Bad Apple (The Warner Grimoire) by Clay Held Read Free Book Online

his coat. Did he have a gun? There was no time to tell--Sam had disappeared through the door and Molly had scooped Zoey into her arms.
    Simon was startled by the alarm. “What’s happening?” He started towards the door but Nathan had his hand out, blocking him.
    “Stay up here. You need--” Something flickered across Nathan’s face and he paused. He tapped his fingers rapidly against his thumb, like flipping through a mental book, picking though his thoughts. He must have found the page he was looking for, because he suddenly locked eyes on Simon. “Did Boeman do anything...odd when he was here?”
    “Odd?” It was a stupid response, but the best Simon could think of with all the noise..
    More mental flipping. “Yes, odd. Strange. Fantastic. Anything--” he waved his hands excitedly in front of him--“poofy?”
    “Poofy?”
    “Yes,” Nathan said. “Abraca-pocus. Hocus hokum.” More hand waving, this time angrier. “You know, poofy . Big stuff . MAGIC! ”
    “No,” Simon said tentatively. The image of pumpkins suddenly flashed through his mind. “Wait, yes.” He struggled to keep his thoughts in order. “He lit some candles. He flicked his fingers and they just lit. That was...poofy?”
    “Pyromancy.” Nathan heaved a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. “Spellfire. We all need to get out of here.” He grabbed Simon and made for the door.
    Sam reappeared in the doorway. “Hurry! I got the back door open! Don’t wait just go!” Molly ran through the door first, Zoey still cradled in her arms. Simon followed, taking the steps down two at a time, Nathan closely behind him.
    Intense heat roared up the back hallway, stealing Simon’s breath away. Emerald fire licking furiously at the doorway from the kitchen. Sam stood by the kitchen door, his hands out wide in front of him. His eyes were jammed shut, and his lips were moving, but Simon could not hear what he was saying over the roar of the flames. Suddenly Sam looked back at them, and his eyes glowed a vibrant, brilliant, electric blue.
    Shock, then fear paralyzed Simon. He stood there in shock at what he was seeing. He barely felt Nathan grab him by the collar and pull him towards the back door. “Let me go!” he suddenly screamed, afraid to let Sam out of his sight.
    “No time! Simon, c’mon!” Nathan dragged him out the back door into the alley. Their feet crunched through the leaves as they ran free of the burning building.
    “Mommy?” Zoey had finally woken up. She lifted her head slowly, the sleep still thick in her eyes. “What’s happening?”
    “There was an accident, honey. Kitchen fire.” Molly held Zoey’s head close to her chest. She turned to Nathan and spoke as near to calm as she could. “Do you have a phone?”
    Nathan shook his head. “Me and them don’t mix. Last one burned out when Sam called.”
    Simon shoved past Nathan. “The firehouse is right across the street. I’ll get them!”
    Nathan grabbed Simon’s shoulder. “Spellfire is stubborn,” he said. “It won’t go out easily.
    “I’m not letting either of you out of my sight.” Molly shifted Zoey to her other arm. “C’mon. We’re going there together.” She turned and started walking briskly up the alleyway. Behind them the flames burst suddenly out the door, a sharp blast of heating hitting all of them.
    Simon stared at the back door. He broke out in a cold sweat. “What about Sam? Why isn’t he coming out?”
    “He will.” A moment passed, then Nathan suddenly reached inside his coat pocket. His hand came out with something Simon could not identify. “Wait here,” he said, heading towards the door.
    “I”m coming with you,” Simon said. The words had no sooner left his mouth when he felt his shoes suddenly stick to the ground. He looked at Nathan, who only shrugged and bolted back in the rear door. Poofy , Simon thought.
    “Simon!” Molly yelled from the corner, her composure starting to crack. “Stay with me!”
    Simon found he