Free Fly by Midnight by Lauren Quick Page B

case was turning darker by the second. She curled up in an old worn armchair, tucking her legs under her.
    January draped a knitted throw over the younger witch’s lap and pointed her wand at a small stone fireplace, which erupted in a blazing fire. “It gets a little chilly down here. Take your time, and I’ll be upstairs if you need me. I hope the book serves you well.”
    Honora read through the pages, trying to understand the witches and wizards who dedicated their lives to protecting the witching world. She, like most witches, took her safety for granted. There were dangers in Everland, like in all societies; dark and light were essential, keeping balance, but she hadn’t realized the dangers that existed on the other side of the wall.
    A few months ago, she and her sisters used an old family heirloom, a scrying mirror, to spy on a dark wizard called the Darklander, who lived out in the Dire Woods. He supported an underground faction of wizards who wanted to reunite the witching and Otherworld. Some of the Darklander’s followers even used magic to physically transform their appearance with traits of Otherworldly creatures. Could his minions be helping the creatures of the Otherworld bring down the wall?
    The magical spells in The Manual of Protection were advanced, even completely foreign, to her. The pages were filled with spells to repel any magical creature she could think of, from keeping flying beasts like dragons and raptors at bay to avoiding an infestation of vampires to warding off a traveling pack of werewolves. There were guards against ghouls and goblins and repellants for trolls, ogres, and every kind of woodland spirit.
    From what Honora could glean from the book, four wardens were on duty at all times, but their ranks were many. One was stationed at each direction of the compass—north, south, east, and west—plus another stationed at the center, called the inventor. The exact locations were not listed. It also didn’t indicate how many wardens there were in total, but she assumed there had to be dozens.
    Talk about a secret society. The wardens were the biggest deterrent to an invasion of Everland. The idea of creatures chipping away at the wall, trying to break into their world, both frightened and angered Honora. Was their way of life so fragile? A dull ache was forming behind her eyes. She had to get out of the basement, get some fresh air, and clear her head.
    A loud bang from upstairs startled her. A scream shattered the air.
    With the book tucked under her arm, Honora jumped to her feet and took the stairs two at a time, making her way back to the main floor. She peered around the corner. “January?” she asked in a low voice. “Everything all right up here?”
    “No,” the shop’s owner mumbled. January was slumped on the floor behind the counter, with a bloody red gash on her forehead.
    Honora raced to her side. “What happened?”
    “I don’t know. I was putting some things away and all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in my head.”
    “Take it easy,” Honora said, helping January to her feet, but her senses were on high alert. “Was it a robbery?”
    “No, I don’t think so. I’m fine. Just be careful. I don’t know where he went.” She pulled out of Honora’s grasp, her eyes flashing. “Watch out! He’s behind you!”
    Honora caught his reflection in an old mirror. A tall and pale wizard dressed in black leather lurched toward her, but she spun around at the last second and blocked his punch with the book, deflecting his fist.
    He reared back and threw a counterblow, this time grazing Honora on the forehead and sending her off balance and stumbling into a shelf. Seeing an opportunity, the wizard charged forward, grabbed Honora, and threw her at a display table. He swooped down, snatched up The Manual of Protection , and raced out of the shop.
    Honora jumped to her feet. “No! He took the book!” She ran over to January, who had climbed up on her stool, pressing a