Dragon Mark

by Kit Bladegrave

  I glared at her fiercely, Everest’s last words lingering in my mind.

  “It seems you have a lot to tell us,” I said stiffly.

  “That we do. Once we have secured the camp, we will tell you all we know.”

  “Where is my daughter?” Aiden asked quietly.

  Everest, or the witches who controlled her, smiled at him softly. “She is safe with us, Aiden. Do not fear.”

  He didn’t nod, and I sensed his anger competing with mine over what was going on.

  “I saw her,” I assured him. “She’s safe for the moment, but the longer this war lasts, the worse it’ll be for her I think. We need to end it, soon.”

  “Then let’s end it,” Aiden growled. “I’ll see to the cleanup here. You figure out what these… witches have to tell us.”

  I wasted no time in having Selma reopen a portal to town, so we could send the injured back to be treated, along with our dead. The Black Diamond prisoners were sent back as well, to be thrown in the cells alongside Nikolai while their dead were stacked and prepared to be burned.

  Everest… she helped, carefully moving our dead and whispering words of blessing over each one of them before they were sent back through. The more I watched her work, the more I let go of my anger and saw the sadness that wasn’t just from this fight, but stretched across hundreds of years of strife.

  “Why do you feel so guilty?” I asked her at one point, standing beside her as we watched the last of our dead carried away.

  “Because we should have seen the truth, but the Priests, they were clever. And war changed us,” she replied. “It changed everything about our purpose and who we were meant to be.”

  “And that is?”

  “We were made to be the allies and protectors of all life, all the dragon clans. Instead, we forsook the Shadowguards in their time of need and let our minds be manipulated by outside forces.”

  “But aren’t you just witches?”

  “Yes and no,” she told me as she slowly took in what remained of the camp. “We were the first six witches to ever exist in this world, and as such, our purpose was for more than just casting spells. In that, we failed, and now we have come back to set things right, before it’s too late.”

  “Everest said there was a secret about my clan?”

  She nodded. “We will wait to tell you until all your leaders and the Council are gathered. It’s not a story we enjoy sharing more than once.”

  The Council members were close by at least. Selma was at the portals, Mr. Winchester was talking with Jared as they piled debris out of the way, and Robert and Morana were glaring at the prisoners yet to be transported. Quinto had been wounded and taken back to the town to be patched up, but Charlette and Orella were still here, warily eyeing Everest, who was beside me.

  Everest’s hand fell on my shoulder, and I flinched before relaxing under a familiar and foreign touch at the same time. “You must have hope, Slade. If you are ever to win this war, hold onto hope.”

  “I’ve been trying. Hasn’t gotten me very far yet,” I muttered.

  “It will.”

  She smiled then walked away.

  Just when I thought this war couldn’t get any stranger or more complicated, Everest had to go and let herself become a damned vessel for six witches.

  I prayed for strength, or sanity, whichever one would get through tonight and the next day and the next.

  As I walked through the camp, grabbing those I needed so we could figure out what Everest knew, I came close to Fredwin’s dead body.

  He was dead, but I felt nothing but dread at how his death came about.

  These witches, they were willing to kill.

  What would that do to Everest if she made it back?

  “You can call me Nora,” the voices told us once we were all gathered in what had previously been Nikolai’s commander tent at the camp. “I feel it will make this easier on all of us.”

  “Easier, but not any less unnerving,” Charlette mused.

  I agreed with her wholeheartedly.

  “You said you had something to tell us, so tell,” I said shortly. “What do you know that we don’t?”

  She settled her gaze on every single face in the room before she wound up back on mine. “The Shadowguards did not willingly join the war.”

  “How do you know?” Orella asked curiously.

  “We have seen it, we have seen what really happened, but were too blind to notice. Radnak’s father, Dearborn, was the first to enlist the aid of the Blood Moon Priests. They, in turn, helped him steal and absorb the soul of the Shadowguard clan leader, turning them against their allies.”

  He stole her soul? “You’re saying when the Shadowguards allied themselves with the Black Diamonds, it wasn’t by choice?” I asked uncertainly.

  “That is exactly what happened. Dearborn and the Priests learned a clan leader’s soul holds immense sway over their clan. If it’s taken, then whoever has the soul takes that power and can manipulate the dragons of said clan without them even knowing what has happened.” She waited for a beat before continuing. “When Dearborn died, he lost control, and that is when Radnak used his own methods for control until he was able to bring back the Priests killed off during the war.”

  “And he’s after our souls,” Charlette whispered, furious. “To take control of our clans.”

  “Why, though? He has a large enough army to take us on, and if he controls us all, there’s no need for more soldiers,” Quinto said, confused, holding his injured right arm. “Why take them?”

  I sat up as I stared into Nora’s face and saw the truth. “He wants to control the clans, so he can kill the witches and warlocks,” I uttered, “and then take cover the human world. He wants control of everything this time.”

  Nora bowed her head. “That is the truth of it, yes.”

  I sagged in my chair. Part of me was celebrating to hear that the Shadowguards hadn’t wanted to start the first war and were forced into it. But now that I knew it, we were faced with the terrifying notion of Radnak being able to take over our friends and families. Our armies. He could wipe out any threat to him with a snap of his fingers. Just when I thought my clan was close to being free, I learned they could wind up being slaves to that asshole forever.

  “What do we do to stop him?” Quinto asked, looking around the table. “Ideas, anyone?”

  “We stick to the original plan,” I said. “We liberate the other dimensions Radnak controls. Build up our army.”

  “Why not just attack the Fell Gates now?” Quinto argued.

  “Those gates are nearly impossible to breach,” I said, shaking my head. “We need more men.”

  “Then we get patched up and geared up, and we don’t give Radnak time to prepare for our next move,” Orella said in agreement. “What other choice do we have?”

  Nora said nothing against our plan, so I told everyone to get some sleep and walked out of the tent. Being around her was too hard, knowing Everest was in there somewhere, able to see me on the verge of falling apart.

  I stared up at the night sky, remembering the night we were out on the roof. I felt her holding me close as our lips found one another’s.

  All I wanted was to have her back.

  And damned if I wouldn’t do just that when this was all over.

  If I managed to survive.

  Thirteen

  Everest

  “You could talk to them you know,” I told Nora inside my head, as I sat by the fire. “They might stop staring at you like you have two heads.”

  “I have nothing to say to them at the moment,” Nora replied, talking aloud, so anyone who walked by gave her an odd look.

  I grinned, watching it all happen on the boulder TV as I called it now.

  Nora added, “Besides, I don’t care what they think.”

  “Now that makes you sound heartless.”

  “Then so be it. We came back to end this war, not to be liked by every person we meet.”

  “Wouldn�
��t hurt for them to know you cared about their lives though,” I reminded her lightly.

  Nora sighed heavily. “We do care, Everest, you of all people should be able to feel that.”

  “I do, but then again you are currently inside my head and possessing my body,” I reminded her. “Just, you know, be a little more human.”

  I sensed her aggravation, but I was right. It had been a whole day since she killed Fredwin.

  Slade hadn’t spoken to her since, and most everyone else avoided her, too, as if scared to approach her in case she decided to attack them, or slit their throats.

  I know I’d told her to kill Fredwin, but I hadn’t expected her to do it quite like that. I was thinking something less bloody. He was dead, though, so I did my best to move on from the moment.

  I was more worried about Slade. I wanted to see him, but every time I asked Nora to track him down, she refused, saying it would only make me pine for him more.

  I’d argued I wasn’t pining. I was honestly more worried about him emotionally taking this hit. I’d lied to him, and then I’d gone and almost died, again. He was pissed, and I wasn’t there to set things right. Nora told me time, and again she wasn’t about to be my go-between.

  “Why don’t you sleep?” I asked her, watching as everyone else started to tuck in for the night.

  “I don’t need sleep.”

  “Won’t my body suffer?”

  “No, it will not. Our power is enough to sustain us right now.”

  “Then I suggest you stand somewhere different than you did last night, so you stop freaking everyone out,” I suggested. “You’re acting like a creeper in the corner.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Where do you suggest I go then?”

  I grinned. “There’s a balcony that overlooks the main living quarters. You can keep watch up there, and no one can really see you. Does that work at least?”

  Last night when I learned she wasn’t going to sleep, but would rather watch over the base to ensure its safety, she’d stayed there by the cots, and I sensed everyone’s unease throughout the night.

  If she was up and out of the way at least, the people here could get some much-needed sleep.

  Slowly, she climbed the stairs, following the directions I gave her to the balcony, but when she turned the corner, she paused, and I was back on my feet.

  “Slade, I’m sorry if I disturbed you,” Nora stated.

  He turned to face her, those blue eyes narrowing in frustration. “It’s fine.”

  “I’ll go and leave you to your thoughts,” she said, and I could’ve kicked her for not trying to talk to him.

  “Nora, wait, please.”

  She stopped, and I held my breath. “Did you need something from me?” she asked, turning back around.

  “He probably just wants to talk to you… or well, try to talk to me,” I told her.

  “I told you, I am not doing this,” she said aloud.

  Slade frowned. “Is Everest talking to you?”

  “Yes,” I said the same time Nora answered, “No.”

  Slade smiled, and I relaxed to see a bit of his usual self back. “Nice to know she’s giving you a hard time, too, instead of just me.”

  “She is doing just that.”

  “What does she say?”

  Nora leaned against the railing beside him, and I wished I could be there, in control of my body, able to tell him exactly what I wanted to.

  “She wishes she could speak to you directly and reassure you that this will end well.”

  “And that’s why you’re aggravated?” he asked confused.

  “No,” she sighed, “she also wishes for me to be more… human.”

  Slade laughed lightly. “Well, she’s not wrong. You’ve got everyone on edge since you… arrived. Walking around this place like you’re some all-powerful being doesn’t help. You say you’re here to help us, but then you don’t speak to anyone. You just stand there, watching.”

  “I’m keeping my senses open in case Radnak draws near.”

  “Or you’re scared to get close to these people in case you lose them,” I whispered, and she stiffened.

  “What did Everest say now?” Slade asked, observant as always.

  “Nothing, it’s nothing. I will try as you both suggest, but there are no guarantees. For hundreds of years, we’ve merely been spirits wandering the worlds, unable to move on, unable to interact with anyone,” she said, and I felt her sadness like it was my own. “It’s hard to be around living beings again. It’s hard to be around war again, too.”

  She picked at her nails, and for the first time since meeting the six, I sensed their unease and their guilt at the part they played in the original war.

  “Nora, you can’t blame yourself,” I told her softly.

  “You can talk to me, you know,” Slade told her at the same time. “I’ll admit, I have no idea what’s really going on with you or Everest, but I’m here all the same.”

  “You don’t trust me,” she replied.

  “No, no, I don’t. Can you blame me? You took over the body of someone I love, and there’s a chance she might not survive. So, I’m not sure what you expect me to do,” he stated bitterly.

  “I can’t blame you, but there is no other way. I need you to understand that.”

  “Easier said than done.”

  Nora pulled back from the railing even though I begged her to stay for a bit longer and keep talking to him. She refused, and after telling Slade good night, she wandered higher up the base until we stood out on the platform.

  “What was that all about?” I asked.

  “Nothing, Everest, get some rest.”

  “I don’t exactly feel tired in here,” I said, not about to give up just yet. “There’s a reason you don’t want to get close to everyone. What is it?”

  Nora said nothing, and I threw my hands up in the air, walking around my campfire as she stared out over the mountainside.

  Eventually, I plopped down, ready to pass another lonely and boring night here in my brain, but then she sighed.

  “I’ve been through this once before, Everest,” she whispered. “It nearly broke us the first time, and now to be back here, to watch so much suffering happening… it’s either I keep my distance, or I let myself be dragged down. I will lose focus, become too emotional. We failed, we know that now. We cannot fail again. So yes, I must remain emotionless and distant. It’s for the good of all here.”

  I rested my hand against the boulder, her grief weighing on me. “I understand, I do. You should tell Slade.”

  “No, I will not burden him more. He has enough on his shoulders.”

  “Right, tomorrow morning.”

  They already made plans to invade the first dimension controlled by Radnak in the morning, wanting to keep up the momentum the army had from taking over the encampment without too much loss of life.

  Slade had told the Council and clan leaders exactly what they were going to face and none of it was good. Slade wanted as few Shadowguard casualties as possible. They were fighting to keep their families alive. The mission was to get in and rescue those held captive before launching a full-scale attack, so we could assure the Shadowguards they were truly safe from Radnak. It wasn’t impossible, but it did complicate matters.

  “What do you think will happen once we’re there?” I asked Nora.

  “Death,” she replied roughly. “Death is what always happens in this situation.”

  “That’s not exactly comforting.”

  “I did not come back to be a comfort, my child.”

  “No, no I guess not.” I poked at the fire after I sat down again, watching it sputter and crackle before my eyes.

  As the minutes ticked by, I found myself thinking of Slade, wishing I could be there to comfort him tonight.

  Entering the dimensions again would not be easy for him. But if we could get more Shadowguards out, make a dent in Radnak’s forces, it would all be worth it.

  Smoke filled the air, blu
rring Nora’s vision and my view of the fight—well the end of the fight.

  She had gone in with the first team to rescue the Shadowguards being held hostage and had stayed with them once the real fight started, taking out the Black Diamond guards when they came to try and kill them off.

  A pile of the dead rested at her feet, and her hands still crackled with magic, waiting to cast another shield if necessary.

  All we needed was the signal, telling us it was all clear.

  The minutes dragged on, and I was digging a deep rut in the sand in front of the boulder.

  I needed to see Slade, so I could know he was alive and had survived another battle. I wasn’t even sure how bad it was anywhere else. Nora’s job had been to keep the Shadowguards safe, nothing more.

  A sharp yell made her turn right, and the dragons behind her cowered and gasped in fear.

  “You’re safe,” she whispered to them. “Keep your heads down, stay quiet.”

  “What is it?” Nora?” I asked, but she didn’t say anything except to start moving forward, waving the dragons to go with her. “What are you doing?”

  “Trust me,” she replied.

  I groaned in frustration.

  The more she walked, the more anxious I became, fearing she was leading them all into a trap, but then I heard Slade yelling, along with Jared, as more furious voices shouted back.

  When we were able to see through the haze, Slade and his fighters stood on one side of a dirt road, while Shadowguards, those forced to fight over the years for the Black Diamonds, stood on the other, clearly not trusting Slade’s word.

  “We can’t leave. They have our families,” one man shouted, refusing to drop his sword.

  “And I’m telling you, they’re safe,” Slade yelled, clearly losing patience. His lip was split, and his shirt covered in blood, but otherwise, he appeared to be fine. “I won’t let Radnak harm your families, not anymore. You have my word.”

  “Yeah? And what good is that to us, huh? Where have you been all these years?” another snapped. “Off fighting with the other clans who want us dead.”

  “They were told the war was over and have admitted they were wrong. They’re here to help you now. And I’ve been fighting,” Slade explained, but another cut him off.