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

when I touched my skin, it was hot and searing with pain. “Samara tried to kill me…”

“What the hell is that?” Circe gasped as she pointed to my shadow and the severed head.

“I have no idea,” I replied, and my voice was low and hoarse. “All I know is it was sent by Samara.”

Master, this was a spirit of retribution, my shadow explained as he held up the bleeding head, and its eyes were now dim, lifeless, and gray. It was designed to serve as a faceless servant and obey an elder’s bidding.

“A spirit?” I repeated aloud.

“Is that what your shadow said?” Morgana asked in a faint voice. “That it was a spirit?”

“One of retribution meant to serve an elder master,” I reconfirmed. “At least that’s what he told me.”

“How could he even rip its head off?” Circe asked. “It looked like it was made from smoke?”

Before I could answer, my shadow’s voice popped into my head.

Because only a shadow can kill another entity made from smoke or darkness, he said, and now that it’s dead, the others can see it, too. You are all safe for now. Is there anything else I can do for you, master?

“No,” I answered, and I still sounded rough, “but thank you, again. If I require your assistance, I’ll summon you.”

Thank you, his voice echoed before he offered me a low bow. Until then.

We watched in silence as he disappeared from view, and when I looked toward the slivered opening of the tent, I realized the sun was about to rise. A bright orange glow was seeping inside, and the coolness of the shadow’s presence was quickly thinning. The night hadn’t been as peaceful as I hoped it would, but it didn’t matter.

The eve of battle was upon us, and it was time to move and face Samara.

“Master,” Beatrix said like she could read my mind. “The horizon is burning. Perhaps it’s time to get up…?”

“I know,” I sighed before I slowly rose to my feet. “Let’s get ready.”

No one said a word as we garbed ourselves in our cloaks and boots and then slipped out of the tent. The morning air was brisk, and the fields were glowing with vigor, but I could feel thick tension all around us. Vanessa was already awake, and she was seated on the grass with Isobel’s head on her lap.

When the professor heard the rustling of our boots against the greenery, she slowly turned around and flashed us a strange smile. It appeared forced since the corners of her lips were upturned, but her eyes were furrowed and filled with concern, or perhaps even sadness. It was difficult to tell with her, and I knew better than to ask.

“Today is the day,” I said as I took a step closer toward the beautiful professor.

“Yes, I suppose it is,” she said in a soft voice before she looked at each of us, but then her eyes narrowed at my neck. “Cole, what in hell’s name happened to your throat?”

“I was attacked by a spirit,” I explained as calmly as possible. “A spirit of retribution sent by Samara.”

“Well, are you alright?” the professor asked in a surprisingly gentle tone.

“I’m fine,” I replied with a dismissive wave of my hand. “I handled it, we just need to be on high alert for the next attack.”

“As long as you’re fine,” Vanessa sighed heavily before she turned over her shoulder and looked at the tower in the distance and then back at us. “We’ll need your abilities. So… is everyone ready?”

“Yes, professor,” we replied at the same time.

Vanessa nodded deeply before Isobel raised her head and allowed her master to stand up. The other familiars were also awake, and when Alexander perched himself on my shoulder, I could feel the stiffness in his body.

Are you ready, Cole? he asked in my head.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said before I held my head higher and made sure I had all my weapons tucked safely in my waistband. Then I stared ahead at the tower and took a long, deep breath. “Let’s fucking do this.”

The others nodded in agreement before we quietly headed toward the holy pillar. We walked in silence, and I knew everyone was ready, but still, I knew all their nerves were shot. Finally, after a couple of hours, we were only a few acres away from the tower, so I stopped in my tracks and scanned the area. The tower seemed vacant, and there was only one wooden door. There didn’t appear to be anything guarding the pillar in sight, but still, I knew better than to just rely on eyesight. I needed to take another precaution, one more powerful and reliable.

“What is it, Cole?” Vanessa demanded in a concerned voice as she looked around. “Do you see something? Has the compass changed?”

“No,” I said since the compass was steady against my chest, and there was nothing visible in sight. “I just… I want to see if I can sense anything before we cross over to the tower.”

“Ah,” Vanessa responded in a faint whisper. “Well, you can try, but I’m not sure it will work here. Samara’s magic is too powerful here so close to the heavens, and there has to be some kind of barrier around the pillar, even if we can’t see it.”

“Still.” I shrugged. “It might be worth a shot.”

“I agree,” Akira said before she looked at Vanessa. “We should try it if our master says so.”

“Fine,” the dark-haired professor sighed after a long pause. “Go ahead, Cole… but please, be careful.”

I nodded, took a small step forward, and closed my eyes. Then I inhaled sharply and raised my hands into the air before I uttered the ancient spell.

Periculum.

When I uttered the curse in my mind,