by Mandi Oyster
“Maybe it should be.” Dan climbed up into Samantha’s loft.
The dragons’ heads all snapped in his direction.
He set his jaw and spoke with conviction. “It might put a stop to other dragons doing what he’s doing.”
“Yes,” Aurelia said, “but it could also lead to dragons being hunted and captured. After what Draconian did—” she shook her head “—the elders will not willingly let it happen again.”
Cody leaned on my chair, making it rock back. “Capture’s not the answer then.”
“Probably not.” Malcolm shook his head and smiled sadly.
“So … what do I do?” My voice sounded desperate and weak. The room seemed to squeeze in on me. The air thickened and became hard to breathe. I wrapped my hands around my stomach and leaned forward. My vision blurred, and my heart beat in my ears, blocking out all other sounds.
Cody knelt in front of me and put his hands on either side of my face. He rubbed his thumbs along my cheeks. His mouth moved, but I couldn’t make out anything he said.
My lungs burned, and black spots dotted my vision.
Breathe! Aurelia’s voice screamed inside my head.
I sucked in a startled breath, and the spots diminished.
Cody smoothed my hair back. “You okay?” He stared into my eyes, not letting go of me.
“Yeah.” I placed my hand on top of his. “For now.” I turned toward Aurelia. “Thank you.”
She dipped her head but said nothing.
“Am I going to have to kill him?” The thought brought images of Draconian dying to mind, the feeling of his blood on my hands, watching the light fade from his eyes.
“We’ll be with you,” Malcolm said.
Cash put his hand over his heart. “I’ll spare you from that fate if I can.”
“If we do not end this, he will never stop hunting you.” There was sadness in Aurelia’s golden eyes like I’d never seen before. “How the mighty have fallen,” she whispered.
“What about—”
Malcolm shook his head. Keep it between us.
Better to ask forgiveness?
He nodded his head slowly. “What about what?”
“Nothing.” I pulled my hand through my hair. “Never mind.” I didn’t need to pretend to be flustered. I’d hoped for better news. “Do you really think it’s the only way?”
Russ dropped his chin to his chest. “He’s too strong to contain, and he’s too stubborn to see past his righteousness.”
Cody stood in front of me, facing the dragons, with his arms folded over his chest. “Gonna make her do it for you?”
“No.” Aurelia stood. “She stands a better chance than any of us, but we will do what we can to spare her from that fate.”
Expelling the breath I’d been holding, I said, “Thank you.”
“I must go to the elders, let them know we are out of time, and hope they do the right thing.” Aurelia turned from me. “Keep her safe.”
After she left, Cody sat on the edge of the couch. “Need to do something.”
“What?” I asked.
“Get outta here.” He shrugged. “Keep your mind off things.”
Everyone in the room stared at me. I felt them weighing my mood, judging my actions. Unstable, I was a danger to everyone. I sucked in a deep breath and focused on the blue of Cody’s eyes. I’d never been able to capture the color in a drawing or painting, cobalt with aqua shooting through them like lightning.
He blinked, and I shook my head. “If I’m gonna keep my mind off things, I need to do something besides sit.”
“Basketball, racquetball, sledding.” Cody ticked choices off on his fingers.
Arianna cocked her head to the side, landing her birdlike gaze on him. “What is sledding?”
“Well, that decides that.” Dan, still perched in Samantha’s loft, smacked his hands together, then rubbed them excitedly. “Sledding it is.”
D
The sky was a dismal gray. The clouds looked threatening. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was my doing. Tomorrow I would go to my death, and this time, it would be permanent. If Argentum ate me, I doubted even Death could send me back.
I stood on top of a hill. We’d parked the cars, then the dragons had teleported my friends to the peak. Cassandra bounced on her toes. Her voice was high pitched. “That was a-mazing! I never dreamed I’d do something so cool.”
Bryce fiddled with his gloves loosening and retightening them over and over, fighting against the smile that tugged at his lips.
Cassandra grabbed his arm. “Wasn’t that awesome?”
“Yes.” He pulled her against his side, and a grin spread over his face. His pale green eyes lit up with amusement.
I dropped my sled and sat in it. Cody climbed on behind me and pulled me against him. Then he shoved off. We skimmed over the top of the snow, gaining speed as we zipped down the mountain, dodging trees and boulders. My hair whipped around my face, and a laugh burst from my lips.
Excited screams echoed through the valley, trailing behind us. We slowed to a stop at the bottom of the hill. Dan and Samantha slid beyond us. Samantha toppled out and lay on the ground, making a snow angel.
Arianna and Val were the next ones down the hill, then Cash. His gaze immediately went to me. When he saw I was okay, he smiled. Bryce and Cassandra bounced down the hill, ramming their sled into the back of ours. Cody jolted forward, holding onto me as we tipped over.
“Sorry.” Cassandra giggled.
Malcolm’s and Russ’ were the last two sleds to reach the bottom.
“Now comes the worst part.” Dan stared up the hill.
Val tilted his head. “What?”
“Climbing back up the hill,” Samantha answered.
I held onto Cody’s hand. “I’m not climbing.” I pictured the peak, the trees that had been twisted by harsh winters and strong winds. The snow whirled around us, then we stood at the top, looking down the slope at my friends far below. The dragons grabbed their hands and teleported them to where Cody and I stood.
Bryce’s legs wobbled. He stretched his arm out for balance.
I sat in my sled, and Cash put his hand on my shoulder. “Let me go first.”
I lowered my head. It was hard to forget my problems while under constant guard, but I understood Cash’s concern.
He pushed off. Cody and I waited about thirty seconds before I used my powers to help us race down the hill. About halfway down, we caught up to Cash. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. A gust of wind hit his sled, speeding him down the hill.
When we came to a stop, Cash was in full-on guard dog mode. “Do you think he’ll attack?” I asked.
“I don’t know.” He brushed the snow off of his legs. “He’s lived honorably most of his life.” Cody snorted, but Cash continued. “He believes he is now. If he attacked you today, that wouldn’t keep in line with his character.”
“Why so anxious then?” Cody held his hand out to me, helping me to my feet.
Cash stared into the trees. “Just a feeling.”
The wind blew, knocking clumps of snow from the branches. I shivered but not from the cold. Whether Argentum attacked me today or I went to him tomorrow, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know how to defeat him or if I could. “I need to talk to Sarah.”
“Sure.” Cody dragged our sled out of the way.
Cassandra and Bryce blew past us, quickly followed by all of the others.
Samantha got out of her sled and looked at Arianna. “So, what do you think about sledding?”
Val bounced up out of his sled. “I love it.”
“It’s not bad—” Arianna smiled “—but flying is better.”
Cassandra gazed up at the sky. “I imagine that’
s amazing.”
“There’s nothing like it.” Russ’ eyes had a faraway look in them. “Soaring on the breeze, the wind against your face and wings, riding the updrafts. It’s incredible.”
We went down the hill several more times. If anybody else came out to sled here, they’d wonder why there were so many sled marks coming down but no tracks going back up the hill. When we finished, we threw all of the sleds in the back of my truck. Then Cody drove us to Sarah’s office. Malcolm and Cash waited to show themselves until we were in the vestibule.
Alicia sat behind the desk, filing her fingernails. She looked up at me briefly, then waved us to the seating area.
I leaned my head in close to Malcolm and Cash and said. “I need you to promise me something.”
Malcolm narrowed his eyes. “What?”
“You can go on up,” Alicia said.
On the way up the stairs, I thought to the dragons what I wanted from them. I needed to make sure they were in on the plan before I talked to Sarah.
A fire roared in Sarah’s office, making the room warm and inviting. Cody, Malcolm, and I sat on one couch with Cash and Sarah on the other.
“I haven’t seen much of you this semester.” Sarah held her mug between both hands as if savoring its warmth.
Guilt weighed my gaze down. I stared at the tan carpet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bring anybody else into this.”
“So, this must be important,” she said.
I tugged my hand through my hair and focused on her hazel eyes. “Tomorrow, I have to face Argentum or he’ll come here. I don’t know if I can defeat him.”
Cody’s hand ran up and down my leg. Whether it was to comfort me or to comfort him, I wasn’t sure.
“If I don’t come back tomorrow, the dragons have agreed to stage an accident to explain my death.” I didn’t dare look at Cody. His grip on my leg tightened, but he didn’t say anything. “They’ll make it look like I was in a car wreck and manipulate the memories of everyone so they think they saw a body. That way Mom and Dad won’t spend their lives wondering what happened to me.”
Sarah tilted her head to the side. Her eyebrows pinched together. “Why are you making contingency plans this time?”
“He’s an elder dragon.” I stood up and paced behind Cody. I needed to move around to keep from falling into despair. “Aurelia thinks the only way to get him to leave me alone is to kill him.” I stopped walking and clenched the back of the couch. “I can’t kill again.” My voice caught on a sob. “I can’t.”
All too soon, I lay down on the couch beside Cody. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me as if he’d never let go.
L
Light streams in through the curtains, casting a purple tint over the room. I lie in the middle of the bed, and Cody is propped up on his elbows above me. His eyes are filled with love and admiration. I cup his face in my hands and bring his lips down to mine. He presses delicate kisses on my mouth, then pulls back, staring at me like he’s never seen me before. “I love you, Mrs. Hawks.”
Hearing my new name brings a blissful smile to my face. I draw circles on his bare chest. “I love you, too, Husband O’Mine.”
He lies down beside me, and I rest my head on his chest. He smells like a cold winter’s day, crisp and cool. His hand trails up and down my spine. I pull the sheet up, covering us both.
I close my eyes and slowly drift off to sleep.
D
I stared at Cody, lying on the couch beside me, wondering if my dream was a premonition or if it had just been wishful thinking. I wanted to believe in it. If it was a portent, it would mean I’d survive my encounter with Argentum and end up with the life I longed for.
I reached my hand up to trail my fingers along his jaw but pulled them back. I didn’t want to wake him up. Sleep had removed the stress from his face and left him looking peaceful.
You need to sleep, Dacia. Malcolm’s voice entered my thoughts.
I glanced over at him and nodded. I know. I lay back down and closed my eyes.
L
The cavern smells like blood and fire. Flames still blaze. Their light dances along the walls and ceiling. My dragon guards are strewn across the ground, their bodies contorted into impossible positions. Their lifeless eyes stare at nothing.
Argentum stands above me, holding me down under his massive paw. One of his claws pierces through my shoulder, pinning me to the ground. “This death and destruction were avoidable. Why did you bring them with you? Why couldn’t you face your fate alone?” His voice is filled with profound sadness.
“You … didn’t … have to … kill them.” Pain makes it hard to say more than a word or two without gasping.
He narrows his eyes at me. “They came here to kill me … because of you. Now, you shall die.” He lowers his head. Saliva drips off his fangs, landing on me.
I press my eyes closed and send up a prayer.
I jolted awake. My heart raced, beating against my ribcage, begging for release. I pressed my hand over my chest and took deep, calming breaths.
I can take the dreams away for the night. Malcolm’s voice startled me.
I turned toward him and nodded. Please.
Chapter 42
Like A Lamb To The Slaughter
Standing in my room, six dragons surrounded me. When I looked at them, I saw them lying on the ground in Argentum’s cave. Their eyes were glassy, their lives extinguished. I couldn’t allow that to happen. No matter what it took, I needed to keep the dragons safe. They’d lived too long to die for me.
Each of them placed a hand on me. Their strength flowed into me. Their powers felt as unique as their auras. Aurelia’s energy streamed through my body, and I felt her shame and regret.
When she’d come to my room this morning, her dragon had been nearer to the surface than I’d ever seen it. She’d paced behind the couch. When she’d spoken, her voice was feral. “The elder council decided the risk outweighed the reward.” Her slender fingers had turned into taloned claws. “They will not share their secrets with the Nephilim.” She’d stared at me with inhuman eyes. “They have sentenced you to death. Any dragons who choose to protect you will be on their own.”
Cody had jumped up and grabbed a duffel bag. He’d thrown anything and everything into it. “We’ll leave.”
“We can’t.” I’d pulled the bag away from him. “He’ll bring the fight here.”
His face had twisted with agony. “Not if you’re gone.”
“We don’t know that.” I’d walked to the window and looked outside. It’d been gray and dismal to match my mood, but there was still beauty. I hadn’t been able to help but wonder if I left with Cody, would Argentum leave it this way? “I have to face him, Cody.”
He’d crumpled, looking like a balloon that had been deflated. “I know.”
He sat on the couch, watching me with his expressionless mask in place. Even though I couldn’t see his fear for me, I felt it. It crept over my skin like a thousand spiders, filling me with dread and uncertainty.
Dan and Samantha sat next to him. Samantha chewed on her lip, watching me with wide, unblinking eyes. Dan smiled at me, but it was a mere shadow of what his smiles could be.
I pictured Argentum’s cave, the dark, deep lake, the bone-strewn floor. My body stretched out and pressed in, brushing against the dragons’, holding the seven of us together. The light shining in through my eyelids dimmed. The air grew cooler, and the sounds from the hallway became the gentle lapping of water.
While I changed my eyes into a dragon’s, the others transformed into their natural bodies. The cave was just how I’d seen it last time, dark and damp. A swell tore across the lake, advancing toward shore.
“Too scared to come alone.” Argentum rose from the depths, shaking his massive head. Water showered from his
body. Thousands of ripples spread over the surface of the lake. “Maybe you aren’t as formidable as everyone seems to think. Maybe I should just let you live.” He sucked in a deep breath and shuddered. “If I hadn’t tasted your blood, I might actually believe your pathetic act.” He glanced into the darkness, then back at me.
I felt him tug on my powers, and the mighty serpent slithered under my skin. It lifted its head and hissed at Argentum before tightening its coils around me. You are mine.
And you are mine, I thought back.
“Argentum—” Aurelia stepped forward “—Dacia means you no harm. Give up this madness and return with us.”
I stared into the shadows where Argentum had looked before tugging on my powers. Tye cowered in his dragon form.
Argentum tossed his head. “Return with you to be held captive for all eternity. I think not.”
“It’s no more than you wanted to do to her.” Arianna’s voice changed little between her human and dragon forms. The disgust in it would be hard for anyone to miss, though.
He stepped out of the water. “For the good of dragonkind. You want to cage me to save one insignificant, little human. I wanted to protect all of you!”
“She is not insignificant.” A burst of fire erupted from Malcolm’s jaws, evidence of the magnitude of his anger. “You know nothing about her and don’t care to.”
Argentum spread his wings, and water rained down on all of us. “I’ve seen what she’ll become. The Nephilim have seen what she’ll become. Yet you fools believe she’ll always be what she is now.”
“Have you forgotten what we stand for?” Aurelia narrowed her eyes at him and prowled forward. Her talons clacked across the rocky ground. “Since when do we sentence beings to death for what they might become?”
His chest puffed up. “Since we made the mistake of allowing Draconian to live.”
I walked forward, picking my way over the charred bones that littered the floor. The cave air was cool and damp and smelled stagnant, but sweat beaded on my forehead. I tucked my shaking hands into my pockets. “I will never be like Draconian. Would Death have sent me back if I was going to turn into some monster?”