Dragonfire: Freedom in Flames (Secrets of the Makai Book 3)

by Toni Kerr

  “Maybe they don’t know.”

  “They know,” said Donovan. “And they still lack respect for the planet and won’t clean up after themselves. There is no accountability.”

  “So we get organized. We rally those who want to make a difference and start a public agenda.”

  “Don’t you get it? That’s been tried already. People still don’t understand the damage they cause, and they don’t honestly care.” Donovan returned to his chair and sat. “Whatever happens to the human race in the future...they have brought it upon themselves and I, for one, will feel no guilt.”

  “Says the one who will live no matter what,” grumbled a bald man sitting next to Talak.

  Donovan almost let it go. “Says the one who doesn’t care because it’ll be someone else’s problem in thirty years.”

  Tristan held his breath, expecting the man to walk out or start a fight.

  “Touché.” The bald man eventually nodded. “Clearly I need to meditate on the idea.”

  “We should do more than meditate.” Donovan leaned back in his chair and surveyed the rest of the people sitting at the table. “Again I would like to say, if anyone wants out....”

  No one moved.

  “Then let us begin. First on our agenda is Lazaro’s brother. Can any of you help us with that?” he asked the ghosts, who shook their heads. “It might not be the smartest thing to bring Stephan back into existence, but Tristan can test and experiment with whatever it is he needs to do before we approach the dragon in the Forest of Darkness.” Donovan directed his next words to Tristan. “You could experiment on a few of the other statues before messing with Stephan, if it makes you more comfortable.”

  Tristan frowned. “They aren’t just statues. We’re talking about lives here.…”

  “It’s not like they’re contributing members of society as they are. Besides, maybe they’d rather be killed for the chance to live, rather than be stuck living like they are?”

  It was the same logic he was using for freeing the magical races, which brought to mind something he hadn’t thought of. “What if I mess up when I try to free the magical races, and I kill them instead?” He searched the ghosts for an answer or encouragement. There was none.

  20

  BREAKING STONE

  A CRISP BREEZE gusted up the cliffs of Ireland, coming in off the vast ocean. Tristan stood shoulder to shoulder with Landon and Victor, watching the rolling waves glisten under a noon sun, while the rest of the Makai searched the abandoned area for traps. Pink zipped away to investigate the transplanted forest beyond the greenhouses so they could give Dorian a report.

  “No troubles, I assume?” asked Landon.

  Tristan shook his head, glad the ghosts could provide a measure of safety during transport. “Probably would’ve taken us a week to get here by plane.”

  “I like the flying! It gives me time to work on the songwriting,” Victor said. “But I wonder if we could adjust the power and increase speed...there’s got to be a way we can power the plane with water.”

  “You guys are really taking this environmental thing to heart,” said Tristan, stuffing his free hand into his jacket for warmth. The other remained gripped on the staff and for once, he wished he didn’t have to take it everywhere he went. “I can’t say that was my intention when this started, but I like it. It feels right and it sounds like it won’t be all on me, which helps the stress level.”

  “Definitely not a one-man job,” said Landon.

  “Did anyone ever find that animal-plant thing? Does Pink know about it?”

  “I’ll go check before she gets too far,” said Landon.

  Tristan took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders to relax. Lazaro had agreed to meet them here with all of the statues, seeming to like the idea that the first few tries could be in error on someone other than his brother. They were meeting in a few hours.

  Food was still an ongoing experiment. Carbs didn’t sit well, meat didn’t last long, sugars put him to sleep almost instantly. The ghosts couldn’t help him, implying everyone is different.

  “Seems like Dorian should be here,” Tristan said to Victor.

  “We can always make arrangements, especially if the ghosts can keep the transportation safe.”

  Tristan nodded. “When I wanted to go north, I think that’s where I was going. Either to the cave, or to her. But I don’t really want her seeing me like this.”

  “She’s seen you in every other condition, so what’s the big deal?”

  Tristan shrugged. “She’s got enough to handle. Has she gotten back to anyone about the flower for Pink?”

  Victor shook his head. “We haven’t asked either. But we will when this is done.”

  “Have you asked Alvi to marry you yet?”

  “No. In fact, I think she’s getting pretty annoyed by that. We’re planning wedding and reception ideas, but the question hasn’t been asked.”

  “Why not?”

  “Not sure. Waiting for the right moment, I guess. I’d planned to ask on stage, but was informed that putting her on the spot like that was a bad idea. But when we’re just together doing nothing, it doesn’t seem romantic enough. So it has to be a planned event, and I haven’t had much time.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s not your fault. I’m busy, she’s busy, her dad’s been sick—”

  A sound from the castle drew their attention; they turned to face Lazaro, his stone brother, and another man, Tynan. They stood for a moment by the steps, uncertain.

  Lazaro left the statue with Tynan and headed toward Tristan and Victor with his hands in the air. “I’m not packing,” he said gruffly. “As if that matters….”

  Tristan glanced around for the others, finding no one to back them up.

  “You’re early,” Victor said.

  “So are you. But I understand. I accept you don’t trust me. Where’s Donovan? It’s not like him to leave you all unguarded.”

  “We’re not unguarded,” Landon said, having just appeared behind the man. “Donovan’s here.”

  “I’m sure he is. He’s probably probing all the cracks for dart guns or something. I had them installed at the new place, if you must know.” He winked at Tristan. “I say, you do look much better than the last time I saw you, and your mother is blessedly on the far side of the world, shopping.”

  “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you. Reviving everyone was never my intention, so I appreciate the good will. I know you have no reason….”

  “I do have a reason—” Tristan cut himself off, before he might sound as ruthless as Lazaro.

  “But I’m sure it’s not to even the odds.” Lazaro clasped his hands behind his back and rocked on his feet, ignoring Landon as he circled to stand on Tristan’s left. “You have nothing to gain by doing this, none that I can see anyway. Other than perhaps having a better chance at reviving Stephan, which still makes no sense to me. But I’m not complaining. How long have you been a dragon? Well, I suppose all your life, but how long have you known? And what’s with the staff?”

  “Do you always talk this much when you’re nervous?” Landon asked.

  “Yes, he does,” Tristan answered. “It’s soothing in a way.”

  Lazaro looked furious for a moment, then barked a laugh. “I still like you. Too bad we aren’t on the same side. But I do have a favor to ask, if I may.”

  “You weren’t given permission to bring anyone other than Stephan,” Donovan said, standing a foot behind Lazaro, who spun, then suddenly didn’t know who to put at his back.

  “That was the favor I was going to ask.” Lazaro backed away so everyone stood in front of him. “When…if the men are revived, they may require medical attention. I assume you won’t want to stick around after, if, they come back to life, and I’d like Tynan here to help me explain the situation. Unfortunately, unlike myself who is extremely grateful for your willingness to help in this situation, I fear Stephan will simply kill you the second it crosses h
is mind. If that makes sense. I’ll need to explain what has happened, and he’s not going to be happy about it.”

  “Granted,” Donovan said, without much hesitation. “Though I doubt that’s what has you this troubled.”

  Lazaro bit his lip. “I’m not usually, you know I’m not. But with Stephan….”

  “Would you prefer we didn’t revive him? So you can continue with your petty thievery?”

  “No! I wouldn’t want that.” Lazaro wrung his hands and looked genuinely worried. “He’s my brother, he deserves to live. But when he comes back, he’ll take everything I’ve built, thinking I built it for him. I rather enjoy my life at the moment. I’m a different man from what I was when he touched that cursed emerald. I have a legitimate winery and a real—” he glanced at Tristan and grimaced. “Okay, maybe I don’t love her, but for once I have a social life and some drama that isn’t threatening anyone’s life. Well, mostly not threatening. The men aren’t thrilled, but they’re more adrenalin junkies than anything else. With Stephan…he’s on a mission. I don’t have the drive necessary to follow in his footsteps anymore, and I don’t really care how off track we are from his original goals. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about those gems or whatever power they possess. The only thing I want to dominate is this wine festival coming up next month.” He shook his head. “I’m rambling.”

  “He won’t let you do your own thing?” Tristan asked. “Can’t you just part ways?”

  “Are you kidding? For one, it’s the family biz. For another, he’s always made the decisions. I don’t think he thinks I can think for myself, or make my own living, and I’ve proven that I can. Thirdly,” Lazaro rubbed the back of his neck used his sleeve to wipe at the sweat beading on his forehead, “I may or may not have invested most, if not all, of the funds we had into the villa in Austria. I can’t bear to see him destroy everything and turn it into some dark headquarters for whatever his next course of action will be. If he doesn’t kill me first.”

  “So you’re in a bit of a pickle.” Donovan frowned and tapped his foot. “Why save him at all?”

  “He haunts my thoughts night and day. It’s driving me insane. I can only put it off for so long, and I can no longer justify leaving him as he is.”

  A bitter stab of hatred shot through Tristan’s wall of calm. “Like you haunted me day and night, waiting for me to break?”

  Lazaro’s sorry expression faltered. “It’s my own guilt haunting me, not him personally. Besides, I saved your life. You could be grateful for that much.”

  “What at about Tynan?” Donovan asked, before Tristan could put words to his sudden anger.

  “He wants to finish his degree in herbal medicines.”

  “Is that his business with Dorian?”

  Lazaro nodded.

  “Stephan will see through whatever façade you put in place within a day or two, and will most likely test your loyalty by asking you to do things you won’t be able to do. Such as murder for no apparent reason. Other than to prove you’ll take a life on his order.”

  “My thoughts exactly. But I will stand up to him. Perhaps we can divide the estate.” Lazaro paced back and forth. “Oh, who am I kidding?”

  No one.

  “So be it.” Donovan motioned Lazaro back toward Tynan and the statue. “We make our own beds.”

  Tristan swallowed his own nervousness, walking behind Lazaro and Victor, while Landon walked beside him. “Maybe he won’t survive?”

  “You have to do your best,” whispered Landon. “Remember, this is a trial run for freeing the magical creatures as well. And the dragon.”

  “I know. Did you find Pink?”

  Landon grinned and Pink waved from the folds of his hair.

  Lazaro and Tynan carried the statue of Stephan, passing a line of people up the sweeping stairs of the old castle. Tristan followed behind, studying the unfamiliar faces. There were twice as many now than there were at the meeting. How was he supposed to keep track of them all?

  Landon put a comforting hand on his shoulder and kept him moving forward. “I’ll explain later.”

  “You better,” Tristan said, refocusing his attention on the building itself. The walls had crumbled quite a bit since the last time they were here. Inside the wide double-doors, lanterns were scattered on the floor, filling the dark recesses with a warm light. Talak, with his tattooed arms crossed over his chest, stood at the mouth of the tunnel where stairs descended to Lazaro’s meeting room.

  “Little extreme, don’t you think?” muttered Lazaro, as he and Tynan entered the tunnel with the statue hovering between them.

  “Always the stairs,” Tristan mumbled, though they were better lit and easier to use than Samara’s spiraled staircase. At the bottom, it still felt like a dungeon. Two men stepped aside as Lazaro and Tynan entered the meeting room.

  Six statues were covered in dusty sheets, and three more of Donovan’s men stood guard.

  “Wow,” Victor said. “You really did leave them here to decompose.”

  “They’re stone,” said Lazaro. “How would they know? Besides, that’s what my brother would have done.” He righted the statue of his brother near the head of the table and sighed.

  “If everyone would please wait outside. I don’t want mass killings if we can help it.” Donovan ushered his men out of the room, but didn’t object to Landon and Victor staying. Lazaro and Tynan took seats at the table.

  “So how are you going to do this?” Lazaro asked. “Never mind. I don’t want to know. But before you do it, I just want you to know I’m sorry about everything—past, present, and future. Carry on. Do whatever you need to do.”

  Victor pulled the sheet from the first statue and cringed. “Sure you want him back? He’s sorta creepy looking.”

  “You’d be creepy looking too if you were terrorized into stone and had moss growing in your eyelids and eardrums.” Lazaro drummed his fingers on the table. “Just get on with it.”

  The rest of the sheets were thrown into a pile on the floor. Seven statues total. Tristan swallowed hard and walked to the first man. He thought about asking what the name was, then decided against it. “He’s already dead.”

  “How do you know?” Lazaro asked. “What about my brother, is he—?”

  Tristan glanced at Stephan and shuddered. “Yeah, he’s still alive. I can see his aura.”

  Lazaro scowled at the news, then went back to drumming his fingers.

  “Since when can you see auras?” asked Victor.

  “I don’t know. It’s more like an energy within the stone. A life force maybe.” Tristan transferred the staff to his bad arm and rested his hand on the chest of the next statue. “It’s my intent to free you, and I’m sorry if it doesn’t go well.”

  “Can he hear you?” Lazaro stood from the table for a better look.

  Tristan shrugged. “I just don’t want to kill him off without giving him a fair warning, in case he turns into a ghost.”

  “Oh....” Lazaro’s mouth gaped and his eyes widened. “Is that possible? Will these people haunt me forevermore?”

  “No,” Tristan said. “Not unless you’re immortal.”

  Lazaro paled and sat back down.

  “I’m kidding. I doubt they’ve been aware of anything in the past year.” Though he couldn’t really say for sure.

  “That would be good. You know,” Lazaro added loudly, jumping to his feet again. “I asked for Tristan’s help in saving you all!” He gave Tristan a curt nod and motioned for him to carry on. Then whispered, “Just in case,” under his breath. He sat back down and Tynan bowed his head in silent prayer.

  Tristan peered into the eyes of stone, placing his free hand back on the statue’s chest. The molecular pattern seemed solid and tight at first, but underneath he could sense the original cell structure.

  He closed his eyes and focused. Unsure at first if he should make the solid patterns match the original, or pull the original out, leaving the shell of whatever the solid part was. But there
shouldn’t be any extra material, so he unraveled the solid and reconfigured it to match the inner core.

  He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, or if he could take a break without losing track of everything he’d done, when a cold body fell against him, knocking him to the ground.

  Nobody was prepared.

  The back of his head throbbed against the stone floor. A heavy weight was lifted from his chest and voices were calling him. He just needed a mental break and felt his shoulders lift and his head roll against something warm.

  “I’m so sorry, Tristan. I should have predicted this. I wasn’t prepared. Landon, towels.”

  Tristan tipped forward and something pressed to the back of his head. “I’m fine,” he said, hopefully out loud.

  “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s changed,” said Lazaro. The words sounded rather threatening and Tristan opened his eyes to see the man smirking over Donovan’s shoulder.

  For a moment, Tristan thought he’d be handed over to Landon, but he wasn’t. Donovan sighed. “Quite right. It would appear we both have something to hide.”

  Lazaro nodded, then went back to his unconscious minion. “Should I feel bad that this man’s life means nothing to me?”

  Donovan shrugged and put his attention back on Tristan. “It’s still bleeding,” he whispered. “Heal it already. Or do you want to get back home? That took longer than expected, almost an hour.”

  “Give me a steak and I’ll be fine.”

  Lazaro broke out in a fit of laughter and Tristan cringed, recalling the times he’d heard that laugh before. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard him say!”

  Donovan glared and Lazaro shut his mouth.

  “You’re an overprotective vampire and he wants a stake to make himself feel better?” Lazaro glanced at Landon and Victor. “That’s hilarious! Isn’t it? Am I missing something?”