Dragon Mark

by Kit Bladegrave

  Dragon Mark

  Everest’s reality is tossed upside down when a burning in her side reveals a mark being branded into her flesh. Does this mean she’s somehow tied to the enemy dragon forces?

  Slade’s latest revelation has left the dragon clans reeling. Can he help unite them for one final battle against their enemy?

  Dragon Mark

  Ever Witch

  Kit Bladegrave

  Contents

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Rivals Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Dedication

  Thank you to the readers!

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  One

  Everest

  “This is a terrible plan,” I said for the tenth time as we crept through the trees in the dead of night, heading back to the Black Diamond encampment where Slade had been taken before he’d wound up at the Fell Gates.

  “Don’t look at me,” Jenny muttered. “I agree with you completely.”

  “You’re worrying too much,” Preston told us both. “What could possibly go wrong?”

  We both glared at him, and he grinned.

  I swore he had to be related to Slade—Alvaron, whatever, though really, he’d always be Slade to me—with how Aiden and Slade both smirked so damned much. Alvaron the Lost Heir was an only child. A lot had changed over the last few days.

  Most notably was my sudden need to keep Slade safe and alive until we reached a conclusion to this war. I knew he hated hearing me talk about my protecting him, but he was important. He’d always been important, and I hated thinking about all those times he’d risked his life to keep me safe. I was simply a Descendant, but his clan needed him to survive. If he knew I was doing this now…

  I swallowed hard, knowing he was going to find out one way or another, and I’d never hear the end of it.

  But hey, it was for his own good. At least it was not I who had come up with this insanely dangerous plan.

  For once.

  The past few days had involved Jenny, Preston, Slade, and Charlette going back and forth on how to convince the other two clan leaders to meet with Charlette and Slade at the same time.

  They’d already decided; coming out and claiming was Charlette accompanying the Lost Heir of the Shadowguards would lead to the enemy attempting to most likely kill Slade and any other Shadowguards on sight. But, we had to get them to meet. At the same time, having all the clan leaders in the same place, at the same time offered an interesting situation that Preston was not ready to pass up.

  And that was how we wound up here, attempting to capture a single Black Diamond dragon, as proof that the Black Diamonds existed.

  We doubted Radnak would come in person to try and capture the clan leaders. However, Slade had informed Jenny and Preston of every detail of what happened to him in the custody of the Black Diamonds during his most recent capture. They, in turn, told me there was one Black Diamond, in particular, they were interested in drawing out.

  Nikolai.

  It seemed he was the one responsible for, not only torturing and killing hundreds of Shadowguards himself, but as the main commander of Radnak’s forces. Slade said that if Radnak trusted anyone to track down and bring him the clan leaders, it would most likely be Nikolai. They’d asked Charlette if she remembered that name and she’d growled, immediately stating Nikolai was the bastard who dragged her out of her home after killing ten of her personal guard.

  If we could pull Nikolai away from the camp and capture him in an ambush he hadn’t seen coming, we’d have access to a wealth of information. If he chose to speak. Or was forced to.

  I shuddered, remembering again what Jared and I had done to track down Slade, but there was no time to regret my actions. Not yet, at least. I was here, and I was no longer the seventeen-year-old girl from Jersey.

  I was Everest Somerset, a Descendant, protector of the clan leaders, and I was here to fight until the bitter end. Seeing the dead up close, rescuing those poor dragons and witches from Radnak’s grasp, all of this only served to solidify exactly what I was meant to do. My side ached, and I grimaced, pressing a hand to my ribs.

  Jenny spotted my action and looked ready to ask about it, but grunting came from behind us, and we both turned.

  “There’s a small group of scouts making ready to leave for patrol,” Tank informed us.

  “How many?” Preston asked.

  “Three, not heavily armed.”

  “Good, easy targets then. Jenny, you and Everest move back to Jared and Aiden. The second you hear us coming, get that portal open.”

  “Explain to me again how Nikolai is going to know where to find us?” I asked before we took off.

  “Because, we’re leaving a trail, that’s how,” Preston replied, his tone short.

  And then he and Tank were moving through the trees, headed toward the encampment.

  “Come on.” Jenny tapped my shoulder, and reluctantly I went with her.

  “You know the second Slade learns what we’re doing—behind his back, no less—he’s going to be pissed.”

  She nodded as we walked.

  “It’s for his own good. About time he gets a bit of revenge against that bastard Nikolai.” She spat viciously, adding a string of curses. “Time someone broke him and made him fall to pieces.”

  I agreed. Slade’s wounds were fading, but the mental scars were still there. This Nikolai bastard had taken Slade to a dark place, and now Slade hardly slept through the night.

  Our cots were beside one another, and most of the time when I woke up, his was empty. I’d catch him wandering around, head hanging, and looking defeated. I told him he could talk to me about what he went through, but he hadn’t yet. Pushing him didn’t sound like a great idea, but I worried if he kept it pent up for too much longer, it would start affecting his judgment. He was already on edge from dealing with so many knowing who he was. The Lost Heir of the Shadowguards. They all looked to him now with hope on their faces that he’d lead them to a better life.

  I grimaced as my side gave me another sharp jolt of pain.

  Jenny glanced at me worriedly. “What’s going on with you?”

  “Huh? Me? Nothing, I’m fine,” I lied with a smile on my face.

  “You know you’re a terrible liar.”

  I puffed out a breath. “Yeah, I get that a lot. So what?”

  “So, whatever you’re hiding, don’t hide it forever. Slade’s been worried about you.”

  “He’s not worried, he’s being paranoid and refusing to accept the fact that I need to protect him now, not the other way around.”

  Granted, though my fighting skills and magic had a long way to go, I had come pretty damned far since my first few weeks at school. I could hold my own, and it appeared I’d gotten over whatever emotional blockage I had before, when it came to using my magic to its full extent. That and though Mom seemed leery of my telling her about how I felt the
necklace was talking to me in some way, I swore it was helping me. Giving me access to my magic in a way I never thought I’d have.

  “Can you blame him?” she asked, and I wished I could say yes, but she was right. “Everything’s happening very quickly now, and none of us are going to have time to adjust to the changes. We just have to make the best of it.”

  “And you really think setting a trap this ambitious is a good idea?”

  “Gods no,” she said and laughed bitterly. “But I’d sure as hell like to let Radnak know we’re far from being defeated.”

  If we captured Nikolai, it would definitely send a message. The question was, would we be prepared for the retaliation he was sure to throw our way?

  Jared and Aiden appeared through the trees, and we jogged the rest of the way to them.

  “I take it they found a suitable target?” Aiden asked.

  “Let’s hope so. Otherwise, we’re going to have an entire battalion coming after us.”

  I nodded to Jared, then turned to stare into the darkness, waiting impatiently for this top-secret mission of ours to be over.

  “You holding up alright?” Jared asked quietly.

  “Yeah, yeah, I’m good. Why does everyone seem to think I’m not?”

  “You took a pretty big hit,” he reminded me.

  I reached up to hold my side, as it throbbed to remind me, too. “Really, like I keep telling Slade, I wasn’t hurt. Somehow, I blocked it. Dumb luck or whatever, but I’m fine. Honest. How are you and Amelie?” I asked, hoping he’d drop the topic, and it worked.

  He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and I bet he was blushing. “We’re good, for the most part. Think she’s still worried about me, and you really after what we did and all, but we’re good. I’m surprised actually.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I dunno, I just… we’d been friends for so long, but now it’s like I’m really seeing her. Is that cheesy? That’s cheesy.”

  “No, not even close. I think it’s romantic.”

  He laughed nervously. “So’s you finding out you’re in love with the Lost Heir, right?’

  “Yeah, not sure that’s romantic or if it’s more of an ‘I want to strangle him’ all the time situation,” I admitted. “Not sure what’s going on with us. He doesn’t exactly trust me with my own safety and all that crap.”

  “Can you blame him?” he asked, echoing Jenny’s words.

  I rolled my eyes.

  He gave a half-smile. “Just saying.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  I came off sounding meaner than I meant, but every single person said the same thing. Slade had a right to worry about me. He had every right to be paranoid about keeping me alive, but why was it such a big deal for me to be the one trying to keep him safe? Huh? Why? Just because I wasn’t the greatest witch yet or living up to my true potential meant nothing, and frankly, I was getting tired of it. Felt like I was back in my old high school again where everyone was content to underestimate me.

  Don’t worry. Soon they’ll all see they were wrong.

  The voice made me flinch as the necklace pulsed with heat. At the same time, the burn on my ribs flared with pain, and I bit back a grunt of annoyance and pain.

  Jared frowned, and I willed him not to say anything.

  “Think they’re coming,” Jenny whispered.

  All our attentions were turned toward the darkness, listening and watching.

  I expected to merely see three figures racing toward us, but then fire lit up the night sky, and Preston was yelling for us to open the damned portal.

  Spewing curses, Jared whirled around and began pulling on his magic as Aiden, Jenny, and I moved into defensive positions.

  I spotted two forms coming through the trees, looked like Tank had someone slung over his shoulder, and then I heard the roaring of dragons as they came in for the kill.

  “Hurry up, you morons,” Jenny yelled, just as the white light of the portal illuminated us.

  “No need for insults,” Preston shouted back. “Just go.”

  Jared grabbed my arm before I could argue and shoved me through the portal.

  I stumbled forward a few steps, right into Mom and Amelie.

  “Coming in hot,” I warned them.

  They stepped back in time for Preston to charge through, gasping for air.

  Tank and our captive followed next, and then Jenny and Aiden brought up the rear, along with Jared.

  Black smoke followed Jared in, and the back of his shirt was scorched.

  The portal closed with a sharp crack, cutting off the roar of dragons.

  “What the hell was that?” Mom snapped as she checked over Aiden, then me. “I thought you said you were going to sneak in and take someone.”

  “Tank picked a damned screamer,” Preston muttered.

  “He isn’t screaming now.” Tank flung the Black Diamond off his shoulder, and he hit the floor with a muffled thud, not moving.

  “Is he alive at least?” I asked, my brow raised.

  Tank hauled back his booted foot and kicked the dragon in the gut.

  The dragon sputtered, his eyes fluttering open for a few seconds before they closed again. His chest rose and fell with his raspy breathing.

  Tank planted his hands on his hips. “Yeah, he’s alive enough.”

  “Get him to a cell. Quietly,” Preston ordered.

  Tank huffed as he threw the dragon back over his shoulder.

  Jenny poked her head out the door of the war room first then nodded when the coast was clear. “The rest of you, get to bed and remember, this never happened. Slade doesn’t need to know, not yet at least.”

  “You sure springing this on him is going to go over well?” I asked, much as I had before we’d even set out. “Bad enough he’s going to be facing down the other clan leaders, but purposely causing an ambush?”

  “Our time for small actions is long past,” Jenny said. “It’s time we start fighting back.”

  “And when Slade realizes what we’ve done and takes his annoyance out on us, by I don’t know, lighting us all on fire?” I murmured.

  She shrugged. “I’ll deal with the fallout, especially if this plan works. I suggest you get to your cot, too before he notices you’ve been gone for a very long time.” She gave me a quick once-over, tilting her head. “You sure you’re feeling okay? You look flushed still.”

  I waved off her concern and sidled past her, making for the door. I felt her worried gaze on me until I was around the next turn. Finding myself alone, I sagged against the wall, wincing as I carefully lifted my shirt to take a look at my ribs.

  The mark was bright red, and each pulse sent another wave of weakness over me. I gritted my teeth and hurried to cover it when steps sounded behind me, then I rushed to get back to my cot.

  The main sleeping and living area in this base were already darkened, and only a few security lights lit the area. I tiptoed around beds until I reached mine, breathing a sigh of relief to find Slade’s bed was empty.

  Falling into my cot, I tugged the blanket up to my chin and closed my eyes… and realized I was wearing my boots. My muddy boots.

  I was about to reach down and try to yank them off when I heard Slade’s voice echo through the room.

  Popping my head up, I noticed he and Charlette were speaking, but his back was to me.

  I started to shove my boots off, but they became stuck, and then he was turning around, so I threw the blanket over my feet and shut my eyes, attempting to look like I was sound asleep, and that my heart wasn’t about to beat out of my chest from anxiety.

  Each step brought him closer to the empty cot beside mine, and I willed myself to relax, to steady my breathing as if we were getting ready to spar.

  Which to be fair if he figured out what we were up to, we might be.

  Without opening my eyes, I sensed how close he was.

  “Everest?” he whispered.

  I decided, since I was a terrible liar, I’d keep act
ing like I was asleep. He bought it, and my gut wrenched when he sweetly kissed my forehead, right before I heard his cot creak from his weight.

  I longed to open my eyes and let him know I was awake, but the second he set those blue eyes on me, the night’s events would tumble out of my mouth, and then no one would get any rest tonight.

  After a few minutes, I chanced a glance, and shut my eyes just as fast when I realized he’d fallen asleep facing me.

  I peeked again, but his eyes were firmly closed, and his chest rose and fell in an easy rhythm of sleep. I settled on my back, staring up at the ceiling and crossing my fingers that if everything went off without a hitch tomorrow, doubtful, that he would be able to forgive me for this tiny, little deception.

  Two

  Slade

  Five days.

  Five days since I was rescued from Radnak and we all came to this new refuge in the mountain. Five days since I saw that bastard nearly kill Everest, and that the truth came out about who I really was. And five days since Charlette Esmerie, clan leader of the Emerald Petites, promised she would vouch for me to the other leaders.

  A call came in nearly every day for her, but she hadn’t said anything to me directly, only spoke with Jenny and Preston to—as she put it—to set up a safe meeting. She’d given me an encouraging smile, but her tone told an entirely different story. Last night, I’d finally confronted her when I failed to track down Jenny and Preston. She told me she had everything under control and that I needed to be patient. We had to move forward carefully.