A roar met my ears. At first, I thought it was from the light springing up in Savette’s eyes, but Iskaris’s battle cry rang out just after it. The Ifrits were here. I tried to turn my head to look, but I was frozen in place. I saw Hubric’s eyes shift, but his head was locked in place, just like mine. The glow around Savette grew as orange glowing light burst over the center statue and heat flared at my back. Behind us, dragons fought Ifrits for our lives. The roar of lizard anger met the hiss of angry earth demons.
I lost track of time as my emotions and thoughts swirled within me, dragged out for Savette’s use. Everything melded into screams, shouts and horrifying cries but at the center, I held on to that thread of hope inside me. I couldn’t let it go.
Savette’s light was blinding, filling not just the area around the signpost, but the whole hub. As if a dam broke loose, I could suddenly move again. Hubric tugged us to the sigil in the floor, around the Dominar. I stole a glance at Raolcan, gasping when I saw him joining Rasipaer in a deadly battle with an Ifrit. How would we get the dragons out of here if we had to get them all into the sigil at once?
There were three Ifrits attacking them, and as they fought, I saw one more squeezing out of the warren and into the open space. With each moment it took us to gather the power to leave, our foes grew in number. I bit my lip, gripping Savette’s hand tighter, wishing she could hurry things.
And then the unthinkable happened. I was staring urgently at Savette’s face when Hubric cried out, his eyes looking past me. I turned just in time to be knocked off my feet and thrown into the air. The world tumbled. Nothing felt real, not the glimpse of Savette and Hubric flying through the air beside me, or the view of Eeamdor’s massive body skidding past along the rock. I realized in a flash that his tail had hit us, knocking us into the air, but as I began to fall back I saw him continue his skid, claws scrambling desperately as he disappeared over the edge of the hub. Savette screamed.
I didn’t have time to see more before the earth came up out of nowhere and smacked me in the face. Everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-One
Up, up, up! Raolcan was screaming in my head.
I blinked my eyes open. I was on the ground. Everything hurt. My head ... oh, my head ... every blink sent shattering pain through my skull. I just needed to rest here a moment. I let my eyes close.
No time. Up.
A claw grabbed me, scooping me up. Should I be fighting? I opened my eyes just a slit. Savette sat in the middle of the sigil, hands pressed to the ground, but white light surrounded her. Kyrowat dropped Hubric in front of her, wheeling to flame an Ifrit hand that snatched out at him. Where were Iskaris and Rasipaer? Where was the Dominar? What about Eeamdor?
Eeamdor is dead.
Raolcan! Where was he?
Who do you think is carrying you?
We entered the circle, and everything went dark again.
Darkness.
I opened my eyes.
“Get in the circle now, or you’ll be left behind!” Hubric was shouting. Who did he mean? Me? Not me. I saw Iskaris running across the ground, the Dominar in his arms. He stumbled, falling to the ground.
I reached awkwardly for my crutch. Yes, it was still there! Pulled myself up on wobbly legs. The world tilted wildly, making me dizzy, but I fought through it, dragging myself to their side and bending down to help Iskaris drag the Dominar over the line to the sigil. The look he shot my way was so strange that I didn’t know what to think about it until I looked down. One of his arms was missing, blood dripping from the stump – the exact arm that the Dominar had lost fleeing these same enemies. I opened my mouth to ask him if he needed help, but felt my knees buckle beneath me.
Darkness. Something cold was pressed against my face.
I opened my eyes. We – the humans – were all in the circle, though someone was keening with sobs. Was that Savette?I didn’t see Raolcan, but Kyrowat streaked by, flaming at an enemy and the Dominar was conscious, he was pushing a slumped person over the edge of the sigil. Iskaris? If he succeeded, the man would be left here.
Stop passing out. We need you conscious.
Like a person could control that. I crawled towards Iskaris. No man should be left here. The Dominar left him, stumbling back to the center of the sigil, blood leaking from his wounded shoulder. Pain seared into me and the bright light white became thicker until it filled me and everything around me. I grabbed Iskaris, rolling us both back into the sigil and holding on tight to him. He felt smaller in person than he’d looked when I first met him.
I felt a sensation like stretching and then darkness.
I opened my eyes.
I was falling, air rushing around me. Or was I? Was this a dream?
Nope. It’s just you falling to your death. Here, let me save you again.
Strong claws snatched me from the air as everything went dark again.
This time I felt like I was out for a lot longer before my eyes snapped open. I was being carried in Raolcan’s strong hands, but something felt very wrong with my body.
You’re gravely injured. Don’t fear. I will get you help in time.
Savette? Hubric? I’d saved someone at the last minute. Iskaris. Had he made it?
We are scattered. I don’t know where everyone is. We fly like the wind to the heart of my homeland.
The Dominion?
The Lands of Haz’drazen.
I felt light, like I was going to fly off all on my own and go visit those clouds over there.
Stay with me.
Beneath us the land was black, but on the horizon, a sliver of pink light glinted over the horizon.
I won’t leave you. I’m here, spider.
Was Raolcan okay? He sounded strange.
We’ll get you to safety. Please, stay strong.
Everything went black again.
Read the rest of Amel’s story in Dragon School: Bright Hopes
Behind the Scenes:
USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, hails from the rocky Canadian Shield in Northern Ontario where she lives with her husband and two small boys. Her interests include the outdoors, history, and philosophy. Her books are always about fantastical adventures in other worlds.
Sarah would like to thank Harold Trammel, Eugenia Kollia, and Sarah Brown for their incredible work in beta reading and proofreading this book. Without their big hearts and passion for stories, this book would not be the same.
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Visit Sarah’s website for a complete list of available titles.
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