Selene glanced up at the dragon circling over her head. It was a rose blossom. She was one of the most pure and innocent breeds of the dragons, and Selene had captured her quite some time ago for just such an occasion.
The shedding of her innocent blood will make him mine. He’ll serve Gorn by my side forever.
The stage was set. The weapons among the dead laid out for him. There were swords and spears, all forged from dragon claws and enchanted into dragon skinners. It was now or never to turn Nath Dragon.
She harnessed the power of the jaxite stone and turned loose her next command. To the rose blossom she said, “Attack! Attack me, the High Priestess Selene, without mercy.”
The rose blossom swooped in front of her, and a hot blast of purple energy blasted from her mouth. The force pounded Selene into the rock.
“Save me, Nath! Save me!”
CHAPTER 29
Nath’s spear clipped the blue streak’s wing, drawing forth a shriek. Another jolt of lightning struck his back.
Szzzz!
A tail lashed out and cracked him in the back of the skull, toppling him over.
Smoking, he rose to his feet again. The blue streaks were lightning quick but not overly powerful. Speed and cunning were his skills.
“Get off me,” Nath yelled in Dragonese. “Have you gone mad?”
He bounced to his feet. Jabbed at one with his spear, twisted around, and warded off another. Another blast of bright lightning lit up his scales.
“Argh!” He shuddered. “Enough of this!” He drew back his spear.
An explosion of purple rocked the island. He stumbled, and the blue streaks scattered into the air.
“Save me, Nath! Save me!”
Gathering his senses, Nath dashed across the small island toward the voice of Selene.
“Guzan!”
The rose blossom dragon had Selene pinned to the ground under her weight.
Nath blew a fireball into his hand and slung it into the beast. The ball of flame exploded into its side. The female dragon roared but maintained her ground. She picked Selene up in her claws and slammed her hard into the rock.
Nath rushed in and poked the dragon’s shoulder with his spear. It bit in.
“Be gone, blossom!” he shouted in Dragonese.
Her purple eyes glared down on him, and her tail lashed out.
Swat!
The blow sent Nath skipping over the island, and he rolled partially into the lake of lava.
“Agh!” he screamed, flinching out of the molten rock. He got up snorting fire.
“I tire of this!” he yelled. “Get off of her now!”
The dragon’s paws slammed Selene into the ground again and again.
The High Priestess moaned.
“Kill her, Nath! Kill her, before she kills me!” Selene howled out in pain. “She’s killing me!”
Nath closed in and unleashed a gust of fire from his mouth. The flames splashed off the dragon’s scales. She turned her neck and unleashed a cone of purple energy of her own. Nath sprang to the side.
“Great Dragons!”
He needed to distract the dragon and get Selene free, but the dragon seemed determined to kill her.
“Nath please! End this!”
Still pinned, Selene struggled underneath the weight of the dragon. Her claws pushed Selene into the ground, and her serpentine neck bent so that her snout snapped in her face.
“Kill it, Nath! Use your spear and kill it!”
He charged again, saying, “You give me no choice!” He jabbed the spear into its hide again and again. The spear tip went deep.
The dragon’s assault on Selene didn’t falter. The dragon’s eyes blazed with purple fire. Her mouth primed to tear Selene apart.
“Strike her heart, Nath! The heart! Strike the heart!” Selene screamed.
Blood pumping, he gathered the spear up to his side and readied to charge. The heat of battle blurred his mind. The rose blossom was a fair breed of dragon. Peaceable. Loving. Female. It was a twist in reality, watching her try to tear Selene to shreds. It had to be one or the other. Nath set his shoulders, aimed for the heart, and charged.
Selene’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t catch it. He caught something else. The dragon’s long lashes. The beautiful softness deep inside the dragon’s eyes. He pulled up.
What am I doing?
He dropped the spear.
“Nath! What are you doing! Kill it!” Selene yelled.
I cannot kill this lady dragon. His clawed fingers clutched at the air. But I can wrestle her down, I bet.
He leapt onto the dragon’s head and locked his arms around the horns. With a heave, he twisted the dragon’s neck around and rode the great beast to the ground. The dragon’s wings flapped and fluttered. Her tail lashed into Nath’s back, but he held on.
“Selene!” he yelled. “Get out of there.”
The dragon, bigger than a great horse, twisted and bucked.
“Easy, girl. I don’t know what my father put you up to, but it’s time to settle down.”
Scaled muscles bulging, Nath twisted the dragon’s neck by the horns. The dragon flopped to her back and thrashed and roared on the ground.
“Selene!” Nath yelled again. “Are you free? Selene!”
Glitch!
The dragon’s body lurched with violence, slackened, and went still.
“What?” Nath looked into the eyes of the beautiful dragon and watched her rosy fire go dim. “No!” He saw Selene standing over the dragon’s chest, the spear jutting out of it.
“You saved me, Nath,” she said, swooning. “For now, that is.” She teetered and fell onto the ground and lay still.
“Selene! Selene!”
He rushed over, picked her up in his arms, and brushed the hair from her face. She was bruised and bleeding. A tremor shook inside the cavern, and the path of rocks popped up from the lava lake once more.
Dare I try it?
He noticed the eyes of the fire goblins were gone from within the caves, and no more trolls or dragons were to be found. He edged toward the burning shore. Geysers blasted, but the rocks remained. He glanced back at the rose blossom dragon. Sadness filled him. This is madness. In his arms, Selene’s battered face was unconscious. He hopped from rock to rock until he reached the shore.
He didn’t notice the jaxite stone she tossed into the lava.
An hour later, they emerged from the grave once more.
“We made it,” he said. The cool air was refreshing, and he let out a long breath, shaking. With Selene slung over his shoulder, he could feel her breathing and her heart beating. She’d be alright for now. “Let’s get you back to the army.”
Traversing the ledge, he made his way down to the bottom of the canyon and headed back for the horses. The commander, tall and heavy, was still there.
“High Priestess!” he said, rushing toward them. “What have you done, Dragon Prince?”
“I’ve saved her,” Nath said, “as I said I would.”
“It’s suspicious.”
Nath’s golden eyes narrowed, and smoke rolled from his nose.
“Er,” the commander continued, “let me ready a horse for her.”
Suspicious, Nath thought. Isn’t every bit of it?
Epilogue
Curse me!
Selene stood with her acolytes, rubbing the wrist where the Band of Negation had been. Her dark brows were furrowed. Her face was swollen. She’d taken the beating of a lifetime in order to fool Nath Dragon, but he had turned the tables on her. He had failed to take the life of the innocent.
There is no way he’ll be turned.
She took a seat inside the tent and said, “Secure that treasure and leave me.”
The men and women scurried away. Nalzur’s Band of Negation did work, but she had full control of it. She always had full control of everything. Except Nath Dragon.
Blast his white scales!
They seemed even whiter now, what he had anyway, but she’d on
ly had a glimpse, recently. He’d come to visit, but she’d pretend to be sleeping, and the clerics would hurry him away. She ran her fingers along a jagged gash on her forehead and smiled.
I actually took a beating for that man. That dragon! What have I become?
The plan had failed. Had it succeeded, she was certain Nath would have remained by her side forever. That there was no way Balzurth would have been able to stop them. Nalzambor would have been theirs. The Mountain of Doom would have been their palace.
Her fantasies had evaporated, however. Her body ached as she sighed. Soon, Gorn Grattack would be calling, and Nath Dragon would have to die.
About the Author
Craig Halloran resides with his family outside his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. When he isn’t entertaining mankind, he is seeking adventure, working out, or watching sports. To learn more about him, go to: www.thedarkslayer.com
The Darkslayer Series 1
Wrath of the Royals (Book 1)
Blades in the Night (Book 2)
Underling Revenge (Book 3)
Danger and the Druid (Book 4)
Outrage in the Outlands (Book 5)
Chaos at the Castle (Book 6)
The Darkslayer Series 2
Bish and Bone (Book 1)
Black Blood (Book 2)
Red Death (Book 3)
The Chronicles of Dragon Series
The Hero, The Sword and The dragons (Book 1)
Dragon Bones and Tombstones (Book 2)
Terror at the Temple (Book 3)
Clutch of the Cleric (Book 4)
Hunt for the Hero (Book 5)
Siege at the Settlements (Book 6)
Strife in the Sky (Book 7)
Zombie Impact Series
Zombie Day Care: Book 1
Zombie Rehab: Book 2
Zombie Warfare: Book 3
You can learn more about The Darkslayer and my other books at:
Facebook – The Darkslayer Report by Craig
Twitter – Craig Halloran
War In The Winds (Book 9) Page 14
