Demon Day Penelope Fletcher (which ebook reader TXT) 📖

Ana’s voice got louder, “Purge thedark and hold to the light!”

Zoe twitched.

All the Disciples twitched, and theireyes wobbled as if someone had conked them on the back of theirheads. The brief interlude passed and they fought on.

Shaking it off Zoe started after meagain.

“Ana?” I barked over myshoulder.

“Not strong enough,” shepanted. “I’ll try again.”

Zoe lunged for me, wild anduncoordinated. It was too easy. I smashed my fist into her face andshe dropped like a stone. Shuddering as I did, I dragged her limpbody over to where Ana knelt.

“Keep an eye on her,” Iordered and spun round at the sound of boot falls coming closer onthe concrete.

Before I could step away Ana grabbedmy ankle. “It’s not a spell,” she breathed. She let go of me andthumbed back Zoe’s eyelid. Her pupils were contracted to pinpricks. “Look at her eyes. It’s a hex. He’s hexed the entireTemple. I think I can break it.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “He?” Iasked sharply.

She shot me a cool look. “Give metime, Rae.”

Holding Zoe’s arms down with herknees, she leaned up and slid a knife from inside her boot. Shepulled herbs, bones, and runes from a pouch about her waist and setthem on the ground beside her. Lifting Zoe’s hand, she pricked herwith a blade and squeezed some of her blood out.

A Cleric ran at us and I skipped toblock him from where Ana dealt with Zoe.

The Cleric swiped his baton at my headand I dropped and rolled. The entire length of the steel sparkedand crackled with electricity.

One brush of that on my skin and itwas over for me.

He lunged again and missed. I spun,kicked his leg out from beneath him, and as his weight shiftedabruptly I grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down so he smackedhis head on the cold ground.

Another three spotted us and brokeaway from the main fight.

“For god’s sake, Ana,” Iscreeched. “Hurry up.”

The girl saw our attackers and startedflinging rather than placing the herbs together. “I call on thepowers of light and creation….” Ana’s voice rang strong across thesounds of death and violence.

I pushed off the ground with myleading foot to propel me into the air. My hind leg rotated roundto the front and lashed forward. My heel impacted the wall of achest and I used it as a platform to push, twirl and throw my bodylike a battering ram into my other attacker. We landed hard, him onhis back. Hands of steel yanked me upright and constricted aroundmy chest. My wings were squished awkwardly onto my back and Iyelped. A fist slammed into the side of my head and I swear I sawstars. A streak of white flashed past and I heard a crack. I wasfree. I turned but the Cleric was already dropping like a stone asI staggered rubbing my head, the world going wonky. I turned tothank Lex but she was already gone. A blade that was on target toimpale my chest missed by inches, and a slash drew blood from myshoulder to inner elbow. I sucked in a gasp of air through my teethat the sting. Bringing my knee up to connect with the soft fleshbetween his legs, the Cleric crumpled in agony.

Again, I went to thank Lex, but thewords died on my lips. She was dominating two Clerics. Gripping abloody clump of hair ripped from the root in one hand, her otherarm was elegantly positioned across her chest for balance –perfectly composed and preening like a deadly bird. Her lifted leghypo extended and cracked back to front, smashing one oncomingCleric with enough force to make his feet leave the floor. Itcaught another on the return journey. She jumped and landed withhim, her on top. Dazed he tried to stand but her weight kept himdown. I watched with horror as she prowled over him, legs, and armsmoving like a spider, snuffling his chest before she reared backand darted forward to snap his neck. Then she buried her teeth intohis cheek and tore into his flesh.

I retched and fell to my knees. “Ididn’t see,” I whispered. “I didn’t see it.”

Breathing in deeply, I gagged midinhale and dry heaved until I had to press my eyesclosed.

“…. And find me thedarkness that binds these people.” Ana’s voice was calm, steady asshe worked her incantation. “Show it to me and dispel it from thisplace. By my power, by my right….”

Slightly off to the side the fight wasshifting. The Clerics were losing.

I sought out Breandan. When I foundhim I gasped aloud and trembled. The speed, the strength wasincredible. He danced his forms with a face of death. Four alreadylay broken at his feet. He stepped aside and thrust the heel of hispalm up, smashing a nose. Spurts of blood accompanied the sound ofbone breaking. The Cleric fell, dead before he hit the floor. Withno time between, he closed the gap between him and another. Hecould have been embracing a lover as his arms wrapped around hisenemy. His hands found purchase and a quick twist shifted theCleric off centre and he flung the man through a wall across thecourtyard. The last Cleric standing nearby feinted for a fewmoments and Breandan drew himself up to his full height. Powerhummed from his being and the air crackled. Face dark and withdrawnhe was the scariest thing I’d ever seen. The Cleric fled. A flickerof annoyance crossed Breandan’s face and the Cleric was plucked upby an unseen force and slammed head first into a building beforebeing dumped unceremoniously on the floor.

Just as I had looked for him he lookedfor me. His eyes followed the stream of blood down my side,dripping off my fingertips and his languid body stiffened. His eyessnapped to my face.

I reached out to him but an unexpectedtug pulled me in the other direction. My eyes skipped over thecourtyard and there in the centre was Cleric Tu. He stood on theplatform by the cage and shouted for the Disciples to keep pushingforward. Had he not realized they were out of control? Was he thatblinded by hate he could not see the