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

“No,” I said with my eyes fixated on the glittering golden steps. “I’ll take the lead. Even you will have to follow.”

My familiar didn’t argue with me as we began our march up the holy staircase. No one said a word as we kept our wands pointed out in front of us, and the higher we ventured, the more labored our breathing grew. Sweat trickled down my brow, and my head pounded like a raging storm as Samara continued to try and penetrate my mind. I ignored her desperate efforts and forced myself to keep going, even through the pain. I didn’t care how long it took, and I silently vowed to Satan that no matter what happened, I’d reach those fucking gates or die trying.

You’re nearly there, Cole, the woman from my dreams whispered in my head. Keep going.

“I won’t give up,” I muttered as my heart pounded like a drum. “Samara will see my face soon enough, and that’s when I’ll make her mine. I promise.”

I believe you, she replied, and her soothing voice started to trail away like a fleeting spring breeze. Even if you can’t hear me, I’ll be with you in Satan’s spirit.

I appreciated her words and continued to push myself onward. My feet were heavy, and my body was sore, but I didn’t give a fuck. The idea of Samara bending and submitting herself to my will gave me the fortitude to keep going and not falter.

We’d been walking for what seemed like hours, and no one said a word until suddenly, Faye’s voice sprung into the air like a choir of bells.

“Wait!” the redhead said, and everyone came to an immediate stop. Her bright green eyes were narrowed when I turned to look at her, and her lips were quivering. “Don’t you feel that?”

“Feel what?” Vanessa asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Lily says she can feel something trembling,” the redhead explained, and when she looked down at her white familiar, the creature was sprinting in circles around her boots and squeaking like crazy. “She says it’s coming from the ground and traveling upward.”

My mouth went dry as I listened for an echo of any kind, and I used all my energy to feel for a shift beneath my feet. At first, I felt nothing, but then I sensed a troubling change rumbling from the ground and traveling up my body. In seconds, terror swelled deep inside my gut as loud thunder came from the bottom of the stairwell. I didn’t need to use any spell to know the steps were quickly falling apart and crumbling into golden powder. Each one was breaking apart at an alarming speed and heading right for us, and if we didn’t make a run for it now, we would fall down into a pit of rubble.

“Run for your fucking lives!” I yelled over the chaos. “That’s a command!”

The women swiftly started to sprint up each step, and by the time we were running, no one dared to stop to catch their breaths. I glanced behind my shoulder and could see the steps cracking and falling apart, and I knew if we didn’t move faster, the spell would take us, too.

“Go, go, go!” Vanessa screamed like she could read my mind, and her feet were only inches away from a crumbling step. “Move it, for hell’s sake!”

My lungs were desperate for air, and there was a sharp pain on the side of my ribs as we hastily ascended the stairwell. I was terrified we weren’t going to make it, but after running up a few more steps, I saw a wide, gold arched opening. There were clouds in view, a bright orange sun was setting in the distance, and despite the holy glow radiating from the exit, I was relieved to see anything that would get us the hell out of here.

“We’re almost there!” I yelled, and when my foot stepped past the threshold, a sudden force coursed through me, like a ghost just slipped through my body.

I turned around and saw the other women were outside of the tower, and when the arch cashed down, we all took a moment to breathe. We were all red-faced, and the familiars were gulping for air. For some reason, my body felt lighter, and when I looked down, I realized we were standing on a ground made from white, wispy clouds. Everything glowed a violent, tangerine orange and a rosy pink. A holy stratosphere surrounded us, and when a gentle breeze swept across my skin, it left a vile taste in my mouth. Everything was too tranquil, too lovely, and too sacred. The air was thick with holy devotion, and my veins felt like they were threatening to burst inside my body. It took all my willpower not to press my fingertips against my temples, even though my skull throbbed like it was going to split in half.

“Unholy hell,” Vanessa muttered when she caught her breath, and then she raised her hand to point a trembling finger behind me. “Look.”

I turned around, and I forced all the pain to subside as I took a moment to stare at the vision slowly appearing before us. Two towering golden gates emerged out of nowhere, and they glimmered like sunshine and yellow diamonds mixed together. I’d never seen anything so bright in my entire life, and it felt like the sight was going to burn my eyeballs right out of my sockets. I squinted, shielded my eyes with my hand, and took a sharp breath before I took a step forward and pushed the gates open. They both parted wide open with the slightest touch, and beyond the golden bars laid acres of clouds and nothing more.

“What in Satan’s name is this?” Marina muttered as she took a step closer and pressed her body against mine. “Where the hell is she? There’s