The Rose Witch - Chandelle LaVaun Page 0,72

found in the real world. It was a giant bird of some kind with a sharp pointed beak and talons at the edges of its wings. The damn thing stood as tall as Malachi and its beady black eyes were darker than his wings.

“Angry bird chicken thing,” I hissed and tugged on his shirt.

Malachi’s pulse was calm and steady. He held his hands up but made no other movements.

The angry-bird-chicken-thing screamed and flapped its wings. It kicked its legs back one at a time, like a bull about to charge. The bushes behind it rustled and then two more jumped out, flanking the first one in an instant.

I tugged on Malachi’s shirt as I peeked over his shoulder. “Does your black death smoke work here?”

“Yeah, it does.”

I grabbed his wrists and shook them. “Okay, then why aren’t you doing it?”

“They’re not demons, Chloe.”

“But we’re about to be dinner,” I hissed back. “Fine. Where’s your sword? I’ll do it.”

Malachi sighed. “The Old Lands is an extension of the Garden of Eden. You cannot kill things here. But more importantly, I am an angel. I cannot kill innocent creatures.”

“So what do you have in mind here?” I understood we couldn’t kill it but I wasn’t exactly ready to be dinner either.

“Think carefully. Be creative?”

I groaned. “Not helping…”

The ground rumbled under my feet and then the pathway to our right vanished. Huge purple-colored oak trees towered into the purple sky. Branches swung low and wide. Three more of those angry-bird-chicken-things lunged out of the tree line. Large shadows slid overhead. I cursed and started to look up when two more angry-bird-chicken-things landed on the other side of us. They’d trapped us…and we were outnumbered.

“What about now?”

He shook his head and kept his arms lifted toward the animals. “The rules suck but I am bound.”

I cringed and danced in one spot behind his back. “You can’t help me at all? Is there nothing you can do?”

“I am…limited. Especially here.”

“These things hurt, Masen. I have scars from them.”

“I know.” He took a step back, forcing me to go back with him. “Chloe, listen to me. Right now they’re confused about my presence but in a few seconds they’re going to come for you and I can’t fight them off without risking killing them. You need to think.”

“I am thinking!” I whined and shifted my weight around. “I’m not scary, what am I supposed to —”

An idea formed in my mind. It was crazy but it just might work.

“Give me a piece of paper and something to draw with.”

He frowned. “I don’t have either.”

“Summon me one,” I whispered. “I know you can.”

He lowered one hand, then flipped his palm to face the sky. Light flashed and then a black marker appeared in his palm. A single sheet of white paper floated out of nothing into his palm. I dove for them, gripping both with my sweaty hands. I bit my bottom lip and shoved the paper onto his back, then held it there. Using my teeth, I uncapped the marker and let the top fall to the ground.

I had no idea if these angry-bird-chicken-things were afraid of these, but as I sketched it out on the paper I just prayed my idea was going to work.

Malachi hissed. “Hey, stay,” he yelled at the creatures in his low grumbly voice. They cocked their heads. “Chloe?”

“One second!”

My hand was cramping from how fast I was drawing. My fingers burned from how hard I gripped the marker. I added a few spikes and horns at the end of the tail for added fear – done. I yanked the paper off of his back and the image was already moving. Okay, okay, now step two. I summoned my magic into my right hand and held my drawing out in front of me.

I took a deep breath and pushed with my magic. The red cloud slammed into my black and white drawing and then it came out of the paper. The black dragon I’d drawn now stood like a skyscraper between us and the angry bird chicken things. The monster-birds squawked and screamed. I pushed harder and my dragon reared its head back and then spat fire. I flicked my wrist and my red smoke covered the ground all around us, it shot up and out of my dragon’s mouth like fire.

The monster-birds screamed and took off.

And then we were alone.

I sighed and sagged into Malachi.

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around me. “Love, that was bloody brilliant.”

“Mmmmm. I like when