Unleash the Inferno (Heart of a Dragon Book 3)

by Tamara Shoemaker

  Cedric sat back, searching for the spark of psuche connection he shared with Ember. He found the creature lengths downhill from his shelter. Ember's mind was free of pain, and a comforting, soothing melody tinged the air around him.

  “Which Pixie is caring for him?”

  “Sage, Kayeck's daughter,” Lincoln answered.

  “I see.” Cedric relaxed against the cot, but nervous tension thrummed through him. He allowed Lanier's words to wash over him.

  “Sebastian's forces are depleted, but not nearly enough,” Lanier was saying to the nobles. “We pushed back the wave that attempted to crest the peaks last night, but in the valley, there are thousands more, waiting until we are weak and depleted ourselves. The Sanlians have arrived, adding their numbers to Sebastian's. They are fresh, ready to fight, and well-equipped. I've sat in Sebastian's Council chambers for years; I know how his mind works. Weaken the opponent, and then close in for the kill. He has weakened us, but he did not count on this extra help. The Stars bless your coming; it has perhaps staved off disaster for a time.”

  He clasped his hands behind him, his expression turning fierce. “It seems that upon your arrival, Sebastian has managed to extricate our Andrachen Queen, Kinna, from the fray and take her south to his headquarters. Already some members from our side have gone after her, but we must send support as swiftly as possible.”

  “Which is why,” Cedric pushed himself from his cot, shoving off Marigold's restraining touch and Ashleen's protests, “it is silly for me to waste time on this pallet.” He winced at the pain in his leg, but gritting his teeth, he joined the group of nobles, standing next to Lanier. “I will lead the company to find Kinna. Ayden has already gone; we will find him and attack together. Lanier, you're with me. Ashleen, Linc, Marigold, you as well. Ongalian nobles, half of your men will be well-placed here, holding our lines. The other half of your soldiers, I want with me and the four Great Dragons.”

  Lord Fellowes spoke, the scar on his cheek standing out in sharp relief in the light of day. “Your Grace, it is unusual for the King to take on such a dangerous mission when the safety of the Queen is already compromised. Have you thought who will lead The Rebellion should something happen to both of you?”

  Cedric frowned at the man. “My sister and I have spent all night missing death by orlachs. I feel that your warning is too little and too late. Kinna's capture was my fault—I intend to rectify my mistake. I will complete this mission tonight, and my mind will not be changed on the matter. However, since you ask, I would place Lanier on the throne, should something happen to myself or Kinna.”

  Lanier's craggy cheeks reddened, but he dipped his head. “Your Grace honors me.”

  “It is a deserved honor, then, Lanier. You have proven yourself quite capable of protecting a kingdom.” Cedric glanced around the circle. “Are we all ready, then?”

  The Ongalian nobles dipped their heads, and Lanier, too, bowed. Marigold's quiet voice spoke from behind him. “Your—Grace, if it pleases you, I would prefer to stay here. My gifts are with herbs and healing, and the wounded will soon coat this hillside. I will certainly have more than I alone can handle, but I would like to get a start.”

  Cedric considered her words. He could take Sage as well; surely between Lincoln and Sage, they could help Ember maintain his flight pain-free. “Granted.”

  Ashleen slipped silently from the circle. Cedric could see her walking toward Sperah, who huddled at the edge of the clearing, waiting for her.

  “Are we ready?”

  With one voice, the nobles said, “May Your Grace live long. We stand behind you.”

  “Then let's go.”

  Four figures lined Ember's back as the Dragon pumped his great wings at the head of a horde of Dragons that moved southward through the rising light in the skies. Lincoln and Sage sang in harmony, and the powerful blend of their voices kept Ember's mind free of the pain that surely would have grounded him had he been able to feel.

  Julian rode just behind Sage, unwilling to be left behind. “If it involves Kinna,” he'd argued, “it involves me.”

  Cedric had glared at him. “You gave up that right when you betrayed her, Julian.”

  “That changes nothing,” Julian had retorted. “I will go, or Sage will stay here.”

  And because Cedric wanted both Sage and Lincoln's charm to protect Ember, he'd reluctantly agreed.

  Cedric glanced worriedly at the wing. The muscles and tissues interwoven beneath the skin weren't visible beneath the firewort bandage, but Cedric knew sudden cuts through the air would possibly damage the wing beyond repair. His lips thinned. He'd nearly decided to ride another Dragon; many were tame enough to allow riders, but the psuche connection he shared with Ember was highly advantageous in battle. Together, they worked like a fine-tuned instrument, anticipating each other's wishes almost before one could form. Cedric winged a prayer to the Stars for protection and moved his concentration ahead.

  The mountain crest passed beneath them in a near blur. To Cedric's right and left, the four Great Dragons flew, their massive forms dwarfing most of the other Dragons that accompanied them. Lord Fellowes rode atop the Mirage. The other Greats disdained psuche partners. They flew free of riders. Sperah stayed on Ember's haunch. She was as unwilling to leave her mate as Ashleen seemed to be to leave Cedric.

  Cedric pushed aside all thoughts of anything else except Sebastian. The noon sun was upon them by the time they found Sebastian's headquarters.

  They settled atop a monstrous rock that wedged outward from the mountaintops in an expansive plateau. From it, Sebastian would have a wide range of vision and plenty of room for his sizeable array of top Commanders. Indeed, as they drew closer, Cedric could see Sebastian's tents set up in a semi-circle around the rock. In the middle of it, a gigantic blaze burned, and the entire rock milled with people, some rushing the rock from the mountain slopes where they desperately struggled to be the first to bear the news of the Dragons' coming.

  They need not have bothered. No one could miss the dark wave approaching now. Cedric strained his eyes for any sign of his sister's brilliant red hair or Sebastian on his erratic, maimed Dragon.

  He spotted both next to the bonfire. Directly over them, the flash of a reflection danced in the noonday light. Ayden and Kayeck circled high above them on his Mirage, Luasa, who roared furiously at the scene below.

  Arrows fired from the ground toward the Dragon, but they did no good, bouncing off his reflective scales. In another moment, Ayden turned Luasa and headed toward Cedric.

  “He plans to kill her!” Ayden shouted as Luasa drew alongside Ember, flying next to him. “The arrow even now nocks the bowstring!”

  “He's going to shoot her?”

  Ayden shook his head. “Nay, it's his security. If one of us tries to rescue her, she will die by the arrow. But he plans to melt her in a fountain of ash while I watch. He's been screaming his obscenities to the heavens for the last hour. This is the first he's seen Kayeck since she revealed her true loyalties, and he's beyond furious. I suspect he was really waiting for you; he wants to kill us both, and he knew Kinna would draw us to him.”

  “He's gone mad.”

  “Aye. Insane. But his insanity does not prevent her death.”

  “Then let's distract him.”

  “How?”

  Cedric motioned to Lanier, and behind him, the Dragon horde began to form an enormous circle. Dragons and aerial creatures from Sebastian's masses scrambled madly on the ground as they began to form a counterattack.

  “We're going to pull Sebastian's attention away from you.” Cedric nodded toward the Dragons forces. “While Lanier and our men are fighting in the skies, I'm going down to confront Sebastian. You and Luasa circle around to the east and come in from behind.” He pointed at Luasa's fin. “You can turn invisible, right?”

  “Nay,” Ayden shook his head. “Luasa's fin was damaged.”

  Cedric shook his head. “No matter. Just come in from the east when Sebastian's
Commanders are focused on the aerial battle, and I hold Sebastian's attention.”

  Ayden looked doubtful, but he nodded. “Lead the way, then, Your Grace.”

  Cedric glanced aside at Ashleen on Sperah. Her eyes were huge as she watched the Dragon horde position themselves behind them. She caught his gaze. “Go,” she called. “Do it. This is you, Cedric, not your Father.”

  Below them, Sebastian's bugler blew, and the mass of winged creatures launched from the rock toward the skies and Lanier's Dragons. Roars and screams filled the air as creatures clashed once again in a snarling, tangling mass of fire and blood.

  “Go!” Lincoln shouted behind Cedric.

  With a deep breath and the sounds of Lincoln and Sage's songs in his ears, Cedric guided Ember down to land in front of Sebastian on his Dragon and the bowman who held the arrow aimed at Kinna, effectively blocking their view of Cedric's sister where she was tied to a post,

  Kinna screamed at him. “No, Cedric, he'll kill you!”

  Sebastian, recovering from his surprise, smiled. “Aye, she's right. But how very noble. Last we spoke, you couldn't pull yourself out of the mud to try to save yourself, and you had to wait for dear sister to come along. Now you're about to sacrifice yourself while she's about to die. Such nobility in the family.”

  Cedric said nothing. He counted as he waited. Luasa would be circling in the maelstrom above, waiting to dive as soon as Cedric created his distraction. He had to time it exactly right.

  Sebastian motioned to the bowman. “Turn your arrow, Lyndon.”

  Obediently, the bowman turned his arrow and sighted along it, directly at Cedric. Ember roared, but Cedric laid a calming hand on Ember's back.

  “Now, Cedric,” Sebastian said, “you have two choices. You may either remain where you are and draw the ire of my arrow, effectively ending your life, which will not, in point of fact, stop me from ending your sister's as well, or you may step to one side and watch while I turn her into a fountain of ash. One way ends with you alive, momentarily, at least. The other way ends with an arrow in your throat, and I can assure you, Lyndon does not miss. And then, dear nephew, I will have my Dragon, Briste, eat your remains.” His grin was purely evil.

  Cedric said nothing for a long moment. He briefly wondered what his father would have done in such a situation, but he shoved the thought aside. Ashleen's words tugged at his consciousness, reminding him of his responsibility, the responsibility he now took for himself.

  Cedric Andrachen was not his father. He wasn't Liam; he was his own man, and he could make his own choices.

  At last, he opened his mouth. “Briste.”

  Sebastian' smile froze on his face. “What are you doing?” he rasped.

  The Dragon on which Sebastian sat raised his head, turning his gaze alertly on Cedric.

  “Briste, bring me Sebastian's Amulet.”

  Briste, bowing beneath the Dragon-speak that Cedric had spoken, turned his long neck back toward Sebastian, and a hiss rumbled from his throat.

  “No!” Sebastian screamed, clutching at the Amulet that swung around his neck on its chain. He yanked it off, and stood, leaping from the Dragon's back. “It's mine! Lyndon, kill him!”

  Lyndon pulled back his arrow, but Briste had moved between Lyndon and Cedric, stalking Sebastian, who scrambled away, eyes fever bright as he clutched the Amulet. The arrow bounced off Briste's wing. Ember whirled his tail, striking Lyndon, knocking him across the rock. Both Dragons now faced Sebastian.

  “Lyndon, kill him!” Sebastian screamed again. “Guards, surround them. Kill them all!”

  Time froze for Cedric. A whooshing sound from the heavens surrounded them. Luasa appeared, Ayden and Kayeck bowed low and clinging to her back. A knife was in Ayden's hand, displayed, ready to cut Kinna's twine.

  Sage and Lincoln's song reverberated around them.

  Lyndon found his bow, slid an arrow from his quiver and nocked it.

  Julian slid from Ember's back.

  The arrow flew, not at Cedric, not as he'd expected; he screamed for Briste to attack the archer, but it was too late.

  The arrow flew instead toward Kinna, true and straight, toward her heart.

  Her eyes widened.

  Ayden was too far.

  A beat too late.

  Cedric couldn't stop it.

  Julian was there.

  The arrow thudded into his back as he leaped in front of Kinna, his arms wide, striving to keep her from death. A fresh red rose bloomed on his back, vibrant with life-blood. The liquid soaked outward as Julian thudded to the ground.

  “No!” Sage screamed in Cedric's ear, her song breaking off in the one horrible syllable. She slipped from Ember's back, dodging his spewing Dragonfire, running toward her psuche partner, who groaned on the ground in front of Kinna.

  No! The word echoed in Cedric's head. Apparently, there were some things even Cedric Andrachen had no power to stop.

  Chapter Twenty

  Sebastian

  The skies shrieked a continuous, keening wail in Sebastian's head, and other voices drove him mad as his past rose against him, burying his thoughts beneath a plague of fear and torment. On some level, he realized he was losing his hold on reason, but he could do nothing to stop it, so great and forceful was the fury and panic that rose inside of him.

  His Pixiedimn Commander lay bleeding in front of his niece, an arrow protruding from his back. The Dragons around them roared. His own men hurled weapons at the beasts, fruitlessly, as Pixie song continued to reverberate around them from Lincoln, the orange-haired Pixie on Ember's back.

  The turquoise-haired Pixie leaned over the lad. “Julian!” she screamed in broken tones. “No, please, no!”

  “It's his own fault!” Sebastian yelled, spittle flying into the air, settling on his beard. He knew his reason was leaving him when he didn't even flinch. Normally, he would have scrubbed mercilessly at such a display. “He interfered with my justice, and when such happens, death is the only repayment!”

  “Justice!” Kinna yelled. “That, from you!”

  With a crash, a giant Mirage Dragon landed on the stone behind Kinna. Ayden leaped free of the she-Dragon, swiping his knife through Kinna's twine. He half-supported, half-carried Kinna back toward the Mirage, sliding her onto the creature in front of the traitorous, purple-haired Seer Fey.

  “Ayden,” Kinna sobbed. “Julian—”

  “I know,” he returned. He helped her onto the Mirage's back while Sebastian watched, fury writhing like a torrent through his veins, and flames emerged from his skin in a torrent.

  Sebastian hurled the fire in their direction, but the she-Dragon's furious burst of Dragonfire spewed outward, catching Sebastian's flames, and both streams arced skyward in an explosive combustion. Several of Sebastian's soldiers fell beneath the blast, screaming.

  Ayden faced Sebastian, his knife still in his hand. He switched it to his other hand and drew his sword, striding toward the King. “It's time to end this, Sebastian.” Flames licked the skin of his fists where they held the weapons.

  Sebastian drew his own sword. Ice sealed his hands to its hilt, and Sebastian allowed the Touches to writhe through him. “High time.” He lunged forward, and deadly, pointed ice shards shot outward, nearly skewering Ayden against his Mirage. Dragonfire from the she-Dragon's mouth billowed, melting the ice before it could touch Ayden, but not pushing through the cold shield Sebastian threw up before the flames could hit him. He slammed his sword down with a ringing clash onto Ayden's, straining against him.

  Beads of sweat popped out on Ayden's forehead. “Luasa,” Ayden yelled, “get Kinna to safety.”

  “No, Luasa!” Kinna's voice cut the air. “If you move, I dismount. You're not leaving Ayden behind.”

  “How—precious,” Sebastian gasped as he shoved Ayden away from him. “They spare you a drop of concern.”

  Ayden's grim expression didn't falter. “It happens,” he said, swinging his sword around again. “Far more often for me than for you.” Th
is time, ice shards from the boy's sword-wielding hands shot toward Sebastion, but Sebastian swept them aside with a torrent of fire.

  They were evenly matched. Though the Amulet pulsed on his chest, its power exuded to both of them, and Sebastian feared he could not overcome the boy with the Touches.

  Sebastian jabbed with his sword, but Ayden's knife-hand blocked it. “You think I care about that?”

  Ayden's sword bit Sebastian's chainmail, and ash exploded outward from the contact. Sebastian inhaled an involuntary gasp. “I think you care too much. It makes you,” Ayden swung again, catching Sebastian's shoulder with a crash of metal on metal, “weak. And helpless. And pathetic. And simpering.” Each adjective he punctuated with another swing.

  Sebastian's arm grew tired, and he saw his opponent's arm sag at the same moment. He took advantage, charging forward and crashing into him.

  Both of the men flew backward, nearly on top of the downed Pixiedimn, who still lay, groaning and gurgling in his final death throes. The Pixie wept over him, her song barely audible as she tried to sing his wound closed. It would do no good.

  Ayden rolled to the side, and Sebastian got unsteadily to his feet. His eyes on his opponent, he spit through gritted teeth: “Do you wish to see what happens to those who interfere with my plans?”

  Ayden gulped deep breaths and didn't answer.

  Sebastian raised his sword over his head and brought it down into the Pixiedimn, who jerked in one final convulsion before growing still, his gaze fastening to some point beyond the sky, beyond the earthly realm. The turquoise-haired Pixie slowly slumped over him, the song frozen on her lips, her soul fleeing along with her psuche partner's.

  Sebastian panted as he stepped back. “What now, Dragondimn? The Amulet divides its power equally between us, so we can exhaust swordplay and we can deplete our energy while we wield the Touches, but who will ever win such a fight?”