The Fairytale Life of Doris McQueen [#1] ✓

TWELVE

Chapter 12

"How many are there?" Uncle Pierre asked.

Gemima scowled, "How can they see faeries?"

"They believe in magic," Adam smiled triumphantly. He didn't like it when Gemima made fun of how humans were mentally inferior. Now, here were humans who not only saw faeries but knew a good deal about them.

"I don't care," Gemima looked for a back door. "How can we escape, old man?"

"Who are you calling old man?" Madeleine asked. "You're not very young yourself, Merryweather."

Gemima's eyes narrowed but she ignored the bait, "We need to escape and fast."

The shop shuddered and everyone clutched the nearest piece of garbage.

"Give me money for the gown," Madeline pointed towards Doris who handed a few francs coldly. "And now leave before the harm my shop."

There was a blast and Doris found herself flying through the air towards a bunch of old cartons. She must have landed on something hard because pain exploded through her back.

The smoke cleared and Doris saw Wahl, totally unfrozen, and smiling wolfishly, "Here are the little rats. You, McQueen, you will suffer for what you did to me."

Doris willed her power to encircle Wahl in a circle of ice. Thin ice stakes broke through the floor and then collapsed into little pieces. She tried again and received the same result.

"Not practising your powers?" Wahl advanced towards Doris. "How about you give me those shoes and I kill you quickly?"

Doris staggered to her feet, "In your dreams, baldy." She looked for Gemima and saw her aunt collapsed under Madeline's old mats. Madeline and Uncle Pierre were nowhere to be seen. If she was going to die today, her last wish was safety for Uncle Pierre and Madeleine. She didn't want them to die because they decided to help her. Oh and she wanted to say sorry to Adam for all the times she needlessly fought with him and insulted him in front of the whole school. She had judged him wrongly and would have liked to make amends.

Wahl gave a cold, hard stare as if to judge whether Doris had some trick up her sleeve.

"Leave or..." Wahl turned around to look at the owner of the threat and found the tip of a long steel sword at his neck.

"Human," Wahl bared his fang-like teeth. "You dare to threaten me?"

Adam kept his eyes on Wahl, "Leave now."

"Adam, behind you!" Doris screamed. PointyBeard faerie had appeared behind Adam out of thin air.

"I'll take care of him," Jasper appeared behind Adam, facing PointyBeard.

PointyBeard appeared confused, "Jasper?"

"Surprised, Tinley?" Jasper smiled. His hands lit up with fire and he whispered to Adam, "Can you take Doris and leave if I make an opening?"

Adam nodded, "But I'll come back for Gemima and the others."

"No, idiot," Jasper frowned. "You'll die."

"Stop underestimating me," Adam muttered and rushed towards Wahl.

Jasper sighed and rushed towards Tinley (a.k.a. PointyBeard). As if he was throwing tennis balls, Jasper threw balls of fire at Tinley who deflected them with strong bursts of water that appeared from nowhere.

Adam's case was worse. Wahl easily dodged most of his sword strikes and hit him back with bare hands. Every blow that Adam caught knocked the air of his lungs. A single blow to his forehead made him reel in a daze.