Burning Magic by Joshua Khan

Author:Joshua Khan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Mystery, Murder, Battle, Quest
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2018-04-10T00:00:00+00:00

There was a thud as Gabriel fainted.

Thorn managed to nock an arrow, despite his shaking hands.

The manticore had them trapped.

TWENTY-FOUR

The arrow trembled on the string. Thorn couldn’t stop the sweat from blurring his sight.

It’s huge! You can’t miss!

“Shoot it!” yelled K’leef.

He tried to slow his breath, control his racing heart. He could do it. It was only a few yards away, there was no cross wind, and the arrow was stalk-straight.

Why wouldn’t his fingers work? They seemed locked.

“Shoot it!”

Gobber charged the manticore. He galloped up the slope and lashed out with his front legs. The manticore rose on its own hind legs to slash with its wicked front claws.

Gobber bit its ear as the monster clawed his back, tearing off the baggage and scoring red wounds in the camel’s hump.

Thorn jumped aside and dropped his arrow as the chest full of Gabriel’s clothing bounced past, smashing open and sending silk underwear into the lava. They burst into flame and floated above the river like fiery butterflies.

The manticore swatted the camel’s face, and Gobber stumbled aside. After one final kick, the dromedary dashed off. The monster roared angrily, then turned its attention back to the three boys.

Thorn scurried on his hands and knees to the fallen arrow.

“Thorn!” shouted K’leef.

He spun, and it just…happened.

His eye, hand, the arrow, and the distance between him and his target merged into a seamless, instinctual reaction. Even as he released the bowstring Thorn knew where the arrow would go.

It flew true into the monster’s left eye. The manticore snarled and snapped the arrow off with a flick of its paw. Oily yellow mucus dribbled out of the wound, but otherwise the creature didn’t seem bothered by it.

Thorn drew another arrow, and this one slipped easily onto the bowstring. All his previous fears and doubts about his ability had vanished. The arrow would strike exactly where he wanted. Like always.

What good would it do, though? Eye shots usually ended things, but that one hadn’t fazed the beast.

K’leef wove his hands through the air and fiery darts shot out, some striking the creature’s flank, others disappearing into the ash. The fur smoked, but the manticore kept coming.

Thorn stepped sideways, seeking the other eye. If he could blind it…

The creature wasn’t stupid. It circled, too, keeping its face turned, denying Thorn a shot. It flicked its tail.

“Look out!” yelled K’leef.

Thorn dove as the spikes hissed through the air. K’leef hurled another volley of flames.

The manticore pounced, and Thorn jammed his bow into the manticore’s mouth as it went for his neck. The fangs glistened with spit, inches from his face, and the long red tongue lashed eagerly. The bow began to crack….

It snapped, and Thorn jabbed the broken halves down the manticore’s throat. The beast sprang back, blood dripping from its torn gullet. Thorn scrambled back to his feet and joined K’leef, who was standing over the still-unconscious Gabriel.

“Maybe we can throw him at it,” suggested Thorn. “Gabriel won’t feel a thing.”

“Then what?”

Back across the ash plains? Through the

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