by Alicia Wolfe
I whooped. So did Ruby beside me.
“We’re alive,” she said.
I turned back to Davril. “Good driving.”
“Thanks,” he said, jaw bunched. “We have to get back to my castle. Its walls can protect us.”
“Even against dragonfire?”
His eyes briefly met mine, then turned back to the aerial “road”. “That’s what they were made for,” he said.
I didn’t have time to wonder what he meant. Ruby gave another cry, and I spun to see Walsh make the turn and sweep through the skies overhead, still on our trail. His nostrils were like chimneys, smoke pouring from them in thick black streams. He must be preparing another blast, I thought.
“Do you have any magic that can be used against him?” I asked Ruby.
“I…” I could see her start to say no, but then she smiled and snapped her fingers. “Lightning!”
I gestured as if seating someone at a table. “Go to it.”
Grinning, she cast her hands out and muttered some strange words, too fast for me to understand, all the while making elaborate movements with her hands and fingers. Above, lightning flickered among the clouds, lighting them up from within. Below the dark masses, Walsh slithered through the skies, his amber gaze fixed on us. His maw opened and fire gathered in the back of his throat again, growing brighter with every second.
Ruby made a chopping gesture. A bright tongue of electricity flickered down from the heavens and struck Walsh right in his scaly back. Walsh bellowed. His mouth snapped shut. The fire died.
“You saved us,” I said, and gave Ruby a high five.
She nodded shakily. “I-I can’t do that anymore. Not if you want me to have strength left to save this queen of yours.”
“Save it,” Davril said. “I’ve got this.”
I liked the sound of that.
“Hurry,” I told him.
Above, Walsh was hunting us again, the pain of the lightning strike evidently having retreated. His wings stretched out, stroking the air, and he moved faster. Fire flickered between his fangs, some spilling out past his lips. It was growing brighter.
Davril swung us around another corner, then another. Walsh couldn’t get a clean shot at us. Behind him, from time to time, I could see specks that might have been police officers on griffons, but they were too far away for me to be certain. There was a dozen of them now, but they still didn’t attack. Doubtless they were waiting for one of their few warlocks or witches to join them before engaging Walsh. Smart. But not helpful to us at the moment.
Threading our way through the city, we finally broke out into the open space between tall buildings. Ahead reared the gorgeous skyscraper Davril’s huge, dark-walled castle stood upon, with all its scarred sides and thick towers.
“That’s where you live?” Ruby asked Davril, awe in her voice.
“That’s my home,” Davril said, his own voice flecked with both pride and sadness.
He mashed the gas pedal again, and Lady Kay shot straight for the castle. I glanced back and up to see Walsh tuck his wings and dive for us. Shit, he was moving fast. No buildings blocked his way, either.
We’re toast.
The gates of Davril’s castle burst open. Out flooded two dozen Fae Knights on pegasi. The horses’ wings flashed under the stars, as did the knights’ swords. They flew right up toward us. Some weren’t armed with swords but staffs or mirrors or other magical devices, and the Fae turned these on the dragon even as it bore down on us.
Fire licked at Walsh’s lips and started to spill over.
The blasts of the magical staffs and mirrors struck the wyrm, and Walsh bellowed in pain but drove on. The fire died back down again, though. I knew that would only last for a moment.
The Fae continued blasting him. Enraged, Walsh veered off and flew wide around. He passed beyond the walls of the castle and kept going.
“He’s circling around for another pass,” Davril said.
I pointed at the open gates. “Let’s get in before he comes back.”
Davril stomped on the gas, making right for the gates. I cheered inwardly. The knights on their flying steeds flew around us and escorted us back to the castle in a brilliant cloud. I admired all the handsome and beautiful (some were women) Fae Knights on their equally splendid horses, but only for an instant. My eyes jerked to the right as I saw a huge winged shape burst out from the around the side of the pocked wall.
“He’s coming back around,” I said, horribly aware of the shrillness of my voice.
“Almost there,” said Davril.
Fire gathered again at Walsh’s mouth. The riders blasted him once more with their weapons, but this time, he was prepared. He came on, the blasts just glancing off the thick hide of his armor.
Davril flew us through the gate, the other knights with us. Instantly, the doors slammed shut.
I heard a great whoosh of flame, then saw the gates buckle under the heated barrage of Walsh’s fire. The gates even glowed orange for a second, or started to, then faded. On the other side, Walsh roared. A moment later, I saw his huge winged form rise over the walls. More Fae were gathered there, a substantial number of them, and they had many weapons with them, some mounted on cannons or catapults. They let loose on him, and a hundred magical bursts exploded all along his length.
He bellowed in rage again, then began circling the castle, but at a distance this time.
Knights surrounded us, along with the Sisters of the Order of Elshe. One checked Ruby while I stood and got my bearings. Things were moving too fast. I could hardly catch my breath.
“Are you all right?” Davril said.
The kindness in his voice shocked me. “You almost sound like you care,” I said.
He blinked. I cursed myself for a fool. That hadn’t sounded very friendly.
“I only meant…” I fumbled lamely.
He waved it off. “Never mind. But you’re fine?”
I nodded, then turned to Ruby. “How are you, sis?”
She smiled weakly while Liara, the white-haired Fae woman, scanned her with a glowing rock atop a scepter. “Ask her,” Ruby said.
I did, and Liara said, “She’ll be fine. She just needs food and rest.”
Outside the walls, Walsh roared loudly. Then, surprisingly, he spoke: “Stay in there and hide, Jade McClaren. You are now my enemy, and I will have you. You can make me destroy that castle and murder all your friends to get to you, or you can simply present yourself to me.”
I gasped. Ruby stood and gripped my arm. She looked as stricken as I felt.
“You have one hour to decide,” Walsh said. Then his voice turned sinister. “Or maybe your new friends will decide for you.”
He laughed, then flew on.
Swallowing, I glanced at the Fae all around me, and I saw them looking back. Hastily, they glanced away. Shit. Would they really do it? Would they kick me out?
And should I let them?
“Don’t think about it,” Ruby said.
I cleared my throat. “Think about what?”
“Come on.”
I had to take a moment. “Maybe…maybe I should. Go out, I mean.”
“No.”
This came, surprisingly, from Davril.
I turned to him. “How can you say that? I thought you, of all people, would want me to go out there.”
He stared at me hard, and I felt my belly do strange things.
“Then you thought wrong,” he said, but he didn’t say it meanly.
His eyes nearly melted me. They were hotter than Walsh’s fire. Gulping, I just nodded, but my gaze never left his.
Ruby cleared her throat to get our attention. Reluctantly, I gave her mine. “Do you want me to heal this queen of yours or what?” she said. “I better do it before I pass out.”
“Do you have the strength?” I said. “I don’t think we should push you right now. You’ve been through a lot. Besides, I don’t know what good that will do now. Walsh is about to tear through the walls.”
Davril was speaking to the knights privately. When he was done, they scattered, returning to the walls. When he returned his attention to Ruby and me, he looked thoughtful. “Queen Calista can drive off this dragon. She became a master at it during the Dark Times, right before we were driven from our lands.”
I didn’t ask what he meant by this. I supposed I would find out sooner or later. It must tie into Davril’s odd dislike of dragon shifters. “You really think she’s strong enough for…him?” I hiked a thumb at the walls.
“Trust me,” Davril said.
Frowning, I raised my eyebrows at Ruby. “You think you’re up to healing her?”
She bit her lip nervously, then nodded. “I can do it. If it will save us all, I can do.” She snorted a laugh. “Hell yeah!”
I grinned. “Then let’s get to it.”
Surrounded by sisters of the Order of Elshe, we rushed into their tower while behind us Walsh gave another tremendous roar, and I could hear the booms and zizzes of magical attacks. By the continued sound of flapping wings, I guessed they hadn’t worked very well.
We passed into the tower and up the stairs at a rush. Liara guided us to the infirmary on the fourth floor where Queen Calista was being kept. Breathless, Ruby examined Calista while Liara, Davril and I eyed each other anxiously. Ruby requested several magical items be brought to her, and Liara went to oversee it. When she came back, Ruby began her work.
“Wait for me outside,” she told Davril and me. “I need peace and privacy.”
“Can you save her?” Davril asked.
“Yes. But only if you wait outside.”
We obeyed and moved to the antechamber, where we paced restlessly and stared out of the high windows. Walsh roared outside, and from time to time I could see him glide past the walls, a huge shadow with flame licking at his lips. The Fae continued to repel him, but I wondered how long they could hold out. I jumped at Walsh’s every roar.
Davril and I tried not to look at each other, but we were the only ones there, and there was a lot that hadn’t been said between us. I wasn’t even sure what there was to say. Maybe we’d said it all. Maybe it was over before it had ever begun. Or maybe whatever it was had only been in my head all along.
There it was. It was a horrible thought, but it might be true.
“You know,” Davril said suddenly, and I turned to him abruptly. Our eyes met, and I felt a heat course through me. We glanced away from each other. “I…”
“Yes?” I said.
He hesitated, then closed his mouth. “Nothing.”
We both turned back to staring out separate windows. On the other side of the wall, the griffon-mounted police were battling the Walsh-dragon. Their mage must have finally showed up. Walsh didn’t seem concerned by their attacks, however. Occasionally, he would blast them with his fire, but their mage kept them shielded from the flames. He could do that much, at least.
I turned to Davril. “You know, it doesn’t have to be like this.”
“Like what?” Wind from the open window ruffled his gorgeous blond hair and misted his eyes.
“Like… Never mind. You really think Queen Calista can drive Walsh off?”
“I’m certain of it. If your sister can save her. Are you certain she can?”
“Damn right.”
I glared at him for a moment, then softened. I could see his facial muscles relax, just a bit. We were both way too keyed up. I wasn’t sure whether to be angrier or more apologetic. I was furious with him. He’d acted liked such an ass. But at the same time, I had betrayed him…and his queen.
Finally, Davril said, “What would you have done if I hadn’t said yes?”
“Excuse me?”
“When you said you needed to rescue Ruby to save Queen Calista. If I hadn’t agreed, would you have gone anyway?”
Would you have deserted me and the Queen? I heard, even though he didn’t say so exactly.
I opened my mouth to answer. Outside, Walsh roared so loudly the rafters shook, and I jumped again.
“Well?” said Davril.
I balled my fists at my sides. “I would have saved Ruby—”
“I thought as—”
“—and saved the Queen.”
He shut his mouth midsentence and stared at me in obvious surprise. He watched me for a long minute, and I tried to get a read on him but couldn’t. Damn, but he was tight. At last, he said, with the faintest hint of a smile (which sent a thrill through me), “You know, I believe you.”
“You do?”
His smile, or the hint of it, widened, just a bit. My heart sang. “Yes,” he said.
Before I could say something else and prolong this amazing moment, the side door opened and three knights entered. The leader saluted Davril and said, “Sir, we received a message from the Palace before your return.”
“And some reinforcements,” Davril added. “Half those knights belong to the Palace.”
“Yes, sir.” The troop leader nodded to one of the other knights, who removed his helm and nodded to Davril. I recognized him as Lord Greenleaf, Queen Calista’s Grand Vizier. I’d met him briefly the night of the feast.
“The Palace is being put back in order,” Greenleaf said, “and the witch and her trolls are gone. But before they left, they accessed the Compendium.”
“Damn,” Davril said. “What are they up to?”
“I’m not sure, but they’ve taken something from it. I’ll tell you more about that later. For now, you need to know that Prince Jereth has been contacted.”
Davril’s eyes widened. “What?”
Greenleaf passed a hand across his face. “He is the Heir, Davril, and the Queen was—and might still be—dying. He needed to be contacted. Even now, he’s making his way back here, back to the Palace. If the Queen isn’t healed, and soon, Prince Jereth will be King Jereth.”
“Shit,” I said. “I mean, excuse me, but isn’t this the same prince that wants to open portals to the Fae Lands? The same prince who would let the Shadow pour into this world, too?”
“I’m afraid so,” Greenleaf said.
I shook my head. “You guys really need to look into elections or something. A blood lineage isn’t always the way to go.”
“It would appear not,” Davril said.
“That’s treason,” Greenleaf said, but he didn’t sound as if he disagreed.
In any case, it was clear. If Calista died, so too would the world. No pressure, Ruby. I thought of running in and telling her that, but I held myself back. That would probably only make her more nervous.
The doors to the informatory opened. Liara emerged, looking drained. I rushed to her.
“Is it good news?” I said.
Chapter 23
Liara smiled and nodded, and I could see tears standing out in her eyes. “My lady lives,” she said. “Thanks to your sister.”
I hugged her. Though startled, she hugged me back. I then turned to hug Davril, but things got awkward and he just sort of patted me on the back instead. Trying not to sigh, I dashed into the hospital room to behold Ruby bending over Queen Calista, who was sitting up and blinking. Ruby looked pale and sweaty, and I knew she was wiped out. I went to her and embraced her, and I could feel how exhausted she was in her hug.
“Sit down,” I told her, and guided her to a chair. Grateful, she sat, and she instantly closed her eyes and began to snore.
Smiling widely, I turned to regard Queen Calista. Color had returned to her cheeks, and her eyes shone brightly. “Your sister saved my life,” she told me as Davril and Liara entered. The other knights stayed outside.
“Don’t tell her that,” I said, “or else her head will grow so big she won’t be able to enter a room.”
Calista smiled. I rejoiced at how strong that smile was. Davril seemed to see it, too.
“You look well, Your Majesty,” he said, taking her hand and bowing to kiss it.
“Thank you. I feel it.”
He grimaced, then seemed to hesitate, as if reluctant
to ask what he knew he must. “Do you feel well enough to take on a dragon?”
“A dragon?”
As if on cue, Walsh roared outside, and the walls shook. Startled, Queen Calista glanced upward.
“What is this?” she said.
“Long story,” I said. “But Davril says you’re an old hand at fighting dragons.”
Walsh roared again. The surprise left Calista’s features, replaced by determination. “Give me a staff,” she said.
Davril gave an order. In moments, a Fae Knight was pushing a staff into the Queen’s hands, bowing as he did so. She looked at it, firmed her chin, and rose from the bed. Davril offered to help her, but she waved him away, and I was amazed at how steady on her feet she was. Ruby had done a hell of a job on her. Casting a glance at my sister, I saw she was still snoring softly. I grabbed a blanket and tucked her in.
“Let’s go,” Queen Calista said.
She swept from the room, all regal imperiousness, and Davril, Liara, Greenleaf and I were pulled along in her wake. We bustled back through the halls of the Order’s tower, then outside. Head held high, Calista moved across the courtyard at a brisk walk as Walsh made another pass outside. He spat out another gob of flame on the wall’s defenders, but one Fae raised a staff and the flame dispersed to either side as if having hit an invisible shield, which I suppose it had.
“Hand the woman over or you all die! Your hour is up, Jade,” Walsh thundered, hovering in midair before the defenders and leveling his piercing gaze at them. One of the mages blasted him with another magical attack, and three more joined in. The blue and yellow bolts merely glanced off his armor.
Queen Calista mounted the stairs leading up to the wall’s walkway, and everyone scurried after her.
“Begone, wyrm!” she shouted, her voice magically augmented and probably audible for miles around.
Walsh’s terrible amber gaze latched onto her. Amusement entered his voice. “Is this the Queen of the Fae herself, come to do battle with me?”
“It is I, Queen Calista, and you will begone—now!—or you will suffer my wrath!”
Walsh coughed something that might have been a laugh. “Look at you, you can barely stand. You couldn’t harm a fly.”