Dark Skies: Book 3 of the Imagination Academy Series

Chapter 9: Charge

School has just finished. It was quite pleasant, but now, I don't know what to do with my free time before bed.

A siren starts wailing. I jump, and quickly, with Ripple on my shoulder, leap into the air.

A huge black mass of Terrors is coming towards us. I roll my eyes. {Again?}

One flies ahead of the rest. We go to greet it.

Its voice is flat, monotone. It is being controlled by someone... "Give us the gem of power."

I am surprised. What gem of power? I might get some information from it, though. "What gem?"

"Do not be stupid. You have the gem."

"No! What is this "gem of power"?"

The thing's resolve falters for just a second. "You must know about the gem. The largest sapphire ever to be found, and then lost to the sands of time... and you have it."

"Where was it lost?" I ask.

"Why should you get to know?"

I decide to lie. "Because I already know where it was lost, but I'm not sure you do."

"Where was it lost, then?"

Mocking it, I say, "Why should you get to know?"

"Oh well. You already know, so that means you have it. It was lost somewhere in the Sahara Desert."

{Wonderful. Just wonderful.}

Meanwhile, the army has gotten closer. "Seize them!" the first one says. "They have the jewel!"

The whole army surges forward, murder in their eyes.