Page 94 of Of Flame and Fury
We reach the edge of the line. Shayna donuts around and punches it. “Relax,” she says when I gape at her. We’ll jump, Emme will catch us, it’s all good.”
I look at the tier below where our supposed savior Emme is running for her life. She’s screaming bloody murder as a battalion of two-feet-tall Oompa Loompas chase after her flinging pieces of flaming candy.
Never in my life did I think I’d say these words. “The Oompa Loompas are after Emme!”
“What’d you say, dude?”
“Oompa Loompas,” I repeat, because it didn’t sound insane enough the first time. “They’re chasing Emme and hitting her with flaming Tootsie Rolls.”
Shayna crinkles her nose. “Those aren’t Tootsie Rolls, T,” she tells me.
Johnny really has gone too far. I fling lightning like a woman possessed, frying the little bastards to bits until they’re out of my view.
“She’s not going to make it,” I say, turning back to face the front.
“Sure, she will,” Shayna says. “Emme’s good like that.”
We’re almost to the end when the sea dragon pops its head up. Shayna taps my leg. “Ready to get airborne?”
She doesn’t expect an answer. She’s just prepping me to jump and trying to be polite.
“One,” Shayna says, her tone growing serious.
Beneath the light of the moon, Shayna’s ability to manipulate metal unleashes, elongating the hood and narrowing the car’s steel frame.
“Two,” Shayna says, kicking open the door.
“Three” never comes. Shayna’s torpedo soars at the dragon. I aim and fire, slamming the giant weapon with every bit flame I can muster before falling. The torpedo strikes the Nyte dead center, killing it and snapping its neck.
Emme’sforcecatches us, floating us down.
“Woo-hoo!” Shayna yells, lifting her arms. She was right, Emme was totally there for us.
I look at the sea of bodies below. Aric hands Celia off to another group ofweres.The sharks are breaking through the waves and leaping onto the beach. They’re after Celia, but theweres, and the vampires led by Misha, easily destroy them.
Every witch,were, and vampire present refuses to give up. They’re fighting hard and smart, and it’s working. We’re doing it. We’re going to win.
It’s a stupid thought that doesn’t last. From the lake, another sea dragon emerges. It strikes at lightning speed, knocking over theweresguarding Celia…and swallowing her whole.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“No. Celia!” Aric roars.
As quickly as the Nyte emerges, it’s gone, and so is my sister.
Aric dives into the water. Gemini, Koda, and Bren follow, swimming against the rough tide. More disappear underwater—Misha, Hank, and Tim. Uri, too, I think.
I flop onto the sand, where Emme drops me, digging in my nails and screaming, just…screaming. I was supposed to be there. I was supposed to save her.
Shayna lands beside me, sobbing into her hands. “Ceel,” she cries. “Ceel.”
Emme collapses between us, barely able to speak. “It took Celia,” Emme stammers. “I-I-I tried to get here, but that thing…it took her.” Her whimper of agony punctures my already breaking heart.
My legs quiver as I stand and stare out to the lake. Moonlight washes along the great expanse, magnifying the already brilliant sparkles brewing from Tahoe’s magic.
Bren comes up for air, then immediately dives back down. Koda and Gemini break through the surface next. Each head that pokes up is brief, returning quickly to the water.
Aric is the only one who fails to resurface. He stays down, fighting the harsh waves wreaking havoc against the shore.