Serene & Janessa BOOK 3

Chapter 40: Dragon Fails

Serene's view

Shouts are all over, taunting from us, claps of thunder when we get near enough. I lunge for Maleficent, holding the ember out. She pounds her staff on the ground. The shockwave sends Janessa and Eleanor backward, but I breeze right through it, tackling her to the ground and holding the ember firmly against her. It flares brightly, burning a hole in Maleficent's sleeve before Maleficent throws me off. I catch myself just in time with my shadows, shuddering madly again. Each time I use my powers, I can feel them cracking through the light part of me, infecting my thoughts and feelings again.

But this time I have something to hold onto.

My choices are mine, and mine alone, when I swipe my hand horizontally in front of myself, creating a blast of silver light that slams into Maleficent, just as Janessa darts forward and shocks Maleficent with her blue fire, and leaves two smoldering handprints on her shoulders. I'm also pleasantly surprised to see that a layer of frost spread from Janessa's hands, rooting Maleficent's feet to the ground with blocks of ice.

Maleficent throws Janessa off, but I catch her before she can hurt herself. Eleanor swoops down from above Maleficent, landing on her back and wrapping her arm around Maleficent's throat, shocking her with her bracelet.

"This is for Mummy and Seesee!" Eleanor shouts, raising her wand and waving it around, creating a golden rope that wraps around Maleficent, trapping her arms against her sides.

"Horrible children!" Maleficent practically spits. She keeps a firm grip on her staff, slamming it into the ground. Eleanor goes flying into the air, a cage appearing around her.

"Elea!" I hear across the room.

"Don't get distracted, Finn!" someone else shouts back. Probably Brietta.

I raise my hand, tightening my grip on the ember. Eleanor's cage dissolves, and she drops down easily next to me.

"She's almost down." I say under my breath. "I've got a plan, but I need you to use your wand. Create as much light as you can!"

Eleanor nods as there's another crack and wail of fury from Maleficent. Janessa gets thrown backward, landing heavily on one of my shadows. When she stands, her leg is smoking, her leggings burning away on the hem. Her skin is an ugly, raw red.

"She got me on my leg with her lightning." Janessa grunts, hopping a bit. "And melted the ice holding her feet."

Maleficent cackles, raising her staff high. Green smoke gathers quickly, spreading across the room.

"GO!" I scream, pushing off of the ground so hard into the air that I leave a crater behind me. Janessa (who I now realize doesn't know the plan, but adapts quickly) runs for her at the same time Eleanor does.

There's a flash of golden light from Eleanor at the same time that I crash into Maleficent, grabbing hold of her throat. The ember sears against her skin, glowing brighter every millisecond until it flares with a flash of light, creating a lightwave that runs through Maleficent and myself. I can feel my shadows retreat a bit as I lean back from the force. Maleficent's eyes widen as Janessa runs up on her right side, grabbing the scepter from Maleficent's weakened grip.

"NO!" Maleficent shrieks, but Janessa stumbles backward, holding the staff in her hands.

"We've got her!" I shout triumphantly, but even as I say it, I can tell---It's not enough. I try anyway, morphing my magic into a spell that should put her back into her magicless, lizard form.

But it doesn't work.

Maleficent's evil smile returns. She snaps her fingers, her scepter returning to her hands. The moment it touches her fingers, there's a flash of purple lightning, and it hits me dead-on. I'm thrown backward, slamming into a column. Blinking spots from my eyes, I try to stand, clutching a hand to my stomach. I slip, falling to my knees. The world is fuzzy, spinning.