Dragon Fire Academy 2: Second Term

by Rachel Jonas

  Abe gestured in the direction of the dark walkway. “He’s down there.”

  All our gazes shifted toward the stone corridor that appeared to have no end.

  “You’ll take us,” Noelle insisted.

  The guard hadn’t even had a chance to agree or disagree when his collar was gathered into her fist, and he was forced to take steps ahead of us. Of course, he made no attempt to argue, and I didn’t blame him.

  Blythe had been completely silent the entire time, and it was hard to read her. The only thing I knew for sure was that she, like the rest of us, grew more concerned for her friend as time wore on. Noelle slipped into these states where she acted without thinking, and it was during those moments that none of us were ever really sure what to expect from her other than violence. It was as though, as a witch, she had access to The Darkness’ power, and could tap into it at will.

  Or … against her will.

  “What is that?” We’d gone down this new path for what felt like a quarter of a mile when Noelle stopped to ask.

  She peered through the darkness and we did the same. It took a moment longer for any of us to see what her sharp eyesight had revealed to her a moment before, but there it was.

  A strange, green glow coming from what I guessed to be the end of the hallway.

  “Rayen.” Noelle called out to him with desperation woven into the syllables. I hung on the silence a moment, unsure of why he hadn’t answered.

  When only her voice echoed against the stone, my heart raced.

  Abe released a startled grunt when Noelle took off running into the darkness with him in tow. We managed to keep up, but barely. Even with our heightened speed, she was hard to catch.

  Eventually, her steps slowed, and I could now make out the dark silhouette of bars. The odd light we’d seen from a distance glowed behind them. It was magic, energy moving in waves from the ends of three sticks jutting upward from the ground.

  Dirt and loose gravel crunched beneath our feet as we moved closer.

  As the outline of a body lying on the ground caused my heart to stop cold.

  As the objects that glowed became clear.

  Arrows—three right to the center of Rayen’s chest.

  Noelle dropped to her knees and finally released Abe from her grasp.

  “What did you do?” she screamed as the sigils burned brighter, lighting up the darkness we’d barely been able to see through before then. “What did you do to him?”

  She scrambled quickly toward the cell that held our brother. Reaching between the bars, she found Rayen’s hand to take hold of it. Tears race down her cheeks and the heart-wrenching sob that left her mouth broke my soul.

  My stomach turned as the finality of it all hit me like a ton of bricks, seeing the one I’d come to love like my own flesh and blood lie there on the stone floor of a cave.

  Lifeless … where he’d died alone.

  Kai’s back fell against the wall, and he stood speechlessly, shocked into silence by what all our eyes were having a hard time believing.

  My chest burned with rage, but sadness kept the intense anger in check. I couldn’t seem to grasp the concept of him simply … not existing anymore.

  “Who did this?” Noelle turned from where she knelt, her now pitch-black eyes contrasting her glowing skin. And those eyes were locked on Abe.

  When he shrugged, Ori seemed to come from nowhere, rushing the guard into a wall. Loose stones fell to their feet and the entire cave echoed with the sound.

  “Who … did … this?” our alpha asked, repeating the question.

  “I—I don’t know. The visitor was completely covered. I told you, they had a signed statement from Chief Sigo to enter, and we let them in. That’s all I know.”

  “It was a witch,” Blythe spoke up. “Only a cursed weapon could mortally wound a supernatural. Otherwise, he would’ve healed and been fine. Not …”

  Her voice trailed off and I was grateful for it. Hearing someone say the words out loud would have been more than I could take.

  Noelle’s head whipped back toward Rayen and her desperation was so strong, it could be felt by those of us connected to her.

  “I have to fix this,” she said quietly, seemingly to herself. “Open the cell.”

  I glanced toward Ori, finding that he already had his gaze locked on Noelle.

  Abe, panting, turned toward her, and it only took him half a second to remember why it would be unwise to keep her waiting. The keys dangling in his hand rose to the lock when he made it there.

  “Noelle, what are you doing?” It was Blythe who asked the question we were all thinking.

  “I’m doing what has to be done,” she reasoned. “It can’t end like this. Not when I can do something about it.”

  “But you can’t do anything about it,” Blythe reasoned, stepping closer. “If you’re thinking about bringing him back, necromancy requires a ton of dark energy, and you can’t go there.”

  The warning resonated with us all, and I stepped forward. When I reached Noelle’s back, just as the gate swung open, I placed both hands on her shoulders. Beside me, Blythe stood, breathing deeply. When her eyes flitted toward me, and I caught a glimpse of the terror in them, my heart sank. It let me know the extent of the damage this could do to Noelle, possibly pushing her to the point of no return.

  “This isn’t what he’d want,” I told her, getting the words out as calmly as I could. “If you do this, we might not be able to pull you back in. There’s a chance this will be the thing that pushes you beyond our reach.”

  I breathed deep, praying she listened.

  “No,” she breathed, making my eyes fall closed when she stood and slipped from my grasp. “I can’t leave him like this.”

  “None of us wants that, Noelle, but you can’t—”

  “I’m sorry.” She turned to me when the words left her mouth, and those ink-colored eyes that seemed to make her behave like a completely different person locked on me. Then, with the wave of her hand, my body flew to the cave wall, as well as my brothers, Blythe, and Abe.

  We were pinned there, paralyzed by her magic as she moved into the cell, where she lowered beside Rayen.

  “Blythe, can you break us out of this? Can you counter her spell?”

  I turned to her after Kai asked, spotting a lone tear as it streamed down her face. “She’s stronger than me,” Blythe admitted. “I can feel it dampening my powers as we speak.”

  Hearing those words, I attempted to move my shoulders, a finger, something, but it was no use. The only thing I could do was speak, which meant my only defense, the only way I could possibly convince our queen to turn back while there was still time was to reason with her.

  “Noelle,” I called out, hearing her name echoing off the stone surfaces. “This is wrong, and you can feel it. We all want to undo what’s been done, but … not like this.”

  “Then how?” Her question was harsh, resolute. As if her mind had already been made up. “You want me to just leave him like this?”

  “What’s done is done,” I answered, feeling as though sadness might strangle me to death. The longer the seconds wore on, the more reality hit—my brother was gone.

  She stared down on him, shaking her head in disbelief.

  “The only thing we can do from here is find out who did this, and bring them to justice.”

  She laughed a humorless laugh from where she stood over Rayen, clearly disagreeing with me.

  “And you think that’s enough? Bringing them to justice?” She shook her head once again. “No, I’m bringing him back. And even then, I’ll find whoever did this and make them beg … for death.”

  My eyes slammed shut, feeling like I’d lose this battle when she declared this promise.

  “And what if this is it?” I asked. “What if it’s like Maureen said. It’s up to you which side you choose, and what may seem right and necessary, might not be so black and white,” I reminded her. “She seemed to think you’d reach a tipping point, on
e final decision that pushes you from straddling the line … to crossing it.”

  Noelle didn’t answer right away, which gave me an inkling of hope to cling to. I saw her shoulders heaving as she thought, weighing my words, weighing her options. When her eyes found mine, I held my breath and prayed I’d said enough to sway her.

  But then, that morsel of hope was dashed by two words.

  “I’m sorry.”

  Her gaze slowly returned to Rayen as she mourned him in silence. The caves began to whistle in the distance, and then seconds later, the wicked gust of wind that caused it, finally reached us. Noelle’s long, dark hair swept across her face and up into the air as she placed both hands over Rayen’s chest, where she’d just removed the three arrows. Despite the chaos ensuing around us, she appeared calm when her eyes fell closed.

  The bluish-green markings that covered her skin were beginning to change, slowly fading to a striking purple that made my heart race with uncertainty. I stared as Noelle’s lips moved, and somehow, the whispered words could be heard loud and clear, as if the wind carried them throughout the cave, filling the atmosphere with their power.

  The purple aura rose from her skin like a halo surrounding her, and then engulfed Rayen as well. Meanwhile the rest of us were powerless, forced to be onlookers.

  Then, right before my eyes, I saw his hand twitch. I hated the relief that one, tiny movement brought with it, because I had no idea what the cost would be.

  To us.

  To Noelle.

  Our hive as a whole.

  Her lips moved faster, faster than humanly possible, and the aura brightened into a blinding white flash that forced my eyes closed. Through my lids, I was aware of the moment the space suddenly went dark.

  Pitch black.

  The wind faded to a howl before it died completely, leaving us with nothing more than the sound of Noelle’s labored breathing from somewhere in the distance.

  And then … a loud gasp that didn’t belong to her made my heart stall. Noelle’s breaths quickened with excitement, then there was frantic shuffling inside the cell.

  “You’re okay,” she panted. “You’re okay.”

  Harsh coughing from the same direction reverberated off the cave walls, and I struggled in vain to free myself.

  “It worked!” The triumphant tone of Noelle’s voice felt displaced, because those of us who’d tried to stop her had a very different outlook on what she’d just done.

  A bright, orange glow illuminated the cell when she ignited her fingertip and found a torch to light on the wall. Now, we were able to see for ourselves. Our brother who once lie fatally wounded on the ground, was sitting up, trying to catch his breath.

  In the center of his shirt, three blood-stained holes marked the spot where the cursed arrows had entered his heart. In that moment, the consequences seemed secondary, because … he was with us again.

  Noelle’s spell still held us in place, unable to move.

  “You can free us now.”

  Ori’s voice was stern when he addressed Noelle, and I glanced over to find that his expression matched. He seemed leery of her now, or perhaps just angered that she’d gone against him.

  She pressed her hand gently to Rayen’s cheek, staring at him through a tearful gaze as she ignored yet another command. Leaning in, her forehead rested against his, and it was clear she was still racked with the emotion of having nearly lost him forever. The two shared a single, unhurried kiss as Rayen finally started to get his bearings, and then Noelle stood to her feet.

  She took steps in our direction, but stopped in front of Abe. The wicked smile that curved her lips upward caused beads of sweat to bud across his forehead.

  “Tell me everything you know about the witch who did this,” Noelle demanded calmly. “And I don’t need to tell you the lengths I’m willing to go to get the truth.”

  He could hardly catch his breath as fear filled him to the brim. “I-I-I already told you what I know,” he stammered. “The person came in wearing a big, dark cloak, handed me the paperwork from Chief, and we let them in.”

  “When this person left, which way did they go?”

  “I have no idea,” he said, almost apologetically. “We didn’t escort them out, so they could have gone anywhere.”

  Noelle’s jaw clenched when the answer filled her with frustration.

  “So, what you’re saying is, not only did you cause this, but you’re also useless to me now.” When the last word left her mouth, dark liquid began coloring her irises and the whites of her eyes.

  “No,” Abe said in a panic. “I wish I had more to tell you, but that’s all I know.”

  Noelle stared wordlessly, and I don’t think any of us knew her intentions, which terrified me.

  “Well,” she sighed. “Have it your way.”

  “No, please!” Abe’s plea ricocheted off the stones, and then went silent when his head abruptly jutted to the side with the closing of Noelle’s fist.

  We all heard his neck snap.

  We all saw the look of satisfaction that filled Noelle at the sound of it.

  She backed away casually, slipping a necklace off over her head. I watched as she made her way to Ori and placed it around his neck.

  “What are you doing?” His hard tone hadn’t changed as he glared at her.

  She met his gaze and seemed unphased by his disappointment in her actions. My guess was she felt perfectly justified because it worked—she saved Rayen, and would have done the same for any one of us.

  “Just hang on to this for me for a bit,” she answered, touching the stone that now hung at the center of Ori’s chest. “I’d never forgive myself if I lost something so important to you.”

  “Where are you going?” It wasn’t until asking this question that Ori’s concern finally reared its head. He was angry with Noelle, yes, but he still cared deeply. That was more than apparent as he searched her expression for an explanation.

  She blinked, and despite the fury swimming in her eyes, there was softness toward our alpha. “I can’t just let this go,” she reasoned.

  “Noelle. Please.” The desperation he’d fought hard to hide was beginning to bleed through, and Noelle lowered her gaze at the sound of it.

  Still, his words didn’t draw a response, I guessed because her heart was already set on exacting revenge for Rayen, and there was nothing any of us could do to stop her.

  “So, that’s it,” Ori said with a blank stare. “You’re giving me the necklace because you don’t want to harm what’s important to me. Yet, you’re putting the most valuable thing of all right in harm’s way.”

  Not quite understanding at first, Noelle’s gaze narrowed as she questioned Ori with her eyes. And then it hit home.

  He was referring to her.

  She lowered her head again, and I wondered if I begged, would she change her mind and stay put? But then I remembered who I was dealing with—the most treacherous princess-turned-queen the mainland, and our island, had ever known.

  “I should be back at the bungalow before nightfall. Look after Rayen until I get there.” The softly spoken words left her mouth as she placed a hand on Ori’s chest, seconds before taking off at lightning speed.

  I imagined she’d gotten a good enough distance away to avoid being tracked when the spell finally lifted. Within me, there was a conflict between chasing her down, and going to Rayen. However, knowing Noelle had done everything in her power to cover her tracks, I moved to the cell.

  “What’s going on?” Rayen asked, his voice sounding strained.

  “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  He closed his eyes to think about my question. “I was sitting here, and then someone rushed me, and—”

  His gaze shifted toward his chest and he grabbed at the wounds in a panic. Well, they would have been wounds, if it wasn’t for Noelle.

  “She brought you back,” I explained. “How do you feel?”

  Still confused, Rayen shook his head. “Like me, just
a little out of it.”

  “I can imagine.” I couldn’t help but to smile at him, feeling relieved beyond words. As much as I regretted what Noelle had done, I was grateful to her.

  “Take him back to the bungalow and make sure he’s okay,” Ori commanded, prompting me to nod. He turned toward Kai next. “You, come with me. We have to try hunting her down. Who knows what she’ll find out there?”

  He was right, although I was starting to believe it was the world who needed to fear Noelle. Not the other way around.

  I got Rayen to his feet, and we shuffled out of the cell. Blythe was several steps ahead, in a rush to leave.

  “Where you headed?”

  She slowed down when Ori asked, seemingly even more unnerved than we were. I found myself wondering if, as a witch, with knowledge of these things, she wasn’t panicking for good reason.

  “Back to my room,” she answered. “I’m not really any use to you all here, so I’m going to do the one thing I can.”

  My brow pulled together. “And what’s that?”

  She met my gaze and took a deep breath. “I’m gonna try to get us some help.”

  Epilogue

  Blythe

  “Out, NOW!” I yelled, moving quickly around my room.

  “Everything cool?”

  Pausing from dumping the contents of three purses onto my bed, I glanced toward Kip, certain impatience had darkened my stare. It was confirmed when she hopped up from her seat and scrambled into her shoes.

  I returned to spilling the items from my bag onto my comforter as the door slammed behind her.

  Finally, the lighter I’d been searching for tumbled out.

  Rushing to grab the metal trash can from the corner, I emptied it on the rug, next moving to my dresser. There, sealed in a bag inside the top drawer, were the ingredients I’d worked my butt off to gather. I was still missing a few items from the list, but time had run out, which meant I’d have to improvise.

  One by one, I took inventory as I dropped each item inside the trashcan, and then stood to rush toward the door. Remembering I’d need a couple things, I doubled back to grab an earring and a loose bottle cap from Kip’s nightstand.