Noah sat back hard. His breath whooshed out. “I…uh…I…Jackson…”
Jackson held up a hand. “It’s all right. I know how you feel about her. I also know you respect her. And me. I’m hoping your feelings for her will give you the strength to keep those things out.”
Noah huffed and shook his head, staring hard at the floor.
“It’s not easy. Those things are vile, nasty, evil beings. They are intelligent. They drill through your head in search of information, violate your mind. They suck the breath from your lungs. Suffocate you.”
“How did you escape it?”
“Ranger knocked the wind out of me.”
“Hmm, too bad I missed that.”
Jackson laughed.
“So, let me get this straight. You’re asking me to join you on a suicide mission?”
He nodded. “More or less.”
Noah put on his cocky grin and shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
Chapter 13
Mia sat astride the small dragon, an old book propped open in front of her.
Ryleigh started to turn Kalayah away, but she wasn’t quite ready to leave Mia. “Do you know what to do?”
Mia ran a finger along a passage in the middle of the book and mumbled to herself. “I think so, but I can’t promise. And even if I get it right, there’s no guarantee I’m strong enough yet to keep control.”
“You can only do your best.”
She looked up, her finger still marking the spot she’d been reading. “What if my best isn’t enough?”
“Then we’ll find another way. There’s no guarantee any of us will be strong enough to win this, but we have to try.”
Mia nodded, closed the book, and wiped her palms on her jeans. “If Dakota manages to get the book from Thaddeus, I’m pretty sure I know what to do. But you guys have to keep him off me long enough for me to find the spell.”
“You just stay put right here. Dakota knows where to find you. He’ll get the book; then he’ll protect you while you find what you need.”
Dakota would protect Mia with his life, but that didn’t mean he could win. Ryleigh blew out a slow breath and wrestled for control of her emotions. She had to trust Mia. She was their best hope. Maybe their only hope.
Thaddeus’s army crested the peak of the nearest mountain, barreling toward the field. His dragons flew above his army. They stayed low, keeping pace with the savages and ice monsters, protecting them from Death Dealer attacks.
They couldn’t defeat such a huge army. All hope lay with Dakota and then Mia. If the Cymmeran army could hold the creatures off long enough for them to complete their mission.
Mia cleared her throat. “It’s time to go, Ryleigh.”
“I know.” She hopped down from Kalayah and ran toward Mia.
Mia met her halfway and threw her arms around her. “We got this.”
“Yeah we do. I love you, little sis.”
“Me too, big sis.”
Ryleigh held her another moment, then released her, tucked her hair behind her ear and turned away while she still could. She mounted Kalayah and took up her position on the front line at Jackson’s side.
Ophidian shifted beneath him and snorted.
Noah sat on his dragon on Jackson’s other side, in Dakota’s place.
Other Death Dealers fanned out behind them.
Tatiana held her position beside Ryleigh.
The Queen’s Army sat astride their dragons at Ryleigh’s back.
Soldiers from Argonas, who’d pledged loyalty to Cymmera, had joined the fight. With the support of Cymmera, they were finally ready to fight for their kingdom. They stood with the Cymmeran Guard. No small army, but nowhere near the numbers Thaddeus commanded.
The Cymmeran Army had one advantage. All of their soldiers could think for themselves. They all knew what they needed to of the plan, and each would do his part to enforce it. But in the end, it would still come down to Dakota and Mia destroying the demons Thaddeus had called from the Realm of the Dead.
“Behind you, Ryleigh.” Tatiana gestured toward the horizon.
In the distance, tiny specks filled the sky.
Ryleigh’s heart thundered in her ears, drowning out the sound of Thaddeus’s army. How could they possibly fight an attack from both sides?
As the specks came closer, they took on shape. Delicate dragons, sea green. With wings of gold and pink spread wide, they soared toward the Cymmeran Army.
They landed facing Ryleigh and Jackson.
Two dragons eased forward and bowed low.
Queen Allura sat in a saddle astride the first dragon, her head held high. Her thin white and gold armor appeared too fragile to stop an arrow. But Ryleigh had already learned, with the faeries, everything wasn’t always as it seemed.
Payton stared directly at Ryleigh from astride the second dragon.
Allura bowed her head in greeting. “Your Majesties.”
“Queen Allura.” Ryleigh bowed. “This is my…uh, mate, King Maynard.” She had to stop stumbling over that danged word.
Allura bowed to Jackson. “I am forever in your debt, King Maynard.”
He nodded. “Queen Allura, I thank you for keeping our children safe.”
“Of course, my dear. It’s the least I can do.” Allura backed up a step, then spread her wings and lowered herself to the ground. She inclined her head toward Payton. “My daughter insisted we join you.”
Payton joined her, though she had to slide down the dragon’s side.
Ryleigh jumped from Kalayah. She met Jackson and walked with him to the faeries.
Payton stood tall, a stark contrast to the timid woman who had stayed in the Realm of the Fae. “Queen Ryleigh, King Maynard, I owe you a tremendous debt. I can never repay the kindness you showed me. Not only did Jackson rescue me, but you both took me into your home and treated me with the utmost kindness and respect. For that, I am forever grateful.”
Guilt niggled at Ryleigh. She hadn’t trusted Payton. Yet here she was, offering her gratitude.
“I know you didn’t completely trust me, Ryleigh. But as it turns out, you were right. My story didn’t make sense. I should have paid closer attention, should have questioned it myself.”
“Have you remembered anything?” What must it be like to have no clue who or what you are or where you came from? She ached for Payton.
“I remember some of my childhood.” She slid her hand into her mother’s. “I remember my mother reading to me, stories of our people.”
“Our healers expect her to have a full recovery.” Allura beamed.
“Except for my wings. Those can’t be fixed.” Pain and sadness filled her voice. “But I’ll be okay. Thanks to both of you.”
Allura glanced over her shoulder at the approaching army.
Payton waved. “Anyway, there’s not much time. We’ve come to offer our assistance.”
“You don’t have to do this, Payton.” Ryleigh turned to Allura. “You have no debt to us, Your Majesty. Nor do you, Payton.”
Payton smiled. “We put it to a vote. Everyone voted to fight Thaddeus.”
Allura stepped forward, her posture regal. “We are not great in numbers. We are not strong soldiers. But we are very talented with magic, and we do know how to fight. We can aid your sorcerer, can enhance her magic, and defeat the monsters Thaddeus has brought forth. And we will do our best to protect her.” She winked.
Ryleigh’s heart soared. Leaving Mia alone never sat right with her, but she’d understood they needed all of their soldiers to fight.
Allura bowed. “I offer you the assistance of the Realm of the Fae, Your Majesties. Will you accept our alliance?”
“Of course we will.” Ryleigh threw her arms around Allura, then Payton. Not very queenly, but then again, not much Ryleigh did was. “We are grateful for your support.”
“And we are honored to fight at your side.”
The women returned to their
dragons.
Allura whistled, and her army followed her and took up positions surrounding Mia. They slid out of sight behind a large rock formation. With any luck at all, Thaddeus would never know any of them were there.
The thought of those frail, peaceful beings waging a battle against Thaddeus’s hideous creatures almost brought her to tears. Mia’s involvement made her stomach heave. Ryleigh mounted Kalayah. Fear heightened her senses. Her mind magnified the rumble of the stampeding army. The stench of decay already permeated the air.
Kalayah tensed beneath her. She crouched, ready to defend her territory.
Ryleigh squeezed her knees tight, encouraging Kalayah to hold her position.
Death Dealers had combed every inch of land for the best possible advantage. They would remain there until the invading army reached them. The cliffs at their backs made an ambush unlikely and the plateau would give soldiers sure footing. The dragons knew the terrain well. They’d be a great asset.
Ryleigh lost sight of the forward line of creatures as they climbed the slope toward them. She shifted on Kalayah’s back, wiped sweat from her brow, and readied her bow.
Jackson lifted his arm.
She gripped the bow tighter.
Grunts and snorts accompanied the rumble as the army poured over the plateau edge.
Ryleigh held her breath. She stared hard at Jackson’s arm. The savages were almost on them. Why was he waiting so long to give the signal? She pulled her bowstring back, arrow lit and nocked. Not her first choice of weapon, but better than a sword in battle. At least she wouldn’t have to get too close.
A savage lurched toward her. So fast.
Her hands shook wildly.
Come on, Jackson.
The arrow almost slid out of place.
She gripped it tighter.
Jackson swung his arm down.
She let the arrow fly. Direct hit. The advancing savage tumbled back, taking two others with him.
Ophidian launched into the air, a stream of fire spraying the entire front line of Thaddeus’s army.
Ryleigh shot into the air on Kalayah.
Two-headed dragons surrounded her, savages straddling the beasts.
She let arrow after arrow fly. Sending as many as possible through the line of flame Kalayah spewed.
No matter how many she felled, more came.
An arrow plunged into her left shoulder through a narrow gap in her armor.
She yanked it out, began healing, and returned fire.
A savage dove toward her, flaming arrow nocked and aimed directly at her.
Kalayah twisted.
The arrow barely missed her head.
She couldn’t do this. There were too many.
She squirmed around, trying to catch sight of Mia. No use.
The cloud of dragons and flames impeded her vision.
A savage jumped from his dragon and landed on Kalayah’s back behind Ryleigh. He plunged his sword deep into the dragon’s back and used it to hold on.
Kalayah dove, contorting herself to try to dislodge him.
As Ryleigh swung around, she yanked her sword free and swung down hard onto his wrist.
Not enough leverage.
He swung his mace at her head.
She ducked, spun, and swiped her foot behind her, trying to take out his legs. Couldn’t get any momentum. She hit the release button on her harness. No way could she fight tethered to Kalayah.
Kalayah leveled out, then spun.
Ryleigh clutched the harness and took another wild swing, landing her sword in his side.
He tumbled and fell.
Kalayah righted herself.
Ryleigh yanked the savage’s sword free and sent it sailing after him. She’d strayed from the worst of the battle. She had to get her bearings. With Jackson’s warning about the harness screaming in her mind, she shrugged back into the harness and snapped it closed.
Still, she couldn’t see Mia. The plateau she should be on sat empty. Were the faeries hiding her, or had they been found? She steered Kalayah back into the fight. She had to trust Mia.
She had to check on her, needed to know she was all right.
Ophidian dove toward the ground, two of the savage’s dragons right on his tail, fire spraying from all four mouths.
One savage swung a mace with four spiked balls on its chains.
Ryleigh’s arrow took him beneath his raised arm and tumbled him from the dragon.
His dragon pulled away and turned on the dragon paralleling it. It snorted a ball of flame and toppled the savage from the other dragon’s back.
Ophidian swung around.
Jackson stared after the two dragons, removing themselves from the battle.
She hadn’t noticed before what happened to the dragons if the savages were dislodged from their backs. But what did it help? Maybe they were just returning for more riders, not fleeing.
An arrow struck her breastplate. She was beginning to tire. Losing focus. Her arm shook as she ripped another arrow free and nocked it.
An enemy dragon plowed into Kalayah’s side. Ryleigh lifted off her back. The harness tightened, keeping her astride.
The enemy dragon disappeared into the mess.
Another dragon plunged toward her, both heads shooting flames. Drawing his bowstring back, the savage on his back grinned.
Ryleigh took aim.
A woman’s scream tore through the battle.
Thaddeus had no woman fighters.
She let the arrow fly and whirled.
A hard thud against her helmet disoriented her. She gripped Kalayah tighter with her legs. Kalayah plunged toward the next scream.
Kiara stood amid four ice creatures, trying desperately to fend them off. Lucas lay in a crumpled heap at her side.
Ryleigh used Kalayah’s fire to remove the ice creatures and landed in the small clearing.
“I need help,” Kiara yelled.
Ryleigh hit the harness release and jumped off Kalayah. She drew her sword and ran toward Kiara and Lucas.
A swarm of ice creatures topped the plateau.
“Is he alive?”
“Yes.”
“Get him on Kalayah.”
Ryleigh and Kiara grabbed Lucas beneath his arms and hoisted him onto the dragon’s back.
Ryleigh boosted Kiara on behind him, then jumped on in front of him.
Kalayah burned through the enemy line and launched back into the air.
Mindful Lucas was unconscious and neither he nor Kiara were harnessed, Ryleigh rounded the back of the mountain, keeping Kalayah upright. They couldn’t afford to be short, even one soldier for long, never mind three. Besides, if Jackson noticed her missing, he’d lose focus.
Lucas coughed, a hacking wet sound. At least he was still alive.
“I’ll set you back here.” They should be safe enough on the back of the mountain.
“No,” Kiara yelled above the shrieking wind and sounds of battle. “Get to Mia.”
“Mia?” She crouched against Kalayah’s neck and urged her faster, tore past the last curve and back to the outskirts of the battlefield.
The battle raged on. Dragons and felled soldiers littered the ground.
“We were trying to get to her. The faeries are already fighting. They can’t beat them, Ryleigh. They need help.”
Lucas grabbed her shoulder and struggled to sit.
“Stay still, Lucas. I’m trying to heal you,” Kiara yelled over the screaming wind.
“Faster.” He coughed again.
Ryleigh leaned forward, desperate to push Kalayah faster. She skimmed the side of a rock. Too close. Her leg armor absorbed most of the blow that would have at least torn the skin off her leg. She tried to take a deep breath. Her chest constricted. She had to calm down. Reckless fear would only serve to get her killed. She’d be no good to anyone then.
“There,” Lucas said.
Kalayah rocketed to
ward Mia.
Savages crawled over the mountainside. Scouts? Jackson had reminded them all, over and over again, savages don’t think for themselves. If they were climbing the mountain, Thaddeus had directed them. But where was he?
Faeries engaged in a skirmish with a handful of savages seemed to be handling themselves, so Ryleigh kept going. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to the plateau.
Other faeries huddled behind a rock formation surrounding Mia, weapons ready. The ambush would probably be effective if the savages made it past the first line of defense.
She flew past them, then settled Kalayah in a quiet indent.
Lucas slid off and ran toward the faeries, clutching his side.
Distrust flickered through Ryleigh, but she squashed it. No way he’d let anything happen to Mia. She wouldn’t believe that.
Frowning, Kiara stared at her.
Ryleigh had every right to be wary of Lucas. That was his own fault. In the end, she trusted him. That was the best she could do. “Are you staying or coming with me?”
She shook her head, her expression softening. “I’ll stay here. Go. We’ll keep them safe.” She ran after Lucas.
Trust was a strange thing. It didn’t come easy.
* * * *
Weapons clashed. Inhuman screams battered Jackson. Snorts and grunts preceded each vicious attack.
Jackson’s defensive moves came automatically. Given the sheer number of enemy soldiers and dragons, he had little chance at any offense. He shot another savage. His sole responsibility—keep them off Dakota.
Dakota circled the mountaintop on Draco, careful to keep low. He weaved between peaks, searching in a grid pattern.
“Come on, Thaddeus. Show yourself.”
Another of his soldiers fell on the ground.
Jackson aimed his arrow and took out the savage who’d attacked his man.
The soldier ambled to his feet and limped toward the next savage.
This was no good. They couldn’t maintain any sort of advantage against this many enemy soldiers.
Dakota popped into view, then disappeared into a gap in the mountains.
Jackson still couldn’t find Ryleigh, hadn’t seen her in some time. Her disappearance disrupted his concentration.
Battle for Cymmera Page 23