Just as she was about to move back, a Chancellor appeared in front of her. He was so close that his empty black eyes and pale skin made her panic, and she was glued to the spot. Suddenly a blast of power hit him and she screamed. Dylan had aimed from the tree, and the Chancellor’s skin shriveled in front of her. The ball of power seemed to consume him until all that was left was a pile of ashes that smoldered on the ground.
Aspen was too shocked to move. The ground shook as she stared at the remains of her enemy, and she screamed again as a huge arm lifted her from the ground. A band of steel wrapped around her waist, and she turned frightened eyes toward the creature that had her in its grip. One look at her captor made her scream even louder. A grotesque monster with yellow fangs and a huge horn centered between narrow eyes had lifted her in its clawed hand. Saliva dripped from its open mouth and a scarlet tongue flicked around its lips in anticipation.
Dylan shouted at her, “Use your power. Shoot him!” He’d climbed down from the tree and stood below her, firing power balls in quick succession at the huge beast.
Ginny and Sandy joined him on the ground. They aimed their blasts at the monster, but its scaly skin repelled their attack. The creature held one of her arms in his hand and tried to rip it from her body. Pain exploded in her chest, and she screeched like a banshee.
“Shoot the thing. Kill it!” Dylan screamed at her and used a power stream to fly up to the giant’s face. Blue electricity trailed in a thick current between the ground and his hand.
If she didn’t do something quickly, she would die. The monster wanted to kill her. Even though the pain was excruciating, she concentrated hard and blasted it with all the power she possessed.
Dylan aimed a ball of electricity at the huge horn in the center of the monster’s forehead, and Ginny and Sandy aimed at the beast’s knees.
The combined power was too much for the creature, and its thick skin shriveled in the same way as the Chancellor’s had. Just as she was about to hit the ground, Dylan scooped her up and clutched her to his chest with one hand. He lowered the two of them to the ground.
The monster’s body dissolved into a massive pile of ash that fell to the earth with a loud plop.
Aspen sobbed as they reached the ground. Her arm felt as if it had already been torn off. Dylan hugged her to his body and knelt on the ground. Smoke surrounded them in thick clouds, and Sandy and Ginny raced to her side.
“Are you okay? Talk to me! Are you all right?” Sandy tried frantically to speak to her, but Aspen’s head spun and black spots flashed behind her eyelids.
“Where’s her dream catcher?” Dylan shouted at Sandy. “Mine’s next to the tree, get it quickly so I can heal her.” As he spoke, the sky changed around them.
“Thank goodness it’s Lemona. The others will come back now.” Sandy retrieved his dream catcher from the ground and ran back to give it to him. Apparently he’d broken its cord in his haste to leave the tree. The two girls searched the area for Aspen’s dream catcher. Her charm had been ripped from her neck in the attack and was nowhere to be seen.
As Dylan held on to the necklace, power spread over her body. Her tissue knitted quickly and her bones popped back into place. The charm glowed brightly and heat covered her limbs. Carefully, he held her head against his chest and rested her body on the ground. There wasn’t enough energy in her arms to hold his hand, and she lay back listlessly in his embrace. She was as weak as a kitten and wondered why his dream catcher hadn’t healed her completely.
“I hear the soldiers. They’re on their way back.” Ginny jumped up and ran toward the edge of the trees. The fire had spread and smoke was already clouding the air around them. The undergrowth crackled as the hungry flames approached them.
“Can you call the horses, baby?” Dylan whispered against Aspen’s cheek. He hugged her tightly, and the glow of the necklace and the rush of power his touch always produced made her feel so much better. With a nod of her head, she used her good hand to reach for the wand that protruded from her jeans pocket. Sandy and Ginny jumped behind her.
The wand bit into her hand and she grimaced as it drained the small amount of power she’d regained. After murmuring the words of the spell, she waved the wand from side to side.
Within seconds, the powerful white horses of Arcadia leaped in front of her and thundered on the ground, away from the wand and those behind her.
Voices came from the bushes, and she struggled to see through the black smoke. Dylan allowed her to turn her head against his chest so she could watch the Power Walkers as they made their way back.
The large figure of her uncle appeared through the trees, but he was dragging someone with him. A tall, thin man clung to him, and Leeman held on with an arm around his waist and a hand on his shoulder. The man was obviously weak and very bedraggled.
Aspen wondered if her uncle had actually found a prisoner. Even though she wanted to get up and greet her uncle, a wave of dizziness swamped her. Her eyes fluttered shut and she slumped into unconsciousness in Dylan’s arms.
Chapter 23