Free Seal of Solomon (Journeyman Book 2) by Golden Czermak

into?”
    There was a loud crash , followed by another, and then another, all rising to a deafening clatter. An army of gray hands, lifeless and countless, had slammed against the windows, blocking the view outside. They pressed hard on the splintering glass and it had little choice but to give way.
    “Shit!” she yelled, turning to run, but not before the panes shattered and all those twisted arms came at her like serpents.
    “ De malorum via! ” a sudden voice rumbled, powerful enough to cause the terrors to recoil.
    Adrienne felt airy again, warmth percolating from her chest all the way out to her extremities as a light enveloped the surroundings. Then a force pulled hard, like a rope around her waist, dragging her deep down before she fell upon on a cold, rocky slab.
    The wind was knocked out of her and she laid still. No bones were broken and despite a lingering soreness around her midsection, there was no other pain. Calmly she stood, despite the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Before her was the edge of a vast precipice, plunging way down into the churning clouds below.
    “Well, no going that way.”
    She brushed away the loose dust that had collected on her short denim vest, which had somehow appeared on her out of thin air. In fact, her whole outfit had changed: the vest slung over a red tank while tight blue jeans trailed down to a pair of sturdy hiking boots.
    A terrible roar came from above, drawing her attention. Sitting atop a floating rock was Gage’s house; the whole thing was there in utter ruin. Outside, two monstrous shapes like blobs of living ink scurried around, searching for something. Hunting it. Their many-armed tendrils lanced through windows and walls alike, tearing down what little remained standing.
    Her instincts told her they were more than likely seeking her out and that she best be on her way. It was easier said than done though, as she didn't have the faintest idea where to go.
    Gage, where are you? I could really do with some of that grizzly charm right now.
    Since the way forward was impassable, she had no choice but to go in the opposite direction. Upon turning, she took a step and stopped dead in her tracks. An old man, chin full of white scruff barely visible beneath the hooded robes he wore, was blocking her way.
    She reached for her weapons, normally holstered on her belt, but found none.
    “Who are you?”
    “Shhh! Quiet!” he whispered sharply, pointing up. The creatures had paused, distracted by the noise. Snarling came from unseen mouths before they resumed the hunt. “We do not want to draw their attention.”
    “What are they?” she asked, completely at a loss. She had never seen anything like them before.
    The man shuffled around, plucking a staff out of thin air. He began to creep away along the craggy surface, which extended far off toward the horizon. “More on that later,” he muttered. “For now, we must get out of here. Come on this way, toward the light.”
    She was steadfast. “Why should I trust you?”
    “Because you must. Now hurry.”
    “Then tell me who you are!”
    “Oh for Heaven’s sake,” he groaned. “There isn’t that much time. I know this must all be quite strange and disorienting for you, having only just arrived, but you must trust me even if only for now. Just think of me as a wanderer who happened to be in the right place at the right time to save a girl who shouldn’t even be here. Now please, I will answer more of your questions later. Come.”
    Against her better judgment she agreed, falling in behind him. She stayed close, but not too much so. At this distance she was able to study his drab brown robes in detail, noting an intricately woven pattern in the long flowing fabric. Quite ornate for such an otherwise uninspired garment, she supposed it could have been an old ceremonial robe.
    They walked on for what seemed like hours, though without a true frame of reference it was difficult to tell how much time had