Enchanting the Fey- The Complete Series

by Rebecca Bosevski

  “Feisty fairy, I could snuff you out in a second.” Evetta sent a puff of hot air from her nose over us.

  “Then why haven’t you? Why do you need his fire below if you have your own?”

  The dragons eyes flickered with the realisation that they had revealed too much.

  “The fire that rose before, it was only one dragon’s wasn’t it?” I asked, turning to Drendor. “Was it you? Are you the only dragon with fire left in your den?”

  “How do you—” Evetta began, but stopped short of finishing her question.

  “It is true,” Drendor answered. “Over the centuries the ability to draw on dragon’s fire has dwindled. I am the only within this den to wield it.”

  “But why?” Ava asked, the concern on her face evident.

  “Dragon’s need light, and fire, and warmth. The magic that flows through us is born of the dragon fire, but with our number so few, it is difficult to maintain a dragon’s fire beneath our eggs for long enough to sustain them fully.”

  “How many are left?”

  “The seven dens of this world each only hold one who breaths the fire of dragons, and with such numbers, our young who survive are born without the ability. We will perish soon enough.”

  “That is horrible,” Ava said, again running her hand down the bridge of Drendor’s nose. “Mum we have to help them.”

  “I told you before, we cannot conjure a fire the strength of a dragon’s—we can’t do anything for them.”

  “Yes we can, the lake of fire,” Ava said, and she swung her arm around revealing the portal to where the lake of fire should be. Her portal wavered and collapsed after only a moment.

  Drendor and the other dragon both stepped back.

  “What was that place?”

  “It is past the Danzor mountains in Sayeesies, hard to get to and forbidden to fey,” I answered, lowing Ava’s arm and stopping her from trying to open the portal again. “It is a dark place. The sky black with the ash of the lake of fire. I don’t see how it could help.”

  “But it can,” Ava said, then tilted her head to the side for a moment before raising the portal again. “It is an eternal flame, like the dragon’s fire.”

  “How do you know this?” Drendor asked, stepping his large clawed foot towards us. The ground trembled as it landed and I was reminded how easily they could squash us, even if they didn’t try to burn us again. I stepped back and felt the warmth of the tunnel walls rise. The fire that had been sent up towards us still lit the walls, probably hot enough to burn even still.

  “I am made of more.”

  Drendor looked to me, his large yellow eye gleaming in the light of the heated tunnel.

  “More? What more do you speak of?” Evetta asked, lowering her head to rest on the ground, level with Ava and me. “There is strong magic in you, but the fey were a strong species.”

  “I have—”

  “Ava.” I wanted to stop her from revealing more but she shook her head at me.

  Bloody stubborn child.

  “Mum, it is okay, they need to know more to trust us. We want their help, we need their help. For Dad…please?”

  “You called him Dad.” Low blow

  I finally nodded, allowing Ava to continue.

  “I am connected to the fabled. I am connected to you. I didn’t know it until now. Until I felt the heat pass through the portal. But now I can feel the fire inside me.”

  “What are you saying? Are you saying you have a dragon’s fire?” Evetta asked, shifting to stand closer to Drendor.

  “I am saying I feel the fire. I can feel it in me as I feel it in Drendor. I feel it in you, too.”

  “I have no fire” Evetta said, closing her golden eyes for a moment.

  “You are wrong, you do.” Ava moved closer to the creatures. “They told me you were born with the fire, but not the spark. It is the spark that is missing, and that is something we can help with. Mum, the lake of fire is the spark.”

  The dragon’s shifted and the ground vibrated. I had no idea how to handle letting go of control while Ava took over. The amount she knew still unsettled me.

  “Who told her? How would they know anything about us?” Evetta hissed.

  “She can communicate with seers. Some fey have this gift. If you know of our species you know this to be true.” I wasn’t lying, really. They did not need to know about the evil coven part.

  Ava tilted her head again then smirked at Evetta. “With every dragon’s death, the fire grows. He didn’t want to help the dragons, because the power in the lake of fire grew with each of them the humans killed.”

  “Who is she talking about now?” Drendor asked, and my magic swelled inside me with the rage I felt.

  “Traflier, the former leader of the fey.”

  Evetta growled low and long. It sent reverberations down the tunnels. “You might wish to leave, the others are coming,” Evetta said, nodding up to the sky high above us.

  We both phased and then quickly began our way up. The grumbles of the dragons building beneath us.

  “What are they doing?” Ava asked as we rose higher and higher.

  “I am not sure, but if you can help them, I think they will want all of them to know. Ava are you sure the lake of fire can be their spark?”

  She rolled her eyes at me then flew faster up.

  “Ava,” I called and zoomed after her. Seriously we are at eye rolling already.

  I was still faster. I caught up just as we reached the top and managed to move us out of the opening, just as Evetta flew out of the den.

  One after the other, the creatures came. Their wings expanding like giant bats as they shot free of the tunnel. They twisted around following the one that came before, riding an invisible roller-coaster in the sky. The light sent a multitude of colours glistening across their scales.

  “Aren’t they beautiful?” Ava asked, as she floated closer and took my hand.

  “They really are.”

  We watched them slow as they passed through the rays of the sun, absorbing its warmth, their colours brightening momentarily.

  Drendor soared over to us. “Follow me, please.”

  We didn’t really have a choice, we needed their help as much as they needed ours. But if the lake of fire could really reignite their fire, it didn’t matter if they gave us what we needed. I would let them have it anyway. What is a dragon without fire? A dinosaur, I guess. Plus Jax would kill me if I gave up a chance to fly with dragons.

  Pity I don’t have my camera. I could spell the memory for him. Once he is free I will bring him here, I will show him the dragons he dreamed of.

  We followed Drendor across the sky, high above the clouds to an even taller mountain, the top of which looked like it had been sliced off creating a large flat area. A border of clouds surrounded it, a platform floating above the world. It seemed quieter up there.

  Drendor landed and we followed, as too did the dozens of other dragons. Each of them landed with a thud creating a thunderous sound that sent shivers down my spine. Well, so much for quieter.

  “Why are we here?” I asked, moving to stand in front of Ava. We were surrounded. I tried to cast my shield but it faltered. I sent my power to my fingers and held it just below the surface, then prayed it would not falter too, should I need it.

  “This is the Den of the East. My den,” Drendor began as he stepped to the centre of them all. “I know you all have left eggs below to be here and I thank you for your obedience. This, my fellow dragons, is Ava, and she claims to be able to help us.”

  Ava shifted behind me and I could feel her power. It was similar to my own in its ability to rise and fall with her emotions, but there was something very different about it too. I reached back and took her hand as Drendor continued to converse with the dragons. Ava’s hand was hot as fire. I turned to her and she smiled, her hand cooled to a regular temperature instantly.

  Drendor continued to convince his den of Ava’s power. He told them how she had sent his fire thr
ough a portal to a place as hot as the breath he burnt. He told them about Traflier and what Ava had said of his reasoning for denying help when the humans hunted them. At that many of them bowed and growled sending a hot gust of air swirling around the gathering. I was thankful for their lack of fire in that moment. Their rage boiled over into snarls and hisses.

  Drendor’s voice boomed out, silencing them.

  “We have all made sacrifices to keep our species alive. If this creature can do what she says, we will have a real chance at survival.”

  Call her a creature again and you will have zero chance. I looked back at Ava who was tilting her head and smiling again.

  “Ava, I don’t know what you expect the dragons to do. How will the lake of fire help them when you can’t take it anywhere. The fire melts everything it touches,” I whispered. “How will the dragons use the fire to spark their own?”

  Ava righted her head. “Dragons don’t melt.”

  Drendor continued to encourage the dragons to listen to Ava, to accept that after all this time they might have hope.

  “Why are you so quick to believe her?” I asked, realising afterwards that raising their doubts was not exactly in my best interest. Murmurs broke out amongst the others. Dragons whispering sounded like rolling thunder. Their voices intensified, vibrating through the very air.

  “I have lost many, as we all have. My mate Mydrid had to venture to the North East Den when their last fire breather died. If you can ignite the fire within the others, she will be able to return to me, to our children.”

  “You have children?” I asked, and after a nod from Drendor, two of the smaller dragons stepped forwards.

  “These two and one other whom stayed behind to tend the eggs.” He slapped his tail onto the ground and the loose pebbles bounced about a meter in the air. “Child, how can you help us? Please show us the way to ignite the fire within the others, show how to save our species.”

  “Wait,” I called, stopping Ava from stepping around me. “If we help you, you need to help us.” Drendor growled and the others lurched forwards ready to strike. “I don’t need much, just one scale. But it has to be from a fire breather.”

  Evetta plonked her tail down directly in front of me. “If you light my fire, I will give you a scale from my very claw.”

  I nodded to Ava and she swung her arm, opening the portal to the lake of fire. Silence overcame them all.

  “The fire in this lake is so hot that if you submerge yourself within its waters you will emerge reborn a fire breather.” Ava spoke so clearly about something she should know nothing about. I hoped that the words were coming from the seer and not from the coven.

  How I miss being able to draw on Frey’s memories. To seek knowledge and instantly have it. Maybe I would know what my own child is then? But I guess it doesn’t matter what she is, only that she is mine.

  Drendor stepped over to the portal. “Who will be first?”

  No one stepped forwards.

  “Do not tell me you are afraid of a little fire?” he joked, resulting in a few hisses from the younger ones. But then a pale grey dragon stepped forwards. Enormous and clearly older than most, if not the eldest. His talons were cracked in places and he had a few scales missing from his hind and legs.

  “I will go. I have seen almost two hundred years of this world, it would be nice to be able to breath fire, if only once before my time is ended.”

  “What do you mean? Dragons live for many centuries, don’t they?” I asked, as he strode towards Ava in the centre.

  “Before we lost the flame, yes. Now. Not so much.”

  Everyone watched as Ava widened the portal enough for him to step through. When his first foot landed on the blackened dirt of the Outer Reaches, ash flew in circles around his large talons.

  As soon as he was through he stopped and raised his head. His eyes closed, he took in the warmth of the lake. Then, with no warning, he rose up with one giant flap of his wings, and nose-dived right into the red bubbling lake.

  Crap what if he melts? What if it is only a few meters deep? The bloody thing will break its neck.

  Before I could worry for too long, the lava of the lake exploded in a fountain, and soaring from the centre was the dragon. He spun as he rose high above the lake, the drips of liquid fire falling from him as he spun. Then he soared down towards the portal and landed in front of it, so we could see how changed he truly was.

  The grey of his scales took on a blue tone, and his eyes glistened with new life. He stepped through into the circle once more.

  “How do you feel?” Drendor asked him as the colour of his scales continued to intensify.

  “Like a young buck again,” he said, and even his voice sounded younger.

  “Do you feel your fire?”

  “I am not sure,” he said, squinting in concentration.

  “It will be a heat in your middle, swirling in time with the beat of your heart, constantly moving,” Drendor explained.

  “Yes, I do feel it. I feel my fire.” And then he roared. At first nothing but the immense noise of it escaped his mouth, then when his voice silenced, the fire came. It soared up into the air above us like a beacon.

  I couldn’t believe it, Ava had done it.

  He closed his mouth and smiled. A dragon smiling was an odd sight. Their enormous teeth were much like a crocodile’s, but green and polished like opals.

  The others all rushed past and thundered through the portal to the lake. Ava began to waver with the effort of holding it open. The portal began to shrink.

  “Ava,” I called. I concentrated on her magic. I saw it the way I saw the gateway in Sayeesies and pushed my magic out. It circled the inner ring of the portal in a blue light. I pushed it to expand and with my help, Ava was able to enlarge the portal once more. I staggered a little and had to grip her hand tighter to ensure I did not fall.

  The dragons all dove into the lake and emerged reborn. And once they were back through the portal we allowed it to collapse.

  I dropped to my knees.

  “Mum, are you okay?” Ava asked, placing her hand on my head and running her hand down my hair.

  I gazed up at her, the colour in the strands of her coloured curls looked fainter, as if covered by a whitewash. “Are you okay?”

  She mumbled something that sounded like gibberish. I tried to ask again but my own words came out in the same gibberish mess.

  “Mum, what is wrong?” Ava asked through the fog that had enveloped my mind. I felt myself falling away. Down into the dark.

  “No more banshees,” I begged.

  Then nothing.

  I opened my eyes to a brilliant blue sky dotted with white clouds, they moved at a snail’s pace leaving trails of white mist behind them. Grunts drew my attention and I lifted my head, Ava’s rainbow curls caught my eye immediately. She was leaping over a young dragons tail as it swung it in circles. Well that is a new way to jump rope. I thought as I tried to sit. Ava spotted me and ended her game to run over to help me.

  “I am okay, just tired. Did it work? Do they all feel the fire?” I asked, holding up my hand to Ava. She slowed as she neared and I saw the answer in her eyes and brilliant smile.

  “I feel it,” Evetta said stepping forwards. “We will have to help the other dens.”

  “We don’t have much time, how long will it take to get to the other dens? Can it wait until afterwards?” I asked finally bringing myself to stand.

  Evetta stomped back angrily.

  “Enough,” Drendor spat. “They did as they said, and, Evetta, you promised your scale. With each of us reborn, we can tend the other dens until their task is done. Thank you, Ava. You have saved my kind.”

  A large scale landed at Ava’s feet. It was about the size of my hand. “You have your scale. Go, do what you must.”

  “Wait,” I called, coming to my feet. I was so tired. My head swam like after far too many wines. “Can the dens be here quickly?”

  “They can be here within a
n hour,” Evetta said, her tone much calmer than before.

  “Get them, get them now. We will give them back their fire, then we will accept the scale.”

  “Mum, you said it yourself we are running out of time. You are already drained—”

  “I will rest until they arrive, but we will be helping them before we go anywhere. Understand?”

  “Okay,” she said, pushing the large scale away. “We will accept the scale after we help the rest of you.”

  Drendor spoke to the others and they flew off in different directions. Drendor stayed behind with us on the mountain top.

  “Here,” he said, moving closer so he could swing his tail around to encircle us. “Rest until they arrive.”

  A large coral coloured dragon walked over and dropped a claw full of red plums at my feet. Most still clung to branches covered in beautifully fragrant pink flowers. In that moment I realised how starved I was. Ava eyed the haul in front of me greedily.

  “Go on, try one. They are called plums and have always been one of my favourite fruits.”

  She grabbed one and took a large bite, the juice running from the corners of her mouth and down her chin.

  “Thank you,” I said to the coral dragon before picking one up and joined Ava in devouring it quickly. A crunch came from Ava’s mouth as she accidently bit down on the seed inside, “Ow.”

  “Sorry, there are seeds in the middle, you eat around it, they are too hard to bite through.”

  She spat the seed into her hand, put it with the branches and picked up another ripe plum.

  Drendor shifted, his tail now encircling us completely. “You have changed our perception of your kind this day, Desmoree. You can count on the dragon’s help if you need it.”

  “Thank you, I just might have to take you up on that.” I lowered myself into the curve of his tail. It was surprisingly soft, like a well-worn leather couch. And it was warm. So lovely and warm. I pulled Ava down to rest with me and in barely a breath I fell asleep.

  I awoke to a spectacle I could have never dreamed of. The mountain top and sky surrounding us was full of dragons. More than I could attempt to count.