by Mandi Oyster
Each of the six dragons put a hand on me. Their strength flowed into me, and adrenaline pushed away the fatigue. “He won’t go easy,” I said. “Please be careful, and if he looks like he’s going to attack, just get out of there.”
Cody watched us from the couch. His mask slipped enough that I saw the torment on his face before he slid it back into place. I held his gaze, hoping this wouldn’t be the last time I looked into his sapphire eyes. Smiling at him, I teleported. The dragons’ energy funneled into me. We stretched out and squeezed in.
The putrid aroma of the cavern assaulted my nostrils before my body solidified. Shadows engulfed us, and the steady lapping of waves was the only sound.
I transformed my eyes to a dragon’s to penetrate the darkness. One of my comrades breathed in deeply enough for me to hear it, then moaned.
“You’re blood’s here.” Val’s whisper seemed deafening in the silence of the cavern.
The water rippled. He’s in the water. My thought was panicked, but all the dragons received the message.
Turn invisible, Aurelia thought back.
I did as she said and watched as the dragons disappeared one by one. Aurelia seemed to stand alone in the chamber. She stared at the lake, watching Argentum’s wave rush toward the shore.
He rose out of the water, like a leviathan. “What are you doing here, Aurelia?” He kept his head absolutely still, but his eyes scanned the area.
“The elder council would like you to come back with me for questioning.” She seemed relaxed, almost nonchalant.
He pulled one foot out of the water, making the earth shake. “I thought you didn’t lie.”
“I am not lying.” Smoke rolled out of her nostrils, but she showed no other signs of anger.
“I can smell the other dragons.” He lowered his head and sucked in a deep breath. “I can smell her.”
She stepped forward, moving slightly to the side to block me from him. “They are here. We are to bring you in if you do not come willingly.”
A low rumbling sound filled the cavern. The sound grew, bouncing off the walls and ceiling. I clasped my hands over my ears, finally realizing Argentum was laughing. “You think that you”—he practically spit the word—“can take me in. Unless you brought the entire elder council with you, that won’t happen.” He pulled his other foot out of the water.
“Why?” Aurelia held her ground. “Why did you betray us?”
“The girl cannot live.” He shook his body, and water sprayed around the cavern. The splash marks showed where all of us stood. “She has the power to control all of us. We have a responsibility to keep that from happening again.”
Cash growled. It wasn’t a warning growl or an it’ll-be-fun-to-scare-your-friends growl. It was filled with more than three centuries of rage and hatred. He turned visible and stepped forward. “We were under his control for hundreds of years, and you did nothing!” He strode toward Argentum, anger visible in the lines of his body. “You only care about yourself. The council is supposed to do what’s best for all dragons.”
Argentum whipped his head around, facing Cash. His lip lifted in a snarl, exposing his fangs. “Insolent, disrespectful whelp. What makes you think you can talk to me like that?” His neck and chest illuminated and fire spewed from his maw.
I threw a shield up, blocking all of us from Argentum’s rage. The flames arced over our heads, lighting up the vast cavern. They crawled along the ground, charring the bones strewn throughout the chamber.
“Argentum, the council is debating your punishment.” Aurelia’s voice commanded attention. “Do you really want to amplify their wrath?”
His flames cut off. “Leave the girl here and go.” Even though I was still invisible, he narrowed his eyes as if he could see me. “As soon as I’m finished with her, I’ll come in. The council will thank me once it’s done.”
The air moved around me as the dragons stepped closer. One of them grabbed my arm, and energy flowed into me. I recognized it as Malcolm’s. I won’t let him take you … no matter what.
Thanks. I hadn’t even considered that they might. I trusted each of these dragons, and my main concern was keeping them safe. I lowered my shield, letting Malcolm’s power amass inside of me.
A golden haze swirled around Aurelia as she transformed into her dragon. She was smaller and leaner than Argentum, but I wasn’t about to count her out. “We will not hand Dacia over to you.” She stepped toward him, and I prepared to block his flames again if necessary.
He lowered his head and prepared to breathe fire. Instead of putting a shield around us, I wrapped it around Argentum’s head. His flames filled the bubble, reminding me of when I froze fire. Smoke filled the orb, choking out the flames. Argentum swung his head from side to side.
He jumped out of the water, running straight toward us. His rheumy eyes opened wide with fear. I held my shield in place and backed away. Malcolm moved with me, keeping his hand on my shoulder, lending me his strength.
Argentum slammed into an invisible barrier and bounced back. He crashed to the ground. The earth shuddered. I stumbled, but Malcolm held onto me, keeping me on my feet.
I strode toward the shield one of the dragons had erected, fitting the mask to Argentum’s face, squeezing all the oxygen from it.
Argentum thrashed, tearing at his snout with his claws. He rolled on the ground. His tail whipped through the air. Then he slowed. His head slumped.
Chapter 37
Decisions
The dragons regained their visibility. Aurelia and Russ strode toward Argentum. Aurelia nudged his head with her snout. “Unless you want to kill him, release him.” Her voice was soft, making it clear that she would stand by me no matter what I decided.
There was no choice for me. Two deaths on my conscience were more than enough. I knew I couldn’t cope with another one. I dropped my hands to my sides and became visible, staring at Argentum’s face. His eyes were rolled back in his head. His forked, black tongue hung out of his mouth. His yellowed fangs were chipped and cracked.
Malcolm clasped my shoulder, and the steady flow of his energy streamed into me. I felt like I’d had far too much caffeine. My heart raced, and my muscles shook. I pulled away from him. “Thanks. I’m good.”
A gold haze surrounded Aurelia, churning and spinning. She emerged from it in her human form. Long, golden hair hung to her waist. Her skin shimmered slightly in the dim lighting left by Argentum’s fire. She waved her hand, and the dragons other than Malcolm went to her. They surrounded Argentum, and each of them laid a hand upon the silver beast. He dwarfed them, but he hadn’t so much as twitched since he fell.
“Take care of her,” Aurelia said to Malcolm before they disappeared with Argentum.
Malcolm held his hand out to me, and as I slipped mine into it, I asked, “Where’d they take him?”
“To the elder council, I imagine.” He teleported us back to my room.
Cody jumped up off the couch. Lines of tension disappeared from around his eyes and mouth as he took in my appearance. He brushed his hair back. “You’re okay.”
I nodded. “The others took him.”
“So … is it done?”
I stepped up to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He slid one hand into my hair and pulled me against him with his other one. I leaned into his embrace. “I don’t know.”
“He’s powerful.” Malcolm’s voice was low. “He might be able to break free from the council or use his magic even from containment.”
I dropped my head onto Cody’s chest. “He’ll hate me even more now.”
“Silver dragons pride themselves on being just.” The chair creaked, and I imagined Malcolm sitting in Cookie Monster, holding his head in his hands. “It isn’t hatred that drives him. He believes he’s doing what’s best for the world.”
“How’s she convince him otherwise?” Cody asked.
Malcolm shook his head. “I don’t know if she can.”
D
When the dragons returned, I called everyone and asked if they wanted to come over for pizza. I wanted to talk to them, but I didn’t want to do it in public. I thought it might be best to keep the Nephilim from knowing what had happened with Argentum. There was always the possibility they’d decide I was a danger to them again.
While waiting for everyone to show up, Malcolm went to Aurelia’s room, and Cody sat on the couch, watching me pace. By some small miracle, I hadn’t worn a path into the lavender carpet yet.
I felt Samantha’s and Dan’s auras. A few seconds later, the doorknob turned. I stopped and stared at it. As soon as they opened the door, Samantha dropped her bag and ran toward me, hugging me. “How do you keep walking into danger? I was so worried about you the whole time.”
“It’s not like I want to.” I shrugged as she pulled away from me. “I’d like to have a peaceful … normal life.”
“What happened?” Dan stepped up beside us.
I sat on the floor in front of Cody. “We’ll find out.”
The dragons came over right after Bryce and Cassandra showed up. Aurelia stared out the window with her hands behind her back. “We took Argentum to the elder council.” She spun around. “They questioned him. Then they threw him in the dungeon.” Her expression was caught somewhere between anger, disgust, and disbelief. “At one time, he was one of the best of us. He was just and honorable.”
“I’m sorry, Aurelia.” I stared at the floor.
She shot me a sad smile. “You are not to blame. Argentum made his choices. He feels that you are a threat to dragons, but he does not know you. He does not see what is in your heart.”
“Yeah.” I pulled my hand through my hair. “The Nephilim felt the same way.”
Cassandra snorted. “If this is what good guys are like, wouldn’t it be easier to deal with bad guys?”
“Sometimes, the lines between good and evil become blurred.” Russ looked around the room. “Other times, who the good guys are and who the bad guys are depends on which side you stand on.”
Cody snatched a piece of pizza. “Couldn’t the Nephilim and elder council read her aura and figure out that she’s good?”
“Yeah.” Dan tilted his head as he looked at Aurelia. “Wouldn’t that have been easier?”
“Woulda saved a lotta trouble.” Cody shook his head and ate half of the slice in one bite.
Arianna nodded. “It would have, but none of the elders or leaders of the Nephilim are willing to get that close to a human as powerful as Dacia, not after Draconian.”
“Will they let me go to him?” The idea stole the breath from me and sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins. “If I opened myself to him, he’d be able to see that I don’t want to hurt anyone.” My words rushed out.
“No.” Aurelia shook her head. “He could destroy your mind.”
“He doesn’t trust you.” Malcolm looked like he wanted to protect me from some threat I couldn’t see. His muscles were taut, and his face was strained. “He’d think it was a trick.”
“This is no longer your fight.” Aurelia sat on the floor next to me. “You need to let us handle Argentum.”
Cody wiped his mouth on a napkin. “Is it over?”
“I hope so, Cody.” Aurelia patted my shoulder, but she didn’t sound convinced.
L
“Forgive me, Dacia.” Tye focuses on the snow-covered ground between us instead of looking into my eyes. His shoulders slump forward, and the star-flecked night seems to swallow him up.
Unrecognizable mountains surround us, pine trees stretch toward the heavens, and in the middle of this beautiful scene, we face each other. I stand with my feet shoulder-width apart and my knees slightly bent. My arms hang loosely at my sides, ready to defend myself at any sign of trouble from him. “How can I? First, you were going to let them cage me. Then when that didn’t work out, you were going to let Argentum eat me.” The wind tosses my hair over my shoulders, and I pull it away from my face, tucking it inside my hoodie.
“I didn’t know he wanted to kill you.” He looks up at me, and his eyes are red-rimmed. “The others are hunting me. They’ll kill me. Please … if you forgive me, they’ll leave me alone.”
I shake my head. He doesn’t want my forgiveness because he feels guilty about what he did. He wants it for his own selfish reasons. “How can I? You’ll stab me in the back the first chance you get.”
“No.” He falls to his knees. “No. I thought you’d try to control all of us.” Lowering his head to the ground, he says, “I thought that with time, you’d come to enjoy the peace of the sanctuary. I thought it was what was best for everyone.” His head drops even farther. “I never wanted to see you hurt.”
“Get up.” A deep voice rumbles through the clearing, and a wizened man strides from the trees. Long, opalescent hair flows to his waist. Braids at his temples pull his hair away from his slender face. “You sniveling fool. The elder council imprisons me for five minutes, and you run to this girl like she is your only hope.” He narrows his hard, gray eyes, and there is no compassion in them. “Pathetic whelp.”
Tye scrambles to his feet, careful not to look either of us in the eye.
The man strolls toward Tye, keeping his gaze on me. “You have caused me more trouble than any of your kind has ever been worth.” He clasps Tye’s shoulder, and Tye cringes under his grip. “Because of you, I’ve been hunted and imprisoned. You nearly stole my minion. And, yet, you remain free to terrorize the world.”
“Maybe because I never threatened to eat anybody.” I lift one shoulder and flip my hand up. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”
Argentum squeezes Tye’s shoulder. “I met Draconian when he was a starry-eyed whelp. All he wanted back then was to save the world. I hunted him when he allowed innocents to burn for witchcraft. He was like you, and in the end, you’ll become just like him.”
My mouth falls open. I have no idea how to respond. “No.” I shake my head. “He was evil. I saw his mind. There was nothing good in him.”
“There was.” Argentum softens his voice. “You see. That is why I cannot allow you to live. I cannot make the same mistake again. I cannot permit the dragons to suffer because I stood by and allowed another human to become corrupted.” Still clutching Tye’s shoulder, he reaches his other hand toward me.
Pain erupts inside me, and I drop to my knees.
Argentum puts his hand on my head. “Humans are not meant to be immortal. It breaks something inside of you.”
“I’m not—” I gasp through the pain “—immortal.”
“You won’t be when I’m finished.”
“No.” I shove his hand away. “Death said he’d see me again.”
He snaps his fingers and points to the ground beside him. Tye runs to him, and Argentum clutches his shoulder again. “Presently.”
I picture my dorm room and try to teleport to it, but my power doesn’t answer my call.
“Don’t fight, Dacia.” Argentum’s command takes hold of me, and my body goes limp. “This won’t hurt for long. Once it’s over, you’ll finally be at peace.”
I relax further. My eyes drift closed. His voice lulls me to sleep.
No! Tye’s voice snaps me out of my stupor.
My head jerks back. I scoot away from Argentum, trying to call my powers to me.
He lifts his hand, and pain courses through my body. It flows through my veins like lava. Burning, searing agony. A scream tears from my throat.
“Wake up, Dacia.” Malcolm
’s voice was a growl.
Cody clasped my shoulder. His eyes were wide. “Okay?”
I dragged my hands down my face. “This needs to end.”
Chapter 38
Preparing For The Worst
I slumped back against the couch. I’d been dreading this call all semester. Thanksgiving was next Thursday, but there was no way I could bring all my craziness home. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, Sweetie.” He sounded excited to hear from me. “Are you looking forward to coming home next week?”
Tears welled in my eyes, and I squeezed them shut. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to. I’ve got so much going on right now.” I choked out the last word.
“Don’t cry.” His voice was comforting, not angry. “I remember how overwhelming college could be. We hoped we’d see you, but do what you need to do.”
I wiped my hand across my face, then dried it on my sweatshirt. “I’m trying to get everything done. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to in time.”
“Let us know as soon as you do.” He paused. “And don’t sweat it. We understand.”
I hadn’t expected this. I thought he’d try to talk me into going home. I thought I’d have to argue. I figured we’d both hang up angry. Instead, we talked about school, my life—the parts I could tell him anyway—Cody, and what they’d been doing for the last few months. It was nice to hear his voice and to remember that there was more to my life than magic, demons, and dragons. I hung up the phone, hoping I’d be able to go home next week to spend some quality time with my parents.
D
Cody, Malcolm, Cash, and I jogged around the indoor track at Lupine Fieldhouse. They let me set the pace, and I took it slower than normal. Last night’s dream and this morning’s conversation with Dad both weighed heavily on my mind.