The Last Stand of Daronwy Read Free

them.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œThe Shadows—Kronshar’s zombie things, remember? Come on!” Jeremy said.
    â€œCan I shoot them ?”
    â€œYes!”
    Mayflure and Eaglewing sprinted ahead of the glittering wall that Lightningbolt raised behind them. Swords drawn, they launched themselves into the air to meet the oncoming horde. Bringing his awareness into both worlds, Eaglewing could see the macabre world of the Shadow overlaid over the real. These beings looked like an unholy cross between bats and people, carrying poisoned swords and axes. Eaglewing and Mayflure fought back-to-back, turning through the air as the Shadow-Beings broke around them like a school of fish.
    â€œWatch those blades, Mayflure, they’re poisonous!”
    Lightningbolt sprinted forward, leaping into the air, sending crackling electricity through the semi-translucent shades. Ambushed, the Shadow horde dove toward the adepts and the wizards in a desperate, shrieking charge. Lightningbolt’s magic arced across the sky. Eaglewing and Mayflure’s blades flashed in the starlight. The horde began to retreat, flying higher into the sky and fleeing toward the west. The three adepts followed, cutting down stragglers.
    The three of them watched the last of the Shadow horde disappear into a black circle like a hole in the night sky. They hovered in the air, trying to catch their breath.
    â€œThat was close,” said Mayflure.
    â€œYeah, I think they’ll be back,” said Lightningbolt, “but this ought to prove to the Council that the Midnight Wizard is right.”
    Eaglewing nodded toward his brother in agreement. He gazed into the blackness where they had disappeared. “Maybe we should have followed them, confronted Kronshar.”
    â€œHe’s too powerful. We have to wait for some advantage.”
    â€œIf we wait much longer, he’ll attack us,” said Mayflure.
    Eaglewing and Lightningbolt stared at her.
    â€œWon’t he?” said Claire.
    Eaglewing smiled. “Yeah, I think so. But Lightningbolt’s right, too. We need to make the Council see it; we need to get the army behind it. Three adepts can’t take him down alone.”
    They ran across the canal embankment, flying down to where the warriors and the wizards now stood after the brief battle.
    â€œJeremy, is that you back there?”
    Jeremy looked down into his backyard at his dad. “Yes, sir?”
    â€œYou need to get in here and get cleaned up. We’re going to Grandma’s.”
    â€œBut Dad… ”
    â€œCome on. Now.”
    Jeremy started toward the moss-covered wooden fence.
    â€œDon’t jump that fence! Go around front.”
    Daniel continued the story as the three adventurers climbed down the embankment and walked back to their bikes in Jeremy’s front yard. “Let’s say that the warriors and wizards start paying more attention to us now that we showed them they were wrong.”
    â€œYeah, and the Midnight Wizard is getting worried that Kronshar is not going to be happy with just Dan’kir.”
    â€œHe’s building an army,” said Claire.
    â€œRight. To look for the Stones of Karnak.”
    â€œWe’ll have to find them first.”
    They stopped in Jeremy’s front yard. Daniel picked up his bike. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    Jeremy rolled his eyes, “Ugh, school. Don’t remind me.”
    â€œBye, Jeremy,” said Claire, waving like a coy princess.
    â€œBye, Claire.” Jeremy watched them pedal up the street, then let his gaze slide toward Twin Hills. In the failing winter light, he could almost see the shadows moving beneath the branches. If only he had stood his ground today, he might be free from school. He’d be sleeping under different stars, in a land where animals talked, where he could be a hero. The doorway to that world was in Twin Hills; he just had to find it.

    Jeremy sulked in the back of the