Share
Chapter 56
JOHN
The swirling vertigo of traveling through the portal almost did me in. My stomach revolted, threatening to turn itself inside out and leave me heaving. For a brief moment, I was thankful that it was empty.
My arm burned and the fire from the wound was spreading, consuming me. I clutched the dart in my hand, remembering that I'd pulled it from my arm as soon as I could, but obviously, I wasn't quick enough.
"Ezra!"
Avery's shout cut through my thoughts. I forced myself to look up. We were through the portal, the Stanwood house a blur in the background, but I recognized it from the few times I visited with Ez over the summer.
Another set of hands lifted my injured arm causing me to gasp, my vision all but blacking out completely.
"What happen?!" Hunter said next to me. His hands carefully transferred my weight from Ezra's side to his. The clean linen scent of his shirt a comfort that I wasn't expecting.
Related chapters
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 57
EZRAThe humidity was the first thing I noticed. There was also something sharp biting into my palm. I was on my hands and knees in the dirt. Both Avery and Mom were hovering over me, their voices a blur."Hasim!"Tamner's voice broke through the fog and I glance up to see the old man walking as quickly as he could towards us through the village. I'd managed to bring us through right on the edge of the huts."John," I said, lifting my head up more and sitting back on my heels. "He's hurt," I told the old man.Tamner turned, heading right over to where Hunter held John upright. Dad held a hand out and helped me to my feet. Suon and the Chief of the village appeared then, from the other side of the line of huts."Hasim," Suon said, raising a hand in greeting. "Many blessings to see Hasim.""Thanks, it's awesome to see you, too," I said, brushing the dirt from my hands. My muscles ached. Tamner led Hunter and
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 58
JOHNI opened my eyes and found the ceiling above me familiar, but I had trouble placing it. My body ached, all the way down to my bones, and to the point that I was afraid to move. I rolled my head to the side, casting a lazy glance around the room I was in, and quickly realized that I wasn't at Ezra's.Tamner was grinding something in a stone bowl on the other side of the fire, his form wavering the heat. Noise from next to me caused me to turn, and I found Hunter sitting, his back leaning against the rough packed dirt wall. A pose I'd seen Ezra in so many times when we were last here with Poe.Hunter's eyes were closed, dark circles under them standing out in the light from the fire."He worries for your health," Tamner said softly, coming closer to me with the stone bowl. "First he sleep since you came. Day before last."I turned back to Tamner. "That long?"
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 59
EZRAI stared at the fire in front of me, feeding small sticks to it, poking at the logs with the longer one. It hadn't taken us long to get settled into a routine with the village. The older grandmothers and ladies of the village had taken Mom under their wings. The language barrier was nothing as they showed her how they cooked, the herbs they gathered from the jungle that surrounded them, and how they kept all the men in line as Mom liked to put it.Anissa and Tessa had fallen in with the warriors like they'd always been a part of the village; training with them, joking and even fending off some friendly advances from the more eligible bachelors.Dad split his time between the Chief's hut and me. We didn't talk much when he and I sat together. In the first few days, I'd told him about my experiences here in the village - first with just Poe during my Test, and then later as Poe and I had escaped from the
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 60
JOHNI sat in Tamner's hut, digging through my backpack. Avery had been kind enough to hold onto it for me, making sure to bring it through the portal with everyone else's. I thought briefly of opening one of the packets of dried fruit but decided against it. I'd save it for later.It had taken two more days of rest before Ezra and the others were ready to leave. I, on the other hand, was still weak and unsteady on my feet. I wouldn't mention it to them, though. I didn't want to hold them back, and I was anxious to get moving despite my weakness."Here," Tamner said, ducking in from outside. The old man held a tall staff, similar to the one that Suon had given Ez the last time we left the village. Of course, he knew I was wobbly on my feet. He may be old and have a hard time with English, but nothing got past him. "Use this to stay up. Keep balance."The length was cut from dark wood, like ebony, with a portion of the top wrapp
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 61
EZRAWe'd been walking for a few hours, following Suon on a thin trail through the dense jungle. I was towards the back of the line, only a pair of warriors walking behind me, with my eyes focused ahead on John. He leaned heavily on the staff he carried, not completely steady on his feet as he had assured me earlier in the day.I turned, speaking briefly to the warriors in their language the little that Suon had taught me in the past few days. The younger of the two nodded, and took off, running ahead to relay my message to Suon.Quickening my pace, I caught up with John. Sweat beaded on his forehead, gathering in his hair enough to make it look wet along his hairline. He glanced at me but didn't say anything. I wasn't sure he could with how hard as he was breathing."Let's slow down a bit," I suggested. "We'll be stopping for a break soon anyway."He gave me a dark look. "I don't need any special treatment.""I d
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 62
JOHNThe demon slammed into to me with the force of a train, taking me to the ground and forcing the air from my lungs. I didn't have time to think, just react as I pushed the staff between us, struggling to keep its gaping mouth and sharp teeth away from my face. Pain flared across my chest as its claws sank into the front of my shoulders. Desperately, I reached for my magic, straining against the invisible wall that separated me from it.Someone was screaming and it took me a moment to realize that it was me.The demon froze, its muscles quivering at the sudden lack of motion, its attention focused above me out in the thick of the jungle. Seconds passed, my heart beating painfully against my sternum as I fought against the demon's weight to breathe.Like a giant pissed off cat, it hissed at whatever it saw before it turned tail and ran, bounding off in a different direction altogether.I stared off after it for one dis
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 63
JohnI shot up, my chest heaving with every gasping breath I swallowed. Wiping at my face, I fought against the lingering images from the nightmare and struggled to clear my mind of teeth and claws.The fire had died down to a low flame, and everyone else slept soundly nearby. Even Hunter, who was rolled onto his side, facing me. His eyes were peacefully closed, all the strain gone from his features.Watching him helped to calm me the most. I imagined what life might be like if we were together, what it would be like to kiss him and to hold him close. Just his being there chased the uneasiness of the dream away, though it left another kind of tension in its place.I stood and, after a small wave to the warrior standing guard, walked off into the trees to relieve myself. Afterward, I didn't feel ready to try to sleep again. I walked instead, staying where I could just see the light of the dying fire through the leaves, working my way slowly a
Necromancer's Legacy Chapter 64
EZRAThe suffocating heat woke me. After being in the Halfworld for almost a week, I still hadn't adjusted to the hot, humid air or the way it made my clothes stick to my skin.Sounds of the camp coming to life urged me to open my eyes and glance around. The twins were just getting up, stretching. They were probably going to train with the warriors as they had all the previous mornings.Avery's hand brushed my back, and I rolled over, taking in her glorious tangle of bed head. She smiled at me, her eyes still heavy with sleep.I glanced up past her and saw that John wasn't on his bedroll. In fact, I couldn't see him at all. Sitting up, I fought with the sudden dryness in my mouth. Hunter was gone as well.Suon chuckled from where he sat, feeding the fire to bring it back to life. "There," he called to me, nodding to a thin patch of trees with a smile.Through them, against
Latest chapter
