by Megg Jensen
"He won't be one of the people cavorting. Not Adam." She directed Jarrett to the right while she prepared to go left. "He's of medium height, flaming red hair like Bastian. Adam is Bastian's uncle. If you find him first, that's information you can use to prove you know who he is. Tell him I'm here too."
"We're not splitting up," Jarrett said, grabbing her hand.
She yanked it back. "We have to. This may be our only chance to find the people of Hutton's Bridge." She pushed him a little more, her eyes wild. "Go. Now!" Tressa pleaded with Jarrett. "We'll meet here again when the moon is at its zenith. Hopefully one of us will have Adam."
"Okay, okay. I can't say no to you." Jarrett kissed her hand; he couldn't reach her lips with the dragon mask in the way. "We'll meet back at the monument before the moon begins to lower." He pointed to the center of the town square where an effigy of a red dragon rose into the night sky, its eyes lit up by burning flames.
"Soon." Tressa's chest rose with her deep inhalation. She looked to the right, her eyes following the mop of red hair through the crowd. Adam wasn't as tall as Bastian, but amongst the people in costume he stood out.
She lifted her skirt to keep it from tripping her up and followed Adam as fast she could without drawing attention to herself. She was relieved Jarrett was headed in another direction. She didn't want Jarrett here for her reunion with Adam. They'd meet each other soon enough, but she needed some time alone with the man who'd been her substitute father.
As she drew closer, her heart thudded. It had been so long. Much had changed. She no longer loved his nephew. Not the way she had back home in Hutton's Bridge. But her love for Adam, as a dear friend and father figure, would never change. She reached out, laying fingertips on his arm. "Adam."
He spun around, facing her. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" He squinted, examining her from head to toe.
Of course he didn't recognize her with the mask. Tressa pulled the dragon face off and smiled. "It's me. Tressa."
Adam drew in a sharp gasp. He pulled her into a desperate embrace. "You're alive! I had hoped — " He let go. "But where's Bastian?"
Tressa laid a soft hand on Adam's cheek. "He’s not with me, but I know where he is. We'll all be reunited soon."
Adam's eyes clouded over. "What are you doing here alone? It's not safe. You must leave. Now. Before they get you."
She clasped his arms. "No. That's why I'm here. To help. I had feared you'd been brought here against your will. Are there others from Hutton's Bridge here too?"
Adam's eyes closed. He nodded. "Yes. We are all here. They tricked us. Said they'd help us and brought us here. But Tressa, it was all a lie. A terrible, awful lie.” He took a stuttering breath. “There are things happening here, things you wouldn't believe."
"You'd be surprised how much I'd believe these days. I've seen things — things I never thought could be real." Images flashed in her mind. Humans changing into dragons. Kilrothgi. Jarrett's body in the moonlight.
Adam grabbed her hand. "Come with me."
He tugged, but Tressa didn't move. "Where? To the rest of our people?"
Adam nodded. "They're hiding not far from here." He took a few steps and then paused. "There is danger ahead. Are you sure you want to come with me?"
She patted her hip, feeling the hidden steel against her leg. "Yes, take me. I want to help you escape."
Adam chuckled. "You always were a scrappy girl. I'm not sure we'll all be able to sneak out of here without being noticed, but at least we'll be together."
Tressa followed him through the winding crowd. She glanced up at the moon. It wasn't long until she was supposed to meet with Jarrett by the monument. Hopefully it wasn't too much farther. She’d assess the situation and report back to Jarrett. They'd sneak her people out of Malum before anyone noticed they were gone.
"We're hiding in an old building not far from here," Adam said.
"Hiding?" Tressa asked, confused. "Were you brought here against your will? Will they let you leave? If you're hiding, then you must have at least escaped some of their guards." It didn't make sense to her. She quickly ran through all the possible scenarios, but none of them seemed right. Tressa looked to Adam for an explanation.
"I know, it seems strange. We were brought here under the guise of good intentions. They promised to help us. And then..." His voice trailed off.
"And then what?" Tressa didn't appreciate the tone of his words. He was a physic, a man of answers. Perhaps something traumatic had happened to him on the way. Still, he needed to snap out of whatever it was.
"And then we were given a choice," he said. "We were brought to the queen and she offered two options."
Tressa's impatience grew with every breath. "Those choices were...?"
"Here it is," Adam said. He tugged her hand, pulling her toward the door of a dilapidated building.
Tressa dug her heels into the ground, suddenly apprehensive. Her instincts screamed at her to run. She peered into Adam's eyes. No. It was him. Her old friend. The man who'd had a hand in raising her. She had to trust him. Put away her fears and follow him into the building where her people probably hid, cowering in fear of being discovered. Now wasn't the time for second-guessing herself.
"Afraid?" Adam asked. "I promise you, no harm will come to you here."
Tressa relaxed. "No, of course I'm not afraid." She followed him through the doorway, the dank air assaulting her senses. Within only a few steps, she'd gone blind. The night had joined with the building, plunging them into complete darkness. Mold spores danced in the air. Tressa sneezed into her sleeve. "It's so unpleasant in here."
"It is," Adam agreed. "It is the only place that we could find to hide until we can sneak out of the city."
Another twenty steps and Adam came to an abrupt halt. Tressa bumped into his back. She left her hands on his shoulders. "Are we there? Is everyone here? Udor? Hazel? The children?"
No one answered. A collective wind of breaths swirled around her.
"Hello? It's me. It's Tressa. I've come to help you."
Again. No answer.
Adam's hand let go of hers. Tressa reached out, fumbling in the dark. "Adam?" Her heart pounded. It all rushed back. Being in the fog. Alone. Unable to see.
Tressa's hands flailed in the air. Narek. Where was Narek? Her little owl had abandoned her.
Her legs trembled, unable to support her weight. Tressa sank to her knees. Her sword clattered on the wooden plank floor. She shook her head.
She wasn't in the forest. She was in Malum. With her steel. A trained warrior. She didn't need to be afraid of a little darkness. She had her people to save.
Tressa steeled her fists and stood. "Where is everyone. Adam?"
A cacophony of scrabbling and scratching filled the empty void. Cries. Wails. Screams. They swirled around her head in a fury.
She'd been tricked.
"Whoever you are, I will kill you. I won't hesitate. And I have friends nearby. They'll be here soon."
A cackle echoed in the empty room. With a snap of fingers, braziers burst into life. Tressa threw an arm over her face, letting her eyes adjust to the sudden light.
"You won't kill me."
Tressa whipped around, facing the man who'd spoken.
Her father, his eyes slitted and glowing red.
She opened her mouth, prepared to offer a retort. But she couldn't. It was her father. Changed. But the same man she'd seen not long ago in the forest.
As her vision became clearer, she could see the people of Hutton's Bridge behind him, crouched on the ground, their eyes feral. Udor. Carrac. Mariah. Dirt smeared across their faces. Their teeth bared.
"What is this?" She refused to let confusion take over her senses. She needed answers. Now.
"We did not find what we were looking for. But perhaps you can help us." He turned and looked over his shoulder. "Bring her!"
Two men stepped forward, their hands grasping Hazel's arms. She struggled against them. "I won't help you. I swear i
t. I'd rather die," Connor's wife begged, gazing into Tressa's eyes. "Kill me. Please kill me." Tears of blood streamed down her cheeks.
"Where is her husband? Connor? The beekeeper?" Fenn asked.
"He's dead!" Hazel screamed, her voice shredded and sore. “I told you that a million times.”
"What?" Tressa shook her head. "You want Connor? Is this about the honey?"
The smirk dropped from her father's face. "What do you know about the honey? You? A mere mortal? What do you know?" His hands gripped into fists and then relaxed. Over and over again. As if he were squeezing an invisible person's throat.
"Hazel, I won't tell. I swear to you. No one will find your love." Tressa looked at the others around her. Their eyes vacant. Their limbs hanging without purpose, swaying with the light breeze whispering in the cave. Tongues out to the side.
Their arms and legs shifted, changing into dragons right before her eyes. Their human bodies taken from them as the dragons they'd become took over.
"You'll never escape my new army, Tressa. Either you tell us where Connor is or you die."
"Not today." She turned on one heel, saying a silent prayer under her breath for Hazel, and fled from the building.
Chapter Fifty-One
The cobalt dragon swooped into Malum, ignoring the screams of the people scattered below. Bastian laughed at their dragon masks. Elinor had filled him in on the way, telling him about the festival the Red celebrated. They’d searched the countryside, asking villagers if they’d seen a mass exodus of people. In one tiny village, a child had eagerly spoken of a horde of dragons ferrying people back and forth one day. It was all Bastian had needed to hear to convince him his people had been taken by the Red.
In droves the people ran, shrieking, cowering around corners.
Perhaps they thought Connor a ghost of Stacia. Word must not have reached the Hills of Flame of the new dragon. Bastian gripped onto Connor's scales. They would know now. And they would hand over his people or they would die.
It was to be that simple. He was done tiptoeing around the realm, waiting for other people to take the lead. He'd never wanted to be a leader, nor did he crave it for his future. But he would not let his daughter or Connor's sons be taken captive by anyone.
Elinor held tight to his chest, her nails digging into his muscles. Yet she didn't hide. Her head was held high as Connor swooped up and down, scattering the crowd into pockets of terrified revelers.
They'd agreed before leaving the Blue that no innocents would be hurt as long as they could get their people back. If they had to fight, though, they wouldn't hesitate to kill.
Bastian's eyes swept the city, looking for any sign of his people, but there wasn't one child to be seen. Not at this bacchanal. The people were in various states of undress. Another day Bastian might have been interested, tempted to join them, but not tonight.
A scream pierced the night. Long. Bloodcurdling. Not fear, but pure anger mixed with terror. And he recognized that voice.
Tressa.
Bastian yanked Connor to a hard right. It was enough to alert his friend as to the direction he wanted him to go. Connor's head listed to the side as his massive body glided through the air.
His eyes sharp, Bastian kept a look out for Tressa.
It wasn't more than a few breaths before he spotted her.
She ran, sword in hand, toward the center of the town square.
A horde of red dragons scrabbled after her, their claws scraping against the cobbled bricks. They were small, but their teeth and claws told Bastian they were more than prepared to tear Tressa to pieces if they could only catch her.
"Not on my watch!" Bastian screamed, drawing his sword from its scabbard. "Are you ready?" he asked Elinor over his shoulder.
"I am."
They'd agreed Elinor wouldn't jump into the fray. Instead she'd stay off to the side and assist with any injured people from Hutton's Bridge. Her skills lay in healing, and that was where she wanted to focus her efforts.
Connor landed with a jolt, and Bastian jumped off his back. He didn't give another glance to Elinor. She knew what to do, and he trusted her to do it.
Bastian's feet hit the cobblestones, and he took off running. Tressa hadn't seen him yet. Her eyes were searching the crowds, looking for another. Jarrett probably. Bastian reminded himself not to care.
Bastian changed course, angling toward Tressa. The small dragons were gaining on her. He wanted to get to her before they did.
"Tressa!" he yelled, spittle flying out of his mouth.
She looked toward him, her eyes growing wide. "Bastian! You're here!" Her eyes traveled over his shoulder, finally seeing the huge cobalt dragon behind him. "Is that Connor?"
Bastian nodded. He pulled up next to her, panting, but still holding his sword aloft. "It is. He's...changed."
Tressa nodded. There wasn't any surprise on her face. Only acceptance. "That's what I thought. You have to go back. Tell him not to attack the dragons behind us." She turned and faced the dragon horde coming after her.
"What?" Bastian twitched, not sure what to do. His instincts screamed at him to fight. Why wouldn't she? It was clear they meant nothing but harm.
"Those dragons," she yelled, pointing at them, coming ever closer, "are the people of Hutton's Bridge. We can't hurt them."
"No!" Bastian said. "My daughter. Is Farah among them?"
Tressa shook her head. "I didn't see any children before they changed. Only adults. Udor and Carrac and Mariah. So many others. I spoke with Adam, though he was the one who led me to them." She rested a hand on Bastian's arm. "We can't trust him."
Bastian's eyes darkened. "He's not the only one. Your father – "
"Yes, I know," Tressa said. "He's also one of them. When did all of this go so wrong?"
"I don't know, but we can't stand here and wonder. Let's get back to Connor. Escape." He tugged on her sleeve, trying not to be distracted by the low-cut gown she wore.
Tressa yanked her arm away from him. "I can't. Jarrett's out there somewhere. I have to save him first. And his brother, Avital. I won't leave without them." She ran off in the direction she'd originally been heading.
Bastian ventured another look at the dragons. They were so close he could smell their rancid breath. Bastian took off after Tressa. He would help her find her friends. Her lover. Maybe her husband by now. Just thinking it pissed Bastian off. Still, he would leave no one behind. Not if it could be helped.
He followed her through the town square to the monument rising in the center. Jarrett arrived at the same time, coming from the opposite direction.
"Where's Avital?" Tressa asked him, out of breath.
"I don't know, but he can take care of himself," Jarrett said. He glanced at Bastian.
Bastian nodded back, not saying a word. What would he say to the man who'd stolen his love right out from underneath him?
"Let's get out of here," Bastian said. "We can ride out on Connor." He hoped Elinor had stayed close to Connor. Things were getting too hot to run around looking for her.
"Wait!" Jarrett yelled. He grabbed Tressa, pulling her into him. "Bastian, stop!"
Bastian stumbled to a halt. "Why? Connor is our only way out of here. If our people are dragons now, there isn't anything we can do to save them."
Jarrett pointed toward Connor with one shaky hand, "I'm so, so sorry."
Bastian turned just in time to see Connor rear up on his back legs. He took in a deep breath, his belly expanding.
"No!" Bastian screamed to his friend. But the noises around them were too loud. There was too much chaos. Connor couldn't hear him.
The fire roared out of his mouth, enveloping the red dragon horde in a dancing blaze. Red, orange, and gold flames licked across them, burning. Screams whispered on the wind as the dragons fell to the ground, writhing in the dragon flame.
Each dragon began the change back. Arms and legs erased the dragon limbs. Familiar faces, twisted in smoke. Flesh melted. Eyes wide in terror. Adam
in the front, an arm held out toward them.
Nothing could stop it.
It was too late.
Connor had killed them all.
"No!" Tressa screamed.
In Bastian's mind, her scream went on for many breaths. Never stopping. She bucked against Jarrett's tight hold around her waist. Tears streamed down her cheeks, echoing the tears falling from Bastian's eyes.
"He didn't know," he said to Tressa. "He wouldn't have done it. He didn't know."
A hand touched Bastian's arm. He looked down. Elinor. She'd found him. He collapsed into her small arms, letting her bear his sorrow. He sank to his knees, burying his head in her stomach, his tears wetting her dress.
Elinor's small hands ran through his hair. Her kisses dotted his head. "I'm so sorry, Bastian. So, so sorry."
The cobalt dragon roared, then collapsed, transforming into the man. Connor ran over to them. Bastian tossed Connor a change of clothes, but Connor let them fall to the ground. "Who are those people? Who did I just kill?" He looked from Bastian to Tressa. "What happened?"
"Connor." It was Elinor. Her voice was so soft, even Bastian didn't hear the words that followed. He did hear Connor's keen.
"I was only trying to save you. I didn't know. I swear, I didn't."
Bastian looked up. Wiping his tears on his sleeve, he stood, clasping his friend. "You did the right thing."
"I killed them!" Connor grabbed his hair, yanking so hard tufts tore out. He shrugged off Bastian.
Tressa had calmed, but she still clung to Jarrett. "We were set up. Those bastards. They knew I was coming. I was lured there. They knew, dammit. How did they know?"
Her chest rose and fell with ragged breaths, each one growing in anger. Bastian fought his instincts. He wouldn't punch Jarrett and take her in his own arms. She was where she wanted to be. Where she'd chosen to be.
"I don't know," Jarrett said. "We were careful. No one should have known we were here."
"Who is their ruler?" Fire burned in Tressa's eyes. "I will have their head. They did this. They brought my people here. Set them up to die. And the children. Where are they?"
"We are only six. A healer, four warriors, and a dragon. We cannot take on the Red Queen. It is impossible. Our only hope in this mission was to free your people. Smuggle them out," Jarrett said.