Rules of Justice (The Exceptional S. Beaufont Book 8)

by Sarah Noffke

  He looked up at Sophia, wishing she could help him. Wishing he could find a path to her.

  Then he heard the voice of Rumi in his head once more, and he knew what to do. The words echoed in his soul long after they faded away, giving Wilder hope. Over and over, he heard, “Go find yourself first so you can also find me.”

  It was so easy, and yet, that was how life always worked—easy solutions to complex problems.

  Withdrawing his sword, the dragonrider looked at the wide blade, seeing his own image in its reflection. He felt confident when he stared at his face. He felt at home. Wilder, more than ever, knew himself. His two centuries on this planet had taught him many things but falling in love with Sophia had made him find his heart, helping him to find himself.

  Staring at his image, he found himself smiling. To himself, for all to hear, Wilder repeated words he knew weren’t his own, but rather belonged to the ancient poet, “Life is the soul’s light.”

  Even though his gaze stayed on his image in the sword, Wilder still saw the stone wall in front of him shimmer and disappear. Unhurried, he brought his gaze up to find himself face to face with a formidable force.

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Dragons had excellent senses of direction. They didn’t need maps or compasses to tell which way to go. With that being said, Lunis was lost within seconds of being in the labyrinth.

  The place was no doubt created to increase confusion and make the most rational thinker lose their mind.

  He had never thought he’d be stripped of his ability to fly for a task. Being separated from Sophia was definitely draining to his spirit, but that was something they’d dealt with before. The most astonishing thing was he didn’t have his connection to the collective consciousness of the chi of the dragon. He’d always had that, even from the beginning. At that moment, he wasn’t even sure how it would help him. It wasn’t like the dragons had ever been inside the tomb of Rumi.

  The poet’s words sifted across Lunis’ mind, reminding him he wasn’t alone in the labyrinth. “When setting out on a journey, do not seek advice from those who have never left home.”

  Touché, he stated, realizing the philosopher was in his head.

  Lunis hung his head when he came to another dead end and realized that navigating through the confusing maze wasn’t going to be easy. The walls were just high enough for him not to be able to see over. Sophia, on her place high up on the pedestal, could offer him little information on where to go. He noticed her pointing several times, but the directions weren’t really clear to him.

  It must have been incredibly challenging for her to be stuck up there and powerless to help. That was something she wasn’t good at—being powerless.

  Sophia represented strength and goodness and reason. She was so much more than the first female dragonrider. She was the Dragon Elite’s salvation, and in being that, he believed her to be the world’s protector. Few would ever know that this small woman was the reason the planet continued to spin on its axis, and its enemies didn’t win out even with all their advantages.

  When Lunis found himself back to the beginning of the labyrinth once again, he had to admit his strategy had to adapt. Entering the maze, he veered off to the left. This time, he used his claws to scratch at the stone, marking the paths he’d taken and crossed off as not options.

  This made Sophia happy. She flashed him a smile, and the expression lightened his heart. A smile from Sophia had always been enough to bring joy to him even at his darkest moments.

  Rumi’s words traversed across his mind just then, obviously brought on by his thoughts: “Everything that is made beautiful and fair and lovely is made for the eye of one who sees.”

  Well put, the blue dragon said, continuing on, finding the labyrinth even more complicated as he progressed.

  What’s the key to this? Lunis said, muttering to himself.

  Again, he heard Rumi’s words in his mind: “What you seek is seeking you.”

  Yeah, that’s not confusing, he teased, wondering how that sage advice would get him through the maze. Lunis knew he needed to get to the other side, where he’d meet a minotaur. The inevitable fight didn’t scare him. Nothing scared a dragon—nothing except losing their rider.

  He looked up and gave Sophia a meaningful expression—wanting to find his way to her whatever it took.

  Okay, minotaur, I’m seeking you, Lunis said to himself. Come and seek me. That’s when the wall in front of him shimmered and disappeared. Standing dangerously close was an angry beast, with murder in its eyes.

  Chapter Fifty

  Being trapped some ten stories up on the pedestal was excruciatingly frustrating for Sophia. She paced across the five feet of space on the surface of the pedestal, many times nearly losing her balance and tumbling over the side. Her focus was solely on what Wilder and Lunis were doing on the ground below.

  Not having a voice to help Wilder and Lunis was painful. Watching them take the wrong path over and over again was beyond maddening. The joy she felt when they figured out a strategy for negotiating the maze was nearly overwhelming. Wilder had torn up his clothes, leaving them behind like bread crumbs. Lunis had scratched at the floor and walls, helping him to determine the path.

  Still, Sophia felt she’d been perched up high for ages, and she’d never be reunited with her dragon and Wilder.

  As if responding to her thoughts, Rumi’s words echoed in her head: “Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul, there is no such thing as separation.”

  She nodded, appreciating the message that made her feel marginally better. Then Sophia spied the enemies that Wilder and Lunis would have to face, and grief fell on her once more. The warrior at the end of Wilder’s maze was unlike any she’d ever seen.

  He reminded her of a prince from Persia with his style of armor and the red sash wrapped around his waist. His arms were covered in tattoos, and in both his hands he held two large curved swords. With a brooding look, he waited stoically for Wilder to reach him. Although Sophia knew Wilder was strong and fast and one of the most competent fighters on the planet, she instinctively knew that facing this warrior would be incredibly dangerous, especially because Wilder couldn’t rely on magic.

  Her heart ached at the thought of having to watch Wilder battle this foe, potentially getting hurt, or taking a fatal blow.

  Rumi’s words came to her yet again: “Don’t grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”

  That didn’t make her feel that much better, so she turned her attention to the minotaur that Lunis was quickly approaching. It was a formidable opponent to the large dragon.

  Its horns were huge, and whereas Lunis stood on four clawed feet, the half-man, half-bull stood upright and would be the same size as the dragon—or at least, he would once Lunis reached him.

  Sophia guessed that if Lunis couldn’t fly, he also didn’t have fire magic. That meant that similar to Wilder, he’d have to rely on his power and speed to fight the minotaur. He’d have to fight in close quarters with his claws and his teeth. There would be wounds. This would be a dangerous…no, deadly fight. That much was clear.

  Sophia didn’t know how she was going to watch Wilder and Lunis fight these enemies, but she knew she had to. She only wished there was something she could do to help them.

  Once more, Rumi spoke in her mind, offering her words of wisdom: “Love is the bridge between you and everything.”

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Not much scared Wilder. It wasn’t that he’d seen it all in his two hundred years on Earth. Quite the opposite. Much of his life had been spent at the Gullington, idly waiting for the world to open back up to the Dragon Elite. Before that, he’d battled many an enemy. Men and beasts didn’t differ much. They had teeth and weapons and strength and prowess, and there was always a way to defeat them. Always.

  What he was staring at the end of the maze was a man unlike any he’d ever set eyes on. He was full of m
agic, that much was clear. It rebounded off the warrior, like smoke from flames. Gold dust wrapped around the armored warrior and Wilder suddenly felt very foolish, having ripped up his own armored shirt to get through the maze.

  The sword in the dragonrider’s hands also seemed ineffective in comparison to the two curved large blades the man wielded. Wilder’s connection with weapons always told him about them when he was in their presence. He could see every battle they’d been in and also feel the death and destruction they’d brought during their fights.

  It wasn’t a pleasant gift to have, but it was an incredibly helpful one. Right then, his skill told him these blades were forged for a prince who was cursed to never die until killed by the swords he held presently. They were stained red from the many who had tried to conquer him.

  What Wilder didn’t know was why the prince was cursed or why he appeared angrier than any enemy he’d ever set eyes on. As his shoulder-length black hair swayed from a sudden breeze, Wilder felt the heat that rose up in the warrior just before he dropped into a low lunge, holding his weapons of destruction behind his back. They appeared like wings for a moment, but this was no angel. This was an evil man who was suffering, and it was up to Wilder to rid him of his misery.

  “It’s time to put an end to your evil soul,” Wilder said, holding his blade in front of him and taking up a fighting stance as he measured the apparition who was both real and fake. That which the mind saw was real enough to kill.

  The prince didn’t speak, but Rumi did: “Actually, your soul and mine are the same. We appear and disappear with each other.”

  Wilder didn’t know what that meant, but he didn’t have a moment to deliberate on it as the prince disappeared and then reappeared directly at Wilder’s back. He swung around, his sword clanging against the prince’s who hit him with a force that nearly toppled him off his feet.

  Not only that, but the evil prince was fast, swinging the double blades and making Wilder have to move quicker than he’d had to do in quite some time. He had never battled anyone like this that was so powerful when he was lacking his usual powers. Usually he could rely on the chi of the dragon to aid him, offering him enhanced strength and speed. He didn’t have that advantage this time, and Wilder feared it would be the death of him.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Having fire magic would have made the fight against the minotaur quick and painless. That wasn’t an option for Lunis. Rumi had ensured these fights would be brutal and difficult and boil Lunis down to his core, only allowing him the strength of his muscles and the sharpness of his claws and teeth.

  It wasn’t going to be a fair fight, though, since the minotaur clearly had magic. That much was clear as the beast held out its hands, and a giant hammer appeared out of nowhere. It was covered in strange gold dust that no doubt enhanced it.

  Oh, this got interesting, Lunis said, having learned from Sophia that one didn’t lose their humor in battle. It didn’t distract but rather kept you grounded.

  The minotaur opened its mouth and roared, making the floor shake under Lunis.

  I get it, Percy, Lunis joked. You’re angry. Someone put a ring in your nose and made you incredibly angry. We’ve all got problems.

  The minotaur obviously didn’t get the jokes. It lowered its horned head, a flash of hostility glinting in its eyes.

  Lunis suddenly became aware of how large the creature was. He, as the largest dragon at the Gullington, didn’t know what it felt like to be small. His connection to the moon made it so he could grow rapidly. There was no moon or magic to rely on right then. Instead, Lunis was facing a monster that had all the advantages while he’d been stripped of his own.

  Rumi apparently didn’t agree with the fleeting moment of self-loathing as his word drifted across Lunis’ consciousness. “Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.”

  Lunis lifted his chin, offering Percy his own murderous glare. He opened his mouth and roared so loudly that not just the floor shook, but also the walls and the pedestal where Sophia stood. At that moment, the blue dragon found strength he didn’t know he had, having to rely on his power and strength and nothing else for the first time ever.

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Fear vibrated in Sophia’s chest. Whipping her head back and forth, she wished she could see both Wilder and Lunis at the same time, but they were at opposite ends of the giant labyrinth. Everything was happening so fast.

  When she watched Wilder, she couldn’t see what was happening with Lunis. When she shifted her focus to her dragon, she was certain she was missing something critical happening to Wilder.

  The stress of it made Sophia want to close her eyes and block out her current reality and the fact she couldn’t do anything to help. She knew she couldn’t do that, though. Sophia’s job was to watch, powerless, and lend her support through love. To have faith that the two she believed in most would succeed—even if every advantage was awarded to their opponents.

  You can do this, Sophia thought with conviction as the warrior with the two swords covered in dried blood swung around, doing a dance.

  His two large blades spiraled around him, taking over the space he shared with Wilder. With few options to avoid being impaled, Wilder ducked as the swords swung over his head. Then he was forced to leap into the air as the warrior dropped to the stone floor, bringing the blades low.

  Sophia knew that Wilder could move fast. He was the fastest fighter she’d ever met. Right then, he couldn’t rely on the chi of the dragon to assist him, and the fear of having to keep up with the swift attacks was evident on his face.

  A roar from the opposite end of the labyrinth stole Sophia’s attention, and she whipped around to face Lunis. The giant minotaur slammed his hammer down on the stone tiles, making the floor crack under Lunis’ feet. He rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding getting attacked by the hammer.

  The assault to the floor chimed like a bell going off in Sophia’s head. Worse than the excruciatingly loud noise was the hammer hitting the stone made the maze room quake, violently shaking the pedestal where she stood. It threw her off balance and over the side of the stone structure.

  She caught the lip of the pedestal with one hand, the other slipping off. Her legs kicked, and Sophia bit her tongue, thinking this was her end. Falling from that height would end her. She knew it. Sophia couldn’t rely on the chi of the dragon to heal her.

  However, she wasn’t going to go out like that, not today. Not when the ones she loved were facing greater dangers.

  Reaching up, she grabbed the lip of the pedestal with her other hand. The stone was unforgiving to her fingers, biting into her skin, but she didn’t care. She’d bloody her hands if it meant getting back up the surface of the pedestal.

  With a grunt and brute force, Sophia lifted herself up, swinging her leg over the side of the narrow structure. The movement wasn’t graceful, and it required so much strength that when she was back on the pedestal, she rolled over on her back and had to catch her breath—looking up at the blackness above her that seemed to go on forever.

  In the distance, she could hear the sounds of the fights ensuing on her behalf. When her breath had returned, Sophia pushed up to a standing position to continue to watch as those she loved fought for their lives.

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Sweat poured down Wilder’s face. His heart felt like it would beat out of his chest. He had never exerted himself this much in a battle. The devastating part of it all was he was on the defense. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to attack the prince.

  So many times, the stained blades came close to piercing Wilder and ending him. He had always been the hopeful type. Optimism was something that came easily to him. Right then, straining to survive these attacks, Wilder believed these moments were his last. There was no way to survive the prince, let alone kill him with his own swords. Wilder didn’t even know how he’d get them away from him. Like every good warrior, the prince used the swords like they were an extension of h
im. They moved fluidly from his hands, slicing close by Wilder’s face, making a whistling sound.

  When one gave him a haircut, coming entirely too close to the top of his head, Wilder realized the current strategy wasn’t going to work. He was a step behind each move and never in a position to plan his own attack.

  I’m going to have to be bold and take a risk to beat this villain, he thought with

  renewed vengeance. And winning was going to happen, Wilder decided.

  This was for Sophia. It was to save magicians and elves. It was to save the Dragon Elite. There was nothing more important for Wilder. He’d left his family behind long ago. The Dragon Elite was his family. His race was. And Sophia.

  Feeling a fire ignite in his belly, Wilder let out a roar and ran the opposite direction from the prince, appearing to be fleeing from the fight. He darted back into the maze, grateful he left the trail marking his path.

  The prince sprang after him immediately, hot on his heels but thankfully not running as fast, weighed down by carrying double swords.

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  As long as Percy the minotaur had the giant hammer, Lunis didn’t think there would be any defeating him. The weapon made it impossible to even get close for an attack. All the beast had to do was slam it on the floor, and it shook the dragon off balance and rattled his teeth so hard he thought they’d fall out of his mouth.

  Lunis had caught sight of Sophia nearly falling from the pedestal, and that had almost cost him his life. He knew he couldn’t get to her and yet, watching her struggle seared his soul. Percy, of course, had taken that opportunity to his advantage with another slam of his evil hammer.