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

did as they were told. An echo rumbled through the air as soon as we began to sprint toward the northeast mountain, and it sounded like thunder coming from beneath the sand. I ran, and when I briefly looked over my shoulder, I could see the grains of sand dissolving and dipping inside the open earth. The beach was being swallowed whole, and it made running in a straight line all the more difficult.

Keep going, Cole! the woman from my dreams suddenly ordered. Don’t let her win!

I breathed hard as I forced myself to run as fast as possible. The ground continued to tremble, and my heart raced with fear until I saw the mountain Alexander spoke of. From where I was, it looked like a towering cluster of sandstone peaks surrounded by light-colored clouds, and I also noticed strange but beautiful flowers growing on the edges of the narrow cliffs.

“We’re almost there!” I cried out.

No one said a word as we sprinted toward the lowest cliff of the mountain, and I was running so hard, it felt like blood was going to rush up my throat, and my lungs were going to collapse. My feet burned through my boots as we neared the stone mountain, and when I reached the edge of the first cliff, I scrambled to climb on. It was about eight feet high, and there wasn’t much room for us to sit on, but still, there was enough to hoist the other women on top.

“Grab my hand!” I ordered as the women surrounded the bottom of the mountain.

I snatched Penelope’s hand and heaved her up to my level, and when she was situated next to me, the two of us began to help the others up. The dissolving sand was growing dangerously close to us, and Vanessa and Nyx were still on the ground. The sapphire witch snatched Vesta’s hand and pulled herself up, and I grabbed Vanessa’s hand as she began to try and hoist herself up, but then her boot slipped along the sandstone, and she screamed.

“Professor!” the women shouted, but I still gripped tightly onto her hand.

“Don’t you dare let go,” I growled as I held onto her slippery grasp, “and don’t look down.”

Beneath the professor’s dangling feet, there was nothing but an endless void, yet strangely, only the mountain remained on one patch of sand. A cold feeling swept through my body when I looked down. Who knew what laid down in the abyss?

It didn’t matter, though, because I’d rather die than let Vanessa find out for herself.

“Cole!” Vanessa shouted as she dangled below me. “It’s getting harder to hold on!”

“I’ve got you,” I reassured her, and when she looked into my eyes, something in her changed.

“I know,” she said in a calm voice, and I could see her growing resolve and fiery temper returning. “I won’t let that bitch kill me. Not today… not ever.”

Vanessa grunted as she found her footing, and together, we brought her back up to the cliff. Then, once she was safely situated, she looked at me like I was Satan himself.

“You’re alright,” I said before I brushed a dark strand of hair out of her eyes. “You’re safe.”

“Thanks to you,” she whispered, and her lips trembled. “You’ve saved my life so many times, I’m beginning to lose count.”

“We should probably start climbing,” Penelope wisely pointed out as she stared high above her. “Something tells me Samara isn’t done with us yet.”

“She never is,” I agreed. “Come on.”

We slowly climbed the mountain, and each time we reached a ledge, the cliffs became smaller. It was becoming challenging to keep everyone on one ridge, so we began to climb faster. When I saw the peak, I grew hopeful, but then I felt Samara’s presence in the back of my mind. I could sense her wrath, anger, and frustration, but also a wild and newfound determination.

“I can see you again, Samara,” I whispered into the air. “We’re getting closer.”

You may have eluded me again, the elder goddess sneered, but I have another surprise heading your way.

Before I could respond, a shrill, beastly scream rang through the air, and when I turned around, I saw the scouts on two giant, ivory-scaled serpens. This time, the elder men wore bulkier armor and carried arrows as thick and as sharp as spears behind their backs. Their snake-like dragons were twice the size of the last pair, and I knew Samara had prepared them to face us and our newly developed powers.

“Hate to tell you this,” I whispered as boiling determination coursed through my veins like a river in hell, “but we’re ready to take on your bitches, Samara.”

We’ll see about that, she cackled, right before one of the scouts notched a giant arrow in his bow and sent it flying in our direction.

As the projectile headed right at me, I knew the ultimate battle had officially begun.

Chapter 12

“Master, look out!” Revna screamed.

Before the spear-like arrow could pierce me between the eyes, Akira swiftly pulled out her wand and aimed it at the hurtling weapon. The black-eyed witch screamed an ancient incantation, and the arrow burst into hundreds of sharp, golden bits as I ducked out of the way. The ebony-haired witch cackled with relief and satisfaction, and the destroyed weapon rained down on us like specs of gold leaves.

“Unholy hell,” I breathed as I stared adoringly into Akira’s black eyes. “Thanks, Akira. That was too fucking close for my liking.”

“Of course, master,” the raven-haired witch replied. “I’ll always have your back. Now, let’s kill these fuckers, shall we?”

“Yes, let’s obliterate them!” Penelope snarled loud enough for the elder warriors to hear, and she turned to face them with an unwavering stare. “You’ll be nothing but dust by the time we’re done with you!”

“We’ll see about that.” One of