Demon Day Penelope Fletcher (which ebook reader TXT) 📖

she couldn’t banish him. It was blood, the life-force ofall things that fed this he-witch. She had tried to banish one ofher own kind, but instead of being overcome by her power the figurefed off her to become stronger. I could see it, his power leechingon hers, making it weaker by the moment.

Ana had been right. It should not havebeen her to cast the counter spell.

In five strides, I came to her sideand snatched the dagger from her loose fist. I sliced the curvedblade across my forearm deeply, grunting at the pain. The bloodflowed like a river and I felt a moment’s light-headedness. Nexttime I would slice my palm that was for sure. I felt magic takehold of me in a vice like grip and start to suck on my remainingenergy. Without having released the pressure of the bond withBreandan, or recharging after my hellish experience with Cleric Tu,I was weak and getting weaker.

Holding my bleeding arm over the greenflames I mumbled, “My blood,” I grabbed Ana’s hand to slice itopen. “His blood.” She shrieked and tried to pull away, but Idragged her down with me as my knees gave out. I sliced Zoe’sshoulder threw the dagger away and placed our blood soaked handsover the cut. “Their blood.”

Great, now what?

“By my power by my right,”Ana muttered in my ear, her eyes locked defiantly on thehe-witch.

“By my power! By my right,I–”

Black magic punched me in the face. Ichoked on my words, head snapping back.

Ana grabbed my shoulders and hauled meupright. Digging into the pouch at her waist she pulled out some ofthat green gunge she’d once made me eat before and forced it pastmy pressed lips. Knowing I needed the energy I swallowed and a waveof healing magic over me.

The phantom quivered, and the widecowl was blown back to reveal an enthrallingly handsome man withdark hair streaked with honey-blonde. He had shimmering white orbsfor eyes with striking gold irises, multifaceted like jewels. Anamused smile curved his lips as his gaze rested on my wings. Hisexpression was full of contempt and utterself-confidence.

I looked down at Ana who cowered at myside. She looked the splitting image of him, the same nose, andsoft brow with a high forehead and distinct widow’s peak. However,whilst Ana’s face was covered in a sickly sheen of sweat, his wasdry as ash, and contorted in rage when he looked upon heragain.

Scrambling to gather my wits and dealwith everything going on around me, I inhaled slowly, focusing onfinishing the spell. What was I supposed to say next? Ana was in nofit state to stand let alone speak. I exhaled sharply and lifted mychin. Gathering magic to me, it thrust through the air in lances ofbright light, cutting through the dark. It whirled like livingtwine, flickering and pulsing with energy.

Keeping it simple seemed to work forme and I simply hissed, “Leave!”

He screeched – hands flying out to theside – and imploded. The particles of slate gray left in his waketwisted into a whirlwind and took off into the sky.

As one, the Disciples screamed – atortured, mewling cry – and clawed at their skin. First, one felltrembling, another, arms and legs thrashing, and anotherconvulsing, as vicious smoke seeped from their ears, eyes, andmouths to join into a cloud of poison above our heads.

“Rae,” Ana’s voice wasstrangled. “Burn it,” she choked. She hunched down and placed herhands on her head. “Cleanse the sky with fire.” She raised hervoice and infused it with power so it rang loud and clear. Sheshouted, “Hold!”

Conall, Breandan, and Alec all droppedtheir opponents, stopped, and stared at her. Then their eyes turnedto me.

My wings unfurled – shining abrilliant gold – a beacon in the raging madness surrounding us.Still the ropes of power snaked around me like a protective shieldand glowed brighter.

Alec grabbed the shifter-twins – bothstill in cat form with a twitchy Runt between them – by the scruffof the neck and pushed them down flat. To my surprise he shouted toMaeve who was busy with two Clerics, the arrows from her bow flyingat a speed I struggled to follow. One came up behind her as sheslipped her bow behind her back, the string resting across herchest, seemingly unaware of the danger from behind. The Clericlifted his gun and Maeve reached behind her grabbed him by thewrist and flung herself forward sending him hurtling across thecourtyard like a cannonball. He crashed into two of his crimsonshrouded allies on the way whilst Maeve nimbly rolled back up ontoher feet. She was so focused she did not hear Alec yelling at heras she readied her bow again.

I swept my hands into a graceful oval– using the gathering and holding motion to help me focus. Theropes of power whipping around me rushed over my shoulders andbetween my legs to sweep into a ball. They twisted and coiled,merging into a glassy sphere that exploded into goldenflames.

Alec took off across the courtyardtoward Maeve.

Breandan powered toward me untilConall tackled him, wrapping his hands around his ankles so helurched and fell. Conall smashed his head onto the ground and Ifelt his consciousness black out.

I drew on the Source. As if my entirebody inhaled, the power was sucked into the pores of my skin andbuzzed. The cloud bloated, doubling in size. Taking a deep breath –muttering prayers that I would not burn out – I drew deeper anddeeper still until if felt like I was dipped head first in moltenlava. My skin was so hot the sweat that trickled down my backsizzled. My mouth went dry and the moisture in my eyes evaporatedleaving them itchy.

With a shriek of rage, I flung my armsopen and released my power in a blade of bright light that justmissed Alec as he dove for Maeve and knocked her down but split thecloud in two. The broiling mist quivered – the reds and orangeswriting in a sycophant harmony – then merged back together, anddeepened into a rich ruby that tainted the heavens. The land wasbathed in a red glow making it seem we had all been dragged to helland left there. The