How to Slay a Dragon - Bill Allen [95]
“Yes, ma’am,” said Greg, unconsciously rolling Nathan’s staff from hand to hand. “Anyway, I’m back.”
“And Ruuan?”
“He—I—well, he won’t be bothering us anymore.”
Hazel stared deep into Greg’s eyes, as if inspecting his soul.
Can witches read minds?
Finally Hazel blinked. “So, the dragon is dead then?”
Greg considered his words carefully. “I sleighed him, as the prophecy said I would.”
“Excellent.” Hazel looked very impressed but less surprised than Greg would have expected. “So, you have something for me, then, little one?”
“Y-yes,” Greg said, wondering if it was too late to dart into the scrub.
“Well, come, let’s have them.” She held out a withered hand.
“What about the two amulets I gave you?” Greg asked cautiously.
“I’ve got them right here,” Hazel said, a little too sweetly. She brought her other arm out from behind her back and held up the two shiny amulets by their chains.
Greg stared at her, his heart pounding just as hard as it had when he’d faced Ruuan. He considered snatching the treasures and running for his life, but in the end removed his own two amulets and gave them to the witch.
Hazel smiled for an instant. Then her fist clenched tightly, her face flushed red, and her eyes locked on Greg. “What is this?” she shrieked. “You seek to trick me?”
Greg felt his knees go weak. He sized up his staff, wondering if it would be suicide to attempt a preemptive strike against a witch. “W-what do you mean?”
“This is not the amulet from the spire.” Hazel hurled one amulet to the ground. “Where is it, boy? Where is it?”
“I-I got that from the spire, I swear.”
The witch’s stare bored into him, so penetrating Greg really did believe she could read his mind, if not the minds of all his ancestors before him. He tried to think of other things: blue skies, green meadows, peaceful places that didn’t have witches . . .
“The dragon put you up to this, didn’t he? Ruuan still lives.”
Greg winced. “Why would you say that?”
“Because it’s true.” Hazel’s whole body trembled, and just like before, she began to straighten her tormented back until she stood twice Greg’s height and more. Her hair surged into serpents, and her features changed into something else, something predatory, far more powerful than any woman or man. She raised her hands high into the air, and Greg felt his hair stand on end. Electricity fizzled between the tips of her splayed fingers.
Just as he’d sensed when to make his move against the spireling guards, Greg knew he must take action now or never get a second chance.
The witch hissed her incantation, thrust her arms forward, and a blue bolt of lightning shot from her fingertips, straight at Greg’s chest.
Greg ducked and thrust out Nathan’s staff. The spell struck the stick in mid arc and reflected the tingling blue energy straight back at Hazel. She gasped and dodged, but the bolt grazed her arm, and the two amulets Greg originally gave her dropped to the floor with metallic clinks.
Greg dove without thinking. His fingers clasped over the chains. He tucked and rolled. In an instant he was back on his feet again, spinning to face the furious witch.
Hazel already held her arms high for a second attack. “You will die for this,” she shrieked. “And then I will bring you back from the dead and kill you over and over again.” A brilliant blue bolt shot from her hands.
Again Greg whirled Nathan’s staff around to meet it. Only this time the weapon splintered into sawdust.
Hazel paused, her fingers splayed above her head, and smiled.
Greg felt all hope rush out of him. He wondered how much faster it would flow through a gaping hole in the center of his chest.
Hazel thrust her arms forward, and again the energy erupted from her fingers.
Greg dove to the side and was back on his feet in an instant. He no longer had a stick to help focus his energy, but his chikan training still helped guide him, along with his lifelong experience at running from danger. The two amulets in his fist glowed, and he felt them tingle through their chains. He danced about the clearing as Hazel shot bolt after bolt