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

the blond scouts grinned as they neared us with their holy beasts. “We have fire and the holy elder lord by our side. You’ve been condemned since birth, and when we’re finished with you, your souls will be forever trapped in a land worse than purgatory.”

I felt deep hatred and determination rise up in me as I stared at the two men on top of their grand serpens. Fury coursed through my veins as I clenched my fists by my sides, and the women gripped their wands so tightly, their knuckles turned white. Tension filled the air while the two soldiers began to swerve their ivory-scaled beasts in long circles around the top of the mountain peak, and as they drew closer, we quickly positioned ourselves around the edges of the rounded cliff and braced ourselves to take on Samara’s greatest soldiers.

Remember Cole, the woman from my dreams whispered. You don’t need your wand to destroy them with the ancient spells. Just keep focus and don’t waver. Not for one moment, or they will surely destroy you.

“I know,” I said as I dug my nails into my skin and willed evil dominance to course through my hot-blooded veins. “Satan is with us. I can feel his undeniable presence.”

“What did you say, boy?” one of the scouts demanded. “Speak a little louder, or did your bitches take your tongue?”

“I said let’s stop dicking around and get this over with,” I spat. “I can’t wait to see Samara’s face when she finds out that her little bitches are dead.”

The scowls on the two men’s faces spread, and as I stared at their hovering beasts, it felt like everything was occurring in slow motion. They soared around us like they were flying through molasses, so I raised my hand in the air and prepared to fight with ancient magic, but the golden-haired warriors were quicker than I anticipated. They swerved around us in one perfect circle while chanting a quick incantation, and suddenly, their serpens spewed giant clouds of fire in all directions. The flames came toward us like a rapid, fiery river breaking through a dam, but before the unholy bastards could scorch us alive, Vanessa pointed her wand at the duo.

“Obstructionum!” the professor screamed.

A sudden bright red wave spurted from the tip of Vanessa’s weapon and instantly blocked the fire from burning us all. Her spell acted like a red, transparent wall, and it was somehow different from her usual watery domain. I’d never seen her do anything like this before, but whatever magic she was using, I knew it was taking a great toll on the professor. Thick beads of sweat dripped from her forehead as she fought to keep the wave up, but the white serpen beasts were relentless. They continued to spout fire from their wide mouths like they possessed a never-ending belly of flames, and their eyes glowed a holy blue as they tried to burn through Vanessa's barrier. The professor was growing paler by the second, and I knew I had to do something to help her.

Quickly.

So, I veered around the struggling professor, pulled out my wand, and gritted my teeth before I aimed it at the two serpens.

“Dissulto!” I roared.

Twin blasts of bright light escaped from my wand and flung both beasts backward, and they screeched in unison when the incantations hit them both in the middle of their broad, white chests. Seething venom burned in their eyes before they both opened their jaws and prepared to cast another burning cloud of flames in our direction, but before either creature could wreak havoc upon us, Circe lifted her wand.

“Sem clausas duo!” she yelled.

Two bright lights hit the serpens right in their mouths, and suddenly, a series of thick, black stitches were sewn across their thin lips. Their glowing eyes widened with panic, and fire quickly began to build up inside their broad bodies. The elders glowered at us when their serpens’ throats started to glow a hellish shade of orange, and both beasts were making loud retching noises.

“Look out!” Faye warned in a high-pitched tone. “Their bellies are filled with fire! They’re going to explode!”

Vanessa shouted another incantation, which caused the red wall to lift even higher, and the professor screamed with fury as she used all her strength to defend us.

I could feel the holy heat prickling my skin as the serpens burned from the inside out, and before anyone could utter another attack, the two beasts burst into a mass of blood, bones, and flame. Heavy clouds of thick, black smoke wafted through the air, but the elder soldiers didn’t even seem fazed as the serpens succumbed to their deaths and fell down into the empty abyss below. Instead, massive golden wings spread from the elders’ backs before they soared high above us and soared to the very top of the mountain peak. The powerful duo passed through the thick clouds, and then they completely disappeared from view.

“What the hell are they planning?” I muttered to myself.

I couldn’t see them at all, not even a glimmer of their golden armor or wings. Their disappearance concerned me because I knew deep down that even though we couldn’t see them, they could see us. We were at a disadvantage, and I quickly had to come up with a plan to alter the situation.

I can fly up and see if I can spot them, Cole, Alexander suggested in my head.

“No,” I replied in a firm tone. “It’s far too risky. You stay here where I can see you.”

“I can’t see them,” Marina hissed as she narrowed her purple eyes and looked up toward the cloud-covered peak. “They could attack at any moment.”

“Should we utter the ancient incantation?” Beatrix asked as she stared at me with arched eyebrows.

“Not yet,” I said as I craned my neck and stared into the clouds. “I don’t