Scholomance 9 by Logan Jacobs (inspirational books to read txt) 📗

I knew we’d be up all night, and I’d be fucking their Wicca brains out until sunrise, but no matter what tomorrow or the rest of our journey would bring, I vowed to enjoy every moment.

Chapter 9

Cole, a familiar voice called out to me in my sleep. I see something deadly and flying past the horizon. It will reach you by the time the sun rises. Wake up!

My eyes were tightly shut as the woman from my dream’s voice rang through my head, and I could feel my coven’s warm bodies pressed against mine. I tried to pry my lids open, but my entire body felt as heavy as lead, and I couldn’t move any of my limbs. When I attempted to open my mouth, nothing came out, and for a moment, I was filled with panic and confusion.

How can I wake up? I asked in my head. I can’t move my body.

Samara is trying to pin you down, the woman said in a soothing voice, but I could still hear the terror behind each word. Just remain calm and listen to me while we still have a few precious seconds left. The orb you possess cannot send you anywhere right now, and the compass won’t, either. Samara’s power has recovered to a degree, and she’s placed a barrier upon the realm. You’ll need to find another way out of here, but I have faith in you. Now, fight her, Cole, and wake up!

I gritted my teeth and fought to move my body, but I remained as still as stone. I thought I could hear Samara’s taunting laughter somewhere in the back of my head, but that only motivated me to fight even harder. I steadied my heartbeat, tried to move my fingertips, and suddenly felt a tingling sensation when I raised my index finger up in the air, and then another. When my hand was free from whatever power Samara placed over me, the rest of my body started to cooperate as well. Feeling slowly returned to my face as my eyes fluttered open, and I could sense the air returning to my lungs.

I quickly sprung up from the bed and looked down at the naked women who were still deep asleep. The room was pitch black, and I knew the sun was just about to rise, which meant we had very little time to escape.

“Wake up!” I called out, and the women jerked into consciousness. “Hurry, we have to leave!”

“W-What’s going on, master?” Penelope asked, and her voice was thick with sleep.

“There’s no time to explain,” I said before I jumped off the bed and quickly pulled up my pants and buttoned up my shirt. “Get dressed! I’m going to rouse Vanessa and the others awake, and then we’ll meet in the throne room.”

“Yes, master,” Akira replied in a steady voice. “We’ll be down there immediately.”

As the women swiftly dressed, I grabbed the orb, sprung from the bedroom, and raced down the corridors until I reached the east wing. There were countless doors, and I had no idea where the other women or the professor resided for the night.

“Hey!” I cried out aimlessly through the hallway. “Everyone, wake up! Now! There’s no time to waste!”

Soon, a door at the very end of the hall swung open, and there at the threshold stood Vanessa dressed in a sheer white nightgown with Isobel by her side. The professor’s pale eyes were wide with irritation, and there was a scowl across her bare face.

“Cole, what in hell’s name is going on--?” she asked, but when she took a closer look at the expression on my face, her features became more concerned and less agitated. “Wait, what is it? What’s wrong?”

“We need to leave,” I snapped. “Now.”

“Then we’ll use the orb--” the professor began.

“No, we can’t use the orb,” I explained quickly, “and we can’t use the compass, either. Samara has placed a barrier over us.”

“Fuck,” Vanessa sighed before she slapped her hand against her forehead. “Alright, I’ll get dressed and grab the other women.”

“Good.” I nodded. “Then we need to meet down in the throne room. No longer than five minutes.”

“Fine,” the professor agreed before she swiftly turned around and slammed her door.

When I rushed down the hallway and down the flight of marble stairs, I saw the familiars all curled up by the prince’s throne, and I didn’t waste any time waking them up.

“Alexander!” I shouted. “Wake the hell up!”

What’s going on? Alex asked in a sleepy voice as he groggily raised his head. It’s still pitch black. I thought we didn’t have to leave until sunrise.

“No, we have to go now,” I urged. “Here, take the orb and hold onto it for me.”

Why? Alex asked, but he still did as I commanded.

“Because I said so,” I grunted. “Something’s coming.”

What?

“I’m about to find out,” I growled before I closed my eyes.

Periculum.

My mind rushed out of me like a river courses into an ocean, and I zoomed over the land too fast to track the distance. It didn’t matter anyway, because all too soon, I came across two elder scouts on a pair of serpens. Their forms seemed to be surrounded by ethereal, holy light, but I could also sense the power emanating off them in waves. Then, once again, Samara’s face flashed before my eyes.

So, these were her men. And they seemed to be pretty powerful, more powerful than her other minions we’d faced so far. I wondered if they were actually working for the goddess, or maybe the elder lord who pulled her strings.

Whoever these bastards worked for, I could tell they meant business.

I withdrew my mind from them quickly, but instead of just immediately zipping back into my body, my consciousness seemed to take a detour on the roof