by Zara Stark
Cobalt and Azar sprang toward each other while I was helplessly locked onto Cobalt’s back, jerked around as they clawed and bit at each other. They were the same massive size but Cobalt was a blockier and bulkier dragon just like in their human forms. It made him a touch slower, a weakness that dragon Azar seized on. Cobalt twisted around as Azar shot another fireball out of his mouth at us, the fireball zoomed above my head singing my hair. I screeched patting the embers out of the top of my head. Azar wasn’t messing around, the fire so hot that just being so close to it made my skin break out in a heat rash. I clenched the coin in my hand so tight I could feel the grooves on the edges of the drachma cut into my palm.
Cobalt let out a shrill yelp of pain as Azar’s teeth sunk into his neck, my heart clenched in my chest. Azar sank his foot long fangs deep into Cobalt’s neck, the skin around the but starting to melt. Cobalt tried to bellow again but I could feel his struggle to get the noise out. The spikes he was controlling to stay around me were starting to loosen. I couldn’t let Cobalt die. I couldn’t die like this. My brain hit fuck-it mode, the consequences be damned. A fifty-fifty shot at survival or none at all. The former was the obvious choice. I opened my bleeding hand and tossed it into the air, the coin glittering red from my blood and the light of the Azar’s glowing body. I caught it against my other hand.
I grit my teeth and revealed the coin. Tails.
“What rotten luck,” I gasped as Cobalt’s spikes retreated all around me, sending me off of Cobalt’s back.
“Cobalt!” I screamed falling through the air. Cobalt, still locked within Azar’s jaws, met mine as I fell, his red slit pupils eyes wide with terror for me. He weakly tried to catch me with his tail but Azar clenching on his windpipe weakened him to the point he couldn’t move.
The coin flew from my hand as I plummeted toward the steep incline of Mount Vesuvius, hitting that volcanic rock was going to hurt like a bitch. If I didn’t die on impact, I was going to break bones. My hands fumbled for my deck at my waist as I got closer and closer to the ground. My fingers closed around a card and I pulled it free, spinning it in my shaking hands. I squeezed my eyes shut and activated the card. Nothing.
Something caught me hard around the waist, something long and thick wrapped around my stomach lifting me into the air. My heart leaped with joy. Cobalt had gotten free! He caught me.
I smiled and opened my eyes, coming face to face with the black and gold eyes of dragon Azar. My smile dropped from my face, behind him Cobalt was collapsed on the side of the volcano, unmoving. I looked back at Azar, to meet his eyes.
“Azar, is Cobalt alive?” I asked in a shaking voice.
The dragon pulled me closer to him. The scales on his tail were hot to the touch, burning me through my clothing, not enough to blister but hot enough to be uncomfortable.
I squeezed my card to my chest, unable to look at it. “Azar? Do you know who I am?”
Dragon Azar sent a puff of smoke at me.
“That wouldn’t have happened to be a heart shaped puff of smoke, would it? Like donkey and dragon from Shrek?” I asked, giving him a weak smile. He only squeezed me tighter.
“Come on Azar, you know me, you’re still you, that silly growl laugh. That’s totally my Azar, you have to be in there,” I told him. “It’s me, Octavia! We became friends in preschool when I shared my gushers with you. Remember? We liked dumping sand on Nevada. Remember?”
My pleading voice didn’t seem to be getting through to him at all. My heart pounded in my chest so hard it felt like a punch with every beat.
“Did you pick Vesuvius because of that school project we did in sixth grade? We worked the entire semester on it, remember? We got an A-plus and beat out Nevada. Remember how mad he was? Remember how he tricked Cobalt into running over our model volcano with his motorcycle?” I tried to laugh but tears rolled down my eyes instead, the laugh coming out a sob. “Cobalt’s alive, isn't he? Just a little playful throat biting between friends? I won’t judge you.”
I started to sob harder and reached out for Azar. His head flinched back, I could see a glow building up in his throat. Was this how it ended? Would he shoot me with a fireball next? That was the end, Octavia’s swan song. I leaned forward, worming in Azar’s tail’s tight grasp until I could place a hand on his spiked snout. Up close his scales didn’t look very pink but instead made of so many colors that appeared pink from a distance, veined with red, orange, yellow, black and blue until they blurred into a pinkish hue. He was a beautiful dragon, a beautiful dragon that was about to kill me.
It made sense in a terrible way. Azar was the first of my dragons to meet me, one fateful day in preschool, just out of diapers. Now he would be the last one of them I would see. I wished I could meet death with a brave face. Like I had with Cobalt. Like I had every time they made me fight in the arena like I had when I had faced off with the Concilium warlocks, like when I had told Tartarus off. But something about dying at sweet and funny Azar’s fire broke me. Truly broke me. Azar had always had me back, he had been my true best friend when Cobalt and Raiden had been too old to be interested in me. when Nevada was in constant competition with me in academics, Azar was always there, with a joke or a smile or a prank.
Sobs wracked my body harder. My sweet, loving Azar was gone and all that remained was the monster who had killed Cobalt and was about to kill me. I met death with tear-stained cheeks and a shaking body.
Chapter 15
I continued to sob as Azar placed me gently on my feet, a moment later strong arms wrapped around me, cocooning me in warmth. A face nuzzled into my hair inhaling deeply.
“Octavia?” Azar’s voice jolted me out of my cries. I looked up in shock. A naked and smiled Azar looked down at me, holding me tight.
“Oh my Gods, you’re you again!” I grinned and threw my arms around him.
“I guess so, you started crying and the scent of fear and hopelessness was rolling off of you in waves. I couldn’t take it anymore, I had this overwhelming urge to hold you in my arms, to comfort you, and I managed to shift back,” He pressed a kiss to my temple and squeezed me tighter. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry. It was like I was there but I was buried alive, trying to dig my way out back to the surface to get control back over myself.”
“It’s okay Azar, you weren’t you but you’re back now,” I smiled at him but the smile dropped when my eyes drifted to Cobalt’s draconic body. “Cobalt!”
I broke free from Azar’s hug and ran to Cobalt, Azar following right behind me.
“Cobalt!” I yelled again. Please be alive, I thought. For your sake and Azar’s. Killing Cobalt would kill Azar from guilt.
I ran to Cobalt and slid in the rock next to him, still in his dragon form, his massive head was slumped into the rock. I ran my hand down his large bloody neck, feeling for a pulse. My hand was shaking so hard, I couldn’t keep it still long enough to check.
“Gods,” Azar whispered next to me.
The tarot card in my other hand began to glow red. I held it up, seeing a hooded man holding a staff close to his chest and a holding out a lantern with a glowing star carved in the center. The Hermit card. On instinct. I held the card over Cobalt passing it back and forth over his next. Cobalt’s neck began to glow the same eerie red as the card. The giant fang gouges in his neck began to slowly heal.
“He’s healing!” Azar cheered. “What are those wooden cards?”
“Boy do I got a lot to fill you in on!” I turned to grin at him. As I continued to pour magic into the card and heal Cobalt, I filled Azar in on fighting the Concilium, Tartarus and my new friends.
“Tefra survived? Horse dude survived?” Azar asked shocked.
“Yeah, I guess so,” I shrugged. “And that’s prince horse dude to you. They went to go take back his kingdom or something.”
I gestured to the feather in my hair. “I’m supposed to pluck this out if I want them to find me. They said they would help with our coup against the Concilium.”
“I don�
��t like you wearing that phoenix’s feather in your hair,” Azar glared at the feather like it was the root of all of his problems.
“Did you miss when I said that it is solely for communication purposes. An ancient, magical version of the beeper?” I droned at him.
“You’re still wearing the mark of another man,” Azar narrowed his eyes even more.
“You and Cobalt both,” I shook my head. “So jealous and silly. You know I only have eyes for you guys. Did you miss when I said that Mab has staked her claim on them?”
“Just because a dragon stakes their claim on a non-dragon, it doesn’t mean that the non-dragon has to go for it. You could’ve rejected us easily,” Azar told me.
“No way! I would never! You guys are all I’ve ever wanted, even when I didn’t realize what I was missing. I might be your soulmate that much is clear but you guys are my soulmates too, I’ve got no doubt about it,” I told him.
Azar shrugged. “They’re in a weird situation. You’ve got four dragon males who knew their entire lives they were going to share a mate. Mab is a female dragon who is somehow going to have to convince one dragon and three non-dragons to share.”
I winced.
“And one is like half-horse, how does that shit work?” Azar gagged.
“Whatever you do, do NOT google it,” I laughed. “But in all honesty, he can shift human. His centaur form is his warrior form.”
“Oh, that makes me feel better, I was getting some weird mental images there.”
“I bet you were you nasty pervert,” I laughed. “And I’m sure Mab cares a whole ton about your opinion.”
“I mean I guess it’s only fair that Tefra gave you his feather after all Mab loved to flirt with Nevada and Cobalt,” Azar laughed.
“I must be in hell, my entire body hurts and all I hear is Azar’s obnoxious laugh,” Cobalt grumbled and I looked back from Azar to him. He was fully shifted back and sitting naked in the dirt.
“You’re alive!” Azar and I yelled at once. Azar went to hug him but stopped.
“I’d hug you but we’re both naked,” Azar laughed. “Sorry about gravely injuring you.”
“You fucking asshole!” Cobalt snapped.
“Well nevermind, I take it back and I’d do it again,” Azar snapped back.
They marched up to each other and got in each other’s faces but not close enough to touch.
“I know I said you guys are only allowed to fight each other if you’re naked and in a kiddie pool full of jello but can we not do this on a volcano? Or without a pool of jello?” I asked, standing off to the side of them. I deactivated my Hermit card and tucked it back into my holster. “Please?”
“I concur with your female,” A deep voice rang out from behind us. We all turned to the edge of the volcano to wear the tallest man I had ever seen. Dark curls framed his handsome but scarred face, he wore blacksmith leathers and peeking out from his skirt was one leg made completely of metal. He held a hammer in one hand, resting at his side, his other scratched at his jawline.
Azar and Cobalt immediately backed off from each other and stood in front of me, shielding me from the man.
“There is no need to do that, I do not mean your female any harm right now,” The man drawled. “I merely wanted to see what all the commotion was about.”
“And you are?” I asked.
He quirked an eyebrow at me, his sharp-featured face was no amused. “You don’t recognize me.”
“I think I’d remember a super tall man with a metal leg, no offense,” I told him. “Sorry.”
He looked away for a minute, deep in thought before turning back. “I suppose it doesn’t matter. I’m Vulcan.”
“Star Trek?!” I pipped up before I could help myself.
“The God,” Cobalt grumbled. “The Blacksmith God.”
“And fire,” Azar chimed in.
Vulcan seemed to notice Cobalt for the first time. “I came out to complain that you defeated my guard dragon but look what showed up for me. A metal dragon. As rare as rare can be.”
“Not for you, for him,” Cobalt snapped, pointing at Azar. I shoved down a groan, I thought meeting a god might make the group of us more respectful. But apparently, we were the same asshole whether we were dealing with opponents in the arena or literal deities that could smite us down in a second flat.
“Sorry, uh Mr. Vulcan but they kind of belong to me,” I gestured to my neck. Vulcan’s eyes widened on my neck markings.
“Then why have I had your dragon for nearly two months?” Vulcan sighed.
“Long story short, we were separated by the Concilium,” I started, trying to think of a polite way to respond. “Was he any trouble?”
“Why the hell are you here in Pompeii?” Cobalt interrupted me.
“Just because you are rare, doesn’t mean I won’t smite you down,” Vulcan snapped at Cobalt.
“If you could, theGodswouldn’t have made a deal with the Concilium. If you could, you wouldn’t have needed a dragon to guard you. What the hell did you rope Azar into?” Cobalt asked.
“To guard my forge of course,” He gestured to the volcano then grinned. “It’s not often a dragon hits their thousand battles. If one is powerful enough to do so, they are definitely worthy of guarding my forge against theft.”
“And who is trying to steal from a god?” I asked.
“You’re looking at the world’s only creator of Deorum Occisor, god killers, other gods, demigods, heroes, dragons and pretty much every other creature under the sun has had a vendetta against the gods. You would be surprised how often I have visitors, Azar as you call him, ate a dozen or so questers in his short time as a guard,” Vulcan shrugged. “Many winners of the Dragon Gladiator Games as well, so angry at theGodsand the Concilium. Is that your plan? To take on the Concilium?”
“Are you going to kill us too?” I asked, not answering his question.
“If you intend to overstay your welcome,” Vulcan gave me an eerie grin. “Though I am curious, what your plans are now that you’ve hit your thousand. You’ve got two more marks on your neck, will you go for your other two?”
“Obviously,” Azar answered for me.
“Do you know where to find your next dragon?” Vulcan asked.
“No idea,” I sighed, shaking my head.
“Perhaps I can help with that, facilitate contact with someone who can find your dragons for you, for a price of course,” The God grinned.
“What do you want?” Cobalt growled.
“For the information, she usually takes a drachma,” Vulcan pointed at the golden coin that I had dropped during the struggle. Stuck between two rocks, the coin pointed up, shining in the light. “As for me, I’ll take something from the metal dragon.”
“Cobalt,” Azar corrected him.
“An auspicious name, one of the hardest metals,” Vulcan nodded.
“One of the hardest metals? There’s a joke in there somewhere,” Azar whispered to me and I giggled, elbowing him in the side
“What do you want for payment?” I spoke up before Cobalt could say something horrible again.
“Rhodium,” Vulcan said simply.
“Rhodium, what’s that? It sounds like Pokemon’s name,” Azar asked.
“The rarest metal on earth,” Vulcan looked from Azar and I to Cobalt, staring intensely into his eyes. “A group nine transition metal just like Cobalt. It’s only been found naturally in platinum ore but a rare dragon-like yourself can isolate the Rhodium for me can’t you? Can you provide me with some Rhodium, metal dragon?”
Cobalt shook next to me. Cobalt really did not like to get bossed around or condescended.
“I’ll do it,” He bit out.
“Alright then, you may come into my domain,” Vulcan grinned. “I’ll get you your information.”
Azar bent down and picked up the coin, passing it into my hand. I squeezed the coin, part of me felt sad that I would be giving the coin away. But for information on Raiden and Nevada, I would do anythi
ng.
Vulcan rounded in on us, his metal lang clanging against the rock, and we all instinctively stepped away.
“How are we going to get into my forge if you won’t let me take you? Calm yourselves, I want that Rhodium, I won’t compromise that. Perhaps this will be the start of a friendship, information for more precious metals. Iridium next time?”
“Why not some Vibranium?” Azar chimed in.
“I know all metals on this planet, fire dragon, I’ve never heard of Vibranium,” Vulcan sighed.
