Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series

by Elizabeth Briggs

  Auric and I swooped down into a nearby forest and found a good spot to land, since showing up as dragons probably wouldn’t elicit a good reaction. Once on the ground, we hid anything we couldn’t carry and then began the trek to the mountain. None of us felt like talking much with the memory of Kira’s village still fresh in our minds, along with that dangerous encounter with the elementals. Kira thought she might be able to convince them to help us, but I wasn’t sure even she could reverse hundreds of years of conflict and turn it into an alliance.

  When we reached the mountain range and stood beside the twin rocks, the way inside was no more clear. It wouldn’t be a very good secret base if the entrance was obvious, but I’d hoped for something more than this. If that bandit had betrayed us or led us astray, I was going to track him down and make him pay.

  “I didn’t see an entrance while flying overhead,” Auric said.

  I glared up at the mountain. “Cadock probably lied to us. I bet he has no idea where the Resistance base is.”

  “He wouldn’t do that,” Kira said, as she pulled her cloak around her to fight off the chill. “It’s here. We just need to look for it.”

  “I can find it.” Slade took a few steps forward and pressed his palm against the slope of the mountain. He closed his eyes and his face became calm, while we stood back and waited. He’d done this before and he’d always been able to find a cave, a lake, or whatever we were looking for with his magic. A useful trick indeed.

  When he opened his eyes, he removed his hand and turned to us. “Follow me.”

  We began to climb the steep side of the mountain, and I longed to have my wings so I could simply fly up it. It didn’t help that my steps were dragging and hesitant either. I wasn’t exactly thrilled to be going into the Resistance base, and had no desire to get there any faster, even if it was what Kira wanted.

  When I’d been part of the Onyx Army I’d committed horrible acts against the Resistance in the name of duty. I’d helped slaughter entire villages thought to be harboring their members even though it had made me sick. Disobeying my orders had never been an option, no matter how much I’d secretly questioned my superiors. At the time, I’d tried to justify my actions because my brother had been killed by the Resistance, or by telling myself that the Dragons knew what had to be done to keep the world safe. Now I knew better. The guilt and regret tore at me with every step, and I’d do anything to go back and reverse the damage I’d caused and bring back the lives I’d cut short.

  When we’d visited the Fire Realm we’d rescued a few prisoners from execution and escorted them to safety, but one of them had recognized me from my past crimes. She’d been terrified of me, and I couldn’t blame her for her reaction, even if it had made me feel like the worst human being in all the four Realms.

  Now I was about to face those people again, and would be forced to look into their eyes knowing I’d once been their enemy and their executioner. I liked to think that I’d changed and that I could atone for my sins by stopping the other Dragons, but I wasn’t sure I could ever make up for my mistakes. All I could do was stand by Kira’s side and try to be a better man in the future.

  Slade stopped about halfway up the mountainside and found a small crevice that was nearly impossible to see due to the shape of the rocks around it. “I think this is it.”

  He slipped through the crack, and the rest of us had to follow one by one. A very defensible entrance since you could easily pick off people as they entered. I rested my hand on my sword in case there was trouble.

  Through the crevice, the stone opened up to a wider cave and we spread out inside it. A large metal door stood in front of us and Kira approached it, paused for a moment, and then banged on it sharply three times.

  After a brief wait, two heavily armed guards stepped out of the door, before it slammed shut behind them again. They pointed swords at us as one said, “State your business here.”

  We all glanced at Kira, who stood at the front of our group. “We’re here to speak with the leader of the Resistance,” she said. “Parin.”

  “There’s no Resistance here,” the female guard said. “You should turn around and head back wherever you came from.”

  Kira stood tall and met the woman’s gaze, her voice stern. “We know that isn’t true, and we have information your people would definitely like to know about. We’re here to help you fight the Dragons.”

  “And why should we believe you?” the male guard asked.

  Kira’s jaw clenched and she raised her hands, likely about to use her magic to prove who she was. But then the door opened behind the guards and a dark-skinned woman with hair cropped close to her head stepped out. She was lithe and beautiful, with a fierce intensity in her eyes that made me think she was not to be underestimated. A large sword hung from her hip, along with a dagger on the other.

  “Slade?” she asked, her voice almost breathless as she stared at him. “Is that really you?”

  Slade’s jaw clenched and his brow furrowed. It was the most emotion I’d seen on his stony face in days. Maybe weeks. Whoever this woman was, he was not pleased to see her. “Hello, Faya.”

  “Gods, it is you.” She pressed a hand to her chest, her brown eyes wide. “What are you doing here?”

  “We need to speak with Parin,” Kira said, her voice hard. She wasn’t happy to see this woman either. Was this the girl Slade had loved and lost many years ago? That would explain a lot.

  Faya blinked, and finally saw the rest of us standing there. “Of course. Come inside. I’ll take you to Parin.” She flashed Slade another questioning look. “And then we can catch up.”

  The guards lowered their weapons and allowed us to pass. Faya led us through the metal door and we stepped into a massive, domed space that took my breath away. The cave stretched for such a great distance that I couldn’t see the end of it, while the dark gray stone slanted into a perfectly smooth ceiling high above us. Wooden and stone buildings filled the giant cave, laid out in a way so there were small roads running between them. More armed guards awaited us inside, while people walked about and gave us curious looks before continuing on to their destinations. Many of them were armed, but some looked like civilians. I even saw a small child running after a woman. This wasn’t just a base, this was an entire village. And none of them screamed or cried out at the sight of me—maybe my past would truly stay behind me this time.

  12

  Kira

  “Welcome to Slateden,” Faya said. “Home of the Resistance.”

  “Impressive,” I said. There was no hint from outside that any of this existed, but there must be hundreds of people living here.

  “When did you do all this?” Slade asked.

  “About five years ago. We realized we needed a more permanent base of operations, and one that was completely hidden from the world.” She gave us all a sharp look. “It’s a secret any one of us would die to protect.”

  I met her eyes with a hard look of my own. This was Slade’s former fiancé, who had betrayed him with another man and abandoned him to join the Resistance. She’d hurt one of the men I cared about more than anything in the world, and even if we became allies I would never forgive her for that. And now she had the nerve to think we’d expose this place?

  “We’re honored to be welcomed inside,” Auric said diplomatically.

  “Your secret is safe with us,” Jasin added.

  Faya nodded and continued walking into the village, past small houses and shops. I fell into step behind her and sneaked a glance at Slade, whose face remained hard. It had to be uncomfortable for him to see Faya again, but he’d done a fine job of hiding it so far.

  She led us to a wide, wooden building with a slanted roof and double doors. Guards were stationed outside of it, and they nodded at her as we stepped inside. The interior was sparse, as was the rest of Slateden from what I’d seen, favoring function over form. We walked up a narrow staircase, and then she knocked on a plain door.

  “Come in,�
� a voice called out from inside.

  “Give me a moment,” Faya told us, before slipping into the room and closing the door behind her. I exchanged awkward, anxious looks with my mates and Brin while we waited outside, but Faya emerged only a minute or two later and opened the door wide. “He’ll see you now.”

  “I’ll wait out here,” Brin said, stepping back. It was part of our plan—she’d try to explore the base and learn what she could while the rest of us spoke with Parin.

  We left her behind and stepped into the room, where a man sat behind a plain wooden desk with his hands folded upon it. His skin was dark like Slade’s and Faya’s, as was common in the Earth Realm, but his head was smooth and hairless, while his deep brown eyes took us in with a discerning look. He was probably in his mid-to-late thirties and attractive in a way that was both commanding and approachable. There was no doubt in my mind this was Parin, the Resistance leader.

  “Slade, it’s good to see you again,” Parin said, although there was an edge to his voice that made me doubt his sincerity. Faya had moved to stand just behind his shoulder, and watched the exchange with interest.

  “Parin,” Slade replied, crossing his arms and setting his jaw.

  “Who are your companions? I’m told they wish to speak with me?”

  I stepped forward and introduced myself and the others before adding, “We’ve come to ask for your help.”

  Parin leaned back in his chair and his eyes took me in with curiosity. “And why should we help you?”

  “We share a common goal—to overthrow the Dragons and free the people of their rule. We’d like to form an alliance with you.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “The five of you, and who else? Do you have an army? A spy network? What exactly can you offer?”

  Anger threatened to rise up inside me, anger that had been all too close to the surface ever since I’d discovered Stoneham, but I clenched my fists and reminded myself that I had to be diplomatic if I wanted to win this man over. “No, we don’t have any of those things. But we have something more powerful—the Gods’ favor.”

  “The Gods?” Parin laughed. “The Gods sleep while the rest of the world spins into chaos.”

  “They sleep no longer,” Slade said.

  “How do you know that?” Faya asked.

  “Because we’ve met them,” Auric replied.

  Both Faya and Parin appeared doubtful, and it was clear that words alone wouldn’t convince them. “The Gods have chosen us as their new Dragons,” I said, as I summoned balls of swirling fire and air into my palms. “I’m going to be the next Black Dragon, and these are my mates. We’re planning to defeat the current Dragons and bring balance to the world—but we could use your help.”

  I expected shock or disbelief, since those were the normal reactions when I told people who we were or showed them my magic, but Parin’s expression didn’t change. Faya didn’t react either, for that matter. I let the magic in my palms sputter and die out.

  “Yes, we’ve heard about you,” Parin said.

  “You knew about us already?” Reven asked.

  Parin nodded. “I’ve heard reports of the Dragons searching for five people matching your description, along with rumors of people who rescued Resistance members using the elements and strange Dragons flying the skies. I had a feeling you’d come see me at some point.”

  “Then you’ll help us?” I asked.

  “That I haven’t decided.” He drummed his fingers on the table as he scrutinized us. “Yes, we both share a common goal—for now. But what happens if you do overthrow the Dragons and take their place? How do we know we aren’t trading one dictatorship for another?”

  “We have no interest in ruling,” I said. “The Gods told us that the Dragons originally had another role—to keep the world in balance and to protect both humans and elementals. The individual Realms ruled themselves, and the Dragons traveled the world to assist where they could. Nysa and her Dragons took their role too far and somehow found a way to defy the Gods, attain immortality, and become rulers of this land. We plan to return the power to the leaders of the Realms and to the people, while we’ll act only as peacekeepers and guardians. And when the time comes, we’ll step down so other Dragons can take our place.”

  “A lofty plan, but forgive me if I find it hard to believe people could throw away all that power and control so easily. Especially the likes of you.” His eyes swept over us, becoming hard. “Slade, who turned his back on the Resistance long ago. Jasin, a member of the Onyx Army who used to hunt down my own people. Auric, a prince whose father serves the Dragons. Reven, who was once the infamous assassin known as the Black Hood, if I’m not mistaken. And you, Kira. Once a bandit, and still little more than a child. And you truly think you can save us all?”

  My back stiffened. Everything he’d said was true, and he’d mentioned things even I hadn’t known, like Reven’s assassin name…but he was wrong about us. “That’s not who we are anymore. Where we began does not define what we will become. What matters now are the actions we take in the future.”

  “I’ve done terrible things in the past, as have many of us here,” Jasin said, all the cockiness gone from his voice for once. “I can tell you that I’ve changed and that I wish to make things right now, but I understand if you don’t believe me. I’m willing to take whatever justice you demand for my crimes, but please don’t let my actions color your opinion of Kira, or stop you from helping her. My crimes are my own, as should be my punishment.”

  “None of us asked for this,” Slade said, stepping forward until he stood at my side. “We all had lives we were forced to leave when the Gods chose us.” He glanced at Faya. “But you know me. I wanted to spend the rest of my days as a simple blacksmith and had no plans to leave my village. But the Earth God sent me to find Kira, and we all became committed to her cause. None of us is doing this for the power or the glory.”

  “I believe you, Slade,” Faya said, before turning to Parin. “And if Slade trusts these people, perhaps we should trust them as well.”

  “Perhaps.” Parin studied me closer. “What exactly do you need help with?”

  “We need to reach the Earth Temple and the Water Temple, but the Dragons know we’ll be going to both,” I said. “We assume they’ll be waiting for us at each one, and we’re not yet strong enough to defeat them. Any information or help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.”

  Parin and Faya exchanged a look that spoke volumes, though I wasn’t sure what exactly passed between them. Eventually Parin stood and moved to the back wall, where he picked up a small green statue in the shape of a dragon. Made from jade, I assumed.

  “My mother made this for me,” Parin said, as he turned and offered it to me.

  I took the tiny statue carefully and studied it. The craftsmanship was exquisite, from the talons and the fangs to the delicate scales. “She carved it?”

  He smiled as I handed it back to him. “In a sense. She was the High Priestess of the Earth God.”

  “Did she make this cave too?” Auric asked.

  “She did.” He set the tiny dragon back down and faced us again. “Many years ago, when I was a young man of seventeen years, she met with the Fire God’s High Priestess and was told that new Dragons would arise to defeat the current ones. My mother was skeptical, but she tasked me and my sister with the duty of preparing for an upcoming battle anyway. My sister trained to become the next High Priestess, while I joined the Resistance. Back then it was small and lacked firm leadership. I rose through the ranks and eventually was voted in as leader.” He spread his hands. “And now here we are, at the moment I’ve spent my life preparing for, and I only wish my mother could have lived to see this moment herself.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, my stomach sinking. “Can I ask what happened to her?”

  His hands slowly formed into fists. “The Dragons recently paid a visit to the Earth Temple and left no one alive.”

  I bowed my head and swallowed back my fur
y. “They did the same thing at the Air Temple. I’m so sorry. Is your sister…?”

  He shook his head. “Thankfully my mother had already sent her away. She’s in hiding now, but she’s ready to take on the role of High Priestess when it’s safe again.”

  “It won’t be safe until the Dragons are gone,” Jasin said. “They’ve become the enemies of the Gods and those who serve them.”

  “So it seems.” Parin paused and then offered me his hand. “Yes, Kira, we will help you.”

  I clasped his hand briefly as relief flowed through me, taking away some of the tension in my limbs. “Thank you.”

  He gave a sharp nod. “I can get you inside the Temple without a problem—there are many secret tunnels, thanks to my mother, and even though it’s been destroyed we should be able to gain access. But you’re right that there are Dragons waiting for you. I received a report this morning that the Jade Dragon and the Crimson Dragon were both there and seemed to have no plans to leave. Even if we do get you inside, they’ll never let you complete the bonding.”

  “We need a distraction,” Reven said. “Can your people provide that?”

  “They can, though it’ll be dangerous. I hesitate to send my people into battle against an opponent they can’t possibly win against.”

  “All we need is some time,” I said. “And we can help. We have two Dragons of our own.”

  He nodded. “That does make the odds better. But we can discuss strategy in greater detail tomorrow. For now, you must be exhausted from your travels. My wife will show you to rooms where you can rest for the night, and I’ll have some food sent up too.”

  “Thank you,” I said, although I didn’t miss the way he’d addressed Faya. Slade hadn’t either, from the way his shoulders stiffened. This alliance could prove to be difficult for both of us, but it would be worth it if it meant defeating the Dragons. With the Resistance by our side, we might actually have a chance.