barley. The troll queen stood at the front of the line, tapping her toes with impatience. As each hapenny approached, she pointed to the left or the right. Cook Barley was sent to the left, but Mr. Whiteknoll was shooed toward the right.
    Poppy slowed and grabbed Mae’s hand. It was clammy and cold. A tremor worked its way through Mae’s body as they approached the troll queen.
    â€œSo, the only two girls in the whole camp.” She grabbed Poppy’s face, pinching her chin. “This one’s pretty. Too pretty.” Huldfrejya shoved Poppy toward the left, her hand slipping from Mae’s grasp. “We’ll cut off her hair.”
    Poppy sucked in her breath and made a noise that sounded like the whimper of a newborn pup.
    Thin fingers dug into Mae’s shoulder and spun her in a circle.