Fenick gave me a crash course on how to quickly change between dragon and human forms while Ren tried his best to piss me off enough to activate any special powers I might possess. He said strong emotions made it easier to transform, but after he grabbed me with his talons and dropped me into the small pond near the shop for the third time, Poe called it off. Ren changed back into human form laughing hysterically. The jerk took pleasure out of poking at me. The short training session left me better at transforming, but confident I did not have any mystical powers like fire or ice breathing, as my brothers possessed.
Poe patted me on the back. “Maybe healing is your power?” Poe suggested.
“I don’t know. Honestly, I feel stronger. It’s nice to not feel like I’m falling apart from doing simple everyday tasks.”
Ren walked past and threw a towel my way. “Good try, buddy. Anytime you wanna have another go, let me know.” He smirked as he walked away.
“Sorry about him. He’s prickly on the outside but has a good heart.” Poe yelled after Ren. “Hey! Tell Fenick and Mom we leave in a few minutes.” Ren continued walking and raised his arm and gave a single wave, letting Poe know he heard.
“What do you think caused the change? I mean I had never changed into a dragon before.”
Poe thought for a minute. “I don’t know. Maybe it changed when I healed you, like some inner switch got flipped allowing you to access the inner dragon. Or maybe there is something about this land. I don’t know, and we may never know. But I’m glad we got another badass dragon on our side.” He fist-bumped me. “Let’s go. We have a big day ahead of us.”
We headed into the shop and had a quick bite to eat. Then we grabbed some bags that Meina had packed with medic supplies, water bottles, basic weapons, and something called pemmican which consisted of fat, seed, meat, and dried fruits.
Fenick carried the contraption that Meina and Poe rode on. Ren held the bags while I was free to focus on not crashing. The plan was for Fenick and Ren to create a distraction. Poe would wait in the shadows, ready to heal either of them. Meanwhile, Meina and I would find and free Jonas and Torin.
Ren led us to the safe area on the outskirts of the village where Fenick had dropped us off a few days ago. Meina and I took one of the bags while Poe kept the other and continued on with his brothers.
Meina, my mom, reached out and grabbed my hand.
“Are you nervous?” I asked her, trying to imagine how hard it would be, seeing my children enter into danger without me being nearby to help them fight.
“I am. These people do not like our kind. At least they didn’t when I knew the village. I worry for my sons even though they are strong and capable. I guess mothers never stop worrying for their children. Even you and Torin, all these years I held you both close in my heart, thinking of you often and wondering…worrying about your fate.” She squeezed my hand and then released it. “We’d better get moving.”
She led me a different way toward the village. We stopped in a wooded area near the village’s house of worship. The building was larger than the tavern and plain in design except for the large runes carved in the structure’s wood. The king’s stronghold was beyond the temple.
“That’s it there.” I pointed ahead. “There are guards at the main door and several in the main room.” I knelt down next to Meina, who looked nervous but patiently waited and scanned the area.
“Get ready. I see Ren.” She gripped the bag tight in her hands. The sound of arrows cut through the air drawing my attention to the sky where two dragons swooped from opposing sides toward the stronghold. Fiery breath came from what I assumed was Ren. His flight pattern looked aggressive as he dive-bombed guards, picking them up and tossing them from high up. The other dragon breathed it’s icy breathe to extinguish the fires that broke out on the structure and flew to the courtyard behind the building where he released another frozen breath. “That’s it,” I said. “Let’s go.”
Meina ran faster than I thought she could run. She scaled a wall at the back of the stronghold like a monkey and then leaned down from the top, extending her hand to me. We were in the courtyard at the rear of the stronghold. I expected more resistance on this side of the wall, but another pass from Ren and Fenick disabled the guards. They stood like statues, frozen by Fenick’s frozen blast.
“We don’t have long before they thaw.” Meina did not head for the backdoor of the building, instead she scaled a small wall and entered the palace through a window. I followed with far less grace than she exhibited. Once inside, we stayed in the shadows and noted the positions of the few guards. Worry lined their faces as all of their attention was toward the outside, where one of the dragons let out a ground shaking roar. “See that door over there?” She pointed across the room to a single wooden door with a draw bar and a guard beside it. “That’s got to be it.”
“How are we going to get in without being seen?”
Meina set the bag down and handed me a deadly looking dagger. The handle was carved from bone and the seven-inch blade was narrow and made to pierce organs. “Make the hit count, immobilize with a hit to the leg or take them down with a thrust to the heart.” She must have recognized the doubt I wore on my face. “I know you are worried and have probably never fought with weapons before, but they will not hesitate to use theirs on us, and we must try and save your brother and his Guardian.”
She was right. I only hoped that when I needed to use the dagger, I would have the confidence to do so. There was a pounding at the door, as if someone was trying to come through with a battering ram. The guards stood frozen in place, all eyes trained on the entrance.
“Let’s move.” Meina grabbed the bag and snuck toward the barred door. I followed close behind.
The knocking stopped, freezing Meina and I in the shadows.
BAM!
The doors splintered and the red dragon tossed a bloodied guard from his jaws into the room and let out a roar. Meina and I hurried to the barred door, both of us assuming it was a dungeon, as the guards fought the dragon. Even the one at the door rushed to help, not even seeing us as he ran by. Meina paused and looked at Ren, worried for her son. The red dragon released a scorching breath. Guards on fire screamed, running about the room as parts of the wooden structure ignited. The others hurried to extinguish the flames. Fenick replaced Ren in the doorframe and sent an icy breath into the room. The brothers worked in concert to accomplish the goal with minimal casualties and damage. It was an impressive sight.
Meina and I pulled the bar free, and we entered a stone walled room with two doors on each side and one straight ahead. We cautiously but quickly searched our way down the hall. One door led to another set of wooden walled rooms that housed supplies such as firewood, animal food, weapons, and what looked like a small collection of gold and silver artifacts and coins. The last room held what we sought.
Torin looked up from the wooden pillory that imprisoned him. “Cross! You made it out!” King Vintras lay on an animal skin on the ground beneath the second wooden pillory that held Jonas who looked beaten.
Jonas weakly raised his head revealing one eye swollen shut and a split lip. “Thank Freya,” he muttered as his head fell.
Henrick sat beside the king with his feet in stocks looking relieved to see us. “The king, he is not well. He needs medicine.”
I used my dagger to free Henrick while Meina used a tool to pick the locks on the stocks and pillories.
“Who is this?” Torin nodded toward Meina as he rubbed at his now free wrists and walked over to Jonas.
“I’ll tell you later. She’s on our side.” I didn’t want to delay our escape.
Meina freed Jonas, who fell to the ground. His back of his shirt had a pattern of rips; the skin beneath was striped with open wounds. Had they whipped him?
Torin fell to his knee beside him. “Dad!” He helped roll Jonas onto his side.
A weak smile crossed his face as he touched Torin’s face.
Meina had given Henrick a
tincture for King Vintras, and then came over and handed her water skin to Jonas, instructing him to drink. Jonas lifted his eyes and blinked. “Meina?”
She looked surprised but didn’t seem to recognize Jonas. “How do you know me?”
Torin studied her with interest, probably piecing together that she was our mother.
“I was a Guardian, and I once spied Vintras meeting with you deep in the woods outside of Yardis.” Jonas sounded weak and tired.
“I had no idea he had been followed.” She blushed.
Jonas smiled weakly and closed his eyes.
“Dad!” Torin shook Jonas’ leg till he slowly opened his eyes.
“I’m tired son. I just want to rest.”
“We need to get you out of here.” Meina and Torin tried to help Jonas stand, but he was too weak and fell to the ground. Torin hoisted Jonas over his shoulders.
Henrick leaned over Vintras, shaking his head as he held Meina’s now-empty tincture bottle. “The king still struggles for breath...”
“The village needs to see him alive,” I said, moving to help Henrick lift a wheezing Vintras, who didn’t even seem aware of being moved. “When they see that Larkin and his men imprisoned their king, they will revolt against him.”
“We need to—” Henrick began.
“Henrick...” The familiar voice of Larkin sent my heart racing. “You’ve always meddled in my plans, bringing him back from the brink of death again and again and again. I should have killed you. But I was foolish, wanting to keep my father alive long enough to show him that I made his kingdom great again.” Two guards flanked Larkin, swords drawn. In the small room, they could still block the entrance while keeping the points of their blades inches from Torin’s and my throats. Behind them, the sounds of dragon battle still filtered—but even if Ren and Fenick had taken out the soldiers, could they fit down the small hall Meina and I had come?
“Larkin, you could never make this kingdom great.” Henrick transferred the king’s weight all on me and pointed at Larkin. “You dishonor all that your ancestors have created. People chose to follow them because they were good strong leaders.” Henrick was letting it out. “They didn’t force people to stay as you are. They didn’t need to. You are not fit to lead these people; you only wish to keep them as obedient pets.”
Larkin seemed to vibrate with fury as Henrick spoke. Henrick did not see the blade coming. Larkin thrust his dagger deep into Henrick’s heart and turned the handle to inflict more damage. “Farewell, you opinionated, weak, waste-of-life.” Larkin withdrew his blade and kicked Henrick down and turned toward the crowd. “Who’s next?”
My anxiety pushed my heart rate high. Larkin grabbed Meina by the throat. “Let’s start with the pretty one. Perhaps we’ll have a little fun with her first.” Larkin drew his own blade, disarming Meina as she lunged at him. He nodded at the guard on me, and he stabbed. Balancing the king in my arms, I could only back away to avoid my throat being cut by his blade.
Meina gasped, meeting my eye.
In that moment, Larkin grabbed her around the neck. She stomped on his foot, and he tightened his hold, nodding to the other guard on Torin, weighted down by Jonas. “Ah, ah, ah,” Larkin said.
She stopped fighting, realizing how easily two of her sons could be killed. “Bastard,” she growled at him.
“A feisty one!” Larkin chuckled. “But really, aren’t they the bastards? Abandoned by both you and my father?”
Meina buckled in his arms, as if she’d fainted. As he tried to catch her limp form, she snapped her head back and into his face. He staggered, dropped his sword, and released her, grabbing his mouth with his hands. Blood and spit streamed from between his fingers. Meina kicked the knee of the next-nearest guard—the one on me.
I used that half second to lower King Vintras gently to the ground. It was macabre, but Heinrick’s body served as almost a pillow.
Meina turned back to Larkin, but he was ready. He backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the ground. “You bitch,” he spat blood on her as he spoke. “How dare you do that to your king?”
“You are not my king!” she spat back.
As she tried to stand, he kicked her side and recovered his sword.
I exploded into my dragon form. Rock walls crumbled on each side of me, making more room for me to move. Unexpected sunlight made me blink. Torin’s and Meina’s voices shouted shock and alert, but I hardly heard them. My only focus was on Larkin who had his blade pointed at my mother’s throat.
He looked up at me, eyes wild. “Come any closer and I’ll—”
I didn’t let him finish. I snapped his head off with my razor-sharp teeth and spit it across the room. I felt the stabs of swords; the two guards, surrounded by rubble, attacked me blindly. Meina and Torin hurried to get Jonas and King Vintras out.
Once they left and I no longer had to be careful of my friends, I let loose on any guard who came at me. Once my attackers lay in a bloody pile, I changed back into human form and stumbled into the now-exposed courtyard. I collapsed, unable to will my limbs to move another inch. The pain from the wounds seared. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing.
I lay there wondering when death would end my pain. Finally, I felt it’s strong arms wrap around me and hold me close, lifting me away from danger, from life. I felt comfort in those arms as they carried me to a place far away.
Chapter 15
Heaven, or maybe it was Hell, surprisingly looked a lot like Poe’s shop. Leo—Leo?!—sat asleep in a chair next to me. Kaden and Torin chatted across the room and I swore I could hear my parents’ voices in the distance. Had we all died in the battle?
“Leo?” My voice did not sound like my own. I tried again after clearing my throat. “Leo!” My big friend stirred awake, and once he got his bearings, he looked at me with the biggest smile I had ever seen him wear.
“Holy crap, he lives!” Leo beamed.
“How are you here?” Whether or not I was alive or dead, Leo should be back in Midland.
“I made the trip with your parents. I guess they got sick of me coming over every day and asking for news about you. We arrived this morning. They said you were in bad shape then they brought you here.” Leo shook his head.
I looked down at my arms that had clean wraps around each forearm and wondered what the skin looked like beneath them.
“Hey! Hey! Cross is awake!” Ren shouted as he entered the room. “Dude, you are a rock star in my book! Mom told us what happened in the dungeon.” He nodded his head with approval. “Totally badass. I’m gonna get Poe. He wanted to know the moment you woke up.” Ren’s new found respect for me surprised me but I also welcomed it.
Poe entered. He looked tired but happy to see me awake. “Finally! I’m glad to see you awake, brother.” He grabbed my hand and held it. His grasp seemed weaker than normal.
“Are you okay?” It concerned me to see him like this. How much had the battle taken from him?
“I am now. You saved the village. You’re a hero, and the hero has to live. But you took a beating—came in here pretty torn up. I don’t know if you were too weak to heal or if your vEDS played a part, but it was a struggle to keep you alive.”
“That’s crazy. Thanks for saving me.” I squeezed his hand.
“Anytime. Hey, I heard you bravely took out Larkin and his guards. I’m proud of you man. Glad you’re back.” He leaned down and gave me a hug. “I’ll go get Mom. She wants to see you.” Poe left, and Kaden and Torin came over.
Torin gave me a masculine side hug. “Cross, you were a beast out there! You snapped Larkin’s head off and spit that jerk across the room. It was epic!”
“I wish I could have seen that.” Kaden remarked.
“Me too.” Leo added. “I can’t believe you’re part dragon.”
“Yeah, but since you’re a commoner, we’ll have to kill you at the end of this week to ensure his secret is safe.” Torin threatened.
“Funny. I’d like to see you try.” Leo
countered. The two exchanged a threatening look before bursting into hearty laughter.
I thought back to Larkin’s sword at my mom’s throat. I had just met her after all these years, and I was not about to let some homicidal control freak take her out of my life. “I thought he was going to kill Mom. I remember thinking I had to save her and get him off of her, but I was afraid I’d hurt her in the process or I’d not move fast enough to save her before he...killed her.”
“So, you ripped off his head.” Leo chuckled. “Maybe you should do that to Derek the next time he’s a jerk to you.” Leo stood and excused himself to the bathroom.
Poe returned with my biological mom. She had tears in her eyes as she came to sit on the bed next to me. “You saved my life.” The tears fell from her eyes as she cuddled into my chest. I wrapped my sore arm around her.
“I couldn’t let him kill you. I only just met you, and the monster wanted to take you away from me.” Now the tears flowed from my eyes. She looked up and wiped them away. Coming in behind her were the two people whose voices I swore I had heard before. “Mom? Dad?” Seeing them here in Poe’s shop, seemed like a dream. Even though Meina was my biological mother, Lysa and Jaron had loved me as their own child. They would always be Mom and Dad to me.
Meina gave me a soft smile and kissed my forehead before stepping aside to let Jaron and Lysa step closer.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, wondering if they knew about the trouble we ran into at Yardis.
“Fenick came for us,” my father said. “He told us you were injured in battle and said Poe needed those that love you to surround you while you heal.”
“Yeah, I needed all the help I could get.” Poe added. “It helps to draw from that positive energy that only love can give.” Poe readjusted himself in the chair next to the bed, slumping with his arms folded across his chest and eyes shut.
“I’m glad you’re here. Where is Jonas?” I didn’t know what had transpired in the village after I fell unconscious or what had become of the others we rescued from the dungeon.
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