She fired and hit the head of the beast with a wide golden laser. The kickback sent her off balance.
The cimafa let out a spine-chilling scream. Smoke covered most of the beast, blocking Lyra’s view.
He still held Hallen suspended in air below him.
For a long second, all of the dragons hovered as though frozen by the surprise of the attack.
Suddenly the cimafa released the massive blue. Hallen’s neck hung limp, and his body dropped in freefall down the cliff, wings flopping without control.
A pair of sentries aimed their flight after him, and Lyra rushed toward the edge of the ledge, powering her staff as she ran. The remaining three blues circled close above her.
Smoke lifted, revealing the side of the cimafa’s face burned to the bone. He faced Lyra, staring at her with eyes black and bottomless, then retreated with the others.
Lyra kneeled at the edge, a levitating incantation on her tongue. The power slipped from her staff, uncontrolled, and she bit back the words of the failed spell. Her free hand clawed the rock, and her pulse raced.
Below, the gleaming golden wings of both Gea and the Imperial Dragon joined with those of the blue sentries.
A blue laser sparked, and Lyra’s heart caught in her throat. Cullen’s aura shot that color of Alliance blue, but she couldn’t see him for the swarm of dragons. She leaned to one side, straining to find him.
Hallen’s limp body dropped into a net of dragon wings.
Together, the group lifted the body of the elder sentry. Yasqu, the hatchling she’d raised, flew with them.
Cullen became visible riding on Yord’s wide blue back. Lyra’s heart soared to see her love alive and safe.
She let out a sigh of relief that her friends were unharmed but kept her gaze riveted on Hallen, looking for signs of movement.
Rising above the ledge, they carefully laid him on the landing.
Cullen whipped his cloak behind his shoulders and slid down Yord’s leg. He dashed to the injured guard and quickly traced his hands along the head and heart of the dragon. “He’s alive!” Without looking up, he called, “Lyra, come help me heal his wounds.”
Hallen sputtered a small plume of smoke through a cough and raised his neck slightly.
A chorus of roars from the dragons reverberated along the stone of the mountainside. An incoming squadron of blues on the Steppe of Ora returned the echoed cheers.
The elder rolled his eyes to Lyra. “Thank you, my Scribe. You saved me. I felt my aura leave my body and then return…return by your hand.” He dropped his head back.
The Imperial Dragon leaned close to his guard, his golden wingsails running the length of his flank still undulating. “You are very lucky that Scribe Lyra was there to save you. I saw the flash of her golden laser hit that cimafa.”
Cullen glanced at Lyra, his blue eyes gray with concern, while he continued tracing the dragon’s torso. “I wondered if that was your gold aura. That was a single shot. How were you able to fight off a cimafa alone. No one—”
Before Lyra could reply, Hallen interrupted. “I tried to protect her…” He strained to raise his head a few inches.
“You did. Rest now,” Lyra said, stroking his neck and scales to feel for any damage. As her hands moved methodically, she looked along the horizon.
The three cimafa flew over the miles-wide Steppe toward the Dark Realm’s Silva Nocens forest. She gave a satisfied sigh.
A sudden arrhythmia in Hallen’s heartbeat arrested her attention. Lyra retraced the area over and over without success. Perspiration beaded along her hairline and weakness claimed her muscles. “I can’t heal this. Will you try?” she asked Cullen.
Cullen placed his hands over the area and repaired the injury in seconds.
The serious damage fixed, Hallen inhaled deeply and rose to a kneeling position.
“Is something the matter?” Cullen tilted his head at Lyra.
“I don’t know. I couldn’t control my power to help levitate Hallen. Striking that cimafa drained my power, and I’m exhausted.”
The Imperial Dragon studied her, his whiskers twitching. “Why did you attempt such a brave attack?”
“After spending time with some of the ancient texts, unlocking their magic, I took a break. I called on a fire star to strengthen me to work harder on my studies. As a result, it sent me distinct energies from the first two Scribes—a huge boost. After another sentry was killed, this squadron and I planned an attack. I wanted to try to fight a cimafa.” She noticed the leader’s pupils rim with yellow, and she quickly explained, “We had no other way.”
“Your aura will now need to be replenished.” His long tail thumped the ground as he looked at Cullen. “Help her use either that fire star, or the magnetics chamber at the ley line, or both—whatever it takes to restore her. It is imperative that she decipher the magic code in those recently recovered old volumes as quickly as possible. No one else can perform her task. We remain at risk from attack by the Black Dragon until those powers are made available to the Alliance.”
Cullen nodded and offered Lyra a hand to help her stand.
“Looks like you and I will now vie to be Scribe Lyra’s personal sentry,” Yord said as he and the other guards escorted Hallen inside the lair. “She saved my life too.”
“You’re our strongest blue and share a special bond with her.” Hallen nodded, stepping stiff-legged into the foyer. “But she is worthy of two pairs of protective dragon wings.”
The high walls of the entry resounded with cheers of agreement from the squadron members. However, Lyra noticed the Head Guardian remained quiet, walking at the back of the group. He kept a close eye on her as Cullen supported her at the waist. When they reached the connecting corridor that led to the magnetics chamber, the leader paused. “I’ll have your dinners sent and will check on you at dawn.”
Lyra straightened and nodded, trying to hide the shaking she felt inside.
As she and Cullen passed the guard posts along the hall, she clenched her muscles to walk taller.
After the final station, they were alone. Few traveled to this depth in the lair. The masonry walls became rough-hewn granite, and the wrought iron sconces were replaced by simple, widely set torches. Lyra allowed herself to lean under Cullen’s shoulder.
He tightened his grip on her waist and spoke to her through their mental connection. We’re almost there. Hang on. Our paired jadestones let me feel how weak your aura really is—much more than you showed the others.
Past the next curve, they reached the massive oak door. He lifted the latch and helped her inside. I’ve never felt you so weak, not even when you were a young girl. I’m worried.
Lyra pointed to a wooden bench along the one wall that pulsed from floor to ceiling with soft blue light, illuminating the dimly lit room. “There. I’ll be okay in a few minutes,” she said, trying to sound convincing, even though she knew he read her fear that she may have lost most of her scribal magic. She dropped onto the seat and rested against the wall, where one of the ley lines of Dragonspeir coursed through the lair. The magnetism channeled through her body like a cool, soothing liquid tracing her nerves. She scooted back and tipped her chin down, so the entire length of her spine contacted the wall. The calm flowed into her brain. She closed her eyes, pushing all thoughts and concerns aside to allow it to penetrate deeper. The trembling tension in her muscles relaxed, and Cullen’s hands held her as she gave way to the electrical vibrations.
***
The next morning, Lyra stared down at the open volume of the third Book of Dragonspeir on the library table, but the words on the page swam before her eyes. She could only pick out the magic encoded by Scribe Sorcha one word at a time, a tedious process that left Lyra guessing at the meaning of the passage.
She couldn’t bear to meet the concerned faces of Cullen, the Imperial Dragon, and the Tortoise Guardian. She pushed back and stood, kicking the floor cushion away. Her physical strength had returned, but that wasn’t enough. Her
fingers gave a slight test twirl of her wizard’s staff. The quartz and golden sapphire gems at its apex cast sparks. She clenched the shaft, her knuckles white. This can’t be! I feel fine. My aura empowers my staff, but I can’t decipher the scribal magic like before. If I can’t unlock the magic in these texts…
Chapter Two: Maxime Eviligo
Lyra raced out of the library, her hand still clutching the shaft of her wizard’s staff, feeling if she let go, what was left of her scribal magic would spill out. She tore past the blue dragon guard at the entrance to the Imperial Dragon’s study, calling over her shoulder, “I need to use the observatory.”
She scanned the sky for the fire star where she found it yesterday, but now the hues of the stars appeared faded. She squinted to see faint pastel glows of the brightest. Against the morning sunlight, she couldn’t pick out anything except clouds, as if she was a mere mortal again. Questioning her powers, her hands shook.
Footsteps thumped against the carpeted floor in the main room of the study.
Lyra’s breath caught. Too many depended on her for their safety; she couldn’t give them reason to worry. She threw open a window and leaned far over its sill, hoping, no praying, if she couldn’t find the fire star, it would locate her.
“Lyra! You might fall.” Cullen ran toward her.
She couldn’t let him touch her. He’d feel what had happened to her aura. She wanted to move away from him. Connecting with Regulus was more important than sparing him her worries...or saving her pride. Fighting that cimafa alone hadn’t been her wisest choice.
A whoosh of fiery power swept over her skin. She started, then recognized the fire star’s power, which quickly absorbed into her body.
Seconds later, Cullen’s arms touched her waist. He jerked back. “What’s happening? Power is flooding through you. I took a jolt. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine now.” Lyra smiled and tilted her face toward the sky, accepting the radiant energy of Regulus, now pulsing red in front of her.
“Remarkable!” the Imperial Dragon said from behind them.
“Lyra, you’re glowing gold from head to toe. Sire Drake, is she unharmed?” the Tortoise asked.
“By the happy look on her face and the joy I read, I’m certain she’s fine.” Cullen touched her with one hand at a time while the other rested. “But the sensory abilities in my hands are pulsing erratically, stunned from contact with her rapid empowerment.”
“Allow me.” The leader moved closer and wrapped his tail around Lyra’s lower body. His tail thrashed backward. “Incredible! That electricity is overwhelming.” He replaced his tail and braced it with a forelimb. “Sire Drake, is this harmful to her body?”
Cullen dropped his hand away but hovered next to her. “I don’t know. Lyra, how do you know when to stop?”
“Last time, my legs got weak. I’m beginning to feel that now.”
“Try to stop soon so I can check your health.”
“This additional scribal power is certainly what enabled you to stun that cimafa.” The Imperial Dragon braced harder against Lyra’s back as she began to lower her gaze.
Preparing for the disoriented sensation after disconnecting from the star, she held tight to the window casing and cautiously lifted her torso upright.
The leader held her secure while Cullen traced healing hands over her entire body. “All organs are operating but at an extremely rapid pace. Your body released a large amount of adrenaline with that influx of scribal energy.”
“I feel fine, just a little jittery, like I’ve had too much coffee,” she assured with as calm a voice as possible while wiggling to get free of his inspection. “I need to go back to the library and work on those ancient texts now.”
The wide shell of the Tortoise blocked her path. “I brought one of our copies of Brigid’s along for you to use as a test.” He waved his head, setting a leather-bound book sailing through the air from the outer study. It landed in the observatory on the carved wooden edge of the table holding the Spheres of Sidus.
Lyra stared at him and wondered how he knew she experienced new difficulties while decoding the texts. She opened the book to a random page. The sentences danced with extra meanings and vivid descriptions once again. A wide smile spread across her face, and the others cheered. She looked up at the Tortoise. “Time for you and me to get back to work.”
He nodded and lumbered through the doorway, pausing to crane his long neck backward. “Sire Drake, please accompany us to monitor Scribe Lyra’s health.”
“Lyra, you must use more caution now that you have opened direct connections to the magic of the oldest scribes through their books.” The Imperial Dragon spoke in a stern voice, following them. “Energy highs and lows of those extremes may take a toll on your human systems. Remember, you aren’t fully afflated.”
“Maybe she should now qualify for full afflation so she can better withstand the shifts,” the Tortoise added.
Lyra’s heart soared, she caught Cullen’s hand and conveyed a thought. Then we can be married.
He squeezed her hand. I do hope—
“I have no control over that.” The leader expelled a puff of smoke. “I can only make an appeal to the strongest four element stars present in our current sky, which I will certainly do. Together, they match the magical and personal growth of the individual against those who have lived in our lands for thousands of years. The energy collective of fire, water, earth, and air stars grants promotions in afflation accordingly.”
The stern-faced blue dragon, who always stood watch outside of the Imperial study, cracked one of the ornate double doors. “Head Guardian, please excuse my interruption. Warlord Oasth requests permission to enter.”
“Of course. Please send him in.”
As soon as the sentry left, a smaller firedrake stepped just inside the doors, smoke seeping from his nostrils, his pupils rimmed with a yellow outline. “Another attack. One of the guards, Tedor, is seriously wounded—still alive—after an attack by a foursome of stealth cimafa.”
“Where is Tedor? Is he out of danger?” the leader shot a reply, his own eyes glazing over with yellow. The strap-like muscles in his thighs bunched and twitched.
“He’s here, but the rest of his squadron followed the attackers to the Meadow of Peace. The other squadron commanders are outside the door, waiting for your guidance.”
“Let me ride Yord and fight!” Lyra pulled a massive amount of scribal aura to her surface, preparing for battle. Her skin prickled with the intensity.
The Imperial Dragon shook his head and paced the length of his long study, retracing the path worn in his plush woolen carpets. Head down, he appeared lost in thought. Finally, he stopped and spoke with resolve. “Oasth, give me a moment before I direct the squadron leaders.”
The leader removed an apparatus from one of the many glass cases along one wall. The body of the device was three feet tall and wide, crafted of iron. It resembled a scale with four weighing pans. He placed its base on a pedestal table and motioned them to join him. “This is the Elementum Arcesso, the oldest of all my instruments. It’s intended to allow me to consult the four elements more quickly than using my customary astral method. This was once a powerful device, but we’re lacking the keystones—minerals, which are to be positioned in the four pans, lost from the Alliance centuries ago. With your help, I’ll attempt to use it for a lesser purpose, to more quickly read the ley lines for activities of the Black Dragon. I need an answer now, not after hours of sky studies.”
“I’ve never used this before.” The Tortoise grunted and lifted his stumpy front feet high onto the edge of the table. “How can this be of help?”
“Each of us represents one of the four elements. Sire Drake and Scribe Lyra will stand in for the Unicorn and Phoenix Guardians. I’m taking a chance since we need to save time—Lyra’s new powers might enable it. Let’s hope.” He touched a claw to one pan. “Sire Drake, contact the pan next to me, and Guardian Tortoise, opposite from him.”
After they did as directed, he continued. “Lyra, place your hand onto the pan opposite mine.”
She touched the cool iron. She braced her knees for a burst of power, but nothing felt unusual. For the next minute, the four remained motionless, watching the silent device.
The Imperial Dragon tensed his forearm. “I don’t think—” His arm flinched.
The central column of the scale glowed with a faint red light. It quickly progressed to a brilliant red-orange hue, radiating lines of heat that cut the air. The long whiskers on either side of the Head Guardian’s jaw vibrated with their motion, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile. The joy lasted only a second. His face fell, and he removed his claw from the device. “Adalyra, I cannot allow you to fight. The Elementum Arcesso evaluated the dark energies in the air. After reading the device, I learned that these constant attacks are purposely intended to appeal to your good nature. They’re chiefly to tax your newly acquired scribal powers. The goal—undermining your transference of the magic contained in the set of the Books of Dragonspeir to the Alliance.” He cracked the door and spoke to his sentry. “Send the squadron leaders in now.”
Lyra eyes darted around the room. “What can we do to protect the residents of the Alliance?”
Cullen twisted his staff, while the Tortoise fixed his eyes on something outside of the window, and Oasth thumped the floor with his stumpy tail.
Seven blues quietly entered and filled the room. Their faces were drawn, and their sunken eyes showed the same yellow haze as the Imperial Dragon’s.
Lyra moved out of the way, into the doorway of the observatory, but this position separated her from Cullen, who stood in front of a display case. She wanted to be able to touch, to keep their mental communication open.
“Close the camp borders of the Qumeli tribe. They are too much of a risk now.” The Imperial Dragon looked at Oasth. “Post a schedule with larger groups flying for extended hours, rotating in the rested squadrons with priority to the Meadow of Peace and then the Imperial Lair.”
Enchanted Bookstore Legends (5-book complete epic fantasy romance box set) Page 86