Dragon Feared

by Kit Bladegrave

  “If they weren’t working the Priests, I would agree, but now… now, I’m not so sure.”

  Davis was quiet for a long while before he sighed. “And how do you expect us to get to you to help if you’re seeing the Council?”

  My eyes found Everest’s and the weight of the other secrets I kept from her so far hit me hard. She would hate me when she found out what I knew. “Tell her we need her help.”

  “But she has no magic?”

  “Doesn’t matter, it’s not her magic we need. Do it, Davis.” I didn’t give him a chance to argue, but hung up and shoved my cell back in my pocket.

  I rejoined them in the living room and Everest immediately came up to me.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, yet. It’s nothing.”

  She frowned, but didn’t push the issue.

  A few minutes later, a knock came at the door, and it was Professor Fredwin, returned with whoever he’d gone to find.

  The second they stepped inside, my gut twisted, and I wondered how crazy I’d become to think this was actually a good idea.

  Fifteen

  Everest

  “Shadowguard,” Elsa snapped, and raised her hands to cast some spell against him.

  I stepped in the way, shielding him with my body.

  “Everest, move!”

  “No, just wait a second!” I yelled, but she was advancing, ignoring all of our protests.

  The intent to kill Slade without bothering to ask why he was here was clear in her eyes.

  Grey mist formed in her hands and the words were right on her lips when the necklace I’d been wearing for weeks warmed against my skin.

  Without a word, or knowing exactly what I was doing, I thrust my hands out just as Elsa made to attack.

  Purple hit the grey, and a loud crack split the air sending Elsa staggering backward into Professor Fredwin.

  She was stunned and shook out her head and hands, trying to call her magic back.

  “What… what did you just do?” she demanded, torn between awe and anger.

  My knees wobbled, and I started to fall, but Slade caught me. “I don’t know, but you are not going to hurt him. He’s here to help us.”

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” he muttered in my ear, annoyed, helping me to the couch. “Everest? Look at me.” His hands cupped my face, and I blinked a few times, fighting a wave of dizziness from using magic I had not been ready for.

  “I’m fine, I’ll be fine,” I promised and smiled.

  “Explain, right now,” Elsa ordered, “or I scream for help.”

  I glanced at Slade and shrugged. “You want to tell her, or should I?”

  We spent the next hour running through everything about what happened with Slade and me, from the Black Diamonds to the Priests, to what happened with Jared and his sister.

  Elsa didn’t say a word the entire time we talked, just sat and listened, but that almost made it worse. When we finished with what happened at the warehouse, telling that story for the first time for everyone, she rested her hands on her thighs and nodded.

  “This is insanity,” she started, and my heart sank, “however, I see no reason to not believe you.”

  “Wait, what?” I was shocked.

  She pursed her lips. “Though I may appear to be a very stern headmistress, I am not above admitting when I have been wrong in my assumptions, and clearly there is more than enough evidence to support this story. That being said, I believe I owe you an apology, regarding the night you were attacked.”

  “Thanks… I think,” I said slowly.

  “Are you certain you wish to do this?” she asked of Slade. “The second we see the Council, there is a very strong chance they will kill you on sight.”

  I reached for Slade’s hand, not so sure about this plan either.

  “It’s a chance I’m willing to take. They need to understand the war never stopped. If we don’t act now, it will be too late, and so many more will die at the hand of the real enemy.”

  “Very well, then. Professor Fredwin, if you please?”

  As he moved to stand beside Elsa, I realized I had no idea of how to get to the Council. “So, where is the Council?”

  “They exist on another dimensional plane,” Elsa said. “One created by the First Communion for their protection. It requires blood from a Hollow Well and a spell by a pure-blooded witch to traverse there. There are witches who keep Hollow Well blood in their satchels for travel, but I am not so needy. If you would, Professor Fredwin, and if everyone else would gather around please. Amelie, Jared, I will ask you to accompany us, so we have more witnesses for the Council to hear from.”

  We stood and clustered around her as Professor Fredwin sighed, and held out his palm. Elsa did not hesitate before she sliced right into his palm with a small pocket knife I hadn’t even seen her pull out of her pocket.

  Good to know that the school’s headmistress carried a small blade on her person.

  Elsa dipped her finger into Professor Fredwin’s bloody hand and muttered, “Terra Viridi Solis.”

  Magic swirled around us.

  I blinked, and when I opened my eyes I could hardly explain what it was I was seeing.

  “Terra Viridi Solis,” I said. “Land of the Green Sun.”

  And indeed, there was a green sun, and the sky was a hew of strange colors—red, purple, orange, blue.

  We were standing on a floating rock.

  Elsa began to walk, and we followed. Gravity apparently did not exist here. The land masses floated about. An enormous stone passed by our heads.

  I couldn’t help, but be amazed at what was around me, despite the seriousness of the situation that brought us here. I still had hold of Slade’s hand, and he squeezed mine, not sure I was the one who needed reassurance though.

  With each step, my fear grew, and I wondered if I would be able to stop the Council from killing him.

  It wasn’t going to happen. No matter what the cost, they were not going to kill Slade.

  I spied what looked like an old cathedral ahead, and after a few minutes of walking, we entered the gothic style structure with stained glass windows that let in the different hues of light.

  As we stepped through the large double doors, they closed behind us with a resounding thud. I stared straight ahead and realized we were in a courtroom, and six individuals perched on top of a platform with a long table in front of them stared down at us, as though ready to pass judgment.

  Six guards flanked them, three on each side, and Slade gripped my hand even harder.

  “Welcome, Everest Somerset,” one of the men at the table said, glaring down at us. “An honor to have a Descendant of the First Communion. Welcome to Middle Ground.”

  Middle Ground—the place between places—was the official name of this inter-dimensional world where the Council could meet safely. There were three women and three men seated before us.

  The man who had spoken to me first was the only one who didn’t look like he had one foot in the grave. And, he was a Hollow Well Dragon, undoubtedly.

  But, there was something more familiar about him than that one detail.

  He looked just like Jared.

  I smiled at the man, appreciating the polite welcome, realizing they had not noticed what Slade was, yet. “Thank you, but I’m afraid I don’t know who you are.”

  “Jared Winchester the Second,” he said.

  Of course. Jared had failed to mention his father was part of the Council. I could tell instantly that being in his father’s presence made Jared nervous, especially considering who we had brought with us.

  “A pleasure, sir.” I sized up the rest of the Council, imagining how horribly wrong this could go if we weren’t careful.

  I knew from my Lessons for Mortal Raised that the Council positions were voted in, and that once you were in, you were in for life, or until you chose to retire. No one ever retired which would explain the ancient-looking group. The three women were made up of a Hollow We
ll Dragon and two witches—a blonde woman and a woman with hair so long, black, and unkempt she looked like she belonged in the crazy house,. The men were a bit more diverse: a warlock, Mister Winchester, and a man I believed to be Golden Sphinx based on his yellowish eyes.

  The blonde woman leaned forward, propping herself up on her elbows. “Elsa, you called this meeting,” she said. “You had better have a good reason for bringing a Shadowguard here.”

  Shit.

  The six guards drew their swords as one and closed in around our group, glaring at Slade. I kept myself in front of him protectively, daring them to make a move. So much for them not knowing what he was until the last possible second.

  “Everest, you will stand aside,” Mr. Winchester ordered.

  “The hell I will,” I snapped, and a gasp rose amongst the six. “I don’t care who you are, but you are not about to harm him, not when he’s come here to help you, help all of us.”

  “Ha! You jest surely,” the blonde woman huffed.

  “Do I look like I’m joking?”

  “Everest, what are you doing?” Amelie hissed beside me. “This is the Council!”

  “Yeah and?” I glared at each member individually, daring them to order the attack. “You are going to hear him out, or things are going to get very nasty, very quick.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw Slade smirk.

  I was bluffing, but they didn’t need to know that. I was a Descendant, that was what they did know, and right on cue, my necklace warmed and flashed with power.

  “We will not be disobeyed,” Mr. Winchester started to argue, but I cut him off.

  “The Black Diamonds are alive! And the Blood Moon Priests are working with them!”

  The Council fell deadly silent, and even the guards exchanged confused glances, their swords falling slightly.

  The Council leaned in close, whispering to each other too quietly for us to hear.

  “You should let me handle this,” Slade whispered.

  “So, they can just decide to kill you? No. We have not come this far to have them not hear us out.”

  The Council members straightened, and Mr. Winchester snapped his fingers.

  More guards entered the room from doors I hadn’t even noticed, and suddenly we were being dragged away.

  I clung to Slade’s hand, but three guards picked me off my feet and pushed me aside.

  “Shadowguard, you are hereby charged with spreading lies and deceit, and for the crimes of your clan,” the blonde woman declared. “You are sentenced to death.”

  “No!” I bellowed as the guards moved in closer to Slade, placing their blades at his throat. “You bastards! You can’t do this to him! He’s telling you the truth! They’re going to kill the kids! You can’t do this to him!”

  But all six members ignored me as if I wasn’t even there.

  Slade was trying to speak, but one of the guards placed his sword against his neck hard enough to draw blood.

  “Silence! We will finish this, now!”

  The others were screaming with me, trying to get them to stop.

  Slade closed his eyes, bracing for the attack when the necklace warmed again, and without thinking of what I was doing, a shield of purple light surrounded Slade, throwing the guards away from him.

  I broke free of the ones holding me, rushing to stand beside him inside the light.

  “How dare you interfere!” the blonde woman snarled. “You may be a Descendant, but you do not control this Council! You have no power here!”

  “Oh, I think you’ll find I do,” I yelled furiously. “If you won’t listen to him then we will leave and fight this war on our own!”

  All six members stood, and I gulped, wondering what I just started, but they were not going to kill Slade, not after everything he’d done for them, for me.

  I wasn’t nearly done yet. “You sit there and judge without knowing the truth! How dare you call yourselves the Council? You’re nothing but bitter, grudge-holding assholes!”

  A resounding gasp sounded from Amelie and the others as well as the Council, now glaring at me like I had a death wish.

  The way Slade stepped up beside me looking ready for a fight, he was probably thinking the same thing.

  The guards glanced from us to the Council, looking for their orders, but before they could get any, the roof of the building abruptly caved in.

  Sixteen

  Everest

  I yelled and dove to the side to avoid massive stones striking us.

  Slade covered me as he had at the warehouse as we broke the shield of power. The guards switched from us to this new threat.

  Screeching made me cringe, and glancing up I saw a group of at least five Black Diamonds circling.

  “We’re under attack,” the Golden Sphinx cried out, and the Council members jumped back as one.

  The Black Diamonds dove through the hole in the roof, landing all around us, snarling and growling, baring fangs already stained with blood.

  The Council stood as one, appearing ready to fight them off when one of the Black Diamonds’ mouth yawned open, and fire spewed out, engulfing the dais.

  The six fled, diving for cover as Slade dragged me behind him protectively, when a Black Diamond turned our direction.

  I barely had a chance to think about my next move when ice shot towards us from another Black Diamond.

  “How is that possible?” I heard Elsa yell from somewhere behind me.

  “Just move! We have to get out of here!”

  Slade hadn’t let go of my hand, and he dragged me along the side wall. I was going to ask if we should stay and fight, but the fire and ice kept coming, filling the room with ice shards and smoke so I could barely see a foot in front of my face.

  We were just at the doors, grabbing Amelie and Jared as we ran, when they flew open and three more Black Diamonds burst in, still in human form, bearing swords they aimed at us.

  We had no choice, but to back up, Jared and Slade both growling furiously, but they were outnumbered. I halted, readying to attack, but my other hand was caught by Slade, and he eyed me sharply.

  “No, it’s not worth it.”

  “They’re going to kill us,” I whispered, still backing up.

  “Trust me,” he whispered.

  I did, but I had no idea what he was up to. There were too many of them and as far as I knew, Jared and Slade could not breathe fire or ice.

  Another loud roar echoed down to us, and the Black Diamonds all looked skyward.

  I craned my neck back to look just as Slade cursed and tried to block me from sight, but the others had already seen me.

  The dragon flew lower and lower, and for a horrible second, I didn’t think he would fit through the opening in the ceiling. He was massive, more so than any of the dragons I had seen so far.

  The red on his wings was vibrant and looked as though it bled. His eyes were sharp and filled with living flames that I didn’t think could be possible.

  Amelie shook with fear beside me, and I found her hand, not that I could do much to calm her down. I was shaking just as bad, if not worse.

  The dragon shifted as he slithered through the opening, and landed on his feet, turning into a tall, broad-shouldered man. His black hair was braided, trailing well past his shoulders, and he bore a leather coat I had no doubt hid weapons he was more than willing to use on us.

  “Well now, isn’t this a sight,” he mused as the other dragons shoved the six Council members towards our group. “Finally, where you belong.”

  “You must leave at once,” one of the Councilmen stated. “This is sacred ground!”

  “Yes, yes, I know,” the man said with a smirk. “And yet they allow the six of you to reside here. Truly fascinating.

  “You should not exist,” the blonde woman muttered. “You… you are extinct.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed, and in a blink, he stood before her, his hand wrapped around her neck. “Sadly, you missed a few, and we have been waiting for jus
t the right time to return.”

  The woman sputtered in his grip. He squeezed harder, and I waited to hear a crack of bone, but it never came.

  He dropped her, and she crashed to the floor hard, coughing as the other two women bent down to see to her.

  The man moved towards our group, his eyes moving from one face to the other when they landed on Slade. They zeroed in, and he burst out laughing.

  “My, my, this is not what I expected to see. Slade, my dear boy, how is it you find yourself in such glorious company?” His gaze shifted to me and the necklace I wore. His brow rose, and he clapped his hands together. “And with a Descendant no less, the very one I have been after.”

  “Go to hell, Radnak,” Slade snarled.

  Radnak, that was his name, and from the look of him, I had a feeling of exactly who he was. Leader of the Black Diamonds, and the one who caused all Slade’s pain, and sent the dragons after me in the first place.

  “You dare speak against me?” Radnak snapped.

  His hand lashed out and grabbed Slade by the throat, lifting him off his feet.

  I lunged for him, but another dragon dragged me backward, holding me as Radnak choked Slade.

  “You know what happened to your parents, to your sister. Do you wish the same for yourself?”

  “Let him go, you bastard!” I bellowed, but Radnak only laughed. “I’ll kill you!”

  He turned his gaze my way. “Will you now? You and who else? No one stands against me and lives, no one. You think these are the only ones I control?”

  He snapped his fingers, and the other doors burst open, but when I saw their eyes, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

  Shadowguards intermixed with the Black Diamonds. They were marching in side by side, and I wasn’t the only to see it.

  Every member of the Council saw them, and turned to glare at me in turn. They had not given us a chance to explain, and now I realized no matter what happened next, they never would. They would always hate the Shadowguards, no matter what.

  Slade gasped for air, but didn’t fight against Radnak. Instead, he started to laugh. It came out rough and ragged sounding.