by Mari Mancusi
“Right,” Caleb agreed. “But what about the girls? Do you think they’re still in the garage?”
Connor closed his eyes, focusing his gift to seek them out. A moment later, he opened them and nodded. “They’re in there,” he assured his brother. “Though…they’re really still.”
“Of course they’re still. They’re hiding!” Caleb retorted roughly, obviously not willing to admit any possible alternative. “Look, I’ll follow the truck. You go find the girls.”
Connor nodded. “Okay,” he agreed. “Come back to the garage when you’re done, though. If they’re hurt, I won’t be able to move them both.”
Caleb gave him a curt salute, then took off, heading in the direction of the slow-moving truck. Connor watched him go for a moment, then turned back to the garage, continuing to skirt the perimeter of the mall until he reached the open doors.
At first glance, the place seemed deserted, and Connor had a wild thought that maybe they’d been taken along with Emmy after all. But he forced the thought away and closed his eyes again, summoning up additional spark. His stomach roiled with the effort, and he was forced to grab on to a support beam to steady himself. But it was enough.
“Trash bin,” he affirmed to himself.
Diving into action, he ran to the back of the garage where the large Dumpster sat, hurtling himself over the edge and starting to dig, tossing random pieces of metal and other trash out of the bin to clear it.
“Come on,” he begged. “I know you’re in here.”
Then, like a miracle, his fingers brushed against something cool, smooth. Skin.
“Trinity!” he cried, clearing the trash off of her, pulling her out of the pile. A few moments later, he was holding her in his arms. “Trinity!” he cried again.
She was so still. Cold as ice. He slapped her across the face, but she didn’t respond. Adrenaline skyrocketing, he put his cheek to her lips, desperate to feel some sort of breath, while his fingers found her pulse.
He lifted his head, letting out a shaky breath. She was alive. Unconscious but alive.
Using all his strength, he managed to drag her from the Dumpster, setting her gently onto the floor. Then he went back in, digging deeper until he was able to find Scarlet too. She was in a similar state—cold, pale, but still breathing.
“Did you find them?”
He looked up. His brother had returned. He motioned to the girls. “They’re unconscious,” he said. “I’m not sure why.” Then he added, “What about Emmy?”
“They brought her around back,” Caleb informed him. “Drove her down into that parking garage we escaped from last time. There must be a connecting passageway underneath. I couldn’t get too close to see. But it looks like she’s definitely staying on the premises, for now at least.” He dropped to his knees before Scarlet. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked, looking up at his twin with horror. Connor started to shrug.
Then he saw it. So faint most people would have missed it. But it was there all the same, a slight purple ring around Trinity’s nose. He grabbed his brother’s arm, pointing it out. “Nether dust,” he whispered. “They’ve been dosed by Nether dust. The Dracken probably used it to down Emmy, not realizing—or caring—that the girls were here too.”
He grabbed Trinity by the shoulders. “Wake up!” he cried. “Trinity, baby, please wake up!” Beside him, Caleb started working on Scarlet, trying to get her awake. Connor could see his brother’s face was white with fear. Not surprising; he knew the dangers of the Nether more than anyone.
“How long will it last?” Caleb asked in a trembling voice.
“I don’t know. I guess it probably depends on the dosage, right? Though if they used enough to knock out a two-ton dragon…” Connor trailed off, not wanting to voice the obvious.
Come on, Trin, he begged silently. You’re stronger than this. You can fight it. Do not let them win.
His heart wrenched as his mind flashed back to all the fights they’d had over the last year. They seemed so stupid now. So meaningless. All the time he’d wasted being angry, because she wouldn’t listen to him. But had he, at the same time, ever really listened to her? Just like with his brother and the dragon, he’d charged in, assuming he knew what was best. That his knowledge of one possible future made him an expert on them all.
But this future, as she’d told him a thousand times before, was yet unwritten. It might have similarities to his, but it wasn’t the same.
Which meant they still had a chance, however small, to make things right.
To not let the Dracken win.
He squared his shoulders and turned to his brother. “Let’s get them to the car,” he said “We’ll drive them back to the airfield. Once they’re safe, we’ll figure out what to do.”
• • •
Back at the airfield, they unloaded the girls from the truck and, with heavy hearts, carried them into the sickroom, where once upon a time, both Caleb and Connor had lain. Neither of them had stirred the entire ride home, and Caleb’s fear was expanding at an alarming rate. He thought back to his own time trapped in the Nether, how lonely he’d been, how long it had seemed to drag on. Now, to think Scarlet was suffering the same fate…and this time, they didn’t have any easy access to dragon blood to wake her up.
“What are we going to do?” he asked, looking up at Connor, his stomach swimming with unease. “We can’t just leave them like this.”
“No,” his brother agreed. “I’m going to go in after them. One way or another, I’ll get them out.” He leveled his gaze on Caleb. “Both of them. I promise.”
Caleb nodded slowly, watching his brother reach into his backpack and pull out something small and shiny. He jerked involuntarily as he realized what it was.
“Sorry,” Connor said, looking a little guilty. “I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s okay,” Caleb said quickly. “I’m okay.” He turned from his brother and concentrated his gaze on Scarlet. Sweet, beautiful Scarlet, who was so much better than any drug. “I’m just sorry I’m such a loser that I can’t help you do it.”
“You’re not a loser,” Connor scolded. “You were manipulated, lied to. We all were. Your addiction to the Nether? It wasn’t an accident. Nor was the murder of your dragon.”
Caleb listened, wide-eyed, as his brother recounted what he’d learned from Mara. When Connor had finished, Caleb whistled softly. “I can’t believe it,” he said, shaking his head. “All this time, I thought…” He trailed off, not knowing what to say.
“Not that any of this excuses what I did,” Connor added, giving him a look of pure regret. “I acted out of fear. I didn’t pause to think it through. I wanted to protect you, but I didn’t give you the chance to protect yourself. I was so sure I knew, back then, the right thing to do. But I was wrong. I should have trusted you. I should have respected your decisions. I should never have killed your poor dragon.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t deserve for you to forgive me. But I do want you to know that I’m sorry—and that I know what I did was wrong.”
Caleb drew in a breath. He’d been waiting his whole life for his brother to say those words, but he’d never once thought they would actually come from his lips. “Thank you,” he said at last. “You don’t know how much that means to me.” He paused then added, “We’ve had our differences. But we are brothers. We were born on the same team. Maybe it’s time we start acting like it.”
“I’d like that,” Connor replied. He paused, then added, “What is it they do in this world again? Should we hug it out?”
Caleb found himself laughing. “Uh, yeah. Let’s not get carried away.” He shook his head at his brother. “Look, Dragon Hunter, how about you go rescue my girlfriend, and we’ll call it even?”
Connor nodded. “That I think I can do.”
Chapter Forty-Three
“Connor?”
Connor opened one eye then the other, trying to gain his bearings. For a moment, he had no idea where he was—white walls and ceiling and floor, stretching out as far as he could see. He rubbed his eyes, searching his brain for answers. Where was—
Then it all came rushing back to him. “Trinity!” he cried, scrambling to his feet.
And then, there she was.
He ran to her, throwing his arms around her, his heart soaring as he lifted her off her feet and twirled her around, burying his face in her curls. “Trinity,” he murmured. “Thank God.” He pulled away from the hug and peered down at her with anxious eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she replied. “Just waiting for this stupid Nether overdose to wear off. From what I’m told, it’ll take at least another day.” She looked at him in concern. “Is my real-life body okay?”
“You’re safe,” he assured her. “You and Scarlet are both back at the airfield. We took you home after we weren’t able to wake you up.”
She bit her lower lip. “What about Emmy? She was here, briefly, before the Nether dust wore off on her. She told me that men had come to take her away.”
Connor sighed. “I’m sorry, Trin.” He gave her a rundown of what had happened at the mall. Trinity listened, her eyes growing wide.
“I should have known,” she whispered. “After all, Darius is too smart not to have had a backup plan.” She scrunched up her face. “But poor Emmy. Trapped all over again. And this time, it’s so much worse.” She looked up. “We have to break her out.”
“No offense, Trin, but I don’t see how we could,” Connor replied. He knew it would do no good to sugarcoat things here. “They’ve got an army of hybrid dragons guarding her. And we don’t have any way to take them on.”
Trinity stared down at her feet. “There’s got to be some way. There just has to be.”
“Where’s Scarlet?” Connor asked, wanting to change the subject. “I told Caleb I’d check on her too. He’s freaking out worried.”
“Where do you think?” Trinity snorted, pointing across the white space. Connor followed her finger, his heart lurching as his eyes fell on none other than Zoe herself, goofily dancing through the skies with Scarlet on her back. She was bigger than she’d been on Earth, and her scales were so bright and sparkly it almost hurt to look at them.
“They’ve been up there for hours. If it weren’t for Caleb back home, I’m not sure she’d ever want to leave.”
Connor turned away, guilt stabbing him in the gut. Zoe looked so beautiful. So innocent too. Just as Caleb’s dragon had been.
He felt Trinity’s hand on his arm. He looked up.
“She gave me her blood, you know,” he blurted out.
“What?”
“To heal me after Caleb hit me with that rock,” he explained. “At first, I thought you did it. Or maybe Caleb or Scarlet. But then I got to thinking. And I realized if you had, you would have been there when I woke up.”
Trinity gave a low whistle. “You know, I had been wondering how you got up like you did. We’d doped you up on so many painkillers, there was no way you should have been able to stand, never mind go dragon slaying.”
“It’s ironic, right?” He shook his head. “She went and saved my life—so I could, in turn, steal hers away.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation,” Trin said, “I’m pretty sure she’s loving being back in the Nether. I mean, she misses her brother, of course, but I actually think she prefers it here to Earth. No more being trapped in a small shed. No more hunger. No more fear.”
“It’s like dragon heaven,” Connor concluded. “Literally, I guess.” He sighed. “If only we could have gotten that Nether dust, brought Zavier and the rest of them here, had them talk to Scarlet and Zoe. I’m sure they would have been able to convince them to call off their war.”
“And save Emmy,” Trinity added. “Having an army of dragons at our disposal would certainly make things easier.”
Make what easier?
Connor whirled around. Lost in his troubled thoughts, he hadn’t noticed the giant green dragon with golden wings step up behind them. He glanced questioningly at Trinity, noting recognition in her eyes.
“Lyria!” she exclaimed before he could inquire. “Emmy’s mother,” she added in explanation to him.
Yes, the green and golden dragon agreed, sounding a little sad. Though, in truth, you were always more mother to her than I.
“Yeah, well, Emmy hasn’t exactly been a contender for mother of the year either,” Trinity remarked wryly. “Though she regrets it all now. And I’m pretty sure when she’s finally reunited with Zoe and the rest of them, she’ll be begging for forgiveness.”
“If things keep going the way they are, they might not have long to wait,” Connor muttered.
Suddenly he felt the dragon’s eyes on him. What do you mean? Lyria demanded. Is my Emberlyn in trouble?
Connor gave a reluctant nod, breaking it down for the dragon. She listened, wide-eyed and worried.
You must help her, she told Connor when he’d finished.
“Believe me, I would love to,” he assured her. “But it’s not that easy. The Dracken have an army of hybrid dragons at their disposal. They’re not going to give her up without a fight.”
Lyria ruffled her wings, looking offended. Well, then we should give them one. Emberlyn has thirteen remaining children on Earth, does she not?
“Who, thanks to me, are busy with their own apocalyptic crusade,” Connor reminded her bitterly. “Maybe if we had gotten the Nether dust, we could have brought them here to talk it through. Zoe could have convinced Zavier, and he could have talked to the rest of them. But now…”
Lyria seemed to consider this for a moment. It is true you cannot bring Zavier to the Nether. But what if you could bring Zoe to Zavier?
“How could we do that?” Connor wrinkled his brow. “She’s dead. We can’t just bring her back to life…” He paused. “Can we?”
There may be a way. But it would require some sacrifice.
Connor’s heart started beating fast in his chest. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
Lyria gave him a solemn look. You have my granddaughter’s blood swimming through your veins. You’re not fully bonded to her—but you could be. And if you were, then you would share a life force.
“And if we did…” Connor bit his lower lip, realizing what the dragon was getting at. “Are you saying we could trade places? Like, I could stay here and she could return to Earth to talk to her brother?”
Yes. It would be possible. If you both agreed to complete the bond.
“Hold on!” Trinity interrupted. “Connor would have to stay here in the Nether so Zoe could be brought back to life on Earth?”
Lyria nodded. A life for a life.
“No!” Trinity shook her head. “That’s crazy. Connor, there’s got to be another way. You can’t just stay here forever.” Her voice broke. “That’s not fair!”
Connor sighed, reaching over to take her hand in his. He stroked it with gentle fingers. “No. What I did to her was not fair,” he said slowly. “And it’s the reason her brother is on his rampage now. Don’t you see, Trin? Once Zavier realizes I’ve sacrificed my life to give him back his sister, he will have to come around. Then he and Zoe can talk the others into saving their mother too.”
“But, Connor—”
He looked up at Lyria. “It’s perfect. Tell me what I need to do.”
Chapter Forty-Four
“Are you okay?”
Trinity looked up. Connor was staring down at her with worried eyes. His face was probably as pale as hers was, though not as tear streaked. Connor was the soldier. He wouldn’t cry. Even when he had every reason to.
“How could I be okay?” she blurted out. “In what world could I possibly be okay?”
She turned from him, re
alizing that this could very well be the last time they were alone together as they waited for Lyria to prepare for the bonding ceremony. And it wasn’t even as if they were actually together, not physically anyway.
The implications hit her hard and fast. She’d never get to hold him again. Never get to kiss his lips and trace his face with her fingers. Never get to stare into his beautiful eyes and feel his whisper in her ears.
Connor sat down beside her. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure if you’d even care,” he said quietly. “After all that’s happened…”
His words caused a fresh burst of tears as her mind flashed to all the fights they’d had. All the time they’d spent apart, time wasted on stupid arguments and egos. Time that could have been spent in one another’s arms.
“Of course I care,” she blurted. “I love you. Even when I was furious with you, I still loved you.”
Her voice broke. Connor took her hands in his, finding her eyes with his own steady blue ones. He gave her a wistful look that made her heart shatter.
“I love you too,” he said, his voice filled with earnest. Then he gave her a shy grin. “Since I first met you at your grandfather’s museum and you blinded me with Mace.”
She laughed through her tears. “Yeah, well, you should have known better than to come between a girl and her dragon.”
He grabbed her, pulling her close, until her face was smashed against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat against her ear—usually so strong and steady, now beating fast, almost erratically. He was scared too, she realized. He was trying to hide it from her. But he was terrified.
“I don’t want you to do this!” she found herself blubbering.
“Oh, Trin,” he murmured. “Don’t you see? This is why I came here. This was my mission all along. I never expected to come back, you know. When I signed up for this gig, I knew it was a one-way trip. And it’s been a far longer, crazier trip than I could have ever imagined. But even so, now it has to end.”