Glass and Ice (Elemental Dragons Book 3)

by Jessica Turnbull

  “Are you happy to give us one? Saves us going back to the lab.”

  I can tell Braith is trying to sweet-talk him. He knows that not giving us a scale will mean going back to the lab, and he hated us being there in the first place.

  His large tail pries a scale off his shoulder, which falls to the floor with a clink. The scale is about the size of my head. “Here. I hope you can use it against the Wyrms.”

  “Thanks!” She plucks it up from the floor, heaving with effort. “That’s all I-”

  I blink and she’s gone. It’s just me and Draca now. The amber dragon stares me down, a smirk growing on his face. Seeing him look so smug makes me ball my hands into fists. I want to punch him in his stupid face.

  “You don’t fool me,” I warn him. “You want something out of all this.”

  “I want freedom,” he booms, emphasising the last word with a flick of his tail. “Your kind have stolen much from me, and I just want to live my life. But it makes me happy knowing that are some nice humans out there, like Frost and Stellar.”

  I chuckle. “I like how you left me out. You have a vendetta against me. Why?”

  His amber eyes narrow into slits. “You, Marine, are the reason that I died last time. I won’t let you kill me again.”

  “Kill you? I thought you said Marine was just a vision and didn’t actually exist.”

  His lip curls. “I have said many things, Marine.”

  “And not all of them are true. Like how you created the visions. It was the Wyverns. I don’t trust you, not after all you’ve done to hurt me and my friends.”

  “You don’t have to trust me.” He sweeps his tail over his feet. “You just have to follow my orders to survive.”

  “I think we’re doing a pretty good job on our own,” I scoff as he snuffs the fire out by clenching his claws.

  “So far. But I know history will repeat itself. Your lover will die.”

  “He won’t.”

  “He will, and it will be by your own hand.”

  “I won’t hurt him,” I hiss, water droplets starting to float around my head. “I won’t do what Marine did.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Before I can argue further, everything goes black.

  24

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Rocky grimaces as another rock is thrown against the wall inches from his head. His hands are bound by wooden handcuffs and he has a guard around his mouth. Ray does not want them fighting back. The blond boy paces in front of him, his veins pulsing angrily.

  “You will not escape,” he taunts, throwing another rock like a ball. “You are safer here, with me.”

  Yeah right.

  Thula slithers into the room, his eyes bright. “A patrol has spotted the Anthropomorphic. It’s heading towards the city again.”

  Ray curses under his breath. “Hazel must have returned. Send search parties out.”

  “But we can’t spare any more Wyrms; many have been dispatched to secondary camps.”

  Rocky raises an eyebrow, making Ray grin.

  “Ah, you have not heard?” He waits for Rocky to shake his head mutely. “Because the Wyverns are gone, we need a new dragon supplier for children starting secondary camp. What better companion than a Wyrm?”

  Rocky’s eyes widen as he struggles in his bonds.

  Wyrms can’t bond! Those kids will die!

  Thula slaps its tail against the floor impatiently. “People are starting to notice that their children are going missing when paired with Wyrms.”

  Ray dismisses the Wyrm with a flick of his hand. “Blame it on the Wyverns. Send another broadcast out.” Thula does not leave, making Ray sigh in irritation. “Anything else?”

  “You’re needed back in the city. We need to announce that all dragon eggs will be replaced with Wyrms immediately.”

  The blond boy slicks his hair back on his head. “Fine. I will head out tonight.” He turns back to Rocky, anger still burning in his eyes. “You are lucky, for now.”

  One of the Wyrms behind Rocky headbutts him to get moving. As Rocky leaves in his shackles, he gives Ray the most poisonous glare he can. When he steps out into the hallway the Wyrm pushes him towards the others, who are huddled into the corner. They also have handcuffs on, though their mouths aren’t covered. Mason and Violet awkwardly remove the mouthguard as quickly as they can through their handcuffs.

  “Any news?” Eryk asks timidly.

  Rocky shakes his head, stretching his jaw. “He’s heading back to the city. Apparently Hazel has gone back there.”

  “I bet security will beef up now that we’ve tried to run away too.”

  “Probably,” he agrees with a shrug. “They won’t give us an opportunity to do that again.”

  Melia bashes her handcuffs against the wall, stomping her feet on the ground like a toddler having a tantrum. “It’s not fair! I did nothing wrong!”

  “Don’t act like an angel in all this!” Mason snaps. “As soon as you noticed we were all gone you tried to walk out too.”

  “I was going for a walk.” She sticks her nose up in the air.

  “Conveniently towards the exit?”

  “Please, stop fighting.” Violet hisses in her hushed voice. “We’re supposed to support each other.”

  “Fuck off!” Melia fixes her one eye on Violet. “Ever since I met you people, I’ve had nothing but misery. Now I’m blind because of you!”

  “Your other eye still works!” Rocky snaps back. “Don’t blame us for you not being able to pick a side.”

  “I picked a side!” Melia wails. “And Ray did this to me!”

  “Because you aren’t loyal,” Mason growls. “You’re just a bitch.”

  Rocky is surprised to hear his friend be so nasty. This situation with Sadie has taken its toll; Mason feels betrayed. Rocky is worried his friend may not recover from this, or worse, is still hung up on Sadie. She’s made her choice several times now; there is no saving her. She thinks Ray will spare her.

  “Shut up!” A spear bangs against the wall repeatedly, making his ears ring. “Or I’ll tape your mouth shut.”

  Rocky rolls his eyes at the sight of Wes. The boy is still small and skinny, unlike the rest of Ray’s posse. His head is now shaven and small patches of hair on his chin show he’s trying unsuccessfully to grow a beard. It’s been a long time since he’s seen Hazel’s former friend, and he hasn’t changed one bit.

  “Long time no see.” Rocky grinds his teeth at the boy trying to act tough. “You betray any of your other friends recently? Oh wait…”

  Wes rolls his eyes. “You had it coming.”

  “Fuck off. We did everything we could to help you.”

  The short boy bangs his spear on the ground. “I was nothing but a joke to you.”

  “To me, yes. But Hazel respected you. Until you went to the dark side.”

  Wes glares at him. “Hazel was weak. She knows Ray is supposed to be in power, that’s why she ran away. She’s a coward.”

  Rocky chuckles. “You and I both know that’s not true. You wouldn’t be here without her after all.”

  Wes says nothing and continues to stand guard and stare at the wall in front of him. Rocky rolls his eyes. He’s the weak one, not Hazel.

  “Don’t wind up the guy with a spear!” Eryk hisses under his breath.

  “What’s he gonna do? Pick his teeth?” Rocky raises his voice so Wes can hear, but he doesn’t react.

  “He’s right you know,” Violet says. “He is one of us.”

  “He also left us to face Ray’s wrath,” Rocky argues. “He ain’t spared. None of us are. If the Wyrms want to eat all of us, they will.”

  This gets a reaction out of Wes. “Ray has promised that the Wyrms can’t touch me.”

  “And you believe him?”

  “Why wouldn’t I?”

  He shrugs. “Just asking. I bet when the time comes, you’ll be screaming for mercy just like us.”

  Wes grits his teeth and returns to staring at
the wall. Mason gives him a look of pure disgust.

  “That’s very graphic. And dark,” Mason shudders.

  “But true.”

  “I bloody hope not. I’ve had enough of this shit.”

  “I think we all have.”

  His friend sighs. “I wish my parents hadn’t had me injected with the serum. Life would be easier.”

  Rocky nods with him. “Yeah. I don’t know what they were thinking.”

  “Money, probably,” Eryk sighs, leaning his head against the wall. “Isn’t that what it’s always about?”

  The group don’t have long to ponder this, however, as Ray exits the room, fixing his gaze on Wes. “You, me and Sadie are needed in the city.”

  “How come?” Wes asks.

  “When we find Hazel and the others, I want you both there by my side.”

  The brown-haired boy nods, his eyes glinting with pride. “Yes, sir. What about the prisoners?”

  “We have names,” Rocky reminds him with an eye roll.

  “They can do whatever, just as long as the Wyrms have an eye on them.”

  Wes blinks rapidly. “But they tried to escape; surely they need to be punished?”

  Rocky doesn’t like the look of glee in Wes’ eyes at the mention of a punishment. He seems to be enjoying the situation too much.

  Ray’s previous frosty demeanour seems to vanish as he calmly says: “They have been punished enough. The Wyrms tell me their days are numbered. I’m not cruel; I want to give them some freedoms.”

  All mouths drop to the floor as Ray swiftly marches down the hallway to talk to the pack of Wyrms at the end.

  “Is he sick?” Rocky asks, nodding in Ray’s direction.

  “Must be all the stuff the Wyrms are doing to him. It’s making him lose his mind,” Mason says.

  “Shut up!” Wes bangs his spear on the wall repeatedly. “Ray is in good health. The Wyrm venom has made him stronger.”

  “The words ‘venom’ and ‘strong’ don’t really go together,” Eryk points out with a huff.

  The brown-haired boy rolls his eyes. “You don’t know anything. Ray has volunteered to be injected with dark venom instead of earth to make him stronger.”

  “I have no idea what you just said.”

  Violet interjects with a whimper. “Fae says it’s not venom; it’s dragon blood.”

  “Like some sort of weird blood transfusion?” Eryk asks.

  “No; they drain the dragons and then use their blood to create it. That’s what Fae says.”

  “Fae also said we could get out,” Eryk reminds her gently.

  The ginger girl shakes her head. “She didn’t realise Ray was nearby.”

  Rocky rolls his eyes. “Fae is a liar. Stop speaking to her.”

  “So, you believe she exists now, huh?” Mason raises his eyebrows expectantly.

  “Don’t start this shit, Mase.”

  Rocky turns around to ask Wes more questions, but he’s already down the hallway with Ray and the Wyrms. He shakes his bonds to remind them to free him, but they take no notice.

  “What now?” Eryk looks at everyone in the group, but they don’t return his gaze.

  “I’m finding Sadie,” Mason announces, silencing Rocky with a glare. “I want to say goodbye.”

  “Then I’m seeing Ciara,” Rocky sizes his friend up. “I’m gonna step up.”

  “Like hell you will,” his friend snorts.

  “I am. Delilah needs a father and I’m stuck here. I may as well make myself useful and spend time with her while I can.”

  Violet’s cheeks go red and tears form in her eyes. “I don’t want to die.”

  “No-one is dying, this isn’t over!” Eryk smacks his handcuffs against the wall to get everyone’s attention. “Will you all stop giving up? This isn’t over; they haven’t won yet.”

  “Then why don’t you come up with some ideas then?” Rocky replies impatiently. “We’ve all tried; nothing has worked.”

  “We will make it out of this,” Eryk insists, ignoring him. “No matter what it takes. Don’t give up yet.”

  25

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  “Hazel, can you come help me a sec?” Jazz calls from behind the counter as I wipe down one of the dirty tables.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” I puff, leaning over the table to get the corner furthest from me.

  “Can you help me count the cash? I need to store it in the back. I don’t want someone raiding it for sweets money again.”

  I drop the dirty rag on the table. “Maths isn’t my strong suit.”

  She plucks a calculator off the counter. “Mine neither. I cheat.”

  I take the calculator from her and start counting the notes on the side as she counts the coins. For a few seconds the two of us continue in silence until she cheerfully speaks up.

  “You’re the talk of the town around here,” she says with a chuckle. “Like a mini celebrity.”

  “I haven’t really done anything, though,” I mutter as I type my total into the calculator and start on the next pile.

  “You’ve brought back a rare species. Plus, you’ve inspired Isaac to rehouse the Aislados.” She drops the coins into the till. “And believe me, he’s a hard man to inspire.”

  I blush. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “Do you think bringing the Wyverns here has helped them?”

  I shrug. “I hope so.”

  “But what if someone finds them?”

  I stop counting to look up at her, made uncomfortable by her questions. “Who? It’s just Aislados here.”

  She doesn’t look at me. “It just takes one person to talk. And there are a lot of people here.”

  Why is she asking me this? Does she care about the Wyverns that much?

  I continue, avoiding her gaze burning into my skin. “I would hope that no-one would want to expose them. They haven’t done anything wrong.”

  She tilts her head to one side. “Except kill a few people.”

  This statement makes me pause. “They haven’t killed anyone.”

  “What about those farmers?”

  I narrow my eyes. “That was the Anthropomorphic.”

  A small smile plays on her bright red lips. “Funny.”

  “What is?” I snap.

  “A murderer is defending murderers. It’s pretty ironic, really.”

  I stumble backwards in shock. How could she possibly know that?

  “I…”

  She places a finger against her lips. “There’s no need to speak. I know what you’ve done.”

  Words finally come out of my mouth. “How?”

  “Like I said,” she grabs the cash and shoves it into her pocket. “People talk. I’ve just happened to talk to someone very interested in you.”

  My blood runs cold. Ray.

  “You’ve told him where we are.”

  “Of course. He’s on his way now – or should be. Once he’s done punishing your brother and his friends for trying to escape.”

  This is all going wrong. The Wyverns can’t escape if they’re constantly being hunted.

  “Why?” I finally ask.

  “I’m protecting the Aislados,” she grins. “And you are not one of us.”

  Isaac bursts through the doors from the kitchen, clutching a tray of pork belly in his hands. “Voila!” he says, placing it on the counter between us. “I’ve made enough for everyone, I hope.” He looks between us, confusion growing on his face. “Something wrong?”

  “Soon there won’t be,” Jazz smiles confidently.

  “She’s told Ray where we are,” I answer in a monotone. “He’ll be here soon.”

  I’m surprised to see shock on his face. I thought he was in on it.

  “Jazz, how could you?” he says with disgust.

  “You asked me to protect the Aislados and that’s exactly what I’m doing. They threaten everything that we have built here, and you know it. It’s best if they go.”

  “You’re sending them to their deat
hs!” he argues.

  “Not our problem. Our problem is the Aislados.”

  A bang on the door makes Isaac and me jump while Jazz backs away slowly. “I guess he sent some Wyrms ahead. He must be desperate for you.”

  Another bang makes me instinctively put my hands up, but my palms are dry. But that Wyrm outside isn’t close enough to stop my powers. Jazz laughs as I scan the room, looking for the creature hiding in the shadows. I finally spot it as it crawls out from underneath a table, clenching and unclenching its jaws. Isaac pulls me back by the hood of my jacket

  “The other two are upstairs,” Jazz says, pointing towards the double doors. “Just don’t hurt anyone else.”

  “Silence. We will go through all that is necessary.”

  Her face falls. “We had a deal.”

  My heart sinks as I look at her. She thought the Wyrms would obey her demands. I know they have no reason to.

  “That deal is void. We will kill everyone here. You’re all traitors in the eyes of the WADT.”

  “No, we were forced to house the Wyverns! We didn’t want to!” she begs, stepping in front of the Wyrm.

  It lunges for her throat, slicing it open with a quick snap of its powerful jaws. She falls to the floor like a ragdoll, crimson blood spurting in all directions like a fountain.

  “Jazz!” Isaac cries out, trying to kneel next to her body until I yank him back.

  “I’m sorry, Isaac,” I mutter as the glass shatters in the window. “We have to go. Now. We can mourn her later.”

  The blond man looks shell-shocked, but follows me as we head back towards the kitchen. The Wyrm advances on us, slithering across the floor as quickly as a dart. We slam the doors and block them shut with our bodies, much to the confusion of the kitchen staff.

  “Haze?” Marco asks, ignoring the meat he was cooking in a pan.

  “Wyrms,” I mutter through gritted teeth as the grey beast hurls itself against the door.

  Isaac and I manage to shut the doors fully again, bracing ourselves for the next attack. Marco throws his apron on the floor and blocks the space next to me. The rest of the kitchen staff look at each other, fear in their eyes.