It’s #BookQW and there’s nothing like magic to ‘lift’ your day!
More from Chapter 6:
Laughter erupted. “Told you, you’re better off with us.” Marty and the hoodie guy were only feet away. “Just come along.” He waggled a finger at her.
Blood beaded across the back of her hand, the stinging mixed with tingling, and her hand turned green. Fern clutched it to her chest, hiding the evidence that she was losing it big-time. Leaning forward, she got one hand to the tree trunk, but crossed canes and thorns anchored her in place. She pinched the one digging into her leg between her finger and thumb and lifted—
The cane flushed bright green. The color moved rapidly over the stem, out the smaller branches and into the leaves. New shoots sprang from every tip, and the stalk grew heavy in her hand. Fern dropped it, but already it reached to her chin. “Ohmigod!”
“Well, I never been called a god before, but I kinda like—spells!”
“Would you look at this? Nice, witch.” The hoodie guy picked a berry and popped it into his mouth.
“Slick, you git. This is not the time to feed your fool face.”
No, but it was time for her to make more of these überberry bushes. Fern poked the cane in front of her—grow—then pivoted and tapped another.
“Hey now.” Arms high, his leather vest protecting him, Marty inched closer. “Come on, Slick, Bret, help me.” He reached through a gap and snagged her backpack.
Frantic, Fern pointed. Green sparks erupted from her fingers.
Marty blocked them with a red-orange shield, same as she’d seen Raven do. “So that’s how you wanna be?” He sneered. “Right-o.”
“No, I, uh—” Fern cringed just as he raised his hand. Ducking a flash, she stumbled into the thorns. His bolt of magic sailed over her. “Help!” she shouted. “Help!”
“Ain’t nobody to hear, greenie,” Slick gloated. He’d edged closer while she wasn’t looking, joined by the other boy.
Three of them against her. Maybe she couldn’t work a blast, but the plants were responding—if her magic held out.
“You git! Grab her foot and get her out of there.”
Scrambling, Fern pulled her legs in tight. She flushed green magic. Grow! The plants it touched grew like Jack’s beanstalk. She swept her hands in a circle and did it again and again. Grow! Grow! A green wall surged higher around her, thick and leafy, with tightly crossed branches and three-inch-thick stems. The ground rippled under her rear—the roots were swarming like moles.
“It works,” she breathed.
“Marty? Slick?” said the girl. “You’re rippin’ your clothes trying to get to her.”
“Who knows what kind of mess is in there, spiders and such, ye ken?” the other boy added. “A lotta trouble there.”
Marty laughed wickedly. “No trouble,” he said. “Least not the kind a little magic on magic can’t fix.” A red glow sprang up on the other side of her plant wall. Leaves curled, burst into flame and dropped. The stalks caught fire and burned in orange crisscrossing lines that sizzled closer.
Fern threw up her hands and shot back magic. The wall of plants flared green. Slick stumbled back, beating at his hoodie front and turning it blue. The red faded and disappeared.
Yes! But the canes between them were now black.
Branches snapped to her left. She shuffled away just as the fire flared again. Fern blocked it with her magic, dousing the red flames, but they’d gotten closer and hotter this time. Moisture slicked her face, and her nice blouse stuck to her back.
“Marty, let’s go,” Slick whined. “That witch isn’t worth it.”
“I agree,” said a deep voice. “This witch isn’t worth your trouble.”
Cor? Fern stood and peered over the blackened brambles. Yes, Cor was striding across the street in his dress clothes, his earbud wires snaking toward his ears. Their gazes met, and he rolled his eyes. Great, he hadn’t come back out of the goodness of his heart. But he was here…and defending her?
* * *
Want to know more about Guardian of the Pines? Meet Cor here.
Buy this second book in The Windborne series.
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