To Hell and Back by L.B. Gilbert

Chapter Fifteen

The master picked up the goblet his servant had brought him, flinging the entire jewel-encrusted piece into the flames burning in the massive fireplace. None of his followers had eyes on the witch. He flipped through mind after mind, but those who had been closest were no longer there. In their place was a yawing void, their small minds erased.

More pawns had been captured, or, to be accurate, they had been wiped off the board. And he’d been so close this time, his devout skilled enough to take her.

Yet, she’d managed to get away. Again. How she kept pulling tricks out her back pocket, like some sort of deranged magician, he didn’t know. He’d have been impressed if all her efforts weren’t to keep thwarting him.

How dare she?

He slammed his hands on the table, breaking it in half. Cursing, he flung the pieces aside. Losing the gold goblet was nothing. He had many like it in the vaults below. But trees for wood were a precious resource. Angry at himself for the loss of composure, he rose to feet and began to pace in order to spare the rest of the furniture.

He still had enough followers in this last group to make another attempt. And then another. If they failed, he’d find more pawns, more knights. The devout weren’t as plentiful as they used to be, but there were enough kicking around the world. He’d burn through them all if he had to. Because he was never going to stop until he had her in his grasp.