Scholomance 9 by Logan Jacobs (read books for money .TXT) 📕

of the castle, and I thought I saw what looked like scales silhouetted against the sky.

Then I opened my eyes.

“Master?” I heard Marina’s voice echo as she ran down the stairs with the others by her side. “What’s going on?”

“We need to get the hell out of here,” I explained in a rushed voice, “but we can’t use the orb, so I think I have another idea, but professor, you’ll need to send us up to the roof.”

“Alright,” Vanessa responded without questioning me further. “Everyone, gather around me. Snatch your familiars up or keep them close to you.”

No one argued or uttered a single word as we formed a close circle around Vanessa with our familiars right behind us. Then the professor uttered the incantation to shadow port us up to the roof, and after the purple clouds disappeared, we were back on top of the castle. The night was dark as I gazed down upon the city, and pale moonlight reflected off the still present ocean of crimson blood.

When my eyes lifted to stare upon the horizon, I caught a glimpse of the orange sun slowly making its way upward. I could feel a sinister sensation creeping down my spine, too, and it was like we were waiting for an hourglass to drop its last grain of sand.

Time was running out.

“How the hell are we going to get out of here now, Cole?” Vanessa demanded. “You said you had an idea.”

“I’m going to summon our dragons,” I said in a steady voice as I thought about that flash of scales in my vision. “I know it’s not ideal or what we had in mind, but it’s our only choice. Now, be quiet and give me a moment to concentrate.”

No one said a word as I closed my eyes and took a deep, steady breath, and I stood still and silently prayed for Satan to give me strength. Satan only knew what reinforcements the elder scouts would bring, and if there was any way to get out of this blood-soaked realm, it would be on the backs of our faithful dragons.

When I felt like my soul and heart were open to Satan, I steadied my hands and my pounding heart and then silently uttered the incantation to summon our bonded creatures back to our side. I pictured their shimmering scales, snake-like yellow eyes, and magnificent wings, and I willed them to come soaring through the clouds before I shouted the ancient spell.

“Ego in vtero producite!”

A deep silence suddenly filled the air until there was a fierce chorus of growls in the sky, and when I craned my neck to look up at the clouds, a group of shimmering emerald dragons were descending to meet us. Their magnificently scaled bodies soared as gracefully as a ballet of swans, and relief flooded through my body when they hovered before us.

“Master!” Faye giggled as she clapped her hands together. “Well done!”

“Yes, well done,” Vanessa snapped as the dragons hovered over the side of the castle and waited for us to climb on. “Now, let’s get a move--”

Before she could finish her demand, a whooshing sound whipped through the air and was quickly followed by an agonizing scream.

“Akira!” the women cried out in unison.

I whipped around, and I saw there was a golden arrow sticking out of Akira’s right shoulder blade and staining her dress a deep shade of red. I swiftly spun around to see where the enemy was, but there was nothing in sight besides orange clouds and a burning morning sky.

“Are you alright?” Morgana panted.

“Yeah,” the dark-haired Wicca growled through gritted teeth and furrowed eyebrows before she fiercely yanked the weapon out of her flesh and tossed it aside. Her dark eyes widened as she stared toward the horizon, and her face became pale and slick with sweat. “Broom fucker… we need to leave now.”

When we turned around, I could see two tall men garbed with gold breastplates and riding on two giant ivory serpens. The soldiers both had golden-blond hair and glowing blue eyes we could see even at a distance, and their expressions were as cold as stone. They both carried shimmering bows with them, but before either of them could notch another arrow, I pointed my wand at the duo.

“Dissulto!” I screamed.

My spell whizzed through the clouds, but the scouts were quick, and both elder men managed to dodge out of the way. I waved my wand in different directions as they flew in two elegant circles, and they were still drawing nearer and flying faster.

“Let’s get on these dragons and get the hell out of here,” I ordered.

“He’s right,” Vanessa agreed before another arrow shot right past her, and it was inches away from piercing the side of her skull. “Carry your familiars if you have to and get on!”

No one dared argue while we hoisted ourselves on each dragon and urged them to fly as fast and as true as possible. Alexander soared by my side as we ascended through the lavender and orange clouds, and as the sun grew brighter, the ocean of blood beneath us sparkled like a thousand rubies. The wind whipped past our faces as I looked at the other women, and their hair was flying behind their heads like silken curtains. I knew they were flying with nothing but conviction coursing through their veins because I couldn’t sense any terror radiating off their bodies.

Even though we were possibly being followed by the most powerful soldiers conjured up by the elder lord himself.

The compass around my neck began to tremble uncontrollably as we soared through the sky and past the sea of blood I’d conjured, and when I looked down to stare at the needle, it was pointing north. I guessed by now we were finally out of Samara’s barrier and able to navigate.