Tag Archives: Dark Cloak

Old Friends & Enemies: Part 15

The creatures from his cloak hit the Cabal soldiers and the True before they could react. The redcap landed on the back of one and chopped off his head with a long knife and held it in the air, blood still spurting from the body as the soldier fell.

It made a serious argument for the idea that a magic blade would have no trouble with the Cabal.

A dragon-like creature with a long neck, and flaming, white eyes that reminded me of ping pong balls—if the ping pong had soaked in gasoline and set on fire—dropped on top of two soldiers and bit through the body of a third, swallowing the upper half and leaving the lower half on the street with its intestines spilling out. Continue reading Old Friends & Enemies: Part 15

Old Friends & Enemies: Part 14

They both jumped at once, both of them aiming in my direction, no doubt guessing that if they could take me out, they could grab Master Martian or Daniel. Also, I was between Daniel and them.

Only as one hit me did I come up with the obvious, alternate possibility—that if one of them hit me, the other might be free to go after Daniel when he got past me.

How I managed to avoid dropping the SUV when the first one hit, I still don’t know. I understand it on the level of technology in that Grandpa had designed the suit to absorb damage and I’d expanded it with tech inspired by the jet’s inertial dampers, but I’m still amazed that I had the presence of mind to hang on as the Cabal soldier hit the suit’s chest, knocking the SUV and me backward. Continue reading Old Friends & Enemies: Part 14

Interlude: Thawed

Nicole stood on the front steps of the high school. Her backpack lay on the ground next to her duffel bag, which was currently filled with her soccer uniform, and a towel.

It was a warm day. It could have been summer. The grass had turned green. The trees had leaves, or at least buds. Nicole was barely noticing any of it. She was on the phone.

“My boyfriend? Mr. Noshow, you mean? He’s still not here, and soccer ended twenty minutes ago.”

Over the phone, Melissa said, “Well, he might have a good reason.”

Nicole shrugged. “If he does, he has a good reason an awful lot. I don’t think he’s ever been on time.” Continue reading Interlude: Thawed

Faerieland: Part 6

Nothing happened for a long time after that. I never did learn exactly how long. All I knew for sure was that I was grateful that at least I’d gotten to eat before being shut up in a doorless and windowless room.

Okay, that’s not all I knew for sure.

I also knew that my room had breathing holes. They were on both sides of the top of my cell. The cell wasn’t much more than six feet tall. I could touch the ceiling, and had during my initial few minutes inside.

I couldn’t see at all. The cell had no light. Continue reading Faerieland: Part 6

Off Campus: Part 4

I blinked. “That’s going to get awkward. What are we supposed to do about that?”

Haley frowned. “I don’t think there’s much we can do without leaving. I think we should warn Courtney and see what she wants to do.”

Keon rolled away, briefly looking down at the ground. It was all rocks and dirt, and couldn’t have been easy to roll over. Shaking his head, he looked up, and rolled toward the club.

I would have helped, but he started moving before I could say anything, and once he started moving, he didn’t look like he wanted help.

At any rate, he didn’t need it, and he didn’t ask for it.

Plus, Camille stepped out of the van and joined him.

Continue reading Off Campus: Part 4