Page 97 of King Elijah (The Zemiran Chronicles 2)

Her fist flashed up and punched him hard against his throat.

He coughed out, “Bitch!” before lunging at her. She quickly shifted to the side, then reached for Elijah’s dagger she had hidden between her breasts.

Janelle used her right leg to kick him hard in the groin, causing him to wince and fall back. Before she could use the dagger against him, black smoke left his hands and trailed the floorboards until it reached her. She kept her feet planted on the floor, her hands outstretched as white light shot out through her body, exploding into the room, but it had no effect on him. His darkness was too powerful; it pushed back against her.

Kieran jumped to his feet, barreling toward her, but she dropped her magic and thrust her hand out. The dagger clenched in her fist sliced across his cheek, blood splattering against the wall.

The wound did nothing to stop him, though. Kieran wiped the blood from his cheek, smearing red across his jaw and chin. She tried to run for the door, but his hand lashed out and gripped her hair, pulling her back into his chest. Janelle’s training kicked in, and she twirled around, feeling her hair rip at her scalp as she plunged the dagger straight into his left eye. Power and darkness shook the room, his magic filling every space around them as he screamed in pain.

There was a loud hum from right outside the window.

The Shadow Creature crashed through the glass, coming straight at Kieran.

The rune shield is down, she realized. I have to run.

The moment Kieran turned to the sound and faced the creature, his hand released the grip he had on her hair. She planted her feet, bolting toward the door. When she swung it open, Tegan stood with her sword drawn, her face a mask of horror as she spotted the creature inside the room. Her friend reached out andgripped Janelle’s hand, and the two ran as fast as they could through the hallway toward the front door.

They didn’t stop moving until they reached the courtyard. Janelle shivered in fear as she felt the creature approaching them from behind, but it was not coming for them. It moved quickly through the grassy field at the front of the property, and it fled toward the forest. It was gone in moments. As if it had melted into the trees.

“It’ll be back,” Tegan cried, almost out of breath. “We need to keep moving.”

Tegan gripped Janelle to help her when she suddenly slumped forward, catching herself on a tree to keep from falling.

“Kieran poisoned me, Tegan,” Janelle said sluggishly. “It’s starting to have more of an effect on me.”

“Okay. Listen. Try to run. We must run,” Tegan said. “I know Kieran hurt you, but you need to move your legs, Janelle.”

“I’m trying,” Janelle moaned in a weak voice. “We don’t know if he’s dead. I need to get to Elijah and his people.” She used all the willpower she had to put one foot in front of the other, and together, they kept moving.

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