Page 125 of Elora and the Crow

There was another roar, and this time a giant grizzly bear, its thick fur a deep silvery brown, lumbered toward Malencia. She tossed the bear high in the air with another flick of her hand, and he slammed into the ground.

The bear transformed into Jonah, and as he staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, Malencia grinned at Elora. She was toying with Jonah, Elora realized, and she tried to scream at Jonah to run, but she couldn’t produce anything more than a strangled groan.

“It’s so cute how he thinks he can save you,” Malencia said, her lips pulling back to reveal her rotting teeth. “Maybe I should kill you last, fire witch. Let you watch as I hurt your beloved the way he hurt my daughter. He shouldn’t have messed with my child.”

“Your daughter hates you,” Elora said. “Even if you kill us, you’ll never see her or your granddaughter again.”

Malencia’s face reddened. “You shut your whore mouth, bitch!”

Movement caught Elora’s eye. A small white rat ran toward Malencia, its body barely visible in the snow.

“It’s true. Your granddaughter will grow up never even knowing your name,” Elora taunted in a low voice, desperate to keep Malencia’s focus on her and not on Jonah.

Malencia growled with rage as the rat climbed the back of her cloak, his nails digging into the fabric as he scaled her back, moving with nimble grace. The yellow light emanating from Malencia’s hands burned brighter, and Elora shrieked when Malencia’s magic broke through her barrier spell and slammed into her. Before the light could consume her, the rat appeared on Malencia’s shoulder. He sank his teeth into Malencia’s neck, and Malencia screamed, her hands flying upward and her body staggering back as blood poured down her neck.

The yellow light died, and so did the pain. Elora tried to stand, dismayed at how weak she was, as Malencia screamed again and grabbed the rat chewing at her throat.

The rat squealed as Malencia tore it off her throat and threw it to the ground. She hit it with a blast of magic, and the rat transformed into Jonah. He stared up at her, a look of dazed confusion on his face.

“You fucker!” Malencia screamed as she clapped a hand against her bleeding throat before holding her blood-soaked fingers out accusingly at him. “Look what you did! Fucking shapeshifter! I’ll make you suffer like no one has ever suffered before.”

She spat out an incantation, and Jonah screamed when the yellow light washed over him. He writhed on the ground as Malencia screeched laughter.

She’s killing Jonah!

The weakness disappeared in a flash, and Elora rose to her feet as the magic surged within her. It thrummed through her body, ancient and powerful and unstoppable. She’d always been terrified to fully accept it, to allow it in without holding back, afraid of what it would do to her.

But as Jonah screamed again, Elora let the magic in, her body humming as the magic crackled in her veins, demanding to be free, demanding its due.

CHAPTER40

Jonah had never felt pain like this before. It tore through him, turning his body inside out, making him feel like his organs were being liquefied, and his blood turn to lava.

He screamed as Malencia laughed, her mouth turning into a sneer. “After I kill you, shapeshifter, I’ll kill your little fire witch and hang both your heads on my wall.”

“Elora,” Jonah whispered, his body jerking and twitching as the pain grew more intense.

Through the haze of agony, he saw Elora rising in the air behind Malencia. Her entire body glowed a brilliant bright blue, the light pulsing from her in soft waves. Nearly a dozen trees burst into flames with a crackling roar as Elora flicked her hand at Malencia.

The pain ended abruptly as Malencia flew through the air like a rag doll. She landed on the ground as Elora floated toward Jonah. He climbed to his feet, staring at Elora as she smiled at him.

“My love.”

Her voice was low and deep, and he shuddered all over at the blank look of madness in her gaze.

“Elora,” he whispered.

Her smile widened at the sound of his voice, and an invisible fiery caress brushed across his cheek.

“Bitch!” Malencia was back, and she screamed out an incantation. Elora turned her terrible blank gaze toward Malencia, and the dark witch faltered, the incantation dying on her lips as she held up her hands. “No, wait.”

“You tried to kill my love,” Elora said.

Malencia licked her lips, falling to her knees as she held her hands out. “Mercy. I beg for mercy.”

Elora cocked her head, but before she could say anything, Malencia jumped to her feet, her hands thrusting desperately toward Jonah, the yellow light heading straight toward him.

It stopped a few feet from him and Elora laughed, the madness in it sending more shudders through Jonah’s body. Her voice low, Elora stared at Malencia and said, “By my power, flame and flower, let the fire consume you from within.”

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