"But, before that, I believe I heard babes crying in a room not far from here. I thought for a moment I heard things, but then wondered why would there be babies."
"Leave them out of this."
"Oh, buy my sweet dragon queen, if you are this remarkable, how remarkable would your children be? I thought about just ending their pathetic little existence before they become a bigger thorn in my side as you have become, but if I just take them for myself. I could have quite the army."
"You will not touch my children!" I bellowed.
I didn't hold back. I let the fire of dragons erupt from the pit of my stomach and out my mouth. I engulfed the man in my flames. He simply stepped out wagging a finger at me.
"I told you before, some dragon fire will not harm me."
"I will end you."
"I don't think so." His usual cheerful demeanor and smile vanished from his face. He held his cane in his hand for a moment before pointing it at me. "You have been more than a thorn in my side. You are a complete pain in the ass and I'm ready to be rid of you, even if you are a magnificent creature now."
I threw my head back and laughed. "Do you really think I'm alone in this?"
"Your mother will be easy to rid of."
"You weren't able to rid yourself of her before. Why do you think you can rid yourself of her now? She already killed the assassin you sent to her room."
Agnolo shook his head. "I knew I shouldn't have let Githa talk me into using her little friend. Oh well, no loss there. By the end of the day, your entire family will be dead."
I stepped forward, allowing him to see me even better. I towered over the man now. My scales glimmered in the firelight and tail whipped about behind. I spread my wings wide, allowing the feathers to catch the fire's light and shimmer. Agnolo took a step backward.
"You will do no such thing. You will be ended. Your brother will be ended and I will crush your daughter. The Guild is going to be out of commission when I'm finished with you."
"Tsk, tsk, Dragon Queen. If you do anything to me, your beloved will be tossed off of that highest place and he will be dead."
I ran to the window and pushed it open. The distant tower had a faint light glowing in the spire.
"Your brother is an idiot," I muttered. "I already found them."
"Do you really think you could make your way there in time?"
I smiled and turned toward him. "No. But my army can."
As I stood there a gush of wind blew the rest of the windows out, sending shattered glass throughout the room. The sound of crashing trees and screams could be heard. The spire crumbled to the ground as Syrrith and Fafnir destroyed it. I rushed to Agnolo at dragon speed and grasped the color of his shirt in my right clawed hand. I drug the pointer claw of my left hand along his cheek and smiled down at him.
"You will not succeed."
I threw the man across the room, watching as his body slammed into the wall and sunk. He was over.
I strode toward him but stopped as he stood. He looked at his shirt and shook his head before ripping it off. My jaw nearly hit the floor as I watched him toss the cane to the side and rip the shirt off the rest of the way. Beneath the ruffled white shirt and red overcoat was a body covered in shimmering scales and wings.
"Wh-what?"
Agnolo shook his head and laughed. "You think you're the only one who can bond?"
"How? Syrrith could never have approved of this?"
"I didn't need that old dragon to give me permission."
I threw my head back and roared in rage before charging at him. He roared at the same time, colliding with me mid-room. I grabbed him around the neck and threw him to the ground. He swept his tail around my legs and pulled me to the ground hard. My head hit the stone hard enough to crack it. I let out a scream and clawed at his face. He hollered in pain as my claws drug across his eyes. Blood poured from the wound as he grabbed at his eyes. I took the opportunity to pick up his body and throw him as hard as I could. As he soared through the air, he wrapped his tail around my neck and pulled me along with him.
We crashed through the wall of the bedroom and tumbled to the ground so far below. We landed with a thud on the hard earth below. Syrrith, Fafnir, and Draco stood nearby watching. Syrrith held Githa while Fafnir had Berard. James lay near Draco, not moving. I stood and surveyed the ground surrounding me. Seeing James created a rush of anger as I reached into the crater and pulled up Agnolo. I held the man by his neck and squeezed.
"How do I kill him?" I yelled at the other dragons.
"The heart! You must stab his heart," Syrrith replied.
"I don't have a knife."
"A knife won't work. Use your claws. Evelyn!" Fafnir called.
"Goodbye, Agnolo." I stuck the tips of my claws into his chest.
His eyes flashed fear for the first time. I thrust my hand forward until my claws were fully in his chest and heart. I could feel the beat speed up before ultimately slowing down. His heart continued to slow until it just stopped.
I dropped his withered body to the ground and turned toward Githa and Berard. I nodded and Syrrith and Fafnir and watched as they the pair's bodies apart.
"It's done."
I sunk to the ground in exhaustion before remembering James.
"No!" I jumped and ran to him.
There were no signs of life though.
"What can we do? He can't die!"
"It is his time," Syrrith said, placing a clawed foot on my shoulder.
I shook my head as tears streamed down my face. "He can't die."
"Is he a worthy human?" Fafnir asked, looking at Draco.
Draco sighed heavily and looked from James's body to me before nodding. "He is a worthy human."
"He is pure of heart and soul?"
Draco nodded once again.
Fafnir nodded back before scooping James's body into his claws.
"What's going on?"
"Just watch," Syrrith replied.
Fafnir pulled a scale from the region above his chest and pierced his skin with a claw enough to draw blood. He filled the scale with blood before bringing it to me.
"We need the tears of a mighty dragon."
"Me?"
He nodded. "You are a fierce dragon warrior."
I shakily stood and leaned over the scale, allowing my tears to splash onto the blood. The liquids melded together and glowed blue. Fafnir allowed James's head to lull back, causing his mouth to open. He whispered something softly to the glowing blue liquid before pouring it down James's throat. Fafnir lowered him to the ground and we all waited.
"If he is truly pure of spirit and heart, it will work."
I couldn't breathe as we waited for what seemed an eternity.
"Maybe he's too dead," I whispered.
"If he's worthy, it will work," Syrrith reassured me.
As I was beginning to doubt James's worthiness he gasped. I watched as my love sat up and looked around.
"What happened?"
"Oh God!" I dropped to the ground and wrapped my arms around his neck. I thought you were gone!"
"I was. What happened."
"Well, dear, um, you're what I am now."
"What?"
"You're a dragon heart," Fafnir replied.
"What? How?"
"You were dead. Fafnir saved you."
He sat there for a moment before looking up at me. "I can spend all eternity with you?"
I nodded as he wrapped his arms around me before pressing his still soft lips to mine. I pulled away and looked up at the damaged room that had been our bed chamber. My mother and father stood there holding my children. The snow and fire returned to the babies.
A new era of protection and peace was about to begin. We wouldn't have to live in fear any longer.
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The Defender's Daughter: The Defender's Book 2 Page 28
