by H. C. Brown
Thalia crossed her arms and glared at the Elf. “Do you really expect us to creep up on Nehebkau and cut off her head?” She snorted and kicked at the snow. “What an imaginative mind you have, Elf. No doubt to gain possession of our horses.”
“Take her while she sleeps and do not forget you must cut off both her heads.” Mino chuckled. “Now, can we leave this frozen Nomag hell? My old bones ache from the cold.”
“Aye, Mino, we will come with you.” Lumos turned and held out his hand to Thalia. “Come, little one, the way ahead is perilous but will take us one step further to Drakka.”
Thalia took his hand and cold fingers of fear danced down her spine. Or, we are one step closer to our death?
The End of Part One
Dark Magyck
The Dragonsong Trilogy – Part Two
H.C. Brown
After escaping the clutches of a vampire, Lumos and Thalia travel into the darkest depths of the Underworld in an attempt to release the Firedragon, Pyro. Only he has the ability to free Lomos’s magyck.
Time is running out.
Lumos, must return home or forfeit his realm to the rule of dark magyck.
Prologue
After King Garro accused Thalia of murdering her mother with witchcraft, he banished her to the Singing Forest with only her cat Brew for company. She managed to scrape out a meager solitary existence. During a walk, she came across Lumos, a dragon shifter, trapped in a magyck circle by an evil Magus determined to claim Drakka, Lumos’s home, by using dark magyck.
Afraid of men due to her mistreatment by one of King Garro’s soldiers, it takes some time for her to trust Lumos. Eventually, he teaches her enough magyck to release him but she is unable to remove the silver bands from his wrists, only a dragon has the power to undo dark magyck. With the silver, Lumos is helpless and unable to use magyck or shift into the Nightdragon.
They leave the Singing Forest and go in search of the Lutwych Hag, a vampire who agrees to trade Lumos’s blood for information. With the payment duly given, and with the Elf, Mino to guide them, they must travel into the underworld to fight, Nehebkau, a two-headed beast and attempt to free the ancient dragon, Pyro in the hope he has retained enough power to release the silver binding around Lumos’s wrists.
Chapter One
Exhausted by her fight to protect Lumos from the Lutwych Hag, Thalia stumbled through the circle of light and into the beautiful realm of Treluna. The instant she set foot on the lush blue-green grass of the Other World realm, a surge of energy replenished her powers and tingled along her nerve endings removing all trace of fatigue. She gaped at beauty more wondrous than any imagination could conjure. Basking below a warm sun, flower-filled meadows flowed down to a rainforest brimming with life. Above, multicolored parrots flew in great swarms, chattering and hanging upside down to lap nectar from an abundance of blossoming trees. She took a long look at Lumos, he glowed in the sunlight, and her stomach gave a little twist. Gods, he was the most handsome man she had ever seen and the way his black leather pants molded his body made her mouth water. She dragged her attention away from him and followed Mino along a path beside a bubbling river then stopped to admire a beautiful, red-spotted doe. The deer observed them with unafraid, chocolate eyes before lowering its head to drink.
“There is my home. My cottage is the one with the red roof.” Mino paused on the edge of a clearing and waved toward a small group of cottages. “I will take good care of your horses and your cat.” He gazed up at Lumos. “I hope you have a sound plan to beat Nehebkau and rescue Pyro. He is the only Dragon I know who has the power to release you outside of Drakka. Although, Nox, the King of the Fae has the power of the ancient’s too, but I doubt you will be able to enter his realm as you are now, Lumos.”
“Aye, without magyck I am unrecognizable as a Dragonfae and will not pass alive into his realm.” Lumos smiled ruefully. “I have given the task ahead much thought and apart from removing this cursed silver, freeing Pyro will benefit all Dragonfae.” Lumos turned to speak to Thalia, his voice, deep and sexy made her toes curl. “Little one, are you ready to go?”
With a sigh, Thalia hugged Brew. “We will come back soon. I want you to behave yourself with Mino and only eat what he says. Do not go hunting Sprites now, will you?” She placed the cat on the ground and turned to Lumos. “Aye, I am ready. My body is positively humming with magyck and my fatigue has vanished.”
“As it should be, we will need to find more magyck realms and you will have to replenish your powers many times before this journey is ended. Draw your circle, Mino.” Lumos took two saddlebags from Argos’s back and flung them over one shoulder. “If we should not return within two days, send a message to my father. Tell him of the Magus’s treachery and ask him to send an army to Rantazmac to aid in our rescue.”
“Two days in the Underworld is two moons in this realm. I will wait this long for you to return, Lumos, before I send the message. You can depend on me, Dragonfae.” Mino drew a circle of light. “May the gods keep you safe from harm.”
The shimmering circle intrigued Thalia. Taking a deep breath, she gripped Lumos’s large hand, and stepped into suffocating darkness.
* * * *
“Lumos, can you see anything?”
“Aye, my dragon sight is not affected by the silver. We are in a cave of sorts—some kind of passageway. It is just as Mino described.” Lumos took her hand and led her forward. “Keep your voice to a whisper and remember if I squeeze your hand, you must remain silent. From the smell, I would say this path should lead us straight to Pyro’s prison. I would guess Nehebkau stays close to him for it would be very difficult to hold an ancient without some type of mind control.” He stopped walking and pulled her into his arms. His warm breath brushed her cheek and heat radiated through the thin material of her shirt. “Do not engage the beast, and if I fall, you must try to form a circle of light and go back to Treluna. Look at me, Thalia. I want your promise.”
She swallowed hard. “I will never leave you to the mercy of Nehebkau, never. We fight together and if the goddess takes us both through the veil, then so be it.” She ran a finger over his lips, needing so much to kiss him. “My destiny is with you, Lumos, to live or to die, and I will not have it any other way.” She heard the catch in his breath and his muscles tightened under her hand. She ignored the ridged stance of his body and leaned into him. “I belong to you, Lumos.”
“The gods help us.” Lumos buried his face in her hair. “I have formed a plan to beat this creature, but I need more time. Mayhap when I see the beast, I will have a better idea of the creature’s weaknesses. They all have a blind spot, I will need to find Nehebkau’s swiftly. ” He drew her hard against his chest. “I should never have brought you here. Damn, I am a fool to risk your life. Without my magyck, I feel like an impotent old man expecting a female to protect me. Lady’s blood, what have I done?”
She rested her head on his shoulder, inhaling the rich scent of the man she loved more than life. His heart beat solidly under her palm. He had become her courage and his strong embrace was her sanctuary. The doubt he now experienced mirrored her fears. Goddess, I owe him so much—help me to be strong for I cannot let him down now.
She smiled into the darkness, hoping he would see her outward show of confidence. “The king would often sit in the Great Hall and tell tales of the battles he had won. One of his greatest foes was a tribe leader called Knightslayer. This man and his warriors were unbeaten in battle for over ten summers.”
“Why are you telling me this, little one? We are to fight a two-headed snake—a demigoddess, no less. Even without magyck, I can beat a Nomag with one hand tied behind my back.”
“I know this, Lumos … but do listen. My tale has a purpose and I am offering it as an incentive to help you defeat Nehebkau. You see, the Knightslayer prized horses above all things in his land and I believe he was famous for breeding the best warhorses in the kingdom. My fath—King Garro had one of his men steal a prized stallion and
tether the beast at the end of a narrow, blind ravine close to the edge of the Knightslayer’s kingdom. The Knightslayer and his men believed the horse had strayed but, in truth, this diversion saw the death of the man.”
“The king trapped his enemy in the ravine and without escape they would have been easy to kill. That is a well-known strategic plan during conflict.” Lumos pressed a kiss to her cheek. “But we have nothing to lure Nehebkau into a ravine so I may creep behind her and slay her.”
She lifted her chin and gave him her best, determined expression. “You have me.”
“You! Are you mad? The beast will kill you in a second and eat you. Dear gods, Thalia, what are you thinking?” Lumos held her away. “You must wait here and allow me to deal with Nehebkau.”
Anger shimmered through her and she straightened her shoulders. “Then you will go to your death.” She moved closer, gripping his tunic. “You are not an impotent old man, Lumos, and have the strength to kill the beast if you attack her unawares.” Her pulse pounded in her ears. “You must let me distract Nehebkau to give you the advantage you need and it will only be seconds. Because, if she discovers you before you have the chance to behead her, I would imagine, even you, Dragonfae, are not fast enough to remove both heads in one blow.” She drew her dagger and grasped it tightly. “Better she sees me first and you sneak up on her from behind. As you said, we will need to play to her weaknesses. Do you have any notion what she looks like? Does she have any vulnerable areas you are aware of?”
“Aye … they call Nehebkau a two-headed snake, but in truth she is a two-headed dragon.” Lumos sighed. “If I could morph into the Nightdragon, she would be an easy kill for me. She is most vulnerable at the spot between her necks. She cannot bend to bite there, nor can she see that part of her body. If I could get to that point, I could disable her in one thrust. Nehebkau’s heart lies directly below that juncture. Once she falls I should be able to decapitate her before she regenerates.” He shook his head slowly. “You cannot risk the use of magyck against her, little one. Goddess, if she strikes at you… No, I cannot let you do this. I refuse to risk your life so foolishly.”
She stared at the flash of green from his gaze, the only thing visible in this dark void. “What other choice do we have? Do you want to remain impotent, as you say, forever? At this moment, we are prisoners here as surely as Pyro. I will not use magyck, I am not foolish and know she will trap us here if I do… I will perish and you will be her new pet.” She drew in a long breath then let it out slowly. “You had faith in me to help you with the Lutwych Hag. I beg you to show your faith in me now, Lumos.”
“Come then, we will meet our fate together and I pray the gods protect you, little one.” Lumos took her hand.
She heard the swish of a sword sliding from a scabbard then they moved silently, deeper into the mountain. A soft light glowed at the end of the tunnel and the air hung heavy with the stink of brimstone. Ahead, water trickled from small fissures on the walls and ran in a groove down the middle of the passageway. She froze, heart pounding. Directly ahead, bathed in the soft glow of magyck light, she glimpsed the horrific beast, Nehebkau curled beside a magnificent red dragon. The beasts’ leathery sides rose and fell in unison with each slumberous breath.
Oh, goddess, they are so big, I feel like a fly on the wall.
Trying to push saliva down her dry, restricted throat, Thalia gripped Lumos’s hand. She forced her attention to remain on the dragon. So this is what Lumos hides inside and similar to the beast I must embrace to keep him. She examined the dragon taking in his size and pushed the fear of all things unknown to the back of her mind. In truth, Pyro appeared beauteous beside the aberration of Nehebkau. The Firedragon’s iridescent red skin shimmered in the pale light, each scale refracting a kaleidoscope of colors. His leathery wings folded in crimson ruffles beside his massive body. Muscles the size of oak trees bulged under the skin of his thighs, his neck could span the widest river, and his feet could crush a castle. Yet amidst all the foulness, his skin appeared clean and the long talons on his toes shone like pearls. She stared at his gigantic head with arched brow flowing down to a long alligator snout with huge nostrils. The Firedragon’s floppy rabbit ears intrigued her and she smiled at the creator’s jest. Apart from the sheer size of the beast, the dragon’s face had a subtle male beauty. He was such a contrast from the gruesome appearance of Nehebkau—her deformed countenance evoked only dread. A two-headed misshapen tragedy, it would seem Nehebkau had stepped directly out of hell. Thalia shuddered at the sight of two, snake-like heads, grotesque maws hanging open to display lethal fangs. White sludge spilled from her nostrils to meet the pool of sticky drool on the cave floor. Nehebkau had no wings—in their place hung small, deformed stumps. The beast had rough, dark green scales from the tops of her heads to the tip of her pointed tail.
She cast her gaze over Pyro again and the sight of him so emasculated steeled her against the need to run. She would never allow this spider to catch Lumos in her web, not while she drew breath. The Firedragon wore a collar that hummed magyck—the wide silver band crackled, energy arching against his skin.
How had Pyro allowed this beast to capture him?
Pyro moved his massive head slightly, his nostrils flared, and he opened one gigantic blue eye. His piercing stare honed onto Thalia and one eyebrow arched in question. She sucked in a steadying breath and slapped one hand over her mouth to prevent gagging from the foul taste accosting her mouth. She pressed her trembling knees together and reached for Lumos. She nestled against him, seeking the comfort of his scent.
“Do not move.” Lumos pressed her against the cold rock wall. “I will ask my dragon to speak with Pyro.”
Agonizing seconds ticked by. Her stomach cramped with fear of discovery. Lumos’s hot breath brushed her ear and she circled his neck, sinking her fingers into his silken hair, needing his strength.
His voice dropped to a soft whisper.
“He knows our plan and will help. The moment you distract Nehebkau, I will jump on his tail and he will lift me onto her back. He can smell you and warns you only have a few seconds before Nehebkau wakes to discover the origin of your fragrance. He believes his scent will mask my own.” Lumos pressed kisses to her forehead and eased away. “Pyro suggested you take a position on the other side of the cave. There are small fissures in the cave wall to squeeze inside to hide. They go deep enough Nehebkau will not be able to reach you. May the gods go with you.”
“And you, Lumos.” With every bone in her body trembling, she moved inch by inch into the huge cavern. Oh, gods do not let the beast wake up. Sticking close to the wall, she forced her legs to obey her command to walk. It is only ten paces. I can do this. I must do this. The stink in the chamber burned her nostrils, and she fought to control the bile racing up the back of her throat. Loose gravel crunched under her feet and afraid she may trip and fall in the gloom, she ran her hands along the damp wall to gain purchase. Just a few more steps.
Finally, with her back to a small dark gap in the rock, she glimpsed a movement from Nehebkau. A blast of damp stinking air puffed from her nostrils sending dirt and dust flying like a gale in her direction. Small rocks pinged off the walls cutting into her bare arms and she gasped. The sound brought the heads of the beast turning in her direction. Ice-cold shivers slithered down her spine—Nehebkau had spied her.
The beast rose up, heads swinging from side to side, scales glistening in the light globes. Nehebkau’s blood-red eyes searched and found her pinning her to the wall with fear. The next moment a high-pitched whistle smashed against her eardrums. She shook her head and gripping the hilt of her dagger, met the four eyes regarding her with fury.
“What is thisss?” Nehebkau’s heads bent to stare at her in morbid fascination. “A weak, little Nomag… Here… Look, Pyrosss, is thisss an offering, do you think?”
“She would get stuck in my teeth. Nomags have no meat on their bones.” Pyro let out a huge sigh, blowing hot fragrant air over Thalia. “Per
haps she carries a message?”
“A messssage you sssay…? From the demigodsss… I think not and I doubt Lucifer would ever use a Nomag messenger.” Nehebkau’s body undulated and moved closer to her. “Why are you here, ussselesss Nomag? Ssspeak before I sssuck out your life.” The skin peeled back from her long snake-like fangs and her necks arched, ready to strike.
A shadow moved across the back of the cave and the glint of Lumos’s sword caught the light. I must not look at Lumos. I must stay focused. Pyro moved slightly—the dragon’s long tail uncurled and crashed down behind Nehebkau. Paralyzed with fear, her jaw trembled. She ground her teeth in an attempt to gather her wits. Gods, I cannot think of anything to say. Stories of evil beings erupted in her mind. Flattery—she is female after all, yes that may work. With great effort, she lifted her chin and met the eyes of evil.
“I am a witch, oh wise and wonderful Nehebkau. I came here to beg guidance and bathe in your brilliance.”
Lumos had moved into position and now stood opposite her with both of his large hands clasped around the handle of his sword. He gave her an encouraging nod and she swallowed hard. I must keep her attention.
“I have come here to learn from you oh, mighty one. I would like to catch a dragon and keep him as my lover, as you have captured the Firedragon, Pyro.”
“Then you are a fool.” Nehebkau moved toward her and raised her heads, ready to strike.
The next few moments stretched out and moved as if in slow motion. Sensing immediate danger, she squeezed into the fissure at her back narrowly avoiding Nehebkau’s first strike. The beast’s heads hit the rock each side of her and she turned in time to see Lumos rise into the air on the Firedragon’s tail and jump, landing effortlessly on the beast’s back. Muscles bulging, he drove the sword downward at the junction of the two long necks. A piercing scream shook the cave, pebbles and dust showered down from above in a blinding smog. Nehebkau’s ugly heads thrashed out in all directions, striking the walls of the cave in a frenzied attack.