by Sarah Noffke
“One more!” Sophia exclaimed, watching as the meter rose one bar. Almost there, she thought.
She glanced up to spot Mahkah throw an attack back at a fighter jet, making it slam into another one.
Blowing out a breath, she marveled at the sheer power that unsuspecting magician had.
However, his attack had cost him the offensive, and now he had two missiles after him. “Get out of there!” Sophia yelled.
He knew she was right and sped away, trying to outrace the attacks.
“Portal, man!” Evan encouraged. “I’ve got this.”
Mahkah didn’t appear willing to abandon his team, but with the missiles closing in on him, he had little choice.
The meter rose another notch. “We’re there,” Sophia exclaimed. “Hitting the button now!”
That was the last thing Mahkah needed to hear. He opened a portal and disappeared. Evan, who needed to get out of there as soon as she pressed the button did so as well.
Sophia held her breath and pushed the red button, knowing she was close enough to watch what happened, but hopefully far enough away to not feel its effects. She looked at the Great Library beside her, seeing Liv and Plato watching from the windows, grateful she could protect the structure, and her friends.
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Eight
Grinding his fingers into his fist, Nevin nearly yelled. He couldn’t believe the dragonrider had gotten away with Rudolf.
He shook his head. It didn’t matter.
Nevin still knew the book they were looking for. The pilot of the helicopter knew.
He pressed his finger to his ear. “Go on to the Great Library. Get me that book. Now!”
The helicopter that had been hovering in place began to progress toward the Great Library. He might have lost the king of the fae, but Nevin still had what he needed. Soon he’d have the book, and then he’d flatten the place. Everything would work out, even if the obnoxious dragonriders had tried to ruin everything by showing up.
Like the cowards they were, they’d stolen the king of the fae back and then retreated, too scared to face his army. Too bad for them, they didn’t know what he had planned for their precious library.
Nevin’s frustration turned to laughter as he started his celebration early.
Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Nine
To Sophia’s horror, the magitech helicopter she’d hooked onto with the CAR was speeding toward the Great Library, the rest of the fleet following. They were a fair distance away and wouldn’t make it close enough in time, but the helicopter was nearer and could cause problems.
If it exploded by the Great Library, it could damage it. She and Lunis were beside it. They couldn’t move. Not until the detonation happened.
Sophia did the only thing she knew. It was her or the Great Library. The choice was easy, even if it broke her heart.
Taking down the cloaking spell, Sophia made herself visible to the magitech helicopter.
The pilot saw her immediately. She knew it because they turned in her direction, away from the Great Library, as she sped away on Lunis. She was careful to maintain the proper distance for the CAR to stay locked on the magitech army, now speeding in her direction too.
Things had gone from good to horrible in seconds. She didn’t have anyone to rely on, everyone else having left through the portals. They would believe it was all wrapped up. The army would explode, and then Sophia would join them for a celebration and the press conference where Nevin Gooseman was ruined. What they didn’t realize, and what Sophia was coming to terms with, was that she’d be watching them from the heavens—if at all.
Chapter One Hundred Forty
“We have to help her!” Liv screamed from the Great Library, disbelieving she was watching as a magitech ready to explode within seconds was racing after her little sister.
“We can’t,” Plato told her. “We have to go. It’s time for the Great Library to be moved.”
“Plato!” Liv yelled, tears streaming down her face, her heart fracturing. “That’s my little sister. That’s my world, and she’s about to go down to protect this place. It can stay because I would rather it be destroyed than her.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying, Liv,” Plato advised. “The death of one isn’t worth the greater good!”
“How dare you! She’s the best thing that ever happened to me!” Liv fired.
“Sophia knows what she risked being here,” Plato said sternly. “This world was scheduled to perish if something happened to the Great Library, and she changed that. She shifted the timeline and changed history. You should be proud.”
Liv screamed her anger, all she could feel. “Proud? My little sister is about to die, and all so a bunch of idiots on this globe can go on to destroy each other!”
“Have a little faith,” Plato said, looking away from her and out the window.
Liv forced herself to look as her sister raced on the magnificent dragon known as Lunis. Suddenly something bright sparkled off Sophia. It was almost too much for Liv, making her tilt her head to the side. Then she recovered and noticed the evening sunlight was reflecting off Sophia’s earrings, and the effect was almost blinding. Even from that distance, it was almost too much for Liv to look at. It was entirely too much for the pilot of the magitech helicopter, causing him to slow and then retreat and giving Sophia and Lunis the chance to get away from their pursuers.
“It’s time, Liv,” Plato reminded her just as an explosion rocked the foundation of the Great Library, making everything shake around them.
Chapter One Hundred Forty-One
Sophia could hardly believe it! The earrings Mama Jamba had given her for her birthday had actually saved her life, giving her and Lunis the chance to get away from the magitech helicopter.
She and Lunis raced away, and only felt a fraction of the heat from the blast as the CAR did its job, exploding all the magitech it had caught.
The helicopter. The fighter jets. The army racing toward the Great Library. They all exploded, turning the blue skies above the ocean to orange and red, making it appear that the sunset had happened early on the horizon, and sending sparks of sunlight everywhere.
Sophia shielded her eyes as she looked over her shoulder as Lunis continued to put distance between them and the heat of the explosion. She watched as metal crashed down into the ocean waters, and splashes rose up, followed by steam and more explosions.
When they were at a safe distance, Lunis paused and spun around, knowing Sophia needed this moment to rejoice and to feel grateful for all they’d accomplished.
You did good, her dragon said to her, a thoughtful pride in his voice.
She laid down on him, feeling the CAR under her. “I could never do anything without you.”
She felt him smile, as though the gesture had spread across her own lips. What you don’t understand is the sun will rise tomorrow because of you. Solely because you’re brave enough to do what most won’t. Today you changed history. Tomorrow, who knows what you’ll do?
“I hope to sleep,” she said longingly.
Then it sounds like I should take you home, he said, and Sophia opened a portal just as the Great Library disappeared from view. She only caught it briefly as they disappeared, returning to the place she hoped to always call home. And hoped never disappeared.
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Two
“Noo!” Nevin yelled, feeling the floor under him vibrate from the explosions of his magitech army being demolished. He couldn’t believe it!
This victory had surely been his. He had all but been able to taste it.
Then everything had shifted. Just when he thought his magitech helicopter would catch the evil dragonrider and his army would level the Great Library, they’d all gone up in flames. Now he was watching from the rooftop as the billion-dollar military force he’d spent years creating was raining down into the ocean.
The Dragon Elite had done this. Now they were going to pay more than ever. He was going to ruin them for g
ood. He knew where the Great Library was, and he would take it down with every gun the United States military had.
Then something weird happened. Something was wrong. The Great Library flickered like it had been an illusion all along, although he knew that was impossible. It did it several times until the building, which wasn’t big to begin with, disappeared altogether, vanishing from view. It was gone as if it had been destroyed. That didn’t make any sense because his army was also gone, sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
Yet, there was no Great Library. Just a rock where it once sat.
“Sir,” a man said at Nevin’s back. “There’s something you need to see.”
“What is it?” Nevin boomed, his hostility at an all-time high.
“It’s the national news,” the security guard stated. “It’s about you. The leader of the Dragon Elite is making a public statement.”
Nevin sped off the rooftop to the living area, where he had his security and admin support set up, to find televisions all blaring the same report. Hiker Wallace had finally made an appearance, but there was no Mother Nature next to him.
Instead, he was holding up a piece of paper, a smug look on the dragonrider’s face. “Here I have a detailed report taken from Nevin Gooseman’s personal computer dating back to two years ago when he manufactured the disease called distortion that infected magicians and elves. This evidence, which the Dragon Elite have turned over to authorities, links Nevin Gooseman not just to the disease of distortion, but to being responsible for it.” The leader of the Dragon Elite looked at the camera. “Looks like it’s your turn, Nevin, to do some explaining. Try and discredit the Dragon Elite, and we will persevere because we are on the side of good. We are the true protectors of this planet. We are the supreme authority to rule over all. Deal with it.”
Nevin yelled so loud that every one of his employees looked at him with fear. He had lost everything. He had been discredited. He had been defeated.
Sadistically he smiled despite the loss. There was no place further down for a man of his status to go. Before, it had been about making the world a better place.
Now it was war. The Dragon Elite was going down. He had nothing left to lose. The dragonriders had taken everything from him already, and they’d pay.
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three
The Great Library had disappeared, but Liv assured Sophia it was fine, and she’d find out more information on it soon. The portal through the Castle would be open soon, once it was in place. Apparently, once the librarian was found. That bit of information was also surrounded by hints from Liv, but Sophia decided after her recent adventures that she could wait to learn the details.
Once she’d returned to the Castle, she’d found the guys ready to embrace her and celebrate, as the world learned the truth about Nevin Gooseman, and the man was totally discredited. With that, the Dragon Elite was getting back their well-earned reputation.
However, there was no time for celebrations because Sophia had gotten word from both Bep and Jeremy Bearimy that the healing elixir and Ainsley’s dress were ready. Sophia wasn’t off her dragon for more than a few minutes before she was portaling back to Roya Lane.
She returned to find Hiker standing at the Barrier, waiting for her, having heard where and what she’d left for. He was wearing a smart suit, having dressed for his press conference.
“You have it?” he asked, looking at the dress box in her hands, his eyes scanning for the potion.
“It’s in my cloak pocket,” she explained.
He nodded, but he didn’t look relieved by the information.
“Should we do it now?” Sophia asked him, giving him the large box that contained Ainsley’s dress from Jeremy Bearimy.
“It’s up to Ainsley,” he stated, heading for the Castle, not walking with his normal urgency.
“Sir,” Sophia began, realizing they hadn’t had a chance to discuss Nevin Gooseman or their recent victory.
He glanced at her.
“We did it,” she told him with a triumphant smile.
Hiker nodded. “That’s what we do. After this, rest up, Sophia because the next battle will be approaching.”
“Do they ever stop?” she asked.
“Not in my time, they haven’t, but the world is a different place now.”
“Why is that?” Sophia asked, curious.
“Because you’re in it, and you don’t stop,” he told her. “I know that you almost died at Zanzibar, although the others don’t.”
“How?” she asked.
He cut his eyes at her. “Bell was there watching for me.”
“Oh.” Sophia was happy that if she had died, someone she knew would have been there.
“You could have portaled,” he began, but she cut him off.
“That would have ruined the CAR,” she argued.
Hiker nodded. “That’s what I mean. The world has gone to shit because when things got tough, cowards were the ones fighting. Most would have saved themselves, but you didn’t. You stayed. You fought. Even knowing you might have died alone. I was right to make you my second in command.” He glanced down at the dress box. “Again, you helped me. Let’s hope that now I can help myself.”
“She’ll be okay,” Sophia said. They both knew she was referring to Ainsley.
He pressed his lips together. “She will. I just wonder what will happen in her absence.”
Chapter One Hundred Forty-Four
“I don’t really feel any different,” Ainsley said after drinking the healing elixir Sophia had given her. They stood in the entryway of the Castle, all eyes on the elf.
“I don’t think you will,” Sophia explained. “I think it’s just that you can now leave the Gullington without consequence.”
Ainsley nodded. This realization didn’t seem to be making her as happy as she had been bragging it would. “Well, then I guess I’ll be setting off soon. I just have to gather my things and ensure that Trin is okay and—”
“When you’re ready,” Hiker interrupted. “No rush.”
Ainsley pulled in a long breath. “I think I’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning before the sun comes up. I like the idea of being gone before you’re all up. Before you can see me off. That way…” Her mouth formed an odd shape like she was having trouble keeping it together. “That way,” she began again. “You won’t remember me leaving. It will be like I was never here.”
“There’s no reality where that would happen,” Mahkah spoke for all of them.
“It won’t be the same without you.” Surprisingly, it was Evan who said that.
“Ains,” Wilder said, emotion springing to his face. “You were the first person I saw when I came to the Gullington. Do you remember what you said to me when I walked into the Castle?”
“Take off your boots, I just mopped!” she exclaimed.
He laughed. “Then you said it every time I ever walked through the door.”
She shook her head. “You think you would have learned after a few decades.”
Wilder gave her a sentimental expression. “I did. I just liked being reminded of that first time I walked in here, and everything changed for me. My life changed. My mission became clear.”
Ainsley rushed forward and threw her arms around Wilder, holding him tightly before separating and hugging Mahkah and Evan, like they were all the best of friends and didn’t bicker on a daily basis. Which was actually true. There were no friends that were closer than the four who had spent more than a century together as the world recovered from its ailments.
“I have something for you, dear,” Mama Jamba said when Ainsley pulled away from Evan.
She pushed the red hair out of her face and looked down at the small woman. “Yes, Mama? What is it?”
The old woman held up a small ball of wax. “I lied about working on tracking down the demon dragons. I figured that could wait. Instead, I created a time warp for you with Papa Creola’s permission. If you ever want to know how your life would look differentl
y, if things had been different, then you only need to hold this and travel back. It might offer answers. It might offer heartache. After losing so much, I thought it was the one thing you needed.”
Ainsley looked to be having trouble swallowing. “Mama, are you sure…”
“Yes, sweet child,” Mother Nature answered. “You lost your memory for the better part of a few centuries. You forgot your identity. Now you have to come to terms with that and wonder if you should have regrets. I think the only way for you to know for sure is to look back and see how your life would have been different if you made other choices. Be careful, what you learn might change the way you feel.”
Ainsley didn’t hesitate before reaching out and taking the ball of wax. “Thank you. I like this because, as you know, I’ve wondered.”
Mama Jamba nodded and hugged Ainsley.
The shapeshifter turned to face Trin, who appeared reluctant about all this. Ainsley smiled at her and then down at Quiet. “You two are going to work things out. I know it, and if you have any questions, well, don’t call me. I’ll be busy.”
“Thanks for all the advice, Ainsley,” Trin began, but the elf waved her off.
“Oh, shush you,” Ainsley said. “I’ve left you in the best possible hands, and you’re the best possible person for this job.”
Kneeling, Ainsley looked directly at Quiet. “You’re my best friend, and you know that. So what I want to say to you, I don’t have to. Just take care of the rest of them. They surely can’t figure out how to do much without us.”
Quiet nodded and reached his short arms out, throwing them around Ainsley’s shoulders, and held her tightly.
When they separated, Ainsley stood and looked at Sophia, a new tenderness in her eyes.
“None of this would have been possible without you, S. Beaufont,” Ainsley began.
