by Amparo Ortiz
“I didn’t know,” Takeshi whispers. “I’m so sorry, Andy. I didn’t know it was you.”
I wait for him to stop acting—to pounce on me with a hidden Death Charm orb, but he stays where he is, quietly draining himself of tears for a boy he just said he didn’t care about.
I don’t give a damn about how sad he seems. Not only did he betray Andrew, he also took my dad. He’s not getting out of this building without telling me where Papi is.
“What have you done with my father?” I ask.
“He’s safe,” he replies quietly. “Sienna is Transporting him to New York headquarters.”
Wait, what? Agent Horowitz is here? And he’s on a first-name basis with her?
“Takeshi!” Randall yells, zapping me back to reality. “You filth!”
Takeshi finally releases Andrew. He lingers beside him for a bit longer, eyes unfocused, then he rises. “Could you please bring Randall over here?” he asks Samira.
“No way,” I cut in. “Why should I listen to a thing you say?”
“Because I think he saved your dad’s life,” Samira says. “Also, he just poisoned the strongest Dragon Knight of all time. Maybe I’m wrong, but I feel like he’s not all trash, Lana.”
“He also stole a Fire Drake’s crystal heart. He killed a bureau agent!”
“I didn’t kill him. He’s not dead,” Takeshi says, firmly.
Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me. “So that whole throat-slitting thing was all an act, huh? Agent Robinson is pretending to be dead?”
“No. Yes. It’s quite complicated, but I can explain later.”
Samira uses her magic to drag Randall across the habitat. He lands at Takeshi’s feet. His veins are even darker now, bulging and slithering like snakes in a frenzied search for prey. “Here’s the garbage you ordered.”
Takeshi nods at her, then stares at Randall. He’s no longer a boy-shaped disaster without a course. Now Takeshi is a tempest that’s found its target. “My name is Agent Takeshi Endo with the International Bureau of Magical Matters. Randall Wiggins, you’re under arrest for multiple murders, including Andrew Galloway, Hari Sandhar, and my steed, Hikaru.”
Samira and I gasp at the same time.
I take a shaky step back. “What? You’re a … and he’s … what?”
Randall twitches, but his eyes are unblinking. “You knew this whole time?”
Holy. Crap. He’s admitting it!
“I’ve known for a while,” says Takeshi. “I just don’t know what you’ve done to Antonio Deluca. You either killed him or kidnapped him. Which one is it?”
Randall’s silence unnerves me, even more than Takeshi’s accusation. Then there’s the whole separate matter of Takeshi Endo being an undercover bureau agent. How come they couldn’t catch the Sire with an agent in his midst? Director Sandhar’s been relying on President Turner to locate the Sire, when Takeshi could’ve easily given them his whereabouts. He could’ve stopped his transformation. Turned Randall in. He could’ve saved Andrew’s life.
I glance at the Dragonshade. Director Sandhar never would’ve given Takeshi that poison. He never would’ve approved of Takeshi’s actions since becoming a Dragon Knight.
“You’ve been playing both sides,” I say. “Just like the Sire. You did this for Hikaru.”
He’s about to speak when Randall asks, “How did you figure it out?”
“Six months after Hikaru’s murder, I found another Fire Drake with a crystal heart. He granted my wish after I did him a favor. I saw you and the Sire in Hikaru’s quarters. I saw him give you the order. And I saw you obey. Three months later, I joined the bureau in order to get Dragonshade. Then I joined the Dragon Knights in order to get to you and the Sire. In all this time, I’ve had only one question.” Takeshi’s eyes narrow into vicious slits. “Why?”
Randall winces, the poison eating him from within. “Akarui dragons can scramble their opponent’s senses by emanating a blinding light from their scales. Master suspected that power had been used in his curse to restrain his magic. Hikaru wasn’t a total waste, though. His death broke you. It made the most beloved Blazewrath player go rogue.” Randall winces again. “Does my father know you’ve stolen Dragonshade from his vaults?”
“He’s not your father, and once he sees you like this, I don’t think he’ll mind. Now tell me what you did to Antonio Deluca.”
Randall’s expression hardens even more. “You’ll never find him. And I’ll tell Hikaru you said hi when I get to hell.”
“He won’t be there.” Takeshi gets up, then draws nearer to Samira. “Remember our faces, Randall. Remember our names. Samira took your wand and your dignity. I’m taking your life. And if the Sol de Noche dragons haven’t beaten me to it, I’m taking your master’s life, too.”
“You’ll never do it!” Randall’s yell could rattle the habitat’s walls. He’s red-cheeked despite the black seeping into the rest of him. Snot hangs from his flaring nostrils.
“I joined his army to help him return to his dragon form. Do you know why?” Takeshi says with an unnerving calmness. “So that he would be able to die again. As of right now, the Sire is a mortal dragon. I will end him today.”
“No!” I say. “The Sire’s life is tied to someone else’s.”
Takeshi nods. “I know about the Anchor Curse, Lana, but this is the plan. I have to see it through.” His tone is so final, so heartless, it makes me want to throw up.
I give him my most defiant scowl. “You want to take petty to a whole new level, I get that. But enough people have already died. We both have to accept responsibility for that. So before you go on about more killing, ask yourself if revenge is worth another person’s life.”
Takeshi looks like his brain is about to burst. He’s not happy, but he’s not exploding, either. Like his grayed mind is filling with colors he’s never seen before.
Finally, he says, “What do you suggest?”
My spine tingles. There’s only one thing that could end this war. One prison the Sire will never be able to escape from.
“We’ll lock him inside the Dark Island.”
Samira and Takeshi stare at me. “The what?”
“Just trust me.” I turn to Samira. “Get us to the roof. We’ll signal for my teammates.”
“You’ll never win! None of you will see the end of this war!” Randall spits out a gob of black blood. He’s coughing like his lungs are already failing him. As much as I despise him, this is a horrible way to die, and he looks like he’s aware of it. I wonder if he’s also realizing he never had a fighting chance in the poor excuse of a life he’s been given.
He’s better off unconscious. That’ll help him suffer less.
“Lights out, little boy.” I kick him in the face.
He’s knocked out immediately.
Samira uses her magic to tie his arms around the sturdiest tree she can find. Then she says, “To the roof!”
“Wait.” Takeshi runs to fetch his claw dagger from Randall’s gut. He tucks it into his pocket and frowns at Andrew. “Are you sure this Dark Island will hold the Sire for good?”
“Definitely. He won’t even have his fire.”
Takeshi blinks slowly, as if he’s both exhausted and on the verge of crying again. He bows his head. “Then to the roof it is.”
Most Likely to Eat, Sleep, and Breathe Blazewrath over Anything Else:
Definitely Victoria.
Most Likely to Bake You a Cake on Your Birthday:
Héctor. Our team captain and a wonderful soul.
Most Likely to Have Your Back in a Fight:
Oh, honey. It’s us seven against the world.
—Excerpt from Gabriela Ramos & Edwin Santiago’s interview with Sworn Magazine
CHAPTER THIRTY
WHEN THE TRANSPORT CHARM’S WHITE LIGHT FADES FROM VIEW, I’m standing a few inches away from the rooftop’s ledge, gazing down into the charred hole the Sire used to escape. Randall is still out cold, back inside the habitat. Even if his Dragon Knig
ht buddies arrive, he’s not going anywhere.
Dragon roars split the sky into pieces.
All eight Un-Bonded Pesadelos are unconscious on the forest floor. Bureau agents have surrounded them, wands out in case they wake up.
The Sire, however, is very much awake. He’s headed straight toward a wall of five black dragons, all baring their teeth in defiance. The Sire rams himself into them, but they don’t relent. Rayo and Fantasma whip their tails against his sides. Puya and Daga blow fire at his face and neck. Titán bites down on his spine, holding him in place.
The Sire breaks their wall. He sends them flying in different directions.
“He’s getting away!” Takeshi yells.
“Samira,” I say, “do you think you can help me communicate with Héctor?”
“I can Transport my Whisperer to him, then he can talk to you through yours.”
Crap. “I left mine at the Compound!”
Samira conjures my Whisperer out of thin air. Her own Whisperer disappears from her wrist as she hands mine over. “He’s wearing it!”
“Héctor? Are you there?” I speak into my Whisperer. “It’s Lana. Can you hear me?”
“Why am I wearing a Whisperer, and why is your voice coming out of it?!” Héctor is barely audible amidst the roars surrounding him. “I’m very busy right now!”
Titán launches himself at the Sire, blocking his flames from the others. Then he fires back flames of his own. The streams meet in the middle like Samira and Randall’s lightning bolts. A deafening crackle comes from the Whisperer.
“The Dark Island could take his magic, right?” I ask.
“We’re trying to get him there,” Héctor replies. “But this silver bastard is tough!”
The Sire shoots a thick stream of fireballs.
Héctor and Titán dive out of the way, but the Sire’s flames travel with them. While he’s distracted with Titán, the other four Sol de Noches scramble into their circle formation, trapping the Sire in the middle. They spread their wings wide and rattle the earth with their roars. Flames edge out of their scales.
They’re going to cast a ring of fire again.
The Sire whirls around, shooting fireballs like a cannon.
He knocks the dragons away one by one. While they cry out, the Sire spews more flames, darting from one dragon to the other in blinding chaos.
I almost go bald yanking my hair. He’s too strong. How are we supposed to beat him?
“Takeshi,” Samira says, “do you still have that Freeze Charm?”
“Right here.” He points to one of the golden orbs on his belt.
“Lana, tell Héctor to lead the Sire over here. Takeshi and I will hit his fire propeller with Freeze Charms.” Samira aims her wand at the sky. “Once we strike, Randall’s Gold magic won’t let him burn anything ever again.”
Brilliant. I quickly relay it into my Whisperer. “Héctor, bring the Sire over to the habitat. Samira’s going to take his fire away with a double Freeze Charm!”
Crickets.
I’m about to call for Héctor again, when he yells, “Okay! Let’s do it!”
Takeshi carefully removes the Freeze Charm from his belt. At his touch, a little frost-white light blooms at the center. “Bring that coward over here.”
For the first time in a long time, Takeshi Endo makes me smile.
It doesn’t last long, though.
The Sire is pummeling, burning, and biting at the five dragons determined to stop him. Titán takes the beating of his life, shielding his brothers and sisters from the silver dragon’s fury. Puya and Daga angle themselves at either side of Titán. Rayo and Fantasma are hovering a few feet below the Charger dragons.
Then Titán shoots up higher. The Sire makes the mistake of looking at him. Puya and Daga zoom forward, crashing into the Sire’s lower body. Rayo and Fantasma slam into his shoulders, then clamp down on the Sire’s wings. The four Sol de Noche dragons move simultaneously, jostling the Sire across the forest sky. His shrieks are music to my ears.
“Lana, I need you to back up!” Samira says as Takeshi stands next to her.
I run farther away from the ledge but not too far. While Samira keeps her wand raised, Takeshi holds the golden orb behind him like a baseball he’s about to pitch.
My teammates finally make it to the habitat and pin the Sire against the ledge where Takeshi and Samira await. Titán glides toward the roof, and a vengeful Sire follows his every move, mouth open and ready for retaliation.
His propeller is in plain sight. It doubles in size as he preps to blow out the flames.
Then the Sire’s eyes find Takeshi.
“Now, Samira!” he yells.
The Sire rolls forward. His brute strength knocks Puya and Daga away from him. Rayo and Fantasma are dragged down as they cling to the Sire’s wings. With a sudden jerk, he flaps them so hard they’re thrown over his head. Free at last, the Sire drives his tail into the building.
It lands right between Samira and Takeshi.
They’re knocked off-balance. Takeshi drops the Freeze Charm, and the orb makes a beeline for the floor. I dive for the orb, just managing to catch it in my outstretched fingertips before it becomes shards. With a grunt, I cradle it close and search for Takeshi and Samira.
They’re not on the roof.
“No, no, no …” I race to where they fell. They’re sinking into a giant cloud of rubble and dust. A bluish light wraps around them like a halo. Maybe a Shield Charm?
“Lana, come on! He’s going to hit it again!” Héctor pulls up beside me and waves for me to hop onto Titán. “Hurry!”
“We need to help them!”
“And you need to get out of that building!”
The Sire’s tail comes whizzing down again.
I jump onto Titán’s back. By the time I’m settled, the Sire’s destroyed most of the roof and the side of the building. He’s sending more pieces of concrete, dust, and smoke raining down on Samira and Takeshi. I hold on tight to Héctor and the Freeze Charm. “Let’s go get them!”
“He’ll take us out easily if we turn our backs!”
I hate that he’s right. Fantasma and Edwin creep up on the Sire’s left. Fantasma swipes with his claws. Puya, Daga, and Rayo pummel the Sire with fiery battering ram–style attacks. It’s a frenzy of fighting dragons and teens sweating from heat and terror.
My heart speeds up. Samira could Transport with Takeshi, right?
Unless she’s unconscious.
The Sire bashes his head against Titán’s, sending us spinning like we’re stuck on a hellish Ferris wheel. I scream and squeeze the life out of Héctor. When Titán regains his balance, we’re out of the Sire’s range. His brothers and sisters rain down flames. Daga cries out. No matter how fast Luis steers her away, the Sire’s fire finds her.
For a second, I think I catch the Sire smiling.
“You okay back there?” Héctor asks, panting.
Sparks light me up from within. My best friend and the world’s greatest Striker are in danger. Or maybe they’re just out cold? My teammates and their steeds are also in danger. I’m not a Striker. My aim is probably in the top-five-worst category in the whole world.
And yet I’m the one who has to end this.
“Lana?”
“Get Titán closer to the Sire. I’m going to throw this orb at his propeller.”
Héctor looks at me over his shoulder. “Are you sure?!”
“He’ll be easier to strike if I drop it from above. Can you force him to look up at us?”
Whether Héctor believes in me or not, he nods. “We’ll attack right over him. When he opens his mouth, do what you need to do.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Héctor taps Titán. “¡Vamos!”
Titán obeys with a roar. Rayo is fielding off the Sire’s fire with her own, but her stream is getting smaller, the Sire’s flames blasting hers away. Puya, Daga, and Fantasma hit the Sire’s body over and over, then he twirls in the fastest whirlwind of limbs. Hi
s tail is a loose weapon. The Sire slams it into everything in its path. Once again, all four dragons are sent flying away.
Titán charges. I keep my breathing steady, ignoring the breakneck speed at which my heart is pounding, and hide the orb behind me. Titán swoops close enough to taunt the Sire, then pulls up. I lean to the side, angling myself so I can see down. The Sire stays below us as expected. He watches us glide above him with his shiny, narrowed eyes.
He headbutts Titán in the stomach.
Titán is thrust upward. He loses control of his wings, doubling over from the blow.
“Ugh!” Héctor and I rock back and forth. I’m losing my grip, but I hold on just in time to see the Sire’s teeth bared. He’s opening his mouth to burn us. I need to get closer now.
The Sire aims his wide-open mouth at Titán.
“Get down!” I unhook my arm from Héctor’s waist. I jump to a standing position and use Héctor’s shoulders to steady myself. He leans forward low enough so that I can leap over him. He yells something, but it’s white noise to me.
I run down the entire length of Titán’s neck, his head, until I get to his nose. The Sire’s propeller expands as if he’s bracing for a full-blown explosion.
This is it. I’m going to die.
And everyone I care about will live.
My heart’s in my mouth, but I push the words out anyway. “Héctor! I’m really sorry for everything. Please tell the others I’m sorry, too. And thank you for helping me!”
His whole face is a question mark. “What are you … Wait, no! LANA, DON’T!”
I’m skydiving right into the Sire’s line of fire.
Please don’t miss, please don’t miss, please don’t miss.
I put everything I have left into my throw. The white light at the golden orb’s center shines even brighter as it shoots out of my hand. Flames erupt from the Sire’s propeller. The orb and the fire crash into each other.
BANG!
Ice blasts out of the orb. It travels the length of the fiery stream, freezing everything it touches. The ice grows and grows until it bursts into sharp bullets, shooting out everywhere. I drop a few inches past the Sire’s lips. He lets out a strangled cry and tries to blow out more flames. He’s lurching and spitting, but no matter how hard he tries, the flames never come.