I had no idea what possessed me, but without thinking, I threw myself off Micah's back to chase after Rylan. I met Aura's crystal blue eyes as I fell from the sky. Micah had not noticed my jumping and took too long to react. His roar rumbled behind me as I dropped through the winds, heading face first to the ground.
This would work. Instincts gave me courage.
A dragon flew past me, its teeth missing me by inches. Aura sensed my intention—the ingorias and I had a special bond not understood by even the princes. She bounded tens of feet in the air and caught me with her back. Her soft fur lessened the impact of my fall.
My wound throbbed in protest, but I was blinded to the ache.
"Run, Aura," I said, sinking my fingers into her fur. That was all she needed before she sprinted to where Vancel took Rylan. Vancel couldn't fly as quickly with Rylan's heavy form. He reminded me of an eagle carrying its prey away, but I swore on both the Drae Lands and my life that I would not let Rylan be torn apart like common prey.
Vancel and Rylan left a trail of liquid red as they moved onward. Red and gray. The color of a violent death.
I was glad I'd decided to save the remainder of my magic. I needed it to save Rylan.
"Faster Aura," I said to my ingoria. She ran as quickly as a dragon could fly. The winds blew in our direction, getting into our eyes. The resistance only kept me more determined. I balanced myself on Aura's torso and tipped my body sideways to look into my satchel. Two pitiful soul beads were filled. I'd used so many in my failed attempts to bring those godforsaken fields alive. The bracelet Bianca gave me had one soul bead filled.
I had only a few spells of medium power to use against Vancel. I couldn’t use the stronger one I’d invented in the Temple of Ashes. This was going to be a tough match.
“Prasei Diodori!” I thought I'd miss, but I'd managed to block Vancel from traveling farther. I'd only formed a small barrier in front of him, and if he went left and right, he would be able to avoid it. The fool was too distracted by his need to advance. He repeatedly slammed his body against the small barrier I created, trying to get past. I would have laughed at how stupid he looked if not for Rylan bleeding out.
"Come down and fight me, Vancel!" I challenged.
We had moved so far away from where the other princes fought. They'd finally managed to get rid of most of the draerins and drerkyns.
They flew toward us. Good. I had to stall Vancel until the brothers had time to get to us.
Vancel took my challenge. He lowered his wings and dipped toward the ground. He was at least three times the size of my dear Aura, but my ingoria was unfazed. She stared at the beast and growled.
Aura liked Rylan, too. It made sense she wouldn't want one of her loved princes to come to harm.
Vancel tossed Rylan aside, dropping him from hundreds of feet in the air.
No more blood poured from Rylan's wing. The wound there was already beginning to stitch up with his dragon-healing abilities. I'd heard dragons who lost both wings were unable to grow them back again, but since Rylan had only lost one, his other was returning.
Vancel stilled. He glowered at me, and I, too, showed I didn't like his company by blasting a mellowed ice spell at his face. He banked his massive head right, letting the spell slide past his cheeks, missing him.
Damn.
I shouldn't have wasted the spell.
He smirked—or at least I swore I saw his dragon smirk—and stalked back to Rylan. He opened his mouth to reveal a hideous row of sharp teeth, with two canines protruding out and over his bottom lip.
My heart sank to my stomach. He couldn't! My ingorias bounded toward him but Vancel easily flicked them away with a swing of his tail.
"You shouldn't play with your prey."
I whipped my gaze to the direction of the voice. Gaean? When did he show up? He was supposed to be back where the princes were. He had his hands in his pockets and moved like a child, walking onward with his foot following the next in a neat line.
I had no luxury to pay attention to the god. He couldn't interfere with this fight because of “free will.”
I tossed my hands out. “Prasei Diodori.”
Vancel growled again when I blocked him from Rylan. I'd used the last of my magic. I had nothing else against Vancel, except for Pointy, which I kept strapped to my waist and was useless against a hidrae like him.
"It's a trick, dear boy," Gaean said. "I would think you smarter than that." He tapped his forehead lightly. "Use your brain. You'd think a large creature like you would have a mind larger than that of a mouse. Her spells are commonplace and simple—not even coming from black magic. Do you really think she can enclose a creature such as a hidrae in her barrier?"
Vancel tipped his head up and flashed his sharp teeth. If a dragon could smile, that would be it.
It was one of the most unsettling sights I’d ever seen.
Black magic.
The words kept ringing in my ears. I could use it.
Everything around me paused. Tingles crawled up my spine. I wouldn’t even have to use any other spells to get Vancel—all I had to do was steal his soul. Black magic came from using souls harvested from higher beings like dragons and humans, but the cost was often the user’s life or sanity. The first queen was the only known account of surviving the magic’s ability to drive the wielder insane.
Es rea misreagou. Kisla misreagou.
The summoning words grew louder in my mind. I could steal Vancel’s soul.
Less than a second had passed but already, the idea had lodged itself in the deepest, darkest corners of my thoughts.
Gaean’s eyes sparkled. “You should try it.”
Was my intent so obvious?
The thunders over the sky grew louder and more violent, as if the goddess herself was trying to stop me. A crack of lightning shot down from the red clouds and hit the ground. The electricity zipped its way through the dying grass and stopped only inches away from my feet.
“It’s all in the name of fun, my love!” Gaean yelled upward.
Aereala didn’t want me to use the dark art. But I had to. I looked at my shaking hands. Vancel had figured out where the boundaries of my shields were. He made a detour, and his teeth were already descending on Rylan’s neck. His razor sharp teeth sank into Rylan’s scales.
No! I had to use the magic and now.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed the other princes’ arrival. Micah sank his weight on Vancel. Crack. Micah swung his neck and threw Vancel as far from Rylan as he could. But that only aggravated the wound Rylan had, and more blood poured from his open scales.
How could one being lose this much blood? A huge puddle of red, unlike any I’d seen before, pooled on the ashen ground.
“Pity,” Gaean said. He shook his head before vanishing. I hadn’t even blinked, and his form disappeared, following the winds.
The brothers had taken care of the smaller dragon-kind. Their bodies now lay with the dead grass. It was just Vancel left, and Vancel stood no chance against Kael, Micah, and Gaius.
They surrounded him, reminding me of a pack of wolves.
He had to pay for what he did to Rylan.
“I used to think you were handsome!” Frederick called from Kael’s back. “You still are but your personality is as ugly as horseshit!”
Vancel’s dragon glowed. The yellow light faded, leaving behind a naked man with no bearings. “Me-ercy . . . mercy please . . .”
“Wait,” Frederick said. “You guys aren’t really going to kill him, are you?”
There was no more mercy for the traitor. Rylan had showed it once, and it resulted in this.
Vancel Gavril cowered. He knelt and placed his head on the ground, before covering his head with his arms to block his view of the dragons who surrounded him.
Kael stepped toward Vancel. He craned his neck up to the sky and a huge roar tore from his throat. I held a tight breath, waiting for Gaius’s jaws to snap through Vancel’s naked form. In
stead, Kael shifted back. His dragon form shrank in the yellow, magical glow. Seconds later, Kael stood before Vancel, placing a hand on his cousin’s head.
“W-what are you doing?” Vancel asked.
Kael shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
What?
He’d harmed my Rylan! Vancel Gavril had to pay. I drew Pointy from its scabbard and wanted to thrust it through Vancel’s chest. Kael shook his head at me. “No, Sera.”
“Why?” The sharpness of my voice startled me. Bianca watched me with a confused expression on Gaius’s back. Gaius was equally puzzled. He longed to snap Vancel Gavril into two.
“We’ve wronged you,” Kael said. “So many years ago, during the rebellion.”
Vancel growled. “I don’t need your apology.” But ambivalence flashed through his eyes. He needed the princes to let him go. “I mean—”
“Go,” Kael said. “The next time I see you, we won’t be as merciful. I hope you find it in your heart to bear forgiveness one day and stop letting your life be ruled by the ugliness of your emotions.”
Vancel shifted back into his black, bestial form with no remorse as soon as Kael gave him the chance. My pulse quickened as I watched him take to the skies. “He should pay for Rylan.”
Kael smirked, but his smile did not light his eyes. “You gave us a chance before,” Kael said. “I’m hoping he’ll learn from his ways.”
“This will come back to haunt us.”
“So be it. But I think I’m a better man for this decision.”
Gaius raised his wings, ready to chase Vancel.
“Gaius,” Kael said, “stop. If we want to get our brother medical help on time, we can’t waste our minutes with Vancel.”
Gaius huffed and looked at Rylan, who’d shifted back into his human form. Blood pooled from the wound, spilling onto the gray grass beneath him. His injuries had stitched back but his skin paled from the blood loss.
Rylan can’t die.
“Let’s get him to Vanjar. Now.” I rushed up to Micah, almost tripping over my feet as Gaius lifted Rylan to his back with his tail.
I ignored the quavering of my voice and heart. The color of Rylan’s skin matched the ashen landscape.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The race to Beyestirya was not fast enough. Every passing second, Rylan inched closer to death.
"Vanjar!" I shouted, the moment we landed in front of her palace steps. I hugged Rylan the entire time. We were traveling on the back of Micah, who shot through the skies at a mad pace.
Tense, Gaius kept looking at his twin. Rylan’s wound on his neck had stitched up with his faster dragon-healing abilities. But his face . . . it was so white. Was it all right that his cheeks were such a pasty color?
"He'll be fine," Gaius said after he shifted back.
"Are you lying?" I asked, watching the others call to their human forms as well.
Gaius tipped a brow. “And why would I?”
"To lie to yourself. Lie to the rest of us."
He sighed and tipped his gaze back to the call castle. "Vanjar! Get your ass out here!"
Theo, Bianca, Frederick, and I had donned woolly clothes to stave off the cold—we'd passed the garments around during the flight here. I was not going to go through another bout of teeth chattering like the last time I came here. I cared less for the chilly winds this time. My worry for Rylan brought enough pain.
Vanjar, the queen of Beyestirya, sister of a madman and also the wife of one, opened the gates of her abode. She sashayed out of the doors and rested her hands on her hips. "Cousins,” she greeted. She pushed up her boobs like she always did.
"Rylan needs a healer," Gaius said. "Quick."
She scowled. "What happened to him?"
"Your brother, that's what."
"You are one big worrier," Kael told me as we sat around the fireplace. The room was too small for all of us, but it was the quickest accommodation Vanjar could find. She had yet to receive approval from Baekeil, her husband and king of Beyestirya, whom I worried would burst in and demand another match with Kael. “Gaius isn’t losing himself with worry, so that’s how you know Rylan will be fine.”
I hugged my arms around Gaius, who had me on his lap. My wound was healing quickly now that the Beyestiryan healers had a look at me. Their medical advancements were better here.
We'd had enough of fighting today. Even Kael looked worn out. His hair was frazzled, tied in a messy ponytail. His angled face had a hard edge.
I glanced at Kael. "That's because I care."
Gaius kissed me, leaving an earthy scent on my mouth. "I already told you he'll be okay. We're hidraes. It takes a lot to kill us."
"Doesn't matter what you are. I don't want any of you hurt." I rested my face into the crook of his neck, sucking in his warmth, his presence intoxicating.
Frederick often complained about our public displays of affection, but he was too busy cuddling with Torley. The both of them shared a couch and fell asleep. He was shaken by what he had to go through the princes' backs. Said he thought he might have lost his head multiple times.
I pried myself away from Gaius’s arms and strode up to Bianca. She stared out the window and at the bright snow. The white light from outside streamed through the glass and reflected off her dainty features.
I tapped her on her shoulder, gaining her attention. "Sorry about what happened."
"You were trying to protect us," Bianca said, spinning around and offering a small smile.
"Failing miserably."
Bianca leaned forward and hugged me. She cared little that a mere graze from me might send unimaginable pain through her. My jaw dropped, and words left me.
"We're still here, aren't we? Thank you, Sera, for everything."
"Um, you're welcome."
Bianca chuckled. "Besides, Father took it well. He cried throughout the entire battle but now he pretends it never happened. He's already thinking about how to make himself comfortable in this place."
I watched Theo Cadriel as he impatiently tapped his foot on the ground. He wore a scowl worse than a troll's.
He met my eyes. "They're making us wait an awfully long time."
"They're giving us refuge, you spoiled man," I said. "Be patient."
"So," Bianca said, "what now?"
"What now?"
"We've left Constanria behind, haven't we?"
I nodded in agreement. I had gotten so used to the life there, I wasn't really sure where to go. Should I be the beacon in my remaining time? Be another symbol of hope for the people? The people weren't starving. Not yet. The fields were dying but Beyestirya had learned to keep an ample supply of stores after their famine last year. Vanjar did tell me the Beyestiryans’ reactions to the red skies were negative. The people had heard of our expedition to Gai from Baekeil, who had proudly announced it to the world, and we were likely blamed for that.
If I chose to be a political symbol, I wouldn't have any time with the princes. The remainder of my time would be spent with hearings and meetings. I didn't know when Aereala would come.
"We live life quietly," I said to Bianca. "Try to make the best of our days. Is that all right with you?" She had fit so well among the Constanrian nobles.
"I just want to work on my art," Bianca replied. "I don't care where."
I smiled. Would the princes like that? When I met their gazes, I realized they did.
We would make the best of our remaining days, and I could return to being unseen, but this time, with good company.
Epilogue
I hadn't realized my mother had spoiled me until now. She might have made me work long shifts in the latrines, but she never made me cook dinner. Maybe it was because she didn't want me close to the food. She left me hungrier than Bianca and Father most of the time, and she knew I'd inhale all the potatoes if she'd left me too long with them.
"Carrots," Frederick cursed. "What in dragon's name is this?" He picked up the piece of vegetable I'd chopped and lifted it up to inspect it.
"You just said it," I replied.
"It's not even difficult to chop carrots," Frederick said. "I asked you to julienne them, not give me strange, oblong chunks."
"I don't even know who 'Julienne' is. Am I supposed to know him?"
Frederick gaped at me. "You know the names of hundreds of species of plants. And you don't know the meaning of that word?"
"How many times have you seen me in a kitchen?" I'd offered to help because I didn't do enough around here. The princes—not princes anymore, even though they would always be the princes of my heart—were working, and Frederick, Torley, and Bianca took care of the household chores. Frederick was going to look for a job soon, too. The prices of food were going up faster than a dragon's column of flame.
In my opinion, we were doing a great job of handling our commoner lives. The princes had even gotten used to shirts, much to my dissatisfaction.
I wanted to look for a job over the next couple of weeks, since I was apparently useless at doing chores, but everyone told me to enjoy my time the best I could, since I didn't have much left.
"These are expensive," Frederick said. He scowled at me. Back in the council, it was me who often scowled at him. He dragged Bianca over, who was busy stirring soup. "Bianca, help me with the carrots. I need to check on the roast. Oh, it's so hard to plan dinner for so many people."
"You don't have to," I said. "The princes like their cuts burnt, and I don't think they're even going to touch the soup."
"It's not always that we have fresh vegetables to eat. I want something sumptuous."
Bianca picked a carrot off the cutting board and appraised my handiwork. "Wow, Sera. These are terrible."
I narrowed my eyes at her.
She smiled sheepishly at me. "Why don't you go read a book or something?"
"Read a book." Was that all I was good for?
Huffing, I stomped out of the kitchens. I wasn't used to lounging around all the time. I spotted Micah and Gaius in the living room, setting their satchels down. Micah had gotten a job as an accountant, and Gaius had gotten an apprenticeship with a blacksmith. I'd never expected them to adopt such lowly jobs. They could work as hidraes and receive higher pays or ask Vanjar for positions as generals, but we wanted to keep a low profile.
Fall of Dragons (Sera's Curse Book 3) Page 27
