Page 81 of Witch Queen

“Wind Fury!”

A viridescent storm exploded around the chimeras. The currents intensified as Bryony poured her and Penley’s power into the spell, the invisible blades slicing the creatures’ flesh to shreds.

Most were immobilized by the tempest. Two managed to escapeWind Fury.

Bryony gritted her teeth and raised a barrage of spell bombs. She hurled them at the approaching chimeras. Though the blasts took chunks out of the creatures’ limbs and trunks and slowed them down a fraction, they kept on coming.

“Get away from there, Bry!” Barbara and Regina shouted shrilly.

“Bry!” April screamed.

Horror drained the blood from Abraham’s face. “Bryony!”

He began running, desperation making his movements clumsy.

Rambrog roared where he clutched a hellbear and a trio of hellboars in his hands. He flung the monsters across the park and rushed toward her, his feet leaving deep indentations in the grass.

She knew the giant and her aide would not make it in time to help her. Her spine stiffened.

The chimeras’ shadows swallowed her and Penley. The cat hissed defiantly at her feet, his fur on end and his eyes bright with magic. She gripped her blade and widened her stance.

We need to take at least one of them down!

Claws glinted when the first chimera swung for her. She ducked, spun, and thrust her sword up as she rose. Something slammed into her chest at the same time her blade pierced one of the monsters.

Bone snapped. Fire lanced through Bryony’s body as the blow lifted her off her feet. The world tilted violently around her. She landed hard on the ground, blood bursting from her lips on a guttural rasp.

Penley screeched. The cat jumped on her body and whirled around to face the attacker looming above them, his tiny shape defiant to the bitter end.

“Noooo!” Abraham howled.

His scream was drowned out by Rambrog’s bellow.

Bryony looked up blearily as a foot descended toward her skull and blocked out the sky. There was movement at the edge of her vision.

“ROT!” someone roared.

The spell engulfed the creature about to crush her head in a veil of black magic. Rambrog slammed into the second chimera and took it to the ground.Rotswarmed the monster. The giant recoiled.

The chimeras screeched and writhed helplessly, black magic eating at the coarse stitches keeping their misshapen parts together and consuming their flesh. They convulsed and foamed at the mouth before growing still, the dark light in their mismatched pupils slowly fading as their bodies disintegrated into dark ash.

Heart pounding, Bryony turned her head and saw the sorcerer who had saved her.

Oscar swayed where he clung to a tree. His face was a mess and blood oozed from his various wounds. He swallowed convulsively and made his way unsteadily toward them, one hand clutching the arm hanging limply at his side.

Abraham arrived and stepped between the sorcerer and Bryony, his face dark with anger. Rambrog loomed protectively over them.

The aide prepared to unleash a spell bomb.

Bryony recovered her senses and grabbed his ankle. “No! He just killed those monsters!”

Her breath caught when she registered what Oscar clutched to his chest.

Abraham stiffened. “Is that?—?!”

“—theBook of Light!” she mumbled.

Abraham pulled Bryony to her feet. Rambrog patted her gently on the back and almost sent her toppling over again. The aide scowled at the sheepish giant.

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