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

Still, the scouts were hot on our trail, and they showed no signs of stopping. The elders were gaining on us, and through the mist of clouds, I could see one of them notching an arrow and aiming it right at Vanessa’s back.

“Vanessa, look out!” I shouted, but the arrow sprung from the bow and went soaring toward the professor. Then, before I could snap the weapon with my magic, Penelope used her flying beast to nudge the professor out of the way.

Vanessa gasped in shock and nearly fell off her dragon, but she caught herself just in time. While the professor struggled, the orange-haired witch was struck with the arrow, and she screamed out in pain before she tumbled off her dragon’s hide and fell down into the abyss.

The women cried her name in terror, but Morgana didn’t hesitate before she aimed her wand downward.

“Volitant!” the bookish brunette shouted.

Suddenly, Penelope stopped falling and hovered in the air, and the bright-haired witch gasped with surprise as Morgana used her magic to gingerly bring her back up and then place her carefully onto her dragon’s hide.

Once Penelope was safe, searing rage coursed through my body before I gritted my teeth and pointed my wand at the elder who tried to kill our professor and nearly sent Penelope down to Satan knows where.

“Dissulto!” I cried out with all my determination.

My spell soared through the air and hit the elder right in the middle of his chest, and the sudden impact knocked him off his serpen. Strangely, he didn’t scream as he soared downward, and his counterpart didn’t even look mildly fazed as his companion fell past the clouds. All the remaining scout did was stare into my eyes, and a small smile spread across his face before he descended and disappeared into the clouds.

For a moment, everything was silent, and no one knew what to say.

“What the hell was that?” Marina finally shouted.

“Let’s find a safe place to land before we ask questions, shall we?” Vanessa called back.

The former siren nodded in agreement, and we flew onward. Minutes passed, but I couldn’t feel any danger surrounding us, and that’s when I realized we were finally in the clear.

We were out of Samara’s reach for the moment, and after we had a moment to rest, we could use the orb to take us to our next destination.

The compass around my neck seemed to warm in confirmation, and I knew when the time came it would guide us the rest of the way.

I glanced over at my coven, and all the women stared at me with wide, curious eyes while Penelope was slumped over and clutching onto her wound. As soon as we landed, I knew we’d need to take a moment to stop and wait for her injury to heal. Thankfully, the clouds began to part as I turned my attention forward, and I thought I saw a cluster of tall green peaks.

“Let’s head over there,” I ordered as I pointed ahead, and I thanked Satan we had somewhere seemingly isolated to stop and rest for a moment. “We can use the orb once we send the dragons off.”

“Yes, master,” my women answered in unison.

I led the others toward the towering green hills, and once my dragon landed on the luscious, tall emerald field of green, I dismounted from his hide, looked deeply into his snake-like yellow eyes, and then smiled.

“Thank you,” I whispered as I stroked his snout. “Now, go off and be free. I’ll summon you when I need you once again.”

My dragon nodded, and a deep growl resonated in his chest before he flew off into the blue sky with the others following behind him.

I looked back at the women, and I saw they were all hunched over and struggling to compose themselves from the sudden attack. Penelope was pale, but I could tell she was quickly regaining her strength.

“Are you alright, Penelope?” I asked as I approached her and pushed a bright strand of hair out of her chestnut eyes. “That was very brave of you.”

“Yes, master,” the orange-haired Wicca responded with a small smile. “And thank you.”

“Who were those men?” Marina asked with a deep frown. “They didn’t even seem fazed when we sent one tumbling off their serpen.”

“Those were elder scouts,” I replied. “I believe they are working for Samara, but they seem more powerful, so I suspect they might also have some ties to the elder lord who commands the goddess.”

“But we killed one,” Akira said before she turned to look at Vanessa with wide eyes. “Right, professor?”

“I can’t say that for certain,” Vanessa panted as she stared aimlessly around the green fields. “Taking into account how powerful Cole says they are, I have no doubt those scouts could have been forged by the elder lord himself and bestowed upon Samara as a gift.”

“And do you know that for certain?” Circe asked, but when Vanessa shot her a stern glare, Circe looked down at her feet, and we all knew she instantly regretted her question.

“I can’t say anything with absolute certainty, Miss Circe,” Vanessa snapped. “I know, however, that I felt an unfamiliar presence from them, one more powerful than I’d ever experienced before.”

“You’re right, professor,” I said, and everyone turned to look at me. “The woman from my dreams said the same thing, and I have a feeling that wasn’t the last time we’ll be seeing them.”

“Agreed,” Vanessa sighed. “Now, Cole, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to get the hell out of here. It’s not safe to stay in one place for too long.”

“Of course,” I said before I glanced at Alexander. “Alex, give me the orb, please.”

Yes, Cole, my familiar responded before he dropped the orb in my hands.

For a moment, I gazed at the black marble with the