Smoke and Flame (Rise of the Dragons Trilogy Book 2)

by N. R. Hairston

  A few of them laughed, and it came out uncouth and chilling, making me shiver all over again.

  These people seemed wild and savage, as if they lived for the thrill of the fight, the hunt, and nothing more. A hard feeling twisted in my gut, because I realized, even if we did use our powers, the odds were severely against us making it out of here alive.

  Chapter 4

  They walked us for about ten minutes before leading us into a large rock building that looked like it could probably hold a few hundred comfortably.

  By now we were just sloshing through mud, and that, combined with the sting from the rain set to put me in a very ill mood.

  I knew we needed to do this, but I’d never experienced anything like this before, and I hoped I could handle it.

  The room we entered was just one large space. The smell of putrid flesh and soured food assaulted me immediately, and I resisted the urge to cover my nose, not sure what would happen if I tried.

  The walls were made of rock, and the floors were dirt and mud. Around thirty people milled about, and that wasn’t counting the twenty we’d come with.

  Some sat on piles of rocks, which seemed to be the only seats in the place, while others took to the floor. In the walls, there were small spaces carved out, starting at the bottom and going all the way to the top. They looked like they could fit only one comfortably, maybe two if they were smaller framed. Many of those spots were filled with people, who had mocking gazes on their faces as they stared down at us. Some stood holding onto the wall for support, while others sat.

  In the front of the room, high up on thrones of rock were a man and woman. Both looked to be in their early forties.

  The man had green-blue hair that stopped at the nape of his neck. His skin was pale, his eyes brown, and his face angular and hard. He had a scar running across his neck as if someone had sliced it with a knife and another across his jaw.

  He wore black boots that were covered in mud and dark pants that were ripped at the knees. A black vest covered his chest.

  The woman was barefooted and had on a tattered black dress that ended just below her knees. Her skin was also pale, though less so than his. Her brown hair was cut to look like she’d taken a pair of shears to it and wacked off parts here in there, leaving a complicated uneven mess.

  The man sat with his legs placed firmly in front of him, while she had hers cocked wide open.

  They both watched us with cool eyes as the crowd pushed us toward them, jeering and calling out insults.

  My fingers itched with the urge to react as their taunts got louder and meaner. I felt as if we’d been put on trial and this was our final judgment, which I wasn’t sure wasn’t far from the truth.

  Once we were about three feet away from the thrones, someone hit the back of my legs, causing them to buckle. I fell hard onto my knees and noticed Reid and the others did as well.

  I looked up to see blue hair looming over me, a look of disdain on his face. “You haven’t been given permission to stand before Gin and Dern.”

  The two on the throne watched, their eyes small slits, taking in every move we made. The man was the first to speak. “What is this?” He waved a hand toward us as if we were mice he’d found hiding under his bed.

  Blue hair spoke. “These came here with no powers, but she has a porter.” He snatched it from my pants pocket, and I bit down on my lip, fighting the urge to object.

  This time it was the woman with the curly brown hair from earlier who spoke. “Nah,” she pointed to Trout. “This one opened the portal. Sure of it. So, they have power, or he does anyway.”

  The woman’s eyes strayed to us, and from the hard line of her jaw, to the fire in her eyes, I knew something bad was coming. My stomach dropped as her bare foot rolled a rock under it. “We don’t have a way to shift anymore, Dern,” she said, looking at the man on the throne beside her. “What say you?”

  I wanted to look over at Reid, maybe raise an eyebrow, because what did she mean by shift, and what did that have to do with us?

  Reid was a little in front of me, with Trout in front of him, and Iago to Trout’s left and two inches ahead of him. Coen was beside Iago.

  Dern ran a hand over his chin, pausing on his stubble. “It’s been so long since we shifted to another world, Gin. Let’s say we keep the porter and the girl that came with it?”

  Her eyes gleamed as she looked our way. “Let’s say we keep the boy with the shifter power too. We could always use a backup.”

  Everything in me went cold. They talked as if we didn’t have a choice in the matter and I guessed, by their calculations, we didn’t.

  Gin ran a single finger over her lips, then turned to the man beside her. “What say you, Dern? Why would anybody of healthy mind want to come here?”

  He sighed, a serious expression on his face. “Some people have rock fetishes, Gin.” He turned to us with a crooked grin. “We try to accommodate all kinds here on Graven.”

  She folded her hands in her lap and nodded as if this was just a normal conversation. “I say kill them all, except the shift maker. The girl too, we have her porter, we don’t need her.”

  Dern’s scanned the crowd, his eyes stopping on those sitting high up in the walls. They looked down at us, their expressions hungry and waiting. “Been so long since someone shifted here,” he said thoughtfully. He pointed to his people on the floor and up in the walls. “Let’s say we give them their sport?”

  Gin thought about it, her eyes taking in the crowd. “What say you, then?” she asked them. “Would you like some new pets to play with?”

  Lighter fluid ran through my blood, igniting the fire inside me. I would be no one’s pet today, and neither would my crew. Also, as they talked, it became increasingly clear that Lantana hadn’t been here. If she had, there was no way she’d still be alive, but I didn’t believe she’d passed through this world.

  Iago cleared his throat, and I braced myself for their reaction to whatever he was about to say. “I’m looking for a woman.”

  Gin rolled her eyes. “Everyone’s always looking for a woman.”

  Iago’s body stayed stiff, as he continued to talk, and I realized he at least had to try. “She’s about five feet six with purple hair, bald on the sides but long in the middle.” A mohawk. His sister had a mohawk. “She has dark-brown skin like mine, orange eyes, and she would have been brought here a couple of weeks ago.” His voice broke. “Please. Have you seen her?”

  The room erupted in laughter, and Dern shook his head. “If someone shifted here weeks ago, we wouldn’t be here now, would we?” He held the porter up and looked at it as a feeling of relief washed over me.

  She wasn’t here. Tanko had said he’d seen them take her, as in, they’d gone with her through the portal. No way would these people let someone with shifting powers leave. Not as hungry as they seemed for shifting to another world.

  Good, now that I was sure Lantana had never passed through this place I wasn’t willing to stay here a second longer. My eyes blazed red, and I shot fire at the people in the walls. They’d meant to toy with us, play games, and then kill us slowly. I wasn’t willing to go out like that. Not if I could stop it.

  Screams erupted as Graven citizens leaped from the walls and onto the floor. No one seemed sure where the fire had come from, then the sand and dirt leading up to the thrones that Dern and Gin sat on went up in flames, and Reid and I both jumped to our feet ready to do battle.

  My wings spread out, and I rose in the air. Reid joined me, and Trout, Iago, and Coen came to their feet as well. Shocked gasps sounded throughout the crowd as people scrambled to get out of the way.

  Blue hair stumbled back, pointing a shaky finger my way. “Dra... Dragon!” he said, his eyes looking as if he couldn’t believe what was right in front of him.

  Dern and Gin had jumped to the floor as fire lapped around them, but Dern still had my porter gripped tightly in his hand. I aimed to get it back.

  I opened my mouth, and fire
rolled out, hitting the walls and rocks around us. I set my sights on Dern, and he looked dead at me. He held up a finger and something long and black came out. It looked solid, like a rope.

  I was too busy trying to figure out what it was, that it wasn’t until it wrapped around my arms and middle section that I knew I was in trouble. I couldn’t move.

  I struggled to get free, which only made the rope bite into my skin more. I couldn’t breathe, which meant I couldn’t do anything. I swallowed hard and tried not to panic as I looked for a way to break his hold.

  Dern pulled on the rope hard, and I tumbled toward the ground, scraping my arms and hand against rock and dirt. Dern threw his head back and laughed, but stopped short when the rope lit up with fire. Letting out a breath, I looked around and saw Reid a few feet away. He pointed a finger, and more flames leapt Dern’s way.

  Dern screamed and fell back, as flames licked up his arm and around his head. The hold on me broke, and the black rope-like substance disappeared into the fire.

  Relieved, I came to my feet and gave Reid a curt nod. He nodded my way, then jumped back into the fight. Blue hair now seemed to have his wits about him, and he raised in the air in front of me, his hand twisting until it took on the shape and texture of one of the rocks.

  He swung on me, and I ducked, kicking him in the chest and throat. He fell back a little, but then his hard fist connected with the side of my face and sent me spiraling.

  I landed on my left side, pain racing up my arm and shoulder. My face felt like it was on fire, and I winced as the taste of blood filled my mouth. The Graven around me closed in, and then a vibration rumbled through the air and threw them back.

  When I looked up, I saw Coen standing in front of me, holding a hand out. I grabbed ahold of him, and he gingerly helped me to my feet. My side and shoulder were ablaze, and my arm hung loosely at my side. My face stung like I’d been hit with a rock, because, well, I had, and that, added with everything else, had me cowering in on myself.

  My wings wrapped around me, as if to shield me from more pain and I took comfort in their touch. “Okay?” Coen asked me, and I could tell he was anxious to get back into the fight.

  I nodded, to reassure him, then my wings spread out and lifted me in the air. I hovered about six feet off the ground, looking down at the fight below me.

  Someone had put Dern’s fire out, but his face was badly burned, as were his hands and arms. He had three people fussing over him, while Gin stood off to the side, body rigid, eyes on me.

  I swallowed, as the smell of burned flesh, sweat, and blood made its way to my nostrils, making me want to gag. Cries of pain and agony bounced off the walls, as we all fought for our lives in this hell hole.

  Dern had dropped the porter when he’d fallen, and now Gin held it in her hand. Reid had floated to where I was and was busy lighting fires all over the place.

  Trout had a line of silver energy wrapped around one guy's neck, squeezing until the man’s eyes popped.

  Coen hit another with his thunderclap, and the man dropped, his body shaking as the force from Coen’s powers ripped him apart.

  Iago hit one guy in the face, while another came behind him and grabbed his arms, twisting them behind his back. He threw his head back, and a twinkling blue mass floated out of his mouth and wrapped around the man holding him, and the one he’d just hit.

  Iago spoke a few words, and both men exploded, blood and body parts flying everywhere. I blinked, amazed, as Iago wiped the gore from his face, not seeming bothered by it at all.

  Gin let out a scream that shook everything around us, and I knew if not for the earplugs, we’d be in serious trouble. The people around her also screamed, and then seemed confused when the only person falling to their knees was Coen.

  I gasped as panic gripped me. He hadn’t worn earplugs because he was immune to his own powers, and usually, if someone had a power like his, he was immune to that too. This though, this was something he hadn’t prepared for. He put his hands on his ears as blood leaked from them. His nose split open, his eyes began to bulge, his skin started to tear, and the whole time he screamed for release.

  Iago breathed that same blue mass as before, and it flew to Gin’s throat, choking her and cutting her off mid-scream. When she stopped, the others stopped as well, seeming unsure what to do next.

  Iago said a few words and her face shattered as she began clawing at her neck. Long black nails ripped into her throat as blood oozed down her hand.

  She fell to the ground, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she tried to free whatever it was lodged in her throat.

  I looked on, horrified and in awe at Iago’s power. He and Trout ran to Coen’s side, as I felt a presence creep up behind me.

  Still in the air, I turned around just in time to be put into a choke hold. A man with short brown hair and breath that smelled like he’d eaten feces for dinner held me tight in his grip.

  My heart shuttered as I struggled, unable to break free. His nails cut into me, raking long claw marks across my skin, but because of the pressure, I could barely feel the pain. I could see my blood flowing over his hand and then my body went limp as blackness swirled around me.

  My wings, acting as if they had a mind of their own, sprung out quick as lighting and knocked the guy back. He sailed through the air, hitting the wall hard, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

  I looked away, disgusted, and started a free fall to the ground. I was weak and hurt, and had I not needed to get my porter, I probably would have just curled up somewhere, and slept until my injuries healed.

  I touched down in time to see Trout use his energy to pick up the porter from its spot on the ground. He floated it over to me and dropped it into my outstretched hand. My fingers closed around it, and I could breathe a little easier now that it was in its rightful place.

  Reid came up beside me and put a hand around my waist. His face was battered and bruised, and he had a long scratch under his eye that looked red and angry.

  Most of the Gravens were at the side of their fallen leaders which seemed the perfect opportunity to get away. Trout and Iago held Coen up between them. His face was covered in blood, his eyes seemed almost frozen, but I could detect just a bit of movement from his eyeballs.

  His skin had been cracked open to the bone, and though the blood had stopped it didn’t look good. I put a hand over my mouth, and my body ached from the effort.

  Reid and I met them in the middle of the floor. I walked with great effort, my body growing weaker with each step. Once we all stood together, Trout raised his hands to open a portal.

  Before he could though, something wet and rubbery hit me in the face, slicing me in the eye and cutting through my cheek. I cried out, as blood oozed from my face, the pain like tiny drops of fire on my soul. Reid inhaled sharply, then pulled me closer to him, whispering that everything would be alright.

  I held onto his voice as a beacon, knowing it was the only thing keeping me standing.

  “Get ‘em,” I heard a voice shout and looked around to see a lot of angry Graven headed our way.

  We couldn’t jump through the portal before they reached us, and Iago must have thought the same. He said a few words and that swirling blue mass flew from his mouth, wrapped around the Gravens, and sent them all to their knees.

  They cried out as it seeped into them, and then they began clawing at their faces and arms, trying to remove it.

  Weak, and barely able to move, I shot a line of fire around us, keeping any that hadn’t been affected from coming closer.

  Using this as a distraction, Trout hurriedly opened a portal, and we all jumped through.

  Chapter 5

  Trout’s portal led us to Todd’s house. Since the Graven didn’t have the power to open portals there was no danger of them following us.

  “We need some help here!” Trout shouted, and by now, I could barely keep my eyes open. My arm was limp, my side on fire, my shoulders ached, my face was throbbing, and my n
eck felt as if it’d been split open.

  My parents, along with Todd, and Vonda, had all been in the living room when we’d came crashing through. They all appeared to have been waiting. The second we appeared, they were on their feet.

  I heard my father’s loud voice demanding to know what happened, my mother’s startled cry, my sister’s quick intake of breath, and Todd, Todd wasn’t moving at all. His eyes were wide as he took in my bruises and then those of Coen. Because Coen, well Coen’s eyes were now closed, and he was as still as a summer night.

  “I have it ready,” my sister yelled, and made a quick dash to the kitchen.

  Reid had both arms wrapped around me, but by now my vision was blurred, and my legs were jelly. I couldn’t stay up. No way could I stay standing, it was too much of an effort. I started a slow descent to the floor, but he didn’t let me fall.

  Even though he’d been hurt as well, he hoisted me up and turned to Todd. “Which way?”

  Todd seemed to be in shock. His eyes were wide, his mouth half-open, his face stricken. He mumbled something unintelligible then pointed down the hall.

  My mom was immediately in front of us. “Bring her this way.” I could hear the fear in her voice, and I hated myself for doing this to them, for bringing this to their doorsteps.

  I laid my head on Reid’s chest, and he squeezed me tighter, telling me that everything would be okay. I took comfort from him, as I had so many times before.

  My mom led us to one of Todd’s many guest rooms and threw back the covers on the bed, motioning for Reid to lay me down. He placed me there gingerly, and my mom took a seat on the edge.

  She placed her warm hand in mine and gently swiped hair out of my face. She looked so worried, so scared, and I wanted to tell her that everything would be alright.

  My lips were cracked, and my mouth felt dry and thick. “I’m... I’m sorry,” I told her, tears rolling down my cheek at the pain I’d caused her and my father, my whole family.