Kira tried to fight, but she was caught off guard and trapped between Sark and Doran. I called out and lunged toward her, but lava sprang up all around me and Slade, keeping us away. She struggled for a few seconds while Slade and I desperately tried to put out the molten lava flowing around us, and then her body went limp. She collapsed against Doran, and there was nothing we could do to stop it.
The Azure Dragon swooped Kira into his arms and began walking out of the cave with her. Sark and Heldor turned toward us to make sure we couldn’t follow, and the lava suddenly leaped up—directly at Slade.
I knocked him out of the way, throwing up a wall of ice at the same time. Some of the lava still got through and splashed against my side, making me hiss from the burning pain. My magic put it out, but the damage was already done.
Sark turned and followed after Doran, leaving only Heldor behind. I clutched my burning side and turned to face the remaining Dragon, while calling out to Slade, who was getting to his feet.
“Go!” I said. “You’re the only one who can save Kira now!”
Slade hesitated, glancing between me and Heldor, before nodding. His magic would be useless against Heldor anyway, and he could fly and I couldn’t. We both knew this was what had to be done.
Slade created a bridge of rocks over the lava and dashed across them, while Heldor made the cave around me quake. Rocks and crystals fell as Slade ran, and I threw bolts of ice at Heldor to distract him. As Slade reached the cave’s exit, he glanced back one more time at me. I could see from his eyes that the decision haunted him, but Kira was more important than any of us. He knew this as well as I did, and he finally turned and ran down the tunnel, leaving me to my fate.
It was just me and Heldor now, and if these were my last moments alive, I wasn’t going out without a fight. I reached deep inside myself, finding that connection to the Water God I’d once tried so hard to escape from, and let it free. Cold water rained down from the roof of the cave, turning the lava to sizzling black stone. As Heldor tried to go after Slade, I closed up the cave entrance with a wall of thick, glimmering ice.
“Not so fast,” I said.
The Jade Dragon turned back to me, his face hard. I limped forward, shooting shards of frost his way, but he knocked them all aside. He gestured and the ceiling above me ripped apart and came tumbling down. I threw up some ice to stop it, but knew it wouldn’t be enough, not when the entire cave began to break apart over me.
The air grew thick with dirt and stone as it rained down on me, and even my strongest magic couldn’t stop an entire mountain from collapsing on my head. No matter how I tried to hold up the stones above me, they soon surrounded me, striking me and rendering me immobile.
As the world around me went dark, my last thought was that I should have told Kira how I truly felt about her—and now I’d never have that chance.
31
Slade
I rushed through the cave after Kira, my heart pounding and my chest tight. I couldn’t lose her, not when I’d only just bonded with her. She was everything to me, even if it had taken me far too long to realize it, and I’d be damned if I was going to let the Dragons steal her away.
When I reached the cave’s entrance, scalding hot air burned my skin. Steam, I realized, as I stumbled back. Created by Sark and Doran together, no doubt as a way to slow me down. Through the foggy haze I saw the two Dragons flying high, up into the clouds, already a good distance away—taking Kira with them.
I let out a guttural roar as my body began to shift and change, growing larger and forming scales, forming wings and a tail. Power and strength filled me like nothing before, and I felt as though I could take on anything and survive. Like two other Dragons.
I forced my way back out into the burning steam, my scales offering some protection from the scalding heat, and when I reached the edge I stretched out my wings. I pictured Jasin and Auric flying and tried to copy what they’d done, but couldn’t lift off the ground. I drew in another boiling breath of hot, humid air, and tried again. Why wasn’t this working? Auric had been able to fly immediately, and Jasin had picked it up almost as fast. I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong. And with every second, Kira got farther away.
I tried everything I could think of to fly, moving my wings in all sorts of different ways, but the best I got was a foot or two up before my huge body dragged me back down. It was like my wings weren’t strong enough to carry me. Frustration made me growl and roar, my tail slamming into the earth and sending rocks flying, but it was useless. I’d never catch her at this rate.
The mountain began to cave in behind me, the ground under me quaking, and then a hole burst open in the side of it. The Jade Dragon flew out of it, soaring over me, and then headed up into the clouds. I tried once more to follow him, with no success. And behind me, the mountain continued to collapse—with Reven still inside it.
I’d left him behind, knowing it might mean his doom, and I hadn’t even been able to go after Kira. Indecision and frustration tore at me. I hated giving up on Kira, but I had no way of following after her. My wings were useless, and I knew this failure would haunt me forever, but there was still something I could do to save Kira’s last mate.
I let out one final, angry roar and turned back toward the mountain to save Reven.
Auric and Jasin arrived while I was using my last reserves of magic to uncover the rubble that had crushed Reven. By now I didn’t hold onto any hope that he was still alive, but I had to do something. Especially since Kira was gone, and my dragon form had failed me when I’d tried to go after her. Parin was dead too, his skin blackened and charred from Sark’s flames. I’d held no love for the man, especially after he’d taken the first woman I’d loved, but I’d respected him and his cause. None of that mattered now though. I’d failed him too.
“What happened to you?” Jasin asked, noticing my burnt skin, a gift from the steam Sark and Doran had left behind. Jasin didn’t look much better though—he clutched his arm and walked stiffly, as if he was injured. “And where’s Kira?”
Auric was only a step behind Jasin. “Is she all right? Did you complete the bonding?”
I sat back on my heels and wiped dirty sweat off my brow. “She’s gone. The Dragons took her.”
Jasin’s eyes practically bulged out of his head. “What do you mean, gone?”
I bowed my head, the shame and guilt overpowering me. “I couldn’t stop them.”
The others were silent as my words sank in. Jasin began to pace, tearing at his auburn hair like he was possessed, while Auric stared at the wall for so long it started to worry me.
“If they kidnapped her then they want her alive,” Auric finally said. “We still have time to rescue her.”
Jasin stopped pacing. “Right. We’ll be able to find her through the bond. Although I don’t feel anything right now.”
I sat back on my heels. “They did something to Kira. Knocked her out with something. Maybe that’s why.”
“Maybe,” Auric said, and then glanced around. “Where’s Reven?”
I gestured to the rubble in front of me. “I’ve been trying to dig him out for the last few minutes.”
Auric stared at the huge pile of rocks in horror. “He’s under there?”
I nodded. Guilt tore me apart once again. “He saved my life, and then he told me to go, knowing it would likely mean his death. Why would he do that?”
“Because we’re brothers,” Jasin said, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, we’ll help you dig him out. And then we’ll find Kira.”
Auric offered me some water, which I gladly chugged, and then I returned to the task at hand. I used my magic to pull the rubble away, while Auric used air to help lift the smaller rocks. Jasin explained that he’d been injured during his battle with the Dragons and couldn’t do much in the way of lifting, but he created a fire in the middle of the room, preventing us from freezing as the night grew colder.
I rolled away a large boulder, and spotted a stran
d of black hair. “He’s here!”
The three of us worked together to carefully remove the rest of the rocks covering Reven’s body, worried if we moved them too fast it would cause another collapse in the tunnel and possibly hurt him more. It took us a long time, and we worked solemnly, knowing we would likely find only a corpse.
When we dragged Reven’s body out, it was rock hard and bitterly cold. His clothes were torn and his side was charred, his skin burnt off where he’d been hit by the lava. He’d given his life to protect me and Kira. Gods, how was I going to break it to her that one of her mates was dead and it was all my fault?
But as I sat back, I noticed something odd. Reven’s body was encased in a layer of ice, which covered him like armor from head to toe, protecting him from the world around him. The others crouched beside us, staring at him.
Auric pressed his head to Reven’s frosty chest and listened. “He’s still alive. Barely.”
Jasin rubbed his hands together and reached for Reven. “Perfect. I’ll warm him up, while you see if you can get more air into his lungs.”
“No!” Auric said, shoving Jasin’s hands away. “The ice is the only thing keeping him alive. If we warm him up, he’ll die.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, frowning at the ice-covered body. Keeping him in such a state seemed unnatural, but what did I know?
Auric nodded. “He’s too badly injured. I’m shocked he’s still alive as it is, but he must have summoned the ice to protect himself as the cave collapsed. But now the only one who can heal him is Kira.”
I clenched my fists. “We have to rescue her.”
“Yes, you do,” a male voice said from the shadows. “But you can’t do it alone.”
We turned toward the sound, reaching for our weapons and our magic, and saw a man standing in front of us, though he stayed out of the light. Something about the way he stood was familiar, but I couldn’t see his face, only that he had longer hair.
“Stay back!” Jasin yelled, drawing his sword.
“Who are you?” Auric asked.
The man’s deep voice echoed through the cave. “I’m the Azure Dragon, and I’m here to help you rescue Kira.”
Anger leaped into my throat and the ground quaked under my feet in response. “You were the one who took her,” I growled. “Why would you help us?”
The man stepped forward and the light from the fire illuminated his face, revealing hazel eyes. Kira’s eyes. “Because I’m her father.”
32
Kira
I forced my eyes open, though my eyelids felt as if they were made of stone. My entire body ached, and when I moved I realized it was because I was crumpled on the ground on my side. My vision was blurred, but as I sat up and blinked, the world slowly came into focus again.
The first thing I noticed were the bones. They surrounded me, forming a cage around my body just large enough for me to stand inside, and I was pretty sure they were human. The gleaming white bones crisscrossed over and under me, although the sides of my new, morbid prison had large enough gaps for me to see through. Not that there was much to see—beyond the bones was an empty, dark room with a single torch to illuminate it.
I spun around, hesitant to touch the bones after the revulsion I’d felt before. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was fighting Sark and the others, and then Doran grabbing me and pressing something to my face. I’d been unable to stop him, and then I’d woken up here. Whatever he’d done must have knocked me unconscious for some time…which meant I was being held by the Dragons.
I reached out for my bond with my mates, but felt nothing from them. Something was blocking me, like a wall I couldn’t find my way around. I had no way to tell if they were injured or even still alive. And worst of all, without the bond they’d never be able to find me.
Could it be the bones preventing me from reaching them? I hesitantly wrapped a hand around one of them, part of an arm from the looks of it, and felt that same horror and repulsion as before. I quickly let go and gasped, stepping back, except there was no escape from the cage that surrounded me.
Footsteps approached from across the room and I tensed. A woman with long, luxurious red hair moved toward the bone cage with confident, deliberate steps. She wasn’t particularly tall, but she practically glowed with strength and power, and even though her skin was unwrinkled, her green eyes held the wisdom of more years than one person should ever live through. She was so beautiful it was hard to look away from her, even though I sensed a darkness within her I’d never felt before…except from the shades.
There was no doubt in my mind who this was—Nysa, the Black Dragon.
My mother.
She stopped in front of the cage and I fought the instinct to shrink back from her. The way she looked at me made my skin crawl, but I wouldn’t cower in her presence. I was the next Black Dragon, and I would stand tall and face her, even if it was the hardest thing I’d done before.
She gave me a smile that was so lovely it made my chest hurt. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time, Kira.” She reached for me through the cage, as if to stroke my hair. “You’re more beautiful than I ever imagined.”
I flinched back, my heart pounding. “Stay away from me.”
Her hand fell and her smile vanished. “I’m sorry. You must think me a monster, don’t you?”
I didn’t answer, trying to gain control of my emotions. This woman was my enemy, and I was meant to destroy her and take her place, but she was also my mother. Some primal part of me longed to hear those kind words from her and wanted to lean into her touch. Yet I couldn’t forget all the horrible things done in her name, or the misery she’d inflicted upon the world for hundreds of years.
She let out a soft sigh. “Yes, in some ways I am a monster, but there’s a reason for everything I have done, and there’s much you don’t know.” She paused and regarded me with those ancient eyes. “You see, sometimes you must become a monster to protect the world from something even worse.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, and wasn’t sure I could believe anything she said anyway. But she’d kept me alive for some reason, and that meant something.
“What do you want with me?” I asked.
“Right now, I only want you to rest.” She gripped the bone cage in front of me and gazed into my eyes. “As much as it saddens me, your fight will soon be over.”
With those words she turned and walked away, leaving me to wonder what she had in store for me. I desperately reached for my mates again through our bond, but couldn’t find them. I was truly on my own here.
But I wouldn’t give up. I would fight back. I would find a way to escape. I would be reunited with my mates again.
And then we would stop the Black Dragon and her men, once and for all.
Ride The Wave
Her Elemental Dragons Book Four
1
Jasin
I glared at the man in front of me with his all-too-familiar hazel eyes. Doran, the Azure Dragon, was one of the men I’d spent months training to defeat. It was my destiny to help overthrow him and the rest of the Black Dragon’s mates to restore balance to the world. They’d only brought chaos, misery, and death to the four Realms, and now they’d kidnapped the woman I loved. I wanted to rip his head off, set fire to his body, and watch his bones turn to ash, but I couldn’t—because he’d just told us he was Kira’s father.
Doran had the tanned, weathered skin of a man who spent his days in the sun, and his long sandy hair was wind-tossed and a little wild. While Isen, the Golden Dragon, had the bearing of a prince, and Sark and Heldor, the Crimson Dragon and the Jade Dragon, were obviously warriors, Doran looked more like a sailor or a pirate, especially with his scruffy beard, plain white shirt, black trousers and boots. I wasn’t fooled by his appearance though. The man was dangerous, and he was our enemy.
“Why should we believe anything you say?” I asked, while my hand lingered on the hilt of my sword and fire burned inside me, begging
to be released. Slade and Auric tensed beside me, ready to join me if things turned ugly. We stood in the ruins of the Earth Temple surrounded by shimmering crystals on the stone walls, a broken Dragon statue, and two bodies on the ground. One of them was Reven’s.
Doran held up his hands as if in surrender. “I realize you have no reason to trust me, but Kira’s life is in danger and we need to rescue her before it’s too late.”
“You knocked her out and carried her away, but now you want to rescue her?” Slade asked, his voice a low growl. His green eyes were hard as stone and a thin layer of sweat coated his dark skin despite the chill in the air. He’d been unable to stop Kira from being kidnapped, only minutes after he’d completed the bonding with her that allowed him to turn into a Dragon, and it obviously weighed heavily on him.
Auric’s gray eyes flashed with anger. “If you’re her father why would you kidnap her in the first place, knowing it would put her life in danger?”
“Kira was obviously going to be captured one way or another,” Doran said. “I took matters into my own hands to make sure she wasn’t injured in the process. The others would not be as careful with her life as I was.”
“You could have helped us stop them,” Slade said, crossing his thick, muscular arms.
“Perhaps, but I’m not ready for Nysa or the others to know my true loyalties yet. The Black Dragon still trusts me, which allows me a great advantage.” Doran’s eyes narrowed. “But I won’t let my daughter be killed either. I’ve spent my entire life protecting her and making sure the other Dragons never found her. I’m not about to stop now.”
Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series Page 46
