Kaylee finished her drink. Just as she was about to head back to the training room a slightly open door to her left caught her eye. It was in a little alcove under the stairs. But what stood out to Kaylee was it was the only door she’d seen in the entire house that wasn’t completely surrounded by useless stuff.
Kaylee double-checked Baba wasn’t coming to check on her—she was busy berating Edwin for some spell or another—before creeping closer to the door and peeking inside.
It was as if she was looking at a completely different house. Every book was neatly lined on shelves bordering the entire room. Ancient charts without a single wrinkle in them were laid carefully in a pile on the center table. There were old statues in glass cases, the eyes made of jewels and gleaming. The only source of light was the glow of a single blue orb hovering in the dead center of the room.
It was, Kaylee decided, probably a very important place. Probably a place Baba didn’t want her going into.
Which meant she was totally going to check it out.
But she hadn’t taken a single step inside when the rug beneath her feet suddenly moved, pitching her back into the hall. Kaylee quickly shifted her left arm and held it defensively in front of her. For a moment, she didn’t even take time to appreciate that she’d been able to control her magic, but instead stared at the rug. It had risen up like a cobra and blocked the door.
Kaylee stood and tried to go around it, but the rug cut her off every which way. Then it growled.
“Are you serious?” Kaylee hissed.
“Oh, it’s dead serious,” Baba said behind her.
The door slammed shut. Kaylee whirled around to find Baba leaning against the staircase.
“Maybe it wasn’t clear, but that’s a forbidden room,” Baba said. “Which means troglobites like you don’t get to go in it.”
“What’s in there?” Kaylee asked.
“Does the word ‘forbidden’ mean anything to you?” Baba said. “There’s nothing in there that concerns you, that’s for sure. And if you don’t become a better student then it never will.”
She glanced at Kaylee’s shifted arm and almost seemed to nod in approval. “Let’s go again.”
They practiced for another hour, until the night sky began to gobble up what remaining sunlight there was. By the time Baba called the lesson finished, Kaylee had never felt so tired in her entire life. Edwin didn’t look much better. His glasses were askew and he kept muttering things under his breath, though Kaylee couldn’t tell if they were actual spells he was supposed to be practicing, or curses he was laying on Baba.
“I’ll go wait outside,” Edwin said. He limped his way out to the back porch.
Baba brushed aside a stack of papers with her foot. She eyed Kaylee.
“Not bad for your first day.”
Kaylee gaped at her. “Are you kidding? I barely controlled my shifting, and you said everything I did was terrible!”
Baba shrugged. “You wouldn’t have grown if I said everything you did was great. I ain’t saying you did good, ‘cause you didn’t. You sucked. But it wasn’t too bad. Keep working on what I taught you and the next time you come back maybe we’ll tackle that temper of yours. Can’t go summoning storms every time a boy turns you down.”
“Hey! I didn’t summon that because a boy—”
Edwin cried out in alarm. There was a dull thump, like a body hitting the ground. Kaylee rushed to the back porch to find him crouched next to the man who’d been patrolling the outer perimeter earlier. She gasped when he managed to pick his head up. Blood poured from a wound on his temple. One of his arms was bent at a strange angle, the white of bone sticking out at the elbow.
Edwin gently helped the man to sit up. “W-what happened?”
“Alarm charms are going crazy,” Baba said from behind Kaylee. She squinted into the darkness. “And he didn’t set them off.”
“Slayers,” the man managed. “In the woods. I tried—I tried to stop—Jade and Maddox went after them.”
Then he fainted.
Chapter Ten
“Kaylee!”
Edwin’s voice barely registered in her mind as she took off into the grass, blood singing in her ears. Her previous exhaustion was completely forgotten. She plunged headlong over a creek and into the nearest grove of trees. She knew this was what the Slayers wanted: to lure her out here and away from the safety and charms of Baba’s house. But seeing the man hurt and bleeding, and knowing Jade and Maddox had gone after the ones that had done that to him…
Screw what had happened last time she’d run into Brendan. Screw that this wasn’t just some game, that these people would actually try to kill her and may even succeed. Her friend was out there and she sure as heck wouldn’t stand around the house hoping they’d come back alive.
Kaylee paused in the center of a clearing to catch her breath. Ahead the trees broke a little. She could see another meadow beyond, as well as the crumbling remains of what might have once been a farmhouse. To the left, the woods dipped into a gully. Through these Kaylee could make out the faintly twinkling lights of Scarsdale. They seemed farther away than ever before. No one would be rushing to her rescue this time.
Kaylee took in a big breath and released a trickle of her magic, ushering it towards her right ear. A moment later she felt it go numb and the ever-more-familiar weight of dragon scales took its place. The enhanced sounds of the new night exploded in her brain. A mouse scurrying through the undergrowth ten feet to her right; the brush of feathery wings overhead; the angry blare of a car horn miles away.
The crunch of boots on the forest floor, growing closer.
Kaylee quickly shifted back and crouched behind a stand of bushes. She didn’t know why she did it. Whoever was approaching could have been Jade or Maddox, but something told her it wasn’t. It was a sixth sense more than anything she could put into words. A wrongness with the air and the way the woods seemed to close in as the steps came closer.
“She here yet?” An unfamiliar voice said.
“She will be,” Brendan said. “Once that Convocation scout goes scurrying back to them I guarantee she’ll come running straight to us. The dragon-kin are noble like that.”
The other man snickered. “Too noble if ya ask me. Make for easy pickins’.”
Kaylee clenched her fists so hard her fingernails threatened to draw blood. She wanted to jump out and punch Brendan in the face but the second she caught a look at the two of them in the clearing she paused.
Both were dressed in jet black body armor. A deadly assortment of gear and weapons hung off their belts and were strapped to their backs, like they were prepping to take part in an elaborate military exercise. But instead of guns or grenades, each of them carried weapons that might have come out of a history textbook. Brendan had his collapsible sword, and the other man held a wicked-looking scythe that glinted as he turned this way and that, peering through the thick trees. Kaylee tucked her head lower.
“Lesuvius is gonna chew us out if we don’t come back with something,” the man lamented. “You sure she’s going to come here?”
“Positive,” Brendan said in a dull tone. The other man cocked an eyebrow.
“Don’t take that saucy attitude with me, boy.”
“I wasn’t, you idiot.”
“Ha! Who you callin’ idiot? Word was you dated this dragon chick. That true? Thought you didn’t have the hots for the scaly among us.”
Brendan growled. “I told them I had no idea what she was. You seriously think I would touch one of those filthy creatures?”
“I don’t know, man. Ever since I joined the Slayers I seen some pretty freaky stuff. I mean, someone’s gotta like that kind of thing or else the dragon-kin wouldn’t still be around, am I right?”
Kaylee nearly gagged in disgust. The radio on the man’s vest crackled. He clicked it.
“Talk.”
“Found two Protectors on the south border. We’re gonna need help.”
“On it.”
&
nbsp; The two of them hitched their gear up higher and jogged off away from the house. Kaylee waited a full breath then slipped after them.
The woods thinned after a hundred yards. A space devoid of trees was ahead. On the other side was a grate-covered water pipe that traveled beneath one of Scarsdale’s mostly empty back roads. Jade and Maddox were cornered against the entrance to the pipe, both panting with exhaustion. Two men faced off across from them, clutching swords. Sickly dark stains coated their blades. Brendan and the other man arrived and closed the circle in, cutting off any chance of escape.
“Shouldn’t have come out here tonight, dragon lovers,” Brendan said. “We own this town now.”
Jade laughed, though her cheek was bleeding. She held her knife higher. Maddox expertly twirled a spear Kaylee hadn’t seen him carry before. “Bring it.”
Kaylee lunged forward, but a strong hand wrapped around her mouth and pulled her back.
“Wait,” Edwin breathed as she struggled. “Just think about what you’re doing. You were seriously going to charge in there and try to help?”
“They’re my friends!” Kaylee said when she broke free. “I won’t stay here and watch!”
“You’d only cause more problems.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I don’t know. Maybe not be an idiot about how you approach.”
The sound of steel clashing steel echoed through the clearing. Kaylee crawled to the edge of the brush to find Jade and Maddox barely managing to defend themselves as the four Slayers attacked at once. Jade deftly dodged and spun, but she was slowing. Maddox tried to cover her flanks, but each successive strike came closer to meeting flesh. Any second Kaylee knew they’d be toast.
“Edwin, we have to—”
Edwin finished chanting something under his breath. He slumped back, exhausted. “There. I know I can’t stop you so at least I can help you not die as quickly.”
Kaylee helped him sit up. “I don’t understand. What did you—”
A sudden strength filled Kaylee’s bones. She felt faster now. Stronger than she ever had before.
“Strength enhancement charm,” Edwin said. “A weak one, but the good thing is this one didn’t backfire like last time.”
“Last time?”
“Don’t ask.”
Kaylee focused on her arms and they obeyed without hesitation, morphing to sharp claws. Jade cried out as a sword blow knocked her back. Maddox leapt in front to defend her as the Slayers closed in.
Kaylee charged. Her feet were light as air as she closed the space between them and slammed into the nearest Slayer, sending him rocketing away.
“Kaylee!” Jade gasped. “You shouldn’t be here! We’ve got this under control!”
Kaylee’s adrenaline was on full surge. She leapt back to avoid a man’s scythe. She came in low with a swipe but the man scurried out of range, buying her time.
“You call this under control?”
“Our job is to keep them away from you and Edwin!” Maddox said. “Get back to Baba’s! They can’t follow you there.”
The Slayer with the scythe attacked. Kaylee barely had time to bring her arm up and deflect it, the metal singing as it connected. The Slayer snarled and kicked her stomach, driving her back, but it gave Jade and Maddox enough of a distraction to recover and push the other two back.
Kaylee lurched to her feet. Her midsection pulsed with pain. Her jeans were shredded where the Slayer’s scythe had nearly cut deep. The other Slayer lumbered towards her, swinging a chain with a wicked looking blade on the end.
“Hey!”
Edwin stumbled out of the woods, a small notebook clutched in his hand. He pointed a finger at the man advancing on Kaylee.
“E-evis corpus a-arundi vamus!”
A curl of blue flame swirled from the center of his palm and began feebly solidifying in his hand. Edwin grimaced when he saw it. He yelled louder, “E-EVIS COR—A-ARUNDI VAMUS!”
“Spell books don’t work if you can’t say the spells!” Brendan sneered, drawing runes in the air and conjuring his flaming orange whip. “Here, let me show you how it’s done.”
Kaylee dove to the side as the Slayer she was fighting stabbed the ground where she’d stood. The energy Edwin had gifted her was leeching out at an alarming rate. Her earlier bravado and concentration seemed so stupid in the face of imminent death. She drew on more magic inside her and focused on her claws. Snaps of blue lightning crackled between them. She raised her hand and a small bolt shot forward and knocked her opponent back. His partner swore.
“Why you—”
Kaylee tried to dodge, but even that little bit of magic had exhausted her. Her limbs were like sand bags, her breathing labored. She moved too slow and the Slayer’s blade nicked her shoulder. A lancing fire of pain raced up her body. She bit her lip to keep from screaming.
“Careful!” Brendan barked. “We need her alive you idiot! How else are we going to use her?”
“She’d be more useful to me dead,” the man snarled, advancing on Kaylee. He raised his sword, just as a knife sailed through the air and stuck in his side. The man howled.
“Bullseye!” Jade said.
The man howled again and yanked it out, but the distraction was enough. Kaylee mustered her strength and curled one clawed fist, drawing it back and pummeling the man right in the jaw. He landed in a motionless heap at Brendan’s feet. Kaylee wiped the blood off her shoulder and held up a fist. “You next?”
“Retreat!” Brendan said as the remaining two men backed away from Jade and Maddox. “Grab him and let’s get out of here.”
The men latched onto their unconscious friend and dragged him away. Edwin wiped his bloody nose and joined the others as they watched the Slayers hobble into the woods.
“We have to follow them!” Kaylee said.
“And do what?” Jade said exhaustedly. She retrieved her knife and slid it back into her sheath. “We’re hurt and this is so far beyond what we’re supposed to be doing. Besides, they’re probably going back to get more Slayers right now. We run into any more and we’re screwed.”
“Just hold it there,” Maddox said, trying to press a cloth to Edwin’s bleeding nose, but Edwin snatched the cloth and brushed him off with an enraged huff.
“Forget it! I can do it myself.”
“What happened back there?” Kaylee demanded.
“Nothing happened,” Edwin grumbled.
“Like heck it didn’t. If you wanted to help us fight then at least make sure you can cast a spell before doing it!”
“Kaylee…” Jade said in a warning tone.
“Why do you think I’m in remedial magic practice?” Edwin said. He looked angrier than Kaylee thought was possible for him. His nose continued to bleed and he glared at the blood like this was somehow all its fault. Without another word he stuffed the spell book into his pocket and stormed off back towards Baba’s house.
“Edwin, wait! They might still be out there!” Maddox yelled after him. “Idiot,” he muttered under his breath. “I’m going after him.”
“We’ll meet you back at Baba’s,” Jade said. She kept her eyes firmly planted on the space where the Slayers had disappeared. Her shoulders sagged with exhaustion. Kaylee was shocked to see she was shaking.
“Are you hurt?”
Jade glanced at her, then realized what she was talking about. The shaking stopped. “Never better. We’d better go too. I’m beat and I don’t think I can hold them off if they come back again.”
“You shouldn’t have had to hold them off at all,” Kaylee said. She brushed aside some branches and began walking home.
“Um, excuse me, but a thank you would be nice,” Jade said. “Maddox and I just stuck our necks out for you.”
“That’s the problem!” Kaylee said. “Why did you come out here at all?”
Jade crossed her arms. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“I did it because you decided running off to get killed was a better idea than s
taying where it was safe.”
“Listen, Kaylee, I know you don’t like it, but I’m a Tamer. The whole point of my job is to make sure my assigned dragon-kin, which is you, FYI, is safe at all times. If that means chasing after some Slayers, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
“Except that I was already safe back at the house, so what you were really doing was throwing yourself into danger for no reason. Or maybe,” Kaylee whipped around, “you guessed Brendan would be there and you wanted to get even for me.”
Jade’s lips pursed to a thin line, but she didn’t say anything.
“You’re such an idiot,” Kaylee said quietly. “I can fight my own battles, thanks.”
“Except you can’t. Kind of the reason you’re in training.”
“Don’t,” Kaylee stuck a finger at her, “remind me. I can’t sit back and watch you die for me—”
“That’s not your choice!”
“—so I’m going to become strong. So strong that neither you, or anyone else, will ever have to protect me again. I’ll be the one protecting you.”
“Sure. Whatever!” Jade said, pushing her forward again. “But until then, let me do what I’m trained to do.”
Kaylee brushed Jade’s hand off. They didn’t talk the entire way back, and Kaylee tried not to think about how many friends she had almost lost tonight.
Chapter Eleven
Amazingly, they didn’t get in trouble for running after the Slayers. The scout who had made it back to the house had passed out just before Kaylee had run off. When the four of them had returned to Baba’s house they found him spread on the rug in the hallway, Baba craned over him. She’d hovered her hands just above his body, humming something that had sounded ancient and otherworldly. Wherever her hands moved, the man’s cuts and scrapes stitched themselves up right before Kaylee’s eyes, the skin pulling and threading itself back together.
Dragon's Awakening (Heir of Dragons: Book 1) Page 8