Matheus and Kincaid hastened to join the little group gathered in the mud, but the Thoranian noblewoman gave them only a cursory glance. Turning, she sprinted toward the ruined gates, drawing a blade as she went. Whether her priority was stopping the battle or finding her brother—or perhaps Cody—Lucy didn’t know.
Not that there was much battle to stop at that moment. Everywhere Lucy looked, men had paused their clashes, staring with wide and terrified eyes at the group of dragons perched outside the gateway.
“What’s happening, Lucy?” Jocelyn asked urgently. “Is King Giles—?”
“He’s alive,” said Lucy. “Or at least, he was when the battle started.”
“And Cody?” Matheus’s sharp question brought Lucy’s attention to him, and she gripped his uninjured arm briefly.
“Same. He’s fighting with the king, in there somewhere.” She jerked her head toward the city.
“We have to stop the fighting,” said Eamon tersely, joining Lucy. “These men don’t have any idea why they’re even here. They don’t deserve to die any more than the Balenans.”
His words jolted Lucy’s thoughts back to their task. In the tumult of the dragons’ arrival, she had momentarily forgotten about Rasad. Glancing around, she saw to her dismay that he had disappeared along with his guards. She gritted her teeth. They’d wasted their opportunity.
“Ah, you are Prince Eamon.” The dragon’s voice made all the humans start, looking up at the creature now towering above them. “I have wanted to meet you.” He leaned down, extending his mighty neck until his bearded face was inches from Eamon’s. He took a deep breath through his nostrils, then made a strange guttural sound that made Lucy step back involuntarily. “You smell like me as well. How fascinating.”
Eamon exchanged a dazed look with Jocelyn before bowing low. “You must be Elddreki,” he said formally. “I’m honored to meet you.”
“And I you, young prince,” said Elddreki, inclining his head. “You are much like your fathers.”
“Yes, yes, but surely you can do all this later, Elddreki,” Kincaid cut in impatiently.
Lucy blinked, trying to imagine being so casual with this mighty and fearsome beast.
“Isn’t there a war going on here?” the Valorian prince was continuing. He wasn’t wrong—while no one in their immediate vicinity was fighting, the sounds of distant conflict were still drifting from the city.
“And that’s not even the biggest of our concerns,” Lucy said quickly, recovering herself.
“What do you mean?” Jocelyn asked sharply. “What is?”
“The dragons,” said Lucy. She looked uncertainly at Elddreki, bobbing an awkward half-curtsy before adding, “I mean the other dragons.”
“Ah,” said Elddreki, nodding wisely. “You mean the group from Vasilisa.” He glanced at the yellow dragon, who had moved forward to stand alongside him. The others remained where they had landed, looking with interest at the grisly chaos around them, left by the interrupted battle.
“We come from Wyvern Islands,” the yellow dragon explained, “the Dragon Realm situated off the coast of Valoria. But another group has come to the South Lands, from Vasilisa, the Dragon Realm in Kyona’s mountains.”
“Yes, Qadir’s group will be here soon,” Elddreki agreed.
Lucy stepped forward, her nerves forgotten. “Do you know that for sure?”
Elddreki’s eyes focused on her, and he looked faintly surprised at the question. “Certainly. We dragons have our own way of communicating with one another, even across great distances.”
His face seemed to harden, and his gaze shifted to the sky. “Although I took my group straight to Thirl, to check on Jocelyn and Kincaid, Qadir shared with me from afar the desecrations the others discovered at the stronghold in the north.”
“They’ve been to Rasad’s Bastion?” Lucy asked quickly. “They found the body of the dragon, and Rasad’s experiments?”
“They certainly did,” Elddreki said grimly. He twisted his vast reptilian head back and forth. “Where is the culprit?”
“I don’t know,” said Lucy, frustrated.
“We had him,” Eamon said through clenched teeth, following her gaze. “And we let him get away.”
“Well,” Lucy grimaced, “if we’re honest, he had us. We were trying to draw him away from the army, and above all to make sure he didn’t get into the city.” She saw the confusion in Jocelyn’s eyes, and quickly explained the nature of their deal with Qadir. The color drained from the princess’s already pale face, and she exchanged a look with her husband.
“Can you stop it, Elddreki?” Kincaid asked the dragon quickly. “Can you change Qadir’s mind?”
Elddreki considered the matter dispassionately. “Unlikely,” he said at last. “Qadir is not easily influenced, and his wrath is great after what he found at the stronghold.”
“What happened when the dragons went to Rasad’s Bastion?” Lucy asked uneasily.
“They destroyed it,” Elddreki said simply.
“Rasad’s experiments, you mean?” Lucy asked cautiously.
“All of it,” Elddreki clarified. He shook his head slowly. “I witnessed it through Qadir’s sight. It was a total annihilation. There is no risk of any of his experiments surviving.” He saw the look on Lucy’s face and explained kindly, “Dragon fire is extremely destructive, you know. I doubt one stone of the fortress is left standing.”
“But…” Lucy exchanged a glance with her brother. He looked as alarmed as she felt. “What about all the people? Rasad’s servants and such. Did they get out safely first?”
A strange rippling motion passed over Elddreki’s frame, from his shoulders to the tip of his tail. It took Lucy a moment to realize it was a shrug.
“I do not know.”
“You mean,” Matheus’s voice sounded faint as he addressed the dragon for the first time. “You mean they might have all died?”
Elddreki did his rippling shrug again. “It is possible, I suppose. As I said, I do not know. Weren’t they in league with the desecrator? What is your concern?”
Matheus swallowed visibly, looking to Lucy. She gave a slight shake of her head. She got the sense it would be futile to try to explain their reaction to the dragon.
“Well, the Thoranian soldiers aren’t in league with Rasad,” she said quickly. “At least, not most of them. We don’t want Qadir and the other dragons to kill them all, or the Balenan defenders.”
“Please,” Jocelyn chimed in, her expression earnest as she met Elddreki’s eye. “Isn’t there anything you can do? To stop the fighting, and to hold Qadir off until we can find Rasad?”
The dragon regarded her silently for a long moment. “If you wish it, I will try,” he said at last. He crouched, clearly preparing to take off, but Jocelyn suddenly started forward, laying a hand on his scaled hide.
“Wait! Take me with you. We’ll go where the fighting is fiercest. I might be able to help stop the battle, if I can change people’s minds about whether they need to be fighting.”
“Jocelyn,” said Kincaid, a warning in his voice. “You need to be careful.”
“I will be,” she promised, grasping his hand and giving it a quick squeeze before turning to Elddreki. The dragon gripped her shoulders with his talons, and a second later the pair was gone, a rush of wind blowing Lucy’s hair back from her face.
“Come on,” said the yellow dragon to Kincaid, a hint of humor in her voice. “You don’t need to tell me—you want to keep an eye on her.”
“Thanks, Raqisa,” said Kincaid gratefully, stepping toward the dragon. He hesitated as he reached her though, looking at the other dragons. “Oh, do you think your companions would be willing to return to Thirl for Lord and Lady Rodanthe? If they’re willing to travel this way, that is.” He grimaced at Lucy and Eamon. “We didn’t exactly stop to say goodbye to them before we left. They’ve been trying to get us released from the dungeons, but something tells me they won’t have been thrilled at our method of gett
ing out.”
Raqisa nodded to the other two dragons, and they took off without delay, disappearing toward the south east. Kincaid nodded his thanks to Raqisa. Before Lucy could blink, the two of them were in the air as well, leaving Lucy, Eamon, and Matheus alone in the midst of a muddy and deserted battlefield.
Lucy turned to her brother. “Matheus. Are you really all right?”
“I got carried by a dragon,” the fifteen-year-old answered, looking dazed. “We flew all the way from Thirl, but it hardly took any time at all! It was…” he shook his head, “…there are no words.”
“That’s good,” said Eamon curtly, “because no offense, but we don’t have time for words.” He met Lucy’s eyes. “We need to find Rasad.”
Before Lucy could respond, she heard a rushing, even louder than the one that had heralded the approach of Elddreki’s group. Looking up, she felt dread settle over her at the sight she had feared—a second group of dragons, this one unmistakably led by the dragon-ruler, his dark form absolutely monstrous as it blocked out the sky.
“Yes, we do,” she said grimly. “Right now.”
But none of them made any move to search for the advisor, all held in thrall by the sight before them. Unlike the first group of dragons, Qadir and his companions didn’t come looking for Lucy and Eamon. Whether it was because the dragon-ruler was too enraged by what he’d seen at Rasad’s Bastion to show restraint, or because he considered their time to be up, Lucy couldn’t guess.
Regardless of the reason, the dragons converged on the city of Nohl, where the fighting was still going on. There were more of them this time, perhaps as many as ten. Lucy drew in a sharp breath as the creatures began to swoop. Flames curled from their nostrils, but mercifully none of them were actually breathing fire onto the buildings or their inhabitants. At least not yet.
“What are they doing?” Matheus breathed.
“I think they’re trying to sniff Rasad out,” said Eamon grimly. “Smell his magic, so to speak.”
“Does that mean they’re not going to kill everyone else?” Matheus asked hopefully. “That they’re just going to target him?”
“Maybe,” said Lucy flatly. “Or maybe they just want to make sure that he’s actually here before they set everything on fire.”
As she spoke, Lucy saw Elddreki launch himself from the roof of a building, intercepting Qadir mid-air. The two dragons circled around each other slowly, communicating mid-flight. It was a curious and impressive sight, but Lucy knew she’d been distracted long enough. They couldn’t afford to waste whatever time Elddreki might buy them.
She turned her gaze from the city, scanning the area. The immediate vicinity was still mostly deserted, but a movement just behind the tree line drew her eye.
“There!” she cried, amazed at the unexpected windfall. She’d been afraid Rasad was long gone, but there he stood, hardly seeming aware of the Kyonans’ presence as he stared at the sky in fascination.
“Rasad,” she shouted, and his eyes flicked briefly to her, their expression unfocused.
“They’re even more magnificent than I imagined,” he breathed. “Do you see the power in their every movement? Can you feel the magic dripping off them?” His gaze returned to the sky. “Endless potential.”
Lucy felt disgust well up inside her. Rasad sounded almost mad, talking of the dragons like they were resources for him to experiment with. She supposed she should be grateful his obsession had kept him from fully fleeing, as most of the soldiers had shown the sense to do. But she felt no satisfaction as she watched Rasad drool over the beasts’ magic, as though the lives of hundreds of men didn’t hang in the balance.
Screams suddenly rent the air, and turning around, Lucy saw with dismay that flames were springing up from some of the buildings. The dragons appeared to be done with restraint.
She started forward, not stopping to think about it as she brandished her weapon at the mastermind of all this needless suffering. A cry of challenge burst from her unconsciously, and Rasad gave her his full attention at last. He looked surprised by her bold attack, but he managed to bring a weapon up in front of himself in time to intercept her blade.
She heard Eamon’s shout behind her, and was dimly aware that he and Matheus were both rushing to join her. Three of Rasad’s guards materialized from the trees at that moment, racing to meet the two boys, apparently seeing them as the greater threat to their master.
Lucy ignored all this. She would have to trust both Eamon and Matheus to defend themselves, because Rasad was the only way to end the carnage going on behind her. She disengaged her blade from his with a flick and pressed forward instantly, immersing herself in the familiar sound of steel against steel, the heady weight of the weapon in her hand, the exhilaration of the fight. In that moment, nothing else mattered.
Rasad had said he wasn’t a soldier, but he clearly had some weapons training. He met her challenge without hesitation, his movements slower than hers, but his form good as he deflected attack after attack. Lucy fought with everything she had, pushing herself until her breath came in pants. He was bigger, and stronger, but she was more skilled, and she was determined to break through his guard.
“Was it you who called the dragons?” Rasad panted, holding his sword horizontally as he deflected a blow. “It seems you held out on me.” There was a manic gleam in his eye. “Tell me how you induced them to leave their own realm. I must know!”
Lucy’s lip curled. “It—wasn’t—hard,” she spat out between blows. “I told them about your experiments. They’ve come to kill you, and thwart your invasion attempt.”
A flicker of alarm passed across Rasad’s features. Lucy pressed forward mercilessly, but he quickly recovered his poise.
“They will not interfere in my plans. From all I know, dragons are uninterested in human politics.”
Despite his bold words, he cast an uneasy look at the dragons still swooping on the city of Nohl. This time, Lucy didn’t waste his distraction. She lunged forward with all her strength, her blade passing through Rasad’s guard and piercing his shoulder.
He gave a cry, dropping his weapon as he sank to his knees. Lucy moved unhesitatingly, kicking his sword out of the way as she laid her own against his throat. Rasad’s expression was calm, but his eyes gave him away. They gleamed as he looked up at her.
“Well, if nothing else, it’s satisfying to see you embrace your identity as a killer, Luciana.”
Lucy just shook her head. “You have no power, magic or otherwise, to manipulate me. I know who I am.”
She stepped back slightly. “And although I don’t enjoy killing, and I’m not careless with others’ lives like you are, I would be willing to kill you if that was what needed to be done.”
Rasad was still clutching his shoulder, but he smirked slightly as he looked up at her, clearly sensing she didn’t intend to finish him. The rain had started to fall once again, this time increasing quickly from a light mist to a heavy downpour. The drops ran down Rasad’s face, looking like tears—a mockery of the remorse he should feel, but seemed incapable of.
“But I won’t kill you,” she said. “Because believe it or not, someone else has a bigger grudge against you.” She raised her face to the sky, closing her eyes as the rain instantly drenched her cheeks.
“QADIR! He’s here!”
She wasn’t sure whether the dragon’s ears were good enough to hear her through the downpour and across the distance, or whether he was still attuned to her with his other sight. Either way, it was only seconds before he materialized, his vast form blocking out what little light there was.
“This is him?” the dragon demanded. “This is the one who desecrated our kin with his experiments?”
“Yes,” said Lucy, trying not to sound breathless. Qadir’s demeanor was very different from the last time they had spoken. Even though she knew it wasn’t directed at her, his fury was terrible to behold, and she could no more prevent the instinctive rush of fear than she could fly.
“Your Mightiness,” Rasad gasped. Incredulously, Lucy saw that in spite of his obvious fear, there was still a small gleam of calculation in the Thoranian’s eyes as he gazed in awe at this most impressive example of the creatures of his obsession. “Allow me to—”
“A dragon does not have speech with a worm,” Qadir cut the human off, his voice deep and awful. Without warning, he seized Rasad around the middle, shooting up into the air with lightning speed.
The three Kyonans stared into the sky, too startled to speak as Qadir went higher and higher. And as little love as she had for the man, Lucy couldn’t help the sharp gasp that broke from her at the sight of Rasad’s tiny form being released from the dragon’s talons at a terrifying height.
The advisor plummeted to the ground, and Lucy winced involuntarily at the sickening thud with which he landed, no more than ten yards away from where she still stood. For a moment there was silence, the three of them staring at Rasad’s body, too shocked by the suddenness of his death to speak.
Qadir landed beside his victim, reaching one taloned limb toward him. Lucy winced again, afraid she was about to see the dragon rip Rasad’s body to shreds. But instead, the dragon-ruler slashed at the advisor’s clothes. With surprising dexterity for such a large creature, he searched the motionless form, uncovering two crystals and a series of leather pouches. He tossed them all into the air, releasing a jet of bright orange flame that engulfed and destroyed them instantly.
Then Qadir let out an unearthly shriek, wheeling back toward the city without a further glance at the humans. The dragons who had come with him rose up to meet him, some of them roaring for good measure as they launched themselves into the air. They fell into some kind of formation, their faces pointed northward. Within moments, they were lost to sight, winging their way toward the ocean.
Chapter Forty-One
A deadly hush descended on the whole scene, and for several long seconds Lucy could only stare stupidly into the sky. Eventually she brought her gaze back down to the city before her. She drew a long rattling breath as she realized with relief that the flames were not as advanced as she’d thought. Only a few buildings still smoldered, and the steadily pelting rain was having its effect.
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