Scholomance 9, Logan Jacobs [best books for 8th graders TXT] 📗

I stared at the elder queen. “Are you trying to bring everything down and kill yourself?”

“If that’s what it takes,” the elder queen grunted with resilience. “I’ll bring down all of heaven with you and your women. I don’t care if it kills me, too… my god is more powerful than yours!”

I narrowed my eyes and raised both my hands high in the air before I tried to focus on the surrounding elements. It was terribly difficult to find my footing, breathe steadily in and out, and also focus on an ancient incantation all at the same time, but there was no other option. So, with all my fortitude, I gritted my teeth and willed Satan and his unholy glory to come rushing to my side. My fingertips tingled, violent shivers ran up and down my spine, and pins and needles pricked the back of my eyeballs, but still, I forced my mouth open and raised my hands in the air.

“Modus antiquorum!”

Samara’s face darkened, and the lines on her forehead grew more intense as she knitted her eyebrows together and glanced up at the sky. The glass sky slowly stopped cracking, and her features screwed up in confusion before her blue-green eyes widened with realization.

Finally, the elder goddess knew, deep in her heart, that my magic was far more powerful than hers. I could sense it because it was radiating off her like sunshine. Her lips were downturned, her eyes were on the verge of tears, and when everything steadied and returned to normal, she brought her hands down and stared long and hard at me. The sky and clouds were steady, and I remained upright, untouched by her magic.

“Very well, Cole,” the elder goddess said in a faint voice. “Y-You’ve won. I… I submit myself to you.”

I took in a sharp breath of air and studied Samara from head to toe. She was prepared to give herself to me, and I’d never seen anyone appear so vulnerable and open before. Her resilience and stubbornness were gone and replaced with something else entirely. Her arms were spread apart, and when she walked toward me, her lips parted open. She breathed softly as she stared up at me, and she slowly got down on her knees and then bowed her head.

“Tell me why I should accept you as mine and return you to the darkness,” I ordered as I stared down at her submissive stature. “I need to hear it aloud.”

“Your power far exceeded my own,” she whispered, and her voice was breaking like she was on the verge of tears. “My elder lord refused to come to my aid. He abandoned me in my hour of need. I know when I’ve been outdone, and if it pleases you… I would be honored if you spared my life and took me as one of your unholy women. As proof of my words, here is the third artifact.”

I watched with pure satisfaction as her fingers grappled the sides of her silver crown, and she slowly handed it to me. Before I could reach over to take it, though, an echoing thunder emerged from the clouds, and a glowing light began to leech from Samara’s body. It radiated off her like sunshine and slowly slipped away like a cloud.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“The binding spell has been broken,” Samara said in a weakened voice. “Now, my elder power is gone for all eternity. I am an empty vessel. Don’t worry, you can touch the crown, it’s harmless.”

When I touched the precious relic, I could feel it's great supremacy flowing through my skin and penetrating my heart. It was once tainted with holy magic, but soon, it would be a weapon for us to use.

I looked down at Samara, and at that moment, I could sense everything she was feeling. I could feel her intense loneliness, her desperation to belong to something true and mighty. She had always felt like this, and the damned Elder god had taken advantage of her. She was so lost and alone, and now, all I wanted to do was take her with us and officially make her an unholy member of my coven. Her holy magic was gone, and now it was time for her to be reborn.

You’ve done it, Cole, the woman from my dreams said in a soothing voice. Now, it’s time to return back to your beloved academy. They’re waiting for you.

“Stand up,” I said as I looked down at Samara. “You’re free from the holy elders, and I accept your plea.”

Samara took a long moment before she raised her head, and her eyes met mine. She swallowed her tears, and when I offered her my hand, she slowly took it and rose to her feet. The other women all stood back, but when I pulled Samara to her feet, I turned over my shoulder to look at them.

“Come and introduce yourselves,” I ordered. “We can trust her. The elder goddess is gone. This is someone else entirely.”

“It doesn’t feel quite like that, master, ” Akira muttered with daggers in her eyes. “She did just try to kill us, after all.”

“Akira,” Morgana said in a firm voice. “If our master says we can trust her, then we trust her because we trust him. It will take some time, but eventually, we’ll get used to our new… friend.”

“You’re right, Morgana,” Akira said before she turned to look at me with pleading eyes. “Please, forgive me, master. We’ll present ourselves.”

“Thank you.” I nodded.

Every woman, including Vanessa, came to my side and began to introduce themselves, and I took a brief moment to relish our victory and let the air slowly return to my lungs. I looked all around us and studied the red clouds and dark sky, and as magnificent as it was, all I wanted was to return to the dimly lit stone academy