The Hunt of the Grimalkin (Erresuma Book 1) by Dani Swanson (read aloud books txt) 📕

lowered her head. The dragon shook her legs and broke the packs of mud around her feet. Thea started to panic; she had nowhere to run. She brought forth a thunderbolt that illuminated the night’s sky with such power that Sorgin’s face flinched with pain as the electricity connected with her head, traveling down her scaly body to the wet grass. Thea could see Agatha trying to conjure the water from the other side of the yard. She was failing miserably; all she was doing was creating waves in the lake. Thea felt her fight against the dragon was hopeless.

Sorgin lunged towards the forest, biting at the air as she tried to attack Thea. Luckily, the dragon barely missed her by just a few feet, though Thea still got swiped by the tail when the dragon spun around. Lying face down on the trampled earth Thea suddenly heard a deep voice yell a battle cry from the second floor window. Thea looked up to see Charles jumping to the ground with Fig in one hand, and an epic jeweled sword in the other. Fig leapt from his grasp and rushing up the dragon’s spikey back, while Charles charged with the beautiful weapon.

“Fig, NO!” Thea cried as her furry friend was flung to the ground by violent twisting of the dragon. The cat howled. He backed up to the edge of the trees, never taking his eyes off of the dragon. Fig made contact with Thea in the trees. Charles was stabbing at the belly of the beast and the dragon was launching streams of fire at the man. Thea launched another thunderbolt at the dragon, while Agatha finally conjured some water to launch too.

Sorgin launched another fire stream at Thea who had to dive out of the way. Fig began to growl louder and louder, but was no longer facing the dragon. He was instead focused behind Thea at the large shadowy creature that was behind the wall of fire. The Grimalkin had returned. Fig let out a terrifying growl that did not sound like it could come from this little cat. To Thea’s amazement, Fig began to grow. His orange fur turned fiery red as he grew to the same size as the Grimalkin. With a flash of speed, Fig jumped through the wall of fire towards the shadow. “FIG!” Thea cried as she heard the two cats growl and scream in the darkness.

Thea was quickly brought back to the battle with the dragon, as a large fireball made contact with her back and ignited her clothes. She rolled in the dirt, putting out the flames, as she cried in pain. She ran as fast as she could to the bushes nearby. She saw Charles take another swipe at the dragon’s underside as Sorgin was attempting to get Agatha. The beast continued to attack regardless of the underbelly that was gushing blood.

Thea saw Agatha in the jaws of the dragon. Sorgin flung the witch high into the air, then opened her mouth as if to eat her. Just as Agatha was about to land into the dragon’s mouth, Thea hit the dragon in the face with a thunderbolt. Agatha fell the ground, laid motionless on the grass. The dragon roared in pain. Thea had to act fast, before Agatha got trampled. She conjured enough water to empty the lake; all of the water was built into one ample wall. She violently swung her arm towards the dragon; the wall created a tidal wave, sweeping the dragon across the yard. Agatha and Charles were also swept in the wave towards the house, crashing into a wall. Charles was still moving, but Agatha was unconscious having crashed hard against the front entry way.

Thea quickly took her hand to the sky and brought a thunderbolt down upon the dragon’s head. Sparks flew into the air as the electrical current made Sorgin shake uncontrollably. The dragon’s eyes rolled back into her head as she shook and fell with a large splash. The mighty dragon had fallen, but was still breathing. Charles ran towards the dragon and swung his sword across her neck. In one mighty blow he severed the head from her body. The dragon’s body changed back to her human form. Charles searched among the trees and found a branch that was still on fire, which brought to the head of Sorgin, now in human form. He picked her up by the hair and held the flame to the severed neck, cauterizing it. The smell of burning flesh turned Thea’s stomach as she slowly limped out of the trees. Charles tossed Sorgin’s head on top of her lifeless body, and lit it all on fire.

Thea made her way to Charles and wordlessly placed her hand on his chest, as she healed the few wounds he had. She then made her way over to Agatha’s motionless body lying on the front stoop. From the way her arms and legs were lying, Thea could tell that her back was broken. Thea laid her head on Agatha’s chest. She could still hear a faint heartbeat. “Help me straighten her out.” Thea said to Charles. They stretched her out on the lawn, her bones popping and cracking as they moved her. Thea felt the electricity run through her fingers as she saw Agatha’s bones snap back into joint. Thea was so weak from the battle that she started to pass out before she was finished with the healing. Her head swayed back and forth as she stared ahead at the burning trees. She saw a dark shadowy cat figure running towards them. “NO!” She screamed, as her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell to the ground.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The yard of Chateau MelBel had been destroyed, as well as the entire front of the house. Every window that had been shattered was now boarded up. The forest was burnt to nothing. A few water nymphs were