And this didn’t take long. As the grasses turned to rocky shore beneath their feet, the dragons began to move their magnificent wings, steering toward the beach. Hulking ships mounted with guns peppered the water. They fired at the dragons, but every shot missed—although a few were close calls, the dragons were alert and the guns were too slow. The wreckage of airplanes and wooden Miralem ships was washed onshore—along with more than a few bodies.
Velsa reminded herself that the dragons were not going to be their enemies this time. Hopefully.
The other sorcerers were beginning to assemble themselves around a stone pavilion with a large thrumming machine—this must be the electricity generator.
She tried to extend a tendril of telepathy out before the dragons got within striking distance.
Only to be distracted by sounds of skirmish somewhere behind her. A few more Miralem must have emerged from the grass, ambushing other sorcerers.
A girl’s scream rang out.
No, it was Sorla and Kessily, trying to make their way around.
Heeelp! Sorla’s muddled panic burst into Velsa’s mind.
Velsa dashed toward the grass, her attention forced away from the dragons and to Sorla and Kessily instead. “Velsa?” Grau called, running after her.
“Sorla and Kessily!” she explained.
She shoved her way through the grass, getting pricked in the arms numerous times, before Grau pulled her back.
“Here,” he said, using sorcery to split the grasses apart into a tunnel reaching toward the direction of Sorla’s scream.
“You’ve really gotten good,” she said.
But in the end, none of this was needed. Kessily burst out of the grass, taking flight, with Sorla clinging to her back. She veered toward the shore and Grau and Velsa ran back to meet her.
She collapsed onto the rock and started kicking. “Get my shoes off!” she screamed, in a panic. “Something’s happened to my feet!”
The shape of her feet beneath her soft leather boots seemed different now, and strained at the seams. Grau and Velsa each pulled one off. Velsa let out a little horrified gasp when the feet that emerged were not the feet of a girl, but the talons of a bird. Now it was not just Kessily’s wings that were caught halfway between transformation. Her thighs and knees were still that of a girl, but the skin of her lower legs became more tough and scaly the lower it went until her feet were long toes with fearsome claws.
Kessily screamed. “I don’t know how to make it stop, I don’t know how not to be stuck! Whenever I try to fly, I—I feel it inside me—”
“Quiet.” Grau put his hands on her shoulders, trying to still her panicked thrashing. The dragons were almost upon them. The other sorcerers looked ready, but now their attention was distracted. They murmured to each other. A couple of the blinded ones were asking what was going on.
“We don’t have time right now,” Grau said. “If we get out of this, I’ll figure it out, all right?”
Kessily swallowed. “All right…”
He helped her up, and Sorla put an arm around her waist to steady her.
“Thanneau, come here!” one of the sorcerers shouted. “Who are those girls? What happened to Kosarsa?”
“Down for the count, thanks to one of the Miralem.”
“Get over here!”
Grau shook his head.
“What? Come here and help us!”
Dragons? Velsa pleaded to the huge flying creatures who were almost upon them. We want to join your side. Please—if you help us escape—
She wasn’t sure the dragons heard her. One of them opened its mouth and shot flame at the gathered sorcerers.
They deflected it with magic. Some of them had enchanted staffs to enhance their powers. Together, they lifted their arms…
That machine can electrocute you! Velsa warned the dragons. Grau had killed the last dragon with lightning, by sensing the bolt just as it struck. But if the dragons understood what the machine was, the sorcerers’ advantage of surprise would be gone.
The sorcerers struck. The air crackled around them.
But the dragons dove away and perhaps their telekinesis had shielded them.
Thank you, little telepath. One of the dragons met Velsa’s mind with pleased surprise.
Please help us, Velsa said. We’ll help you; we’re on your side, but we want to escape. Why are you still fighting?
We swore to keep the armies at bay while our Miralem friends flee.
But the Horned General isn’t going to pursue the remaining Miralem! Velsa told the dragon. I heard him say it!
Is that so? The dragon sounded hesitant. His telepathic voice was so like the dragon she and Grau had killed that she felt a deep pang of guilt.
The dragons now swept back around and shot flame again. Some of the sorcerers scattered, while others deflected the flames with magic. The sorcerers who had fallen back regrouped, turning to the sea, weaving their hands in patterns to manipulate the water. The calm waters stirred. A wave reached up, with audible force, grabbing the closest dragon. The water crystallized to ice as it made contact with the dragon’s skin.
The ice trapped the dragon’s flight, and its body dropped, hitting the shallow waters of the shore, sending up a great wave. Hastily, the sorcerers tried to control the water before it knocked down the other batch of sorcerers who were still protecting the generator.
A massive shot boomed in the distance.
“That’s one of the big guns!” Grau caught her hand, and she understood that they could both help deflect the shot from the struggling dragon.
If she tried to use telepathy while he used wind magic, they might confuse each other, so instead she tried to bolster his focus as he threw out his arms, clutching his crystal.
The shot struck just beside the dragon, throwing up an explosion of rocks that showered on the sorcerers.
Grau let out a breath of relief. “The Halnari are controlling those shots,” he gasped. “It would have hit its mark if not for us.”
“He just threw the shot off course!” one of the sorcerers shouted, pointing at Grau. “He’s fighting for the dragon!”
One flank of the sorcerers turned on Grau as the dragon thrashed, cracking its icy prison. The other dragon swept back in, shooting out another jet of flame for the sorcerers to battle off.
Velsa and Grau kept holding hands, but they fought apart, each using their own power to ward off an attack from the sorcerers. Velsa could feel their magic crawling up her skeleton, sensing her out, trying to find a way to tear her apart. The aluminum skeleton might have helped, since Grau said it didn’t have the same sense of magic as wood.
But Velsa was tiring. She had been pulling out telepathic attack after telepathic attack. Adrenaline gave her power, but it couldn’t last forever.
The ice-bound dragon loosed some weak flame, which a few of the sorcerers harnessed and deflected toward Grau and Velsa. With a sharp intake of breath, Grau snuffed out the flames, as he had done with Calban.
He couldn’t keep it up for long either.
But the dragons were still fighting too. The dragon freed itself from the ice and snapped down on one sorcerer, trapping it inside the cage of its mouth and burning the man inside. Smoke plumed from its teeth. But the sorcerers’ retaliation was swift; now they tried to spear the dragons’ scales with daggers of ice. The dragon shrieked, spitting out the charred sorcerer, bleeding from its side. The other dragon was still airborne, trying to blast the sorcerers from above.
Velsa wanted to scream at the horror of it all, but she couldn’t lose concentration now.
The sorcerers attacking Grau started to back off to handle the flying dragon instead. The scene was complete chaos as grasses burned behind them from a stray blast, and the sorcerers swarmed the wounded dragon.
With another boom, Big North fired again, or so she presumed. The sorcerers hastily tried to pull back from the dragon.
Grau hesitated—perhaps out of exhaustion, or maybe because anywher
e he might try to throw the shell off course would strike down some of his comrades. It was over in seconds. The shell struck the vulnerable dragon with shocking force, blowing scales aside, taking out several of the sorcerers with it.
A searing lance of agony came from the flying dragon and passed through Velsa’s mind—not just hers, but everyone on the shore. They all clutched their heads.
I must retreat! The flying dragon circled around. I will grab you in my feet, but I’ll only make one sweep. I don’t dare waste any more time with these demons!
My friends, too— Velsa tried to convey that Sorla and Kessily must also go.
The dragon was already almost upon them. It snatched up Velsa and Grau, but Kessily and Sorla didn’t have enough time to catch it.
“Traitor!” One of the sorcerers picked up a rock and pitched it at Grau. It struck him in the stomach, knocking him back into the dragon’s foot, and as it hit him, it suddenly burst into a different shape, made of jagged spikes that ripped through his stomach and chest.
Shock rippled through Velsa’s body, and she clutched Grau, swaying on her knees before collapsing under his weight.
The world was spinning and swaying as the dragon took to the air and blood poured from Grau’s stomach.
Grau spat blood. He tried to speak, but remained conscious only long enough to meet her eyes.
Blood.
Blood, everywhere.
Velsa used her telekinesis to tear the rock free but—
She screamed like she might explode. Grau’s body had been ripped up from the inside. She couldn’t even look at his stomach because the edge of something she strongly suspected was an organ was poking out of his clothes. The dragon was flying away, and she heard the sorcerer give a whoop of victory below them.
Shaping rock was hard magic. That was a very lucky shot, and he knew it—
He dared to whoop with joy— Murderer!
She tried to lash out at him, but a fresh wave of dizziness swept over her, and she had to stop. She had to save her strength for Grau.
As if all the strength in her tired being was enough. She had never been able to heal.
“Grau!” She was hardly even thinking about the fact that Kessily and Sorla were lost, that the shore was quickly becoming small beneath them, that wind whipped her hair and cloak and the only thing keeping her safe from the water was a dragon’s foot. “Grau, please!”
He was growing cold and pale quickly. The power of the Ten Thousand Man Sacrifice would give him just a few minutes, against wounds like these— His enchanted blood could snatch him back from death, if enough of it stayed in his body.
Help me, she pleaded to the dragon. Oh please, please help me… I love him—so much—I can’t bear—
Not yet. I must put distance between us and them.
He doesn’t have time for ‘not yet’!
Do you want us all to be killed? We’re still in range of magic and guns!
Velsa was almost choking on her own terror, but she had to master herself. It was her only chance to save him. She forced herself to look at the wounds, the blood that was soaking into the skin of her own thighs as he had fallen onto her. She put her hands on him and felt the life leeching out of him by the moment.
She didn’t understand the things inside him, the heart that had stopped and all the other bits that allowed him to eat and breathe and live. She could use her magic to hold back the blood—but not for long.
Black wings swept by.
Kessily and Sorla flew onto the dragon’s back. Velsa felt the dragon waver in the air as they made contact. She should have been happy about this, but she was too numb.
“Is he all right?” Sorla cried.
“No…” Velsa could barely answer.
“Is there anything we can do?”
“I don’t—think so—” Velsa had to keep all her focus just on holding Grau’s body together.
“Kessily’s passed out—but I think she’ll be all right if she doesn’t fall off…”
Velsa had no room to care about Kessily just now.
Grau’s eyes fluttered open.
She clutched his hand. “Grau?”
“Velsa…if you have to turn me into a Fanarlem…’s okay. I won’t leave you alone.”
“A Fanarlem? But it’s very hard on the soul…”
There was a glimmer of hope in it. She hadn’t thought of that.
But she didn’t want Grau to be a Fanarlem. She knew he would suffer. Such a transformation would change him, and the way the world saw him. He would no longer be so tall and warm and full of life when he held her…
“I don’t mind…at all…to be with you.” His eyes fluttered shut again, and she wondered if he was even of sound mind right now, to make these decisions.
But she considered. When she could no longer hold his blood, when death came to claim him…she could try to capture his soul in one of her own eyes, and when they got to Laionesse, she could buy him the best body available with her stash of jewels.
She wept.
Little telepath… The dragon mentally nudged her. Don’t cry. He’s still alive. Keep him that way just a few moments longer, and I might be able to help you.
These ‘few moments’ each seemed very long. Sometimes she thought she would lose her grip on Grau’s blood, and she imagined his life draining away in an instant, falling into the sea.
The dragon flew down onto a small rocky island, and gently rested Grau and Velsa down on the surface of a warm, flat rock.
Can you pull his clothes away from his wounds? the dragon asked.
Velsa gritted her teeth, unfastening Grau’s jacket, fighting against her revulsion toward his wounds as she peeled the bloody fabric away. Now the damage was fully exposed. She wasn’t sure what was left of him, among all the mangled flesh.
Velsa glanced up, seeing Sorla gripping a ridge on the dragon’s back. Kessily’s limp wings draped down across the dragon like a shawl. The dragon didn’t wait to see if Sorla wanted to disembark. He reached a small clawed hand to his own chest, and plucked off a few of the slightly softer scales there, his eyes briefly squinting in a wince. He put the scales against Grau’s skin and very carefully pushed around the edges. The scales melted against his skin, forming a hard protective shell.
Velsa understood. Now Grau’s blood was trapped inside, and he would heal.
Wouldn’t he? She kept holding his hand. He was still cold.
I don’t know if it will be enough, the dragon said gently. But he will survive the trip. I will take you to Dor-Temerna and they will help you there…
Velsa met the dragon’s golden eyes, sensing something hesitant in its mind. “Dragon?” she asked gently. “Is everything all right?”
I lost the one I loved today.
“Oh. I’m so sorry, I…I didn’t even think about that.”
You had enough to think about. And you tried to save her. Why did you leave Nalim Ima? That is, I understand why you might. But why did your sorcerer take my side?
“For many reasons, I think,” Velsa said. “For my sake. Because he doesn’t believe in Kalan. But also, I think, because he doesn’t want to live in a world where guns and metal replace magic and wood. He’s a bit too old-fashioned to live in Nalim Ima. But I—I should be honest with you about something. He killed a dragon once. We both did, together. When he had first joined the army. We felt we had to do it, to save the camp, but we’ve never gotten over it, Grau especially. He has said to me many times since that he would never do it again…but now that you’ve saved his life, I think it’s only fair that you should know.”
I will have to forgive him. There aren’t many of us left, you know.
“I know. He told me.”
Can I ask something out of curiosity…why are you dressed in such a small amount of clothing?
“Oh—that’s a long story. It has something to do with the Peacock General…”
The dragon snorted a puff of smoke. It sounds like a story for the flight. It’s
not a short journey, we will need some good tales to tell. Let’s get your sorcerer to safety. My name is Morgnar, by the way.
“Velsa.” She smiled, feeling Grau’s hand warming beneath her touch. “And I think we’ll have plenty of good tales to tell on the way.”
Thank you so much for reading! I had so much fun writing this book and I hope you enjoyed it too. Grau and Velsa’s story will continue in The Sorcerer’s Equal.
Authors depend on reviews for visibility, which allows us to sell more books and thus write more books. I would be so grateful if you would consider writing a brief review for The Sorcerer’s Concubine. Amazon will ask you to give the book a star rating when you are done reading, but please note this is separate from their public reviews.
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Also in the Hidden Lands Series
(Series can be read in any order)
THE TELEPATH AND THE SORCERER (New Adult Fantasy):
Book 1: The Sorcerer’s Concubine
Book 2: The Sorcerer’s Wife
Book 3: The Sorcerer’s Equal, Winter 2017
THE ATLANTIS FAMILIES (Young Adult Fantasy):
Book 1: The Vengeful Half
Book 2: The Stolen Heart
Book 3: TBA
About the Author
Jaclyn Dolamore has a passion for history, vintage dresses, David Bowie, anime, and food. She lives with her partner and plot strategist Dade and three weird cats in an 140-year-old house in western Maryland. Sometimes she disappears from social media, but she always loves to hear from readers!
@jackiedolamore
Jaclyn Dolamore
jaclyndolamore.blogspot.com
[email protected]
Also by Jaclyn Dolamore
Magic Under Glass—Bloomsbury
Magic Under Stone—Bloomsbury
Between the Sea and Sky—Bloomsbury
Dark Metropolis—Hyperion
The Sorcerer’s Wife Page 24