by Sarah Noffke
“I will try to help with that,” Oak said at Azure’s side. “The other three dragons can serve as a distraction.”
“But the werewolves! If we harm them—”
“The mountain will destroy itself,” Monet finished. “Yeah, I think it’s a bit too late for that. Whatever happened to the werewolves tonight looks to be irreversible.”
“Because when an eruption starts there’s no stopping it,” Ever stated.
“Okay, yes, Oak. We could use your help with the werewolves. Thank you,” Azure said, her heart beating fast from the constant tremors and the pressure of the moment. She looked down at Manx, who was in goat form. “Can you help with the bats? I don’t know where they are, but we need to ensure they don’t get out of Lancothy.”
Azure didn’t like the idea of trapping the bats in the mountain, but she couldn’t allow a colony of bats to invade Oriceran. It would escalate the vampire epidemic, which was exactly what Cordelia and Hamilton wanted.
Manx morphed into a raven and lifted into the air. “You can count on me, Queen.” He flew through the dark sky and disappeared into the night.
“What about me?” Laurel asked, her eyes wide with shock but also filled with her unyielding courage.
Azure knelt and picked up Finswick, then handed him to Laurel. “Get your people and my oldest companion to safety, please.” She added weight to the last bit.
Laurel didn’t say anything, just nodded confidently.
“Okay, we all have our jobs. Be careful and swift, all of you,” Azure said, fixing the reins of the dragon who had patiently waited at her side into her hand. She scanned the faces in front of her one last time before mounting the dragon.
“Azure,” Monet said, looking up at her.
She merely gazed at him in reply.
“If anything happens, don’t hesitate to use your last wish to save yourself. I know you want to save Bob, but selfishly, I would rather not lose you,” said her best friend, a tender pain in his green eyes.
Azure nodded. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“Hopefully,” he agreed as Micky gracefully turned around, extended her wings, and launched herself into the air.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“How are we supposed to catch them?” Devo asked, looking at the bats who were swarming in the air, seemingly unnerved by the mountain crumbling around them.
That was a good question, and not one Lux had an answer for. “Maybe we can bait them.”
“What do bats like?” Devo asked.
Lux rolled his eyes at his idiot partner. “Blood, dumbass.”
“Oh, I thought they ate fruit,” Devo said.
Lux shook his head. He’d be better off doing this on his own. He sank his fangs into his wrist and the blood flowed immediately, running over his lips and down his arm. He held up his wrist, waving it in the air. “Come and get it, you little rodents.”
“Good idea.” Devo followed suit.
The bats paused in midair as the smell of blood registered, then dove in Lux’s directions. It had seemed like a good idea until he realized he was about to be mauled by hundreds of hungry bats.
He darted behind Devo. The larger vampire made a good shield for him. Bats streaked toward them and dove right at the two men. Devo was knocked over by the first rush, but Lux managed to capture a dozen or more. He could also thank the assholes for tearing at his flesh as they flew by. He waved his arms and snarled, fangs exposed, at the bats that were about to make another assault.
Lux sprinted over and pulled Devo up by the back of his shirt. He’d sustained multiple injuries.
The ground shook so violently that it nearly knocked them down.
“We have to get out of here. This thing is gonna blow,” Lux said, staring at the town. Buildings were bouncing off the ground, their roofs splitting and walls crumbling when they hit.
Devo looked up and nodded his bloody face. “Yes, let’s see if we can find a way out over there.” He pointed to the northern side of the mountain.
Lux nodded and sprinted in that direction and the bats followed them.
~~~
Micky rose into the air, beating her giant wings rhythmically. Azure leaned close to her neck, careful to keep her face away from the sharp spikes. She tightened her legs around Micky’s body after she dared to look down. Lancothy was stretched below her, and the devastation was evident. Azure found it hard to breathe, but didn’t know if it was the higher attitude or the sight of the fires and destruction on the ground.
The weredragons’ castle seemed almost untouched by the destruction. It shook, but appeared not to be as affected as the other buildings. Micky’s back legs reached forward and she raised her head as she prepared to land. Azure tightened her grip on the reins when the weredragons rose from the center courtyard of the castle. They hovered, most of them looking up at the hole in the top of the mountain.
Azure yanked hard on the reins to slow her dragon. Micky, who had been focused on the landing, spotted the half-dozen or so weredragons and straightened out.
The weredragons headed for the hole.
“We need your help!” Azure yelled when she was close enough to the weredragons that they could hear her.
Hoarfrost and Lightning slowed, jerking their heads in Azure’s direction, and shock sprang to the bright-blue weredragon’s face.
“Witch, why does that dragon allow you to ride her?” Hoarfrost asked.
“I’m not sure, but we don’t have time for that,” Azure roared over the swift beating of wings. The other weredragons had halted their progress and hovered a little higher than Hoarfrost and Lightning.
“It appears that you’ve gotten your wish. Lancothy will soon be no more,” Hoarfrost said, his voice neutral.
“This was not the way I wanted it to go,” Azure spat, anger flushing her face.
“We don’t blame you, Queen of Virgo, especially now that we see you have earned the respect of a dragon,” Lightning said. “The truth is, we knew this day was coming. We’re ready to make our home somewhere else—somewhere we can spread our wings.”
“Your people need your help, though,” Azure yelled, throwing her arm at the town and buildings littering the rolling hills.
“These are my people,” Hoarfrost said, motioning to the other weredragons, who circled back down to join the conversation.
“You are a wereanimal,” Azure argued. “The people of Lancothy are a part of your tribe.”
“Do you not see that we reside in a high castle in this land? We may be of our people, but we’re not like them.”
Azure shook her head. “That’s ridiculous. Only they can understand what it takes to be both human and animal. How can you desert them? Most can’t fly to safety. Will you really leave them trapped in this mountain without a way to escape?”
Hoarfrost looked at Lightning and a strange silent communication passed between the two.
“I asked for your help when the time came, and that time is now,” Azure said. As she spoke something rumbled overhead, and Azure ducked instinctively as dirt and rock rained down on them.
“What do you expect us to do?” Lightning asked.
“You have many powers at your disposal. Can’t you use one of them to break through the mountain and clear a path for the rest of Lancothy to get out?” Azure asked.
Hoarfrost shook his head. “None of us have a power that could do that.”
They could do it collectively, Micky stated in Azure’s head.
The dragon rose higher, so that Azure was looking down on the weredragons.
“Do you have the power to break through the mountain if you work together?” Azure asked.
Lightning’s expression shifted to awe. “We do, but it hasn’t been used in centuries—not since Lancothy was first formed. It was the weredragons who hollowed out the mountain at the request of the werewolves,” she stated in a low voice, like she was remembering this all.
“Then it would make sense that the power that
created your home centuries ago can free your people from their prison now,” Azure stated.
Hoarfrost rose so he was even with Micky and regarded Azure for a long moment. The sounds of destruction echoing through the mountain were a constant reminder of the chaos around them. “Dragons put great emphasis on the cycle of life. It is our nature. What we begin, we must end. You have given us an insight we might have missed. Queen Azure, you impressed us before with your bravery, and now you have inspired us with your wisdom.” Hoarfrost glanced at the other weredragons before returning his gaze to Azure. “We will do as you have requested, Queen of Virgo. We will create a path to freedom.”
~~~
Ever and Monet rushed over the grassy hills towards the city’s center. The dragon streaked above them, and the Light Elf glanced over his shoulder at the figures flying in the opposite direction.
“Never thought I’d see the day that Azure rode off on a dragon when all hell was breaking loose,” Monet said as they ran.
“I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone ride a dragon before,” Ever agreed. “It’s quite rare for them to allow such a thing. Oak is the first dragon-tamer I’ve ever met.”
“Yes, Azure is a fearless warrior, queen, protector of the Howling Willow, and has a way with animals. What’s not to love?” Monet asked, a sly grin on his face.
“She’s quite impressive,” Ever said, not breathless from the run.
“And yet none of those attributes define why you’re obsessed with her.” Monet leapt over a giant crack. The land was more damaged near the city center.
“I’m not obsessed,” Ever declared.
“No, I guess you’re not,” Monet said as they neared the government building. Everyone was still in their homes, even though the mountain shook violently. They were too afraid to venture out while the werewolves roamed. Were they all willing to bury their heads and be buried by the mountain?
“I’m simply enamored of the queen. Who wouldn’t be?” Ever asked. He’d never met anyone quite like her; he was certain that it was because she was a one-of-a-kind miracle. There couldn’t be another Azure Vladar, not in a million years. Since the beginning he’d kept trying to find a flaw in all her beauties. He had shamed himself for searching for her shortcomings, but he just had to find one. It was the only way—the only way not to fall over a cliff, headed for an undulant ocean that would swallow him.
“I’ve known Azure most of my life, and I can tell you that everyone is enamored of her,” Monet said, halting right in front of the government building. He turned to Ever with a smirk. “But you, my friend, are absolutely in love with that woman.”
~~~
Monet allowed himself a moment to observe Ever’s embarrassment before turning back to the building. How uncomfortable it must have been to think you’d hidden your attraction, only to be called out on it? From a distance Monet had watched the Light Elf fall harder and harder, and he was way past the point of enamored.
As Ever tended to do, he deflected. “Where are we going?”
Slick move, Monet thought. “You’re changing the subject.”
“The mountain is about to implode!” Ever yelled as they ran into the building and across the smooth floor of the lobby.
Monet turned and took the stairwell up. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. And if you had been paying attention, you would have known where we needed to go to find the officials.”
“Well, where are they?” Ever asked, taking the landing behind Monet.
“Exactly where you’d expect cowards to be when their kingdom is crumbling,” Monet said, bursting up the last set of stairs.
“Hiding?” Ever guessed.
“No, watching powerlessly and doing abso-fucking-lutely nothing about it.” Monet threw open the door to the roof and stormed out, halting when he was only five yards from the three wereturtles. They stood at the edge of the building, helplessly watching the city burn and rock around them.
“Are you just going to watch as your kingdom falls to pieces?” Ever asked them.
“There’s nothing we can do,” the first wereturtle called.
“You can evacuate your people,” Monet said.
“There’s no way we could get them through the caves or down the chute in time,” the second wereturtle said, retracting his head into his shell.
“The queen is working on a way to get everyone out. We need you to order the wereanimals to the northern side of the mountain,” Ever said, his words tumbling out in a rush.
“It won’t work. There’s no way to get the message out. We’re doomed,” the third wereturtle cried.
“Oh, for fuck sake, will you stop acting like we’re all going to die?” Monet pulled his wand from his robe, enchanting it with a broadcasting spell. He tried to hand it to the first wereturtle, but he jumped back like it was poisonous.
“Come on, you’ve got to make an announcement,” Ever said. “Tell the people of Lancothy that they can be saved, but they’re going to have to go out into the night. We’ll do our best to protect them from the werewolves, but they have to come out.”
“Most won’t want to leave Lancothy,” the second wereturtle said.
“They will do what you tell them to,” Monet said. “They’ve always followed a leader. When they were told to bury themselves in this mountain, they did it. Tell them to leave, and they will. Tell them they’re safe, and they’ll believe it.”
Oak’s carriage streaked through the sky, pulled by two of his dragons. The wereturtles watched the carriage’s progress over the sprawling city, which vibrated continuously now.
The third wereturtle reached for the wand, clearing his throat.
“We won’t leave!” a voice boomed behind them.
Lorde thundered through the stairwell door behind Ever and Monet and barreled toward them.
Ever held up a hand to halt the wereanimal. Symbols lit up on his arms and hands as he whispered inaudible words and Lorde slowed, looking as though he were moving through quicksand. He gritted his teeth and kept his fanatic eyes on the group in front of him, still pushing forward.
“Our ancestors put us in Lancothy for a reason,” Lorde said. “Outside these walls are devils who will persecute us for our differences. You may choose to forget what the history books say, but I won’t.”
“Things have changed in a thousand years,” Monet said, wishing he had his wand in his hand. Ever was holding Lorde off, but only barely and not for long.
“Things will never change. Those outside Lancothy will never look at us as equals. If we leave this mountain, we will have war. We will have to revolt against the world that made us choose to imprison ourselves,” Lorde boomed. He was making real progress now.
“You will not,” Monet said defiantly.
“Lorde, we cannot choose to make war on a world we no longer know,” the wereturtle holding the wand said.
“We are wereanimals! The world is our enemy.” Lorde spread his arms wide before beating his chest, a thundering roar spilling out over his large canines.
“Then the world you shall not meet,” Ever stated. He pulled his hand to his chest and then thrust it forward hard, throwing Lorde back several yards as a large shadow cast them in darkness.
The dragons had pulled the carriage overhead and now opened their mouths, shooting fire at the crazed werebear which engulfed him at once.
~~~
Azure, atop Micky, led the way to the northern side of the mountain. She wasn’t sure what the weredragons would do collectively to create a passage out of Lancothy, but if their ancestors had banded together to hollow out the mountain, she was confident these could create an exit.
The scene on the ground was fire and destruction. Figures streaked between houses, their hands waving frantically in the air. Had Monet and Ever gotten to the officials? Creating a way out of Lancothy wasn’t going to get everyone to safety if the wereanimals didn’t get there in time.
The burgundy carriage, encrusted with bits of gold streaked across the sky. Oak sat no
bly on the front with two dragons pulling it. It arched toward the city center, moving as fast as a comet. The dragons raced, hungrily on a mission.
Timber and Ronalds, Micky said in Azure’s mind. They’re devoted to a peaceful end to this, even if that involves some violence.
“Isn’t that counterintuitive?” Azure asked.
Unfortunately sometimes violence can bring about peace, but it should be a last resort.
Something blurred at the edge of Azure’s vision. One of the weredragons dove toward the ground and fire shot from his mouth, set fire to the path three werewolves had taken. She hoped it would be enough to keep the werewolves away from the wereanimals. The curse wouldn’t be broken until they exited the mountain, so timing was crucial. How had it come down to either being buried in a mountain or risking being eaten alive as they ran for freedom?
“It’s a rush up here, isn’t it?” a familiar voice asked by Azure’s ear.
She whipped her head around, at first only seeing a blur of black. Azure sucked in a breath, thinking it was a bat, but then she saw the raven clearly.
“Manx!” she called in relief.
“The one and only,” he said, then rose and darted to the far southern corner. Over his shoulder he called, “I’ve gone batty!”
A colony of bats shot toward Azure, and Manx flew through the swarm to break up their formation. The bats turned and followed the pooka like he was their long-lost leader.
“We might be all right after all,” she said to herself as Micky flew to the northern side of the mountain, but then Azure’s gaze dropped to the ground and with it her heart. As Micky drew closer Azure could make out two figures she recognized from New Egypt. One was the vampire who had taken her to Hamilton and Cordelia, and the other was the one who had come after her when she’d tried to escape.
Fuck! This can’t get any worse, Azure thought. They needed a break.
Just then a booming voice filled the air, magically amplified for all to hear.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
The shaking wereturtle held the wand up to his mouth as he peered over the edge of the highest building in Lancothy. He cleared his throat, and the sound reverberated over the land. “Citizens of Lancothy, the mountain will soon implode.” The wereturtle’s voice trembled, and he looked at Ever and Monet for support. Both nodded to encourage him to continue. “We have always stayed inside our homes after sunset, but tonight we must ignore that rule and brave the werewolves. Please come out of your homes and go to our northern border. The time has come for us to leave our land.”