“Why don’t you get some more rest?” he murmured.
“Do you mind staying with me?” I asked, resting my cheek against his shoulder as he laid back against the pillows, still holding me.
“Not going anywhere, Everest. Get some sleep. I’ll be right here.”
The steady beat of his heart lulled me back to sleep, and no dreams haunted me for the first time in a long time.
“MOM, WILL YOU STOP FUSSING?”
“I can’t help it, alright?”
“You’re the one that let our daughter go in the first place,” Aiden said from where he sat polishing another blade, looking annoyed.
Waking up that morning, Slade holding me comfortably in his arms after he’d stayed with me through the night, he’d suggested I go find my parents in the armory.
This outpost actually had one, and it was impressive, to say the least, albeit a bit dusty. Aiden and other dragons were taking shifts cleaning and polishing the weapons, so we’d be ready whenever Radnak struck again.
The Underground had been attacked a few hours after it had been evacuated. Davis had watched it all from the security cameras. They’d torn the place apart and then burnt it. But everyone had gotten out safe and sound, and that’s what mattered.
“I would’ve done the same if it was you,” Mom told Aiden, and he frowned at her. “What?”
“Not the point.”
“What is the point,” Mom emphasized, turning to me again, “is that we heard an interesting story about you fending off an attack that should’ve… well, you know…” She trailed off, unable to say the rest of it.
“Killed me? Yeah, I got that.”
Slade had already told Jenny, Preston, my parents, as well as a few others what he remembered from the encampment, as well as the Fell Gates. He’d explained to them the ritual in as much detail as he could, but none of the witches had heard of it before.
Whatever Radnak was up to was completely new which boded badly for all of us. Davis had gotten Amelie’s text about the encampment, too but with no real manpower to attack, all we could do was hold onto the information. Charlette had spoken to her husband, and whatever had been decided was being kept from me.
I’d get it out of Slade eventually.
“This necklace,” I said as I lifted it up, so the light reflected off it, “who did it belong to before you?”
Mom’s brow rose. “I’m not sure who exactly, but it was once owned by one of the original six witches,” she explained. “Passed down from one generation to the next. Why?”
“When you wore it, did it ever, I don’t know, do anything to you?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
Aiden set aside the sword he’d been working on.
I wasn’t entirely sure how to explain it, but did my best. “It warms sometimes, and there are nights where I have dreams, but I think they’re actually scenes from the past… and then other times, I feel like it’s trying to tell me something. Like how when Slade was in trouble, and when I jumped in front of that attack to save him, it wasn’t just me that stopped it from killing me. This did something, I just don’t know what. Blocked that spell from taking us both out.”
Neither said a word, and I took that as answer enough.
The necklace didn’t do anything for Mom, but for me, it was like it was talking to me. And that voice inside my head, I started to suspect who it was, or at least who it was meant to be.
“Everest, when did this start happening?” Mom asked.
“The first night I wore it,” I admitted. “Honestly thought it was just me, but now… what if the original six, or the one who wore this, what if she’s trying to tell me something?”
“Like what?” Aiden asked worriedly.
“I don’t know, that I’m meant to do something, or be what they were back then.”
I wasn’t making any sense, but I wasn’t sure how else to explain why else I felt the urge to save Slade. It’s like I was pulled towards him, even though I’d been ready to dive in front of him anyway. I hadn’t thought I would make it in time, but something gave me that extra boost.
“I’ll ask around a bit and see what I can find out,” Mom said slowly. “But for now, maybe take it off for a while?”
I shook my head, and my hand immediately went to it. “No, I’m fine with it on, just wanted to know what it’d been like for you.”
She kept staring at it warily and I finally just got up and said I would talk to them at dinner time later.
“Everest,” Aiden said, and I stopped in the doorway. “You sure you’re alright? With knowing about Slade and everything?”
I nodded and smiled at them both. “Yeah, I wasn’t hurt too badly.”
He and Mom exchanged another worried look, but I left them alone to talk about me. I needed to take a shower, badly, and find a fresh change of clothes so headed towards the bathroom. I doubted Slade was finished explaining the ritual to the others.
A ritual, from what I could tell, based on the parts I’d seen and what I overheard, had something to do with stealing souls using blood magic. The mark on Slade’s arm and all the others was what drained them of life and gave it to the other priest in order for him to tear the soul from Charlette’s body.
What I wanted to know was why take the souls of the clan leaders? Were they that different from the others? I hadn’t figured out why just yet, and no one told me. I had a feeling Slade was going to start getting very secretive moving forward. Too worried about me getting myself in trouble again, or saving his ass.
Too bad my destiny was becoming clear, and every sign pointed to my protecting him.
After finding some clothes in the supply depot, I headed to the shower and turned on the hot water in one of the stalls. Once it was warm enough, I stripped out of my dirty and bloodied clothes—starting to be a regular occurrence around here—and stepped under the spray. The hot water soothed my aching muscles, and I was able to relax.
I tried not to think about the voice in my head or the necklace still around my neck. Or the dragons and Blood Moon Priests I’d killed. All of it had started to give me a headache, but that wasn’t what made me gasp.
A sharp pain started at my side on my ribs. I glanced down, but it just seemed a bit redder than the surrounding area.
I poked it and winced in pain.
“Hey Everest, you in here?” Amelie called.
“Yeah, something wrong?” I asked quickly.
“Nah, Slade’s just looking for you.”
“Tell him I’ll be out in a few minutes,” I replied, hoping she couldn’t hear the pain in my words as my side started to burn.
“Will do.”
I heard her steps leave and I was alone again.
I shut the water off and stared intently at the spot. I couldn’t see anything wrong with the area, but then my skin started to smoke, and a symbol was burned into my flesh right before my eyes.
I swallowed back my grunt of pain and leaned against the shower wall, waiting for it to be over. When it finally finished, I sagged, sucking in deep breaths as I gently tried to touch it, but it stung too badly.
Magic, it had to be magic.
Slade said I’d been hit by a blast of fire as he dove through the portal but hadn’t been wounded. Was this from Radnak? It was hard to see at this angle, so I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out of the shower stall. Double checking I was alone, I moved the towel aside enough to see. My jaw dropped, and I grabbed hold of the sink.
The symbol was an exact match to the one on Slade’s arm.
How had it gotten on my side? Fear flooded me, and I dressed quickly with shaking hands. I left the bathroom in a rush, unsure of who to tell, if anyone, and walked right into Slade.
“You alright?” he demanded immediately, gently holding my shoulders as he stared at me. “Everest? You’re pale, and you’re shaking. What’s wrong?”
I swallowed back the truth and shrugged. “Tired is all still.”
His frow
n said he knew I lied. “Seriously, what’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, alright? I just need some food and then to turn in early again. I’m not a clan leader so takes me a bit longer to bounce back. That’s it, scout’s honor.”
I silently pleaded for him to drop it and after a heavy sigh, he did, taking my hand, and led me towards the dining area.
I could hardly eat anything, my side throbbed with pain, and my mind raced with what Radnak had done to me, and what he’d planned on doing to Slade if I hadn’t gotten in the way.
My side ached the rest of the night, and when I was finally alone on my cot, I carefully lifted the edge of my shirt to see the angry mark glaring back at me.
I felt flushed, woozy almost, but lowered my shirt and pulled the blanket to my chin.
I would be fine. Nothing was wrong.
I would be just fine.
I hope you enjoyed Dragon Guard!
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Dragon Mark
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RIVALS EXCERPT
Kate’s whole world just turned upside down. She’s hearing weird things, and seeing weird things. And Mama Lucy is a witch. No, really. Not like a capital B witch, but a capital W witch. And the guy Kate’s just saved from imminent death is half-demon. And the guy that’s after her is a dragon
Her life redefines teen drama.
Craig’s a half=breed, bastard son of a demon king. And he’s a thief. He’s just found the item he’s supposed to appropriate when his cousin stabs him with a poisoned dagger.
Forrest is out to collect the bounty for capturing the bastard son of a demon king. He doesn’t plan to save the girl, or the half-breed demon. He also doesn’t plan to be the one who needs saving.
This unlikely trio find themselves chased by enemies, known and unknown as they slip into a different dimension called Burnt World.
CHAPTER ONE
KATE
From this high up, I could see the world laid out before me. The fields beyond the town, the barns, and farmhouses. I could see for miles in all directions, soaring higher to reach above the clouds.
The air was cooler up here, but I liked it, the rush of the chilliness against my skin and the feeling of being utterly alone.
And free. Free from the darkness of my past and the not knowing what was going to happen in my future.
The moon was my only companion as I circled around, wanting to stay forever within the clouds and not have to touch down again. In some part of my mind, I knew this was all a dream, but I never wanted to wake up from it. Not that my life was all that bad, but I certainly wasn’t free to fly.
I was larger than life here, above the world, but all dreams must come to an end. I faltered in mid-air and suddenly crashed down, spiraling out of control.
Down, down, down—
I shot upright in bed with my heart pounding in my chest as I gasped for air. I was in bed, safe and sound, not ready to die as I hit the ground from such a high height. With a groan, I flung myself back onto my pillow and glared at the dull ceiling above me.
I missed the moon and stars already. As I lay there, I rolled my shoulders trying to ease the weird tension built up in them. But it didn’t go away and instead grew worse. I turned over, but when that didn’t help, I rose thinking standing would make it stop.
It didn’t, and I stood in front of the old dingy mirror on my dresser, rubbing my neck and wondering if I was coming down with the flu. My body ached in weird places, and my arms were exhausted as if I’d been using them all night.
“Kate! Are you up yet?” a voice called from out in the hall. Mama Lucy.
“Yeah, I’m up,” I replied. “Be out in a minute!”
“Get your sisters up,” she yelled back.
I grinned and hurried to get dressed. They weren’t my biological sisters. No one in this huge old mansion was related by blood. We were all taken in by the woman we called Mama Lucy. I came here nearly ten years ago when she found me wandering the streets alone. That’s how most kids wound up here. She took us in without a second thought, homeschooled us, fed and clothed us.
She was our Mama Lucy.
I was the oldest in the house now. Those who used to be my age, had moved away, ready to be on their own, but many sent letters and visited every now and then. As I’d grown older, I’d wondered how she managed to take care of us all. I never saw any social workers come to the house, or any checks in the mail from the government.
All the kids made up stories of where her money came from, that she had a treasure hoarded in the basement, or she was really royalty, but ran away and came to live here instead. The stories changed every year. Part of me cared to know, but another part didn’t. She gave me a home, and I was grateful.
“Mary? Judy? Time to get up,” I said as I opened the door to the room next to mine.
Two little girls, one blonde and one a redhead, sat up to stare at me with drowsy eyes. They were twelve and thirteen.
“It’s too early,” Mary grumbled and tucked her head back beneath the covers.
“No, it’s not. Come on, you don’t want to be late for breakfast, do you? The boys will eat all the bacon again,” I warned.
Mary and Judy leaped out of bed at the mention of bacon, and I laughed as they darted past me, racing for the bathroom down the hall.
I loved mornings in this house, listening to the hustle and bustle of the other kids and hearing Mama Lucy’s laughter and talking.
“There she is,” Mama Lucy said the moment I entered the dining room.
It had a long table that could fit twenty and was mostly filled already.
She kissed the top of my head in greeting. “You don’t look like you slept well, dear.”
“Eh, weird dreams,” I said, finding one of the empty seats.
“You’ve been having a lot of weird dreams,” she mused. “Anything on your mind?”
“No, not really,” I lied. I always had things on my mind, like why I kept having these weird sensations that someone else was in my head, or why my dreams went from flying to utter nightmares.
“Hmm, I’ll make you some tea tonight. Maybe it will help.”
I thanked her and reached for the plate of waffles and grabbed a few pieces of bacon.
Mama Lucy hummed as she walked around the table, making sure everyone had enough to eat. Her vibrant purple shawl draped over her shoulders, and her black skirt billowed around her bare feet. She might look frail, but that woman was strong. She was stern with the kids she took care of, but she held her own against anyone who tried to give us crap, or tried to buy out her home.
We were surrounded by businesses and modernized buildings on all sides, but her home remained. Men in suits stopped by at least once a month trying to threaten her with legal actions to get her to sell the property or at least upgrade it, but she stared them down, and the other kids and I would watch from the windows as they bolted for the street.
But that wasn’t the best thing about Mama Lucy. She was also a witch.
None of the younger kids knew that, and I was one of the few older ones who understood what she did, or at least what she believed in. Protective charms hung on all the windows, stars and bells, to ward off dark spirits. Several cabinets were off-limits to the kids, out in the greenhouse, but they were only filled with the herbs she grew, dried, and bottled, herself.
Most of what she did was for teas and soaps, lotions, and things like that. Natural items she sold at the farmer’s markets, and through the tiny online shop she set up. Most of her orders came by mail, something I always teased her about.
She offered to show me how to make certain teas to relieve variou
s symptoms a person might have, and even taught me words of protection—if I believed in that sort of thing, she would always tease at the end of our random lessons.
Whether she was a real witch or not didn’t bother me. She was the only mom I’d known. The only parent I had since Dad died.
I lost my appetite thinking of him and pushed back from the table to take care of my morning chores in the greenhouse before lessons started for the day. All the kids had chores once they were old enough to help around the house. I liked being in the garden and the greenhouse the most, so Mama Lucy let me take care of her veggies and herbs.
“These are delicate plants,” she’d told me. “They need love and care, not just water and to be weeded. These plants pick up on a person’s emotions. You must always be aware of yourself when caring for such fragile things.”
I took her words to heart, and before I entered the greenhouse, tried to leave behind any dark thoughts of the day I lost my dad. When I failed, I turned to the garden instead, hopeful that tugging some weeds out would help ease the pain blooming to life in my chest. I pulled on my work gloves from the fence, grabbed a spade, and went to work. I weeded around the tomato plants and the peppers, moving down the rows of vegetables, but apparently, this wasn’t a good enough distraction. Soon I was lost in the memory of that day.
The worst day of my life…
“Katie! Get away from the window!”
“Daddy, what’s going on?” I asked, standing on my toes to try and look outside.
He was there and shoved the curtain over the window. “You can’t let them see you! Hurry now! Grab your bag and come with me.”
I picked up my backpack and held his hand as he tugged me through the house. “Where are we going?” He was scared. I’d never seen him scared before and it terrified me. I heard shouts outside and car doors slamming. “Daddy?”
“Hush now,” he whispered as we neared the back of the house. He crouched before me. “Do you remember what I told you?”
Dragon Guard (Ever Witch Book 3) Page 16
