Page 65 of The Secret Life of a Witch

I don’t know what they’re about to do, but I’m not about to lie here and find out.

“I don’t think so.” I bolt upright and scramble out of bed.

I move too quickly, though, and the room whirls and twirls like an out-of-control merry-go-round on witches’ mushrooms.

“Whoa, head rush.” I press my hand against the side of my head, struggling to keep my balance.

The demon fire snakes laugh hysterically.

“Stupid witch, stupid witch,” they chant, wiggling their tails as they fly around my head.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been called a stupid witch before, but it’s definitely the first time two evil demon fire snakes have. Normally, I ignore rude remarks thrown at me, but right now, I feel like I’m about to snap.

I reach up and swat the red one, and it sails through the air, landing on the bed.

The silver one’s eyes flare, smoke funneling out of its nostrils. “That wasn’t very nice.”

“Neither is calling someone stupid,” I tell him, slowly backing away before the smoke coming out of its nose turns into fire.

“Oh, no, you don’t.” Its paper-thin wings flutter like a hummingbird as it flies toward me. “You’re not going anywhere. Not until you pay for that by letting me burn all your hair off.”

“That’s never going to happen.” I pause for a beat, then spin on my heels and run toward the exit.

I know when I step out of the room, I’ll probably cross paths with Max or another demon, but I’m not about to let some mutant dragon singe my hair!

“Come back here!” it shouts after me, hot on my heels.

“No way!” I throw over my shoulder. “I’m so?—”

It grabs a handful of my hair, and my body is whipped backward. My eyes water as I fight to keep my feet under me.

“Let me go!” I shout, flinging my fists behind me.

It only grabs on tighter, dragging me toward the bed.

I dig my heels into the floor, ignoring the fiery burn as the rocks tear open my flesh.

“You’re going to be toast.” The dragon fire snake snickers as it throws me down on the bed.

I land with a bounce on my back and immediately scurry to get back to my feet with my fists positioned, ready to fight. Deep down, I laugh at myself.

Fight, Eva? Yeah, this is going to end with you getting hurt.

But I have to try.

As the dragon fire snake opens its mouth, I see its tongue flicker with a golden-orange flame. Before it can breathe fire into my face, though, I take a swing?—

“Enough!” Max’s voice booms throughout the room.

He startles me so badly I end up missing the dragon fire snake and punching the bedpost.

“Mother of all crazy witches,” I growl out in pain as I cradle my injured hand to my chest. “That hurts so bad.” I grit breaths through my teeth until the pain starts to subside.

“You two can leave now,” Max says to the dragon fire snakes as he makes his way across the room and toward the bed. “And as a punishment for disobeying, you can go straight to the fire pit.”

“Why?” the reddish dragon fire snake whines as it pushes its body off the bed. “She’s the one who hit me.”

Max stops beside the foot of the bed and arches a brow at me. “Is that true?”

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