“No, I didn’t,” I said steadily. “Because I’m going to create a new one.”
24
Gemma
I focused on the ground beneath my feet, and Ethan’s hot skin so close to mine. The magic from both of them flowed into me, strengthening me, replenishing me like water being poured into a well.
I could do this.
I had to do this.
Otherwise, we’d all end up dead.
I spun around to face the wall opposite of the caved-in tunnel. Deep in the magma chamber, I felt the life of the earth surrounding us. The earth was a part of me. I felt the location of every chamber in Utopia, and the shape of the volcano, as clearly as I could feel my own limbs.
The soles of my feet connected with the ground, roots of magic growing out of them and connecting with the earth. I dug deep and pulled the warm magic through the rocks and dirt so it flowed inside me.
I collected as much magic as I could, raised my arms with my palms outward, and shot a blast of magic at the wall.
My magic slammed into the packed rock, nearly knocking me over with the impact. But I stood strong and dug the magic through the earth like a giant drill on super speed. I held onto it, pushing and pushing for kilometers until exhaustion took over.
I released my hold on the magic, let out a long breath, and fell onto my knees. My brain was so foggy that all I heard was white noise. Beads of sweat ran down my face, droplets landing on the ground.
I focused on my breathing, relieved when the magic from the earth filled me again, replenishing me with every breath I took.
But that wasn’t all that was replenishing me.
Ethan had kneeled to my side, and he’d wrapped an arm around me to keep me propped up. His fire magic radiated off of him, also filling me with renewed power.
“Gemma,” someone said from my other side—Mira. “What did you do?”
I steadied myself and looked around.
Everyone was staring at me, their expressions awestruck. Even the queen.
I stood up, not bothering to brush the dirt off my knees. “I couldn’t create a tunnel to the surface, because we don’t know if whoever attacked us left some of their people up there to guard it. So I created an underground tunnel that goes past the kingdom’s borders. Once we’re past the border, the witches should be able to teleport us out of here.”
A bang sounded from the closed-in tunnel behind me. Then another, and another.
The dark witches and demons. I felt them blasting through the dirt and rocks, clearing the tunnel.
How did they have magic strong enough to do that? It shouldn’t be possible.
“They’re coming for us.” I slowly spun in a circle to look at everyone in the cavern. “At the pace they’re going, we have a few minutes, tops. We have to go. Now.”
“Where, exactly, are we going?” the witch who was still pointing her sword at me asked.
“To the Haven,” Ethan said, and I nodded, since it was exactly what I’d been thinking.
“And what’s to stop the dark witches from blasting through their protection dome, too?”
“They find us by tracking our magic,” I said. “They can’t track our magic if we don’t use it.” I ran to the tunnel, stopped at the entrance, and motioned for the others to pile in. “We have to go.”
No one moved.
The thumping as the witches and demons cleared out the collapsed tunnel got louder and louder.
My chest tightened. Did they not trust that the tunnel that wouldn’t collapse in on us?
Just when I was getting ready to assure them it was safe, my mom rushed forward, stepped inside the tunnel, and turned to face us. “You heard my daughter,” she said. “This is our best chance to get out of here. Let’s go.”
The witches didn’t move. Instead, they looked to Queen Elizabeth, waiting for her command.
The queen stood inside the jaws of the dragon skull, like she was waiting to eat the dark witches and demons alive. “Go with the twins,” she said. “Bring them to the Haven.”
“And you, Your Highness?” Harper asked.
“I’m staying in my kingdom. The dark witches and demons can fight me, and they can hurt me, but they can’t kill me. Only a Nephilim can do that. And after the Nephilim arrive and fight off the demons, the survivors will need their queen. Now, I’m ordering you to escape through the tunnel and bring the dragons to the Haven. Do everything possible to keep them safe.”
The witch holding her sword lowered it and looked to me. “You heard the queen,” she said. “Dragons—go through the tunnel first. We’ll be right behind you.”
“I’m going last,” I said quickly. “I need to seal the entrance from the other side to stop the demons from following us.”
Another bang from the collapsed tunnel, closer now.
Ethan pulled Mira toward the tunnel, to where Mom was standing. “Go,” he told her, pushing her to the entrance. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“You’re not coming with us?”
“I’m staying behind with Gemma. To make sure both of you are safe.”
She pulled him in quickly for a hug, then followed Mom into the tunnel. The four witches followed, and Ethan and I went after them.
When we were about thirty meters inside, I turned around. The queen was still waiting in her dragon skull. The booms of the dark witches throwing their magic at the caved-in tunnel sounded like they were moments away from breaking through.
The queen nodded at me.
I reached for my magic, threw it at the entrance, and the opening of the tunnel crumbled in on itself.
Ethan and I joined the others, lit up the way with our fire, and ran. Every fifty or so meters, I turned around and collapsed the tunnel behind us.
I’d love to see the witches and demons try to break through that.
As we ran, my breathing shallowed. Because while I’d been training with my magic, I hadn’t been doing any physical training. And sports had never been my thing.
I was going to need to work on that.
Just when I was running out of steam, Harper came to a sudden stop. The rest of us stopped as well.
“We should be beyond Utopia’s border by now.” She grabbed my hands, then looked at the others. “Witches, pick a dragon. It’s time to teleport to the Haven.”
25
Gemma
The witches of the Haven let us in the moment we appeared outside their protection dome. Apparently, they’d been expecting us.
The tall, green mountains in the middle of the lush, Indian jungle were positively breathtaking. But I didn’t get to look around much before they teleported us into a colorful tearoom.
“Wait here,” one of the Haven witches instructed. She and the others wore matching white tunics and pants, like they were at a yoga retreat. “We’ll send for food and refreshments, and Mary will be with you shortly.”
Mary—the original vampire who was the leader of the Haven. Unlike the rulers of the other kingdoms, she didn’t use a royal title.
She also wasn’t with us “shortly.” After three hours, we were still waiting in the tearoom.
The witches attempted to make conversation, but they were all tense with worry for their family and friends back in Utopia. Since we’d only heard the fighting, we had no idea how bad it actually was. We were trying to be positive, but it was forced, and we all knew it.
Because we’d all heard the blood curdling screams.
They were going to give me nightmares for the rest of my life.
After what felt like another hour, there was a knock on the door, and a female vampire—presumably Mary—let herself inside. Like the witches, she wore all white. Her long, brown hair flowed down her back, and her eyes held wisdom far beyond her youthful appearance.
“I’m sorry for making you wait so long.” She took a deep breath, then fidgeted slightly, composing herself. “I had to convene with the leaders of the other kingdoms so we could decide on a course of action.�
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“You spoke with our queen?” Rita—the witch who’d pointed the sword at me—asked.
“I’m sorry,” she said sadly. “But no. According to the reports of the Nephilim, Queen Elizabeth was gone by the time they arrived in Utopia. They hoped you might know where she was, but if you’re asking about her now…”
“She stayed behind to fight with our people,” Rita said. “But she’s an original vampire, and can only be killed by the Nephilim. So unless one of the Nephilim turned on us, she’s out there somewhere.”
“We’re doing our best to find her,” Mary said. “Once we do, she will be rescued. Although, knowing Elizabeth, she’ll save herself before we have a chance.” Her eyes twinkled with fondness—clearly, she and the queen of Utopia were friends.
“What about the rest of Utopia?” Harper asked. “How many survived?”
“The Nephilim are getting a headcount as we speak, and we have witches on the scene to heal the injured. Once we have an official list, you’ll be among the first to see it.”
“So there are survivors.” Harper relaxed and let out a long, relieved breath.
“Yes.” Mary glanced down, then met Harper’s gaze again. “But not many.”
Worry crossed Harper’s eyes, and she looked smaller than ever.
“None of our prophets saw this coming.” Mary bit her lower lip, troubled. “If they had, Utopia would have been prepared. But now that we know the dark witches can break our boundary domes, we’re reinforcing them as much as we can, and Avalon’s sending Nephilim to each kingdom to ensure we’re protected. What happened in Utopia will not happen again. You will be safe in the Haven.”
“You’re letting us stay?” I held my breath as I waited for her answer.
“The Haven is a safe haven for all supernaturals,” she said. “Of course you can stay. But I do have one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“Rosella told me that the dark witches are able to track your dragon magic. I’ll do everything I can to figure out how they’re doing that—and how they broke Utopia’s protection dome. In the meantime, you’ll have to refrain from using your dragon magic while here. The dark witches don’t know where you are, and I intend to keep it that way.”
“We already planned on it,” Ethan said. “Especially since the twins now have excellent control over their elemental magic. Without them, we wouldn’t have escaped Utopia. So I think it’s safe to say that they’ve completed their training.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Mary gave me and Mira a small smile. “However, you will be continuing your training in the Haven.”
“But we can’t use our magic,” Mira said, confused.
“I never said you’d be training with your magic,” she said, and Rita smirked, like she knew where Mary was going with this. “Because demons are after you, and they can only be killed with holy weapons. Do either of you know how to use a dagger? Or a sword?”
“No,” Mira and I said in unison.
“As I thought. But don’t worry—we’ll have that fixed in no time. Because Avalon’s sent the best swordswoman in the world to teach you.”
26
Gemma
Raven Danvers.
The Queen of Swords.
I’d read about Raven in the history of the supernatural world textbook. She was a legend, along with the two other queens destined to help win the war against the demons—the Queen of Cups and the Queen of Wands.
The Queen of Cups was also known as the Earth Angel. Her magic had founded the mystical island of Avalon, where she used the Holy Grail to turn humans who’d proven themselves into Nephilim, so they could join the army that was battling the demons.
The Queen of Wands had the most magic of anyone in the world. Only gods were more powerful than the Queen of Wands. She was on a mission to save her best friend from a magical, hidden island where she was being imprisoned by the conniving goddess Circe.
Then there was the Queen of Swords. The most badass swordswoman on Earth, with bright red hair to match her fiery spirit. The Holy Sword Excalibur—yes, the Excalibur that had previously belonged to King Arthur—had chosen Raven to wield it. With Excalibur’s magic, the Queen of Swords could beat any opponent she faced.
Not only had she come to protect the Haven, but she was also our new teacher.
For the past ten days, whenever we weren’t passed out in a dead sleep, we were training with a sword or dagger. The witches gave us healing potion each night for our daily injuries so we were ready to start fresh the next morning.
If only healing potion could cure exhaustion. Because by the intense way Raven trained us from sunrise until nightfall, I would have sworn she didn’t need any sleep.
She claimed that if you wanted to stay awake and alert badly enough, you could will yourself to do so.
“Watch your form!” Raven yelled as I sparred against Mira. “Stay on the balls of your feet. Anticipate your opponent’s next move!”
In one swift motion, I knocked Mira to the ground and pointed the tip of my sword at her chest.
My sister glared at me. “Again,” she said, and she rolled over and pushed herself up from the ground.
Thanks to our recent training, the grass in the field near the outskirts of the Haven where we’d been practicing was totally trampled upon.
The clean, crisp air and the mystical mountains made me feel like a Jedi apprentice. Except unlike the Jedi, I couldn’t use my magic.
“Maybe it’s time for a break?” Ethan asked from where he was sparring with David, one of the other Nephilim who’d come to help protect the Haven. He spun around and blocked David’s sword with his own. They stayed like that, swords locked together, both of them looking at Raven to make the call.
“One more round,” Raven said. “Then we’ll break for a quick lunch.”
Mira and I faced each other, holding up our swords as we waited for Raven to tell us to begin. Mira eyed me, her gaze hard and steady, determined to take me down.
Part of me wanted to let my sister win this round.
But she always knew if I let her win.
And I hated giving anything but my best.
“You’ve got this,” Raven said to Mira. “That’s not just any sword—it’s a holy weapon. Feel your sword’s energy. Connect with it. Make it a part of you.”
“But don’t use my air magic to help,” Mira muttered.
“With the right technique, you don’t need elemental magic to fight with weapons.”
Mira huffed and tightened her grip around the handle of her sword.
“One,” Raven started to count down. “Two—”
“Stop,” someone said from behind us.
I spun around and saw Mary making her way up the hill.
I hung my sword to my side, its tip facing the ground so it wasn’t pointed at the original vampire. The others—including Raven—did the same.
“Mary,” Raven said brightly. “Do you want to see the twins’ progress? They’re doing well, if I do say so myself.” She squared her shoulders proudly.
“I’m sure they are,” Mary said. “But that’s not why I’m here.”
“What’s up?” Raven asked.
Ethan was by my and Mira’s sides in a flash.
I watched Mary, wondering what had brought her out this way. She’d been busy working with the other kingdoms to provide relief for what remained of Utopia, and to figure out how the demons had breached its protection dome.
By the time the Nephilim had arrived in Utopia, there were barely any survivors. Harper’s mom, Benjamin, and most everyone else I’d met while there were dead.
And Queen Elizabeth was still missing.
Since we’d been training around the clock, Mom had been staying with Harper, trying to keep her busy.
“The Haven’s archives have been thoroughly checked,” Mary said. “As have the other vampire kingdoms’, along with the Devereux circle’s extensive library and the Bettencourt vampire coven’s digital dat
abase. We can’t find an answer to how the dark witches broke through Utopia’s protection dome. The most powerful witches in the world—even the mages—don’t have magic strong enough to do that. The only person who does is the Queen of Wands, and she was with the Supreme Mages on their mission to find Circe’s island at the time of the attack.”
“What about the prophets?” Raven asked.
“We wouldn’t have had to go to the archives if the prophets had an answer,” Mary said. “They were the first ones we consulted.”
“Were you able find anything about how they’re tracking dragon magic?” Ethan asked.
“No. But there’s still one last place we haven’t checked.”
“Where?” I asked.
“A place few know about, and where fewer have entered.”
Chills traveled up my spine at the cryptic way she was talking about this place. “And you’re going to check there?”
“No,” she said. “You’re going to check there. Specifically, you and Mira.”
Ethan stepped forward, standing straight as a soldier. “Wherever the twins go, I go.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
“Why not?”
“I’ll explain in private,” she said. “The three of you, follow me. Raven—take a rest for the day. After how hard you’ve been working, you deserve it.”
“Seriously?” Raven shook her head in irritation. “You say all this stuff about a mystery place, and you aren’t going to let me in on the secret?”
“It wouldn’t be a secret if everyone knew about it.” She smiled, clearly enjoying herself.
“Fine.” Raven rolled her eyes. “But I’m the Queen of Swords. I’ll find out about this place one way or the other.”
“Given how you get when you put your mind to something, I’m sure you will,” Mary said. “But that day isn’t going to be today.”
The Dragon Twins (Dark World: The Dragon Twins Book 1) Page 10
