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

the sun was setting. “Have you read about it, Professor?”

“Yes, it leads to a door, and through that entrance, there will be a stairwell leading to the gates of heaven,” Vanessa replied in a faint voice like she was spilling some kind of dangerous secret. “Once we arrive at the small door, a holy entity of some kind should be guarding it. Don’t ask me what, because different books tell different tales. If we can defeat whatever is guarding the precious door, there should be a long, golden staircase inside--”

“And it will lead us to the actual gates,” Morgana finished with a long, drawn-out sigh. “We understand, Professor… but still… I-I can’t believe we’re so close.”

“Neither can I,” Vanessa breathed before she glanced up at the sky and exhaled long and hard. There was a tremble in her breaths, and it surprised us all. “I mean, I knew we could do it, but now that we’re so damn close, it just feels so much…”

“Like a dream,” I interjected, and the blue-eyed professor turned and flashed me a small smile.

“Precisely,” she said before she glanced back up at the dimming sky. “Or maybe even a nightmare. Anyway, we’d better set up camp here for the night. We’re going to need all our strength tomorrow. Satan only knows what will be waiting for us at the front of the tower.”

“Shit… tomorrow will be the day, huh?” Circe questioned with a raised blonde eyebrow. “We’re about to make history.”

“Yes.” Vanessa nodded. “We’ll be against the greatest and holiest of soldiers tomorrow morning. Just as powerful, if not more so than the scouts.”

“Unholy hell,” Akira sighed. “Well, I agree. Let’s make camp, eat, and then go to bed.”

“Do you think they’ll write ballads or chapters about us?” Circe asked with a twinkle in her snake-like eyes. “Once all of this over?”

“That would be so cool, wouldn’t it?” Akira breathed in a dream-like voice. “I’d love to return to Scholomance and hear them chanting our names.”

“It’s not about the glory, ladies,” Vanessa said, but I could tell a part of her longed for a legacy of her own.

The women mumbled their agreements, and after we set up a small fire, had the familiars hunt for food, and ate a small family of bunnies and mice. Then we cleared the fire, and Vanessa set up two tents. The dark-haired professor quietly slipped inside her tent with Isobel by her side, and when the other women joined me in my quarters, a heavy silence settled over us.

“M-Master,” Beatrix stuttered. “Is it alright to admit a part of me is afraid of what tomorrow might bring?”

“Not at all,” I reassured her. “Fear is a normal and natural response to something as great as this.”

“Cole is right,” Akira said in a gentle voice before she brushed back Beatrix’s hair. “Even I’m afraid.”

“What?” Beatrix gasped with wide eyes, and it made us chuckle. “But Akira, you aren’t afraid of anything.”

“That’s not true.” Akira shook her head. “I may act like I’m fearless, but I’m just as concerned as you. The only difference is that I hide it a little better than you do, no offense.”

“None taken,” the light-haired brunette giggled, and I could tell she was already in better spirits. “Thanks, Akira.”

“Of course.” The ebony-eyed witch smiled. “Now, let’s get some fucking rest.”

We all slipped beneath the silk and cotton blankets splayed on the ground, and while the other women fell into a deep sleep, my eyes were wide open, and my breathing was shallow. Tomorrow felt like Armageddon, and even though my faith was unwavering, fear still clung to the back of my mind. We only had a few more acres to cross, but Satan only knew what was waiting for us between the pillar and the stairwell to the gates of heaven.

The more I thought about it, the stronger my connection grew with Samara. I could feel her energy like it was my own. It took a long moment to understand exactly what she was feeling, but I could tell it was a whirlwind of emotions. Her soul was exhausted, her holy spirit was drained, and her heart was tired.

Still, there was a deep anger in her that I knew all too well. It resonated with me, and I knew we were on two sides of the same coin. Both of us longed to fight for what we believed in, and we were willing to fight to the death to achieve that goal.

I can feel you watching me, Cole, she said in a worn-out voice. Is there something you wish to tell me before we meet? Or rather, if we meet?

“Nothing you don’t already know,” I whispered back. “You will be mine soon enough, and we both know there’s not a thing you can do to stop me.”

I’d sooner take a blade to my throat and cut myself from ear to ear, she replied in the back of my head. The elder lord may not forgive me immediately for taking my own life, but I’d rather die by my own hand than give in to you.

“Samara,” I said. “You know your heart belongs to the darkness… you need to stop fighting it.”

Never, she said in a voice laced with iron-like strength.

I sighed, not with defeat but with pity. I decided to let the elder goddess go, for tomorrow we’d finally see each other, and then time and magic would tell what would happen. It felt like hours had passed, and I knew I needed to rest for at least a couple of hours, but still, sleep eluded me. There were too many concerns weighing heavy on my heart, but eventually I found my eyes slowly closing, and my mind began to drift to another world.

In my head, I saw vast fields of pure, ebony black fields. Dead trees lurked