by E. L. Todd
Her fingers tightened on her fork as her eyes softened, thinking about the pain they both endured for the other. The scars would mark her body until it decomposed in death, and now he had the same fate. Every time he looked at his reflection, he would have to see the brutality. “I know…”
They hiked deeper into the island, crossing meadows full of flowers, navigating over the crags, finding a waterfall and following it down to the bottom.
Her eyes scanned the skies regularly, looking for the winged beasts that called this place home. “Are you sure they’re here? They’re kinda hard to miss…”
“The island is big, and they’re scattered. Dragons only need to eat once every few days, so I guess they must sleep the rest of the time.”
“They would rather eat and sleep than save their kin?” she asked incredulously.
“Hey, I’d rather eat and sleep than try to overthrow the dictator I call Dad.”
“But you don’t.”
“Yeah, but it’s tempting.”
She gave him a playful smack in the arm before she continued forward. “Can Flare call Ashe?”
“I suppose he could. But I’ve got to warn you, this isn’t going to go well.”
“We have to try.”
“You don’t understand. Ashe isn’t like Flare. He’s—”
“ROAR!”
A jet-black dragon appeared in the sky, massive in size, his dark color stark against the blue sky up above. He was visible from the top of the mountains because his size was still significant despite the distance, still significant in comparison to the mountains and landscapes that surrounded him. Within seconds, he flew to their location, letting out another roar that nearly shattered their eardrums.
“Yeah, that’s him.” Rush came closer to her as he approached. “Ashe—the dragon that needs no introduction.”
Ashe landed on the grass in front of him, the ground giving a tremor at the collision. He opened his mouth and roared directly in their faces, making their hair fly back and their eyes squint. Fire was visible in his nostrils, burning on the fuel of his rage. Black eyes like oil pierced them both, promising retribution.
Rush raised his hands. “Look, I know you said not to come back, but—”
“ROAR!”
“Okay, I know you’re mad—” Rush was cut off in mid-sentence, a sentence she couldn’t hear. “I only brought her. Nobody else. We need to talk to you—”
She projected her mind forward just the way she did with Rush. I’m Cora.
His head swerved back to her, his eyes vicious. Another dragon enslaved, and you parade it in front of me.
No—
And you’re an elf. Abomination.
Rush looked at Cora, knowing they were communicating.
I’m not fused. Cora stepped forward. I’ve never fused with a dragon. And I’m half elf.
“Don’t say anything stupid, Cora.”
“Do I ever say anything stupid?” She turned to him.
“Yes…on occasion.”
Ashe righted himself, adopting his kingly posture, wisps of smoke the same color as his scales rising to the blue sky. His mind was silent, regarding her with intelligent eyes that always shone with menace.
She held his stare, observing him with as much interest. I’m sorry for encroaching on your lands—
Then don’t. I don’t encroach on yours.
I know. But I wish you would.
His eyes narrowed.
Because you’re everything that Rush described—and it’s an honor to meet you.
That sentiment is not mutual. Explain yourself.
I’ve come here to convince you to help us free the dragons—
Explain your abilities. Beings can’t communicate with dragons unless they’re fused, but you’re doing it flawlessly.
I…I honestly don’t know.
He flared his nostrils, and the smoke rolled out.
“Cora…”
I really don’t know. Rush and Flare don’t know either.
Unless you’re fused…and you speak lies.
I’m not fused.
Let us see. He lunged at her and grabbed her in his large claw, sweeping her off her feet instantaneously. His wings opened, and he took flight, pushing off the ground and jumping into the sky, everything happening so fast that all Cora saw was a blur.
She heard Rush scream. “Cora!”
Ashe took off into the sky, gaining such immense speed that Cora’s body would become dismembered if she weren’t clutched tightly in his grasp. He pounded to the sky, the island below him, and then threw her.
Cora opened her eyes and saw the island pass her by below, saw the ground come for her slowly and steadily. Her arms opened like wings, but she continued to race toward the earth, screaming as the ground came up to meet her.
Rush’s voice was loud in her ears. I’m coming!
All she could do was scream, watching the crags come closer and closer.
I’m almost there.
She tumbled in the air, seeing the red dragon racing to catch her before she hit the ground.
Ashe remained in flight from where he threw her, watching the scene play out.
Flare beat his wings as hard as he could, but he was too far.
He was too far away.
She closed her eyes, knowing it was over.
The ground was so close, coming at her as hard as she was coming at it.
NOOOOO!
With her eyes closed and a calmness stopping her screams, she spoke her final words. Rush, I—
She hit the earth.
But it wasn’t the earth.
The landing was soft, and she felt the talons surround her, engulfing her in a net of safety.
Her eyes opened, and she saw the ground go still, staying put. A green dragon flapped its wings above her.
Ashe’s powerful voice spoke into her mind. Now I see.
The green dragon placed her on the ground in a grassy field in front of a large cave in the rock wall. He opened his wings and took off again.
Seconds later, Flare landed close by.
Flare became Rush instantly, and Rush sprinted to where she lay on the ground. His face came into her vision, his blue eyes probing her for information about her safety. His hand felt her arms, checking for broken bones. “Cora, are you alright?”
“Yes… I just…”
“What?”
“I’m so dizzy…”
Rush circled his arm underneath her shoulders and helped her sit upright, supporting her back so she could relax against him. “Just breathe. Give it a second.”
Ashe landed yards away and folded his wings. His hindquarters lowered to the ground, and he sat with his chest out, his dark eyes watching their interaction.
The world came back to her slowly, the breeze hitting her face gently and giving her the air she needed. “That sucked…but it was also kinda cool.”
Rush released a sigh of relief as he squeezed her shoulders. “Attagirl.” He grabbed her hands and helped her to her feet.
Flare’s voice came into her mind. Pretty, are you okay?
Yeah, I’m fine. Didn’t lose my breakfast, so that’s a good sign…
It wasn’t a good breakfast, so it wouldn’t have been much of a loss.
She chuckled.
Ashe remained still, blending into the stone behind him.
Cora walked forward and approached him once again. “I think we settled that…”
Yes. But we have much else to settle.
“I truly don’t know how I can communicate with you.” She spoke out loud so Rush could listen to at least half the conversation. “I’d give anything to know. Maybe it’s because I’m half elf—”
Elves can’t communicate with dragons.
“Then how did you communicate with them before you allowed mankind to enter your lands?”
I would fuse with the king purely for communication.
Cora dropped her eyes at that information. “Who was the king?”
King Valnor.
She winced in disappointment.
This was a time when the elves and dragons shared Anastille in peace. They were more than neighbors, more than allies, but friends. I fused, knowing they would allow me to unfuse once the conversation had concluded. The concept that a fuse could be forced and maintained by power and abuse hadn’t crossed my mind when I gave men permission to enter our lands. Such naïveté.
“It’s not your fault.”
His eyes narrowed.
“How can you conceive of such cruelty unless you’ve seen it before? You would have to live your life assuming everyone has ill intentions, and that’s no way to live—”
It is the only way to live.
“I’m sorry that this has happened to you…I really am.”
Because of my ignorance, I allowed evil to flood your lands. Your forests have been destroyed, your kin have been slain, and you’re sorry for me?
“Of course I am.”
You must be a young elf.
“I am, but that’s not the point.”
It’s entirely the point. Every elf that has lived through that time will never forget the loss of those they loved—because of my decision. King Lux drove them from their forests as he burned them down, building his castles and his dungeons. Where did he get the fire? From our lungs. He turned his head away, his eyes looking into the distance. Our alliance was weakly preserved, and we marched on High Castle—and lost more of what we tried so hard to protect. Elves and dragons are just as much enemies as elves and humans. You lack the maturity and the understanding because of your childish age.
“I disagree.”
His eyes moved back to hers.
“My childish age gives me a perspective that no one else has. An ability to look at the situation pragmatically, to see that the past shouldn’t compromise our future, that old resentments should be forgotten so we can move forward. Because if we don’t move forward, nothing changes—except that King Lux grows more powerful.”
His stare continued, fierce in his unblinking gaze.
“It may not happen now. It may not happen in a thousand years. But one day, King Lux will cross the desert and conquer Eden Star. The power there will be no match for all his forces, all his dragons, his enormous populace of men. Your strongest ally will no longer exist. Then King Lux will turn his gaze on the landmasses in the seas when his minerals and ores are depleted from Rock Island. His fleet of ships will sail here—and you will have nowhere to hide.”
His stare was as hard as the stone behind him.
“Or we can fight now…while we still have a chance.”
We’ve tried that before—and failed.
“And we have to try again. We’ll get more allies this time. There are men who are loyal to your cause in Anastille. I know they exist because they hid your location on the map. We have a chance—if we work together.”
That was a long time ago. Those men are dead and gone.
“But others may have taken their place.”
I will not take a gamble on may.
“Then what will you gamble on?”
That’s another difference between us and humans—we don’t gamble.
“You know what I mean.”
He looked away again.
“You know everything I’ve said is true—”
And if it is true, we will live in peace until that moment comes. Leave.
“No—”
Leave my lands. Or leave your bones on my lands. Choose wisely.
Rush grabbed her by the arm. “Cora, he clearly wants us to leave—”
She pushed his arm away. “You can give up on this, but I won’t.” She stepped forward again. “The elves are your allies. Join us once more, and we’ll take back what is ours.”
“Cora…”
Ashe stilled before he slowly lowered his head, bringing it closer to her. Queen Delwyn has said this?
Rush stared at her, silently telling her not to go forward with this approach.
Cora held his gaze, dancing on the edge of a blade. She wanted to get what she wanted and worry about it later, but Ashe’s distrust of others was so profound that once she betrayed him, there was no going back. “Not yet…”
Smoke billowed from his nostrils then he opened his mouth, the fire growing inside his throat. Leave!.
Rush grabbed her by the arm. “We’ve got to run.”
“No.” She flung his arm off.
“Do you want to die?” Rush yelled.
Ashe opened his mouth wider. Then die. The flames came.
Cora instantly extended her mind, just the way she did with the Shamans, circled his mind with her own—then pushed.
Ashe shut his mouth instantly, jerked back, eyes narrowed.
Rush was still by her side, and he stilled at the sudden change.
Ashe righted himself then looked down at Cora, smoke coming from his nostrils. What did you do?
“I…I’m not sure.”
Do not lie to me!
“I’m not.”
It’s dark magic…you used dark magic against me.
“I didn’t mean to. I just… It was instinct. I didn’t want to be burned alive. Can you really blame me?”
More smoke poured from his nostrils.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again as long as you don’t try to set me on fire.”
His nostrils flared, and a cloud of smoke appeared. I can set you on fire whenever I wish.
“Then I can defend myself whenever I wish.”
He made a slow and menacing growl.
Rush grabbed her arm again. “Let’s leave while we still can.”
You had your chance to leave. Now it’s revoked.
Cora stilled.
You will stay—until I know exactly what you are.
Thirty-One
Secrets
“Knock, knock.” Rush poked his head inside the cave and peered into the darkness. “Any pissed-off dragons at home?” He stuck his fingers into his mouth and made a loud whistle, which hit the back of the wall and reverberated toward them again. “I think we’re all clear.” He moved into the cavern first and pulled out a branch before he lit it with some matches.
The cavern was shallow, but it had plenty of space for a campfire and two bedrolls.
Cora joined him and dropped her pack. “Was kinda hoping to see some dragon eggs…”
“No, you weren’t.” He set the torch on the ground along with his pack. “Trust me on that.” He moved back to the cave entrance. “Let’s get some wood before it gets dark.”
They ventured outside and picked up whatever they could find, the light fading from the lush greenness, the mist starting to set in. The climate was different here than it was in Anastille. In summer, it was still cool, the breeze constantly packed with ocean moisture. They carried what they could find then made the fire, the warmth lighting the stone wall and keeping the mist out of the entrance to the cave.
Rush sat on the opposite side of the fire with his bedroll and pack. His forearms rested on his knees as he watched Cora with a bored expression.
“What?” She put all the ingredients into her pan before she placed it over the fire.
He gave a shrug. “I’m too tired to hunt…so this will do.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“It’s like eating clouds. It makes you puffy for an hour or two and then just disappears.”
She stirred the contents of the pan, the potatoes charring along with everything else.
“So, first I was banned from Mist Isle…and now I’m not allowed to leave. Talk about whiplash.”
“Better than dying, right?”
“Flare likes it here, so I guess that worked out. Bridge will be happy to never see me again.”
She smiled slightly, knowing it was a joke.
He turned serious, his eyes focused on hers. “What happened at the end there?”
“He told me to leave, and I said no.”
“Yeah, I g
athered that.”
“When he tried to burn me, I did what I did with the Shamans. I pushed my mind out forcefully, and it stopped him.”
The flames illuminated his face, seeing the sternness set in. He absorbed the words like a sponge, slowly and deeply, taking it all in before he found a reaction. “How?”
“He asked me the same thing. I honestly don’t know.”
“You have the ability to control things around you, it seems.”
“I can’t control what Ashe or anyone else does. It’s more…I can interrupt him.”
“But a dragon like Ashe is superior to both of us in every way possible. And you were still able to affect him.” Rush spoke aloud, but he seemed to be speaking to himself more than her. “It’s like the Skull Crusher.”
“Not really. The Skull Crusher kills people—”
“And I wonder if you could do the same thing.”
She held her spatula as she stared at the fire, the thought having never crossed her mind. “What are the Shamans? All I know is they work for King Lux, but that’s it.”
“No one really knows.”
“Someone must. Where do they come from?”
Rush shook his head. “I never dealt with them at High Castle. They work strictly with my father.”
“Do you think…I’m a Shaman?”
His face scrunched up in repulsion before he released a laugh. “No. Those things are batshit ugly, and you’re…sex—not ugly.”
“Yeah…”
“It also doesn’t explain how you can communicate with dragons when you aren’t fused with one or a dragon yourself, so I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion. Now I understand why Ashe doesn’t want us to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s just as intrigued with you as everyone else is.”
She waited for Ashe to come to her, but he didn’t.
At midday, Rush excused himself from the cave. “We’re going to get some lunch and bathe. Be back in a few hours.”
“Alright. Be careful.”
He turned back to her and gave a slight grin. “I’m never careful and I’m still here. Not gonna start now.” He changed into Flare, the red scales blocking the entrance to the cave, and then he took off and flew away.
