Chapter 2

I jerked awake an hour later as several of her army were trying to break through my wards. Two were already dead, with a few more about to join them. I reached over to wake her but found nothing there. Looking around, I saw that she’d gone out another way. Snapping my fingers, it took a moment for my clothes to come. I should have headed to the council at that moment. Then this would have been over within 2 hours, did I? Hell no! As usual, I really didn’t trust the council now, especially after an ex-lover of mine had been elected to it, and I had turned them down again for the tenth time in a hundred years.

I was going to handle this myself. I should have noticed the stiffening in my legs when I stepped from the cab, and again, I ignored the signs. I found her outside the prison. She’d just knocked out everyone. Damn, she’d linked my powers! Trying to take a step, I found my leg and foot were rooted to the spot. Looking down, I saw the creeping arbor spell I’d been hit with. Linked or not, I reversed the spell, but it had already reached past my waist and had already immobilized most of my spine.

I moved deeper into the forest. If she caught me, I was dead for sure. It’d take days for the spell to completely reverse. Concealing myself, I did something dangerous, but I had to do it, shutting down almost completely. I heard her cursing and ranting when she found her sister’s cell empty. Good, the boys had moved her from here. Now, I just had to survive the night and hope she didn’t have the knowledge to drain all my powers. I could hear her as she tried to destroy the prison. I don’t think she even realized that the power she had was 50% weaker. Screaming, I heard her curse me, “Curse you, Tyrome. I fucked your ass for nothing, you pitiful son of a bitch! When I find you, you’re going to wish that you’d died from the creeping arbor!” I could hear her moving through the forest, setting everything on fire. Damn, this seemed familiar.

An hour later, I heard her as she called a cab, “Tyrome! You are a spineless coward! I’ll be waiting for you. Come for me if you dare! I have a strong link to all your powers, so come fight yourself!” Laughing, she got into the cab a moment later.

I felt the counter spell starting to work. At least my spine wasn’t solid now. Damn! This was bad, but I couldn’t go to the council, and with the link, I couldn’t call them. But the bitch had been wrong about one thing. She hadn’t gotten all my powers, most yes. Sex had a tendency to open one up most of the way, not all the way like she thought. Sure, she was a great lay, but ... I stopped a moment. You know, almost everything she’d done had a familiar feel to it, almost as if I knew. Snapping my fingers, of course! A mile away, I felt her lurch over from the snap I’d just done. Smiling, I remembered she might be linked, for now, but they were still my abilities, not hers. I was well used to them. She’d only seen me use them. Thinking harder, I reached out as far as I dared, yup! It was her, my ex-wife. I told you I was a sucker for a tight ass, and hers was always the tightest!

Looking at the prison, I wished I could have helped them, but I had more pressing problems. I had to keep moving to get the creeping arbor to reverse faster. My spells were only at 50%, so it was going to take longer to reverse it. Picking up a straight branch, I started the long walk back to my place. Two hours later, I was at the edge of the city. I had a route, but not in the daylight. I could see the people running in terror. Then, the council would intercede, which is not good. They’d help me, sure, but they’d probably make the spell reverse an inch a year, just as punishment. Several hours later, I crept into my room, grabbed my most powerful wand/cane, and started out for her mansion. The sun was rising when I made the desert area. I had started crossing with the rising sun. Halfway across, I felt another of my powers slip back. The problem was that it was still a minor power, but at least now, I had enough to keep myself alive.

The sun was already starting to set when the tree line that was the edge of the property came within sight. I was now starting to feel more and more of my skin returning, but from my waist down, I was still tree roots. At least I was starting to feel more human-like than tree-like. Finally, reaching the tree line, I waved my wand and could faintly see a path through. Looking down, I saw that the creep had reversed enough that my shirt had returned, along with the first of my major powers. Smiling, I felt her panic when it slipped from her grasp. I felt her trying to reach and bring it back, only to get empty air.

Laughing, I thought to her, [You forgot I was that strong, didn’t you? Even as weak as I am, you’re no match for me!]

[We’ll see, you son of a bitch, everything is about to be mine when I kill your ass! I’ll hang your balls on the wall as my first and best trophy!] she shrieked.

[As if, you bitch! You’ve always had to beg or trick me to fuck you. Please! Funny, you never could get enough when we were together!] I laughed again. I could feel her anger rising. It was good!

I had just reached the edge of the forest when there was a huge rumbling behind me, using my power. Hmm ... I concentrated, and everything quieted. From inside, I heard her scream as she burst through the front doors, “Alright, you bastard! You’re a dead man! Then I’m going after the low-level ass that captured my sister!” Stepping out, I spun the cane, watching as she was encased in crystal. Effective, though I knew it wouldn’t hold her long, it might be enough for me to get a few more abilities back. I watched as the creep had moved almost to my knees, and though I wasn’t embarrassed to have my cock out in the open air, there was still a chill, and it was damn cold to me there. A second, then a third of my major abilities had finally returned when she shattered the crystal.