Dragon School
Page 7
Cynos’ wave of dragons flew between the Ifrits, swirling and flaming in intricate formations. If only it did much good. The earth creatures batted at them, roaring with mouths of open flame, but they were not slowed as they poured out from under the river and toward Savette and Rakturan.
Their ring of Baojang fighters was thinning as the larger army of Rock Eaters and traitorous Baojang warriors pressed against them, desperate to reach Savette and Rakturan on their tall rock. Dotted among them were Dominion Magikas. I’d never be able to trust one of them again, whether they claimed to serve the Dominion or not.
We dove toward the human battle, Raolcan and Ahlskibi flaming the men at the flanks of the Rock Eater side, rolling to take bursts of fire from the Magikas on their bellies.
The Purple Dragon Rider behind me held tight to my waist, his head lolling slightly. He needed medical care, but there wasn’t time now. I reached behind me to tighten his straps. He’d better not fall off. Raolcan could only do so much at once.
I’m already a bit of a wizard doing this much.
What are you doing? Flaming a couple of enemies and flying in circles?
He needed teasing right now. This situation was too intense. Even from here, I could see we were losing. Whatever had happened to Ahlskibi had weakened his flame. It still worked, but his bursts were small compared to Raolcan’s.
Savette and Rakturan fought in twin precision, but they were vulnerable up on that rock as the Ifrits pressed forward, despite Cynos’ attack.
I’m doing more than you think. I promise you. Help comes.
We circled again to attack the rear of the Rock Eater’s army, barely dodging the attacks of the Ifrits who were closing ranks with the rear of their army. Behind me, someone screamed. I spun to look behind my shoulder. Two Red dragons slammed against the ground, dragon and rider instantly dead and the very rocks shaking and rolling at their fall. Behind them, a third dragon was thrown by an Ifrit against one of the statues on the river bank. He hit it hard, sliding down the statue onto the rocks below where blood mixed with the turbulent waters of the Great Drake river.
My heart was in my throat. We were dying. There was no help coming. What was Raolcan even talking about when he said help could come? There must be thirty Ifrits now, and our army and dragons were fewer by the minute.
Raolcan rolled suddenly and I clung to his saddle, gritting my teeth. A cry of pain right behind me told me that our situation was serious. We plummeted toward the earth, rolling so quickly that I couldn’t tell up from down. Raolcan pulled out of the roll at the last second, his belly skimming the earth as he swooped back up to the sky, gaining height slowly. Was he hurt?
A bit. I’ll survive.
I turned to look at the man behind me. Where he had been only moments before, there was nothing but broken straps and a smear of blood.
We got too close to one of the Ifrits. We must take more care.
But could we? Below us, Savette screamed as she disintegrated an Ifrit right in front of her. Rakturan raised a hand, light shooting out of it to destroy a second Ifrit. But their army was gone, slain before them to a man. Enkenay crouched in front of them, flaming Rock Eaters as they pushed the assault over the bodies of the fallen. It wasn’t enough. They’d be overrun in minutes.
I saw Ahlskibi land on their flank, swaying from the effort of his flight. Leng leapt off his back, drawing a short sword as the two prepared to defend Savette’s flanks.
Where was Cynos? Was that him sprawled across the ground on the far side of the river? I couldn’t tell from here. There were only two Reds still flying. The rest littered the rocky river banks, lumps of sacrifice and loyalty laid out on the ground they lived to defend.
We would join them soon. I was certain of that. There were too few of us. Good thing Cynos had sent Hubric away so that he wouldn’t have to die here with us. I finally understood why he’d looked at me like he had when he left. He’d been sure that I wouldn’t survive this.
I swallowed as I watched the Rock Eaters begin a chant, shaking their weapons on every beat. I was afraid of them. I could admit that now. As afraid as I was of the powerful Ifrits and the mindless damage they inflicted.
Now! Raolcan said. What was he so excited about?
We spun to land beside Ahlskibi, Raolcan joining his defense against the onslaught of the Rock Eaters. I held tightly to his saddle, not daring to dismount.
Don’t dismount. Stay on.
No need to tell me twice. The earth shook, a terrible earthquake choosing the perfect time to shake us like kittens in the mouth of a strange dog. Leng stumbled, grabbing Ahlskibi for support. I looked anxiously to him, but his expression was determined.
Our enemies were not daunted by the shaking earth. They weren’t daunted when – to my horror – the ground between us and the Ifrits burst open in a long rip, river water pouring into the gash as it lengthened across the course of the river. They paused, though, when the first figure flew out from the rent in the earth. Their faces filled with horror when a burst of twenty more poured through the gash, body upon body upon body rocketing from the tear in the earth up into the sky, wings unfurling, and arrow-like necks extended as they shot upward.
It couldn’t be. They were dragons. More than I could possibly imagine in every color I’d ever seen and a few more.
I gasped, letting go of Raolcan’s saddle to splay my hands out across his neck. I needed to feel him - alive under my hands - to remind me this was real and not some illusion.
It’s real. I told you help comes.
The Ifrits understood what was happening first. They scattered, fleeing out from us in every direction, their only aim to put distance between themselves and the swell of dragons. Flames burst where the dragons found them before they could escape.
The Rock Eaters, as one person, dropped their weapons, falling to their knees in shock.
My shock was just as great as theirs. Where had these dragons come from? What were they doing here? I looked to Leng who was shaking his head in confusion. I looked to Savette and Rakturan, who spun - hands clasped together – in wonder, watching the dragons as they flew.
Raolcan? Do you know what is happening?
The voice in my head was not his. It was many dragons all at once – hundreds of them. I flinched at the force of it.
Prince of Dragons. We greet you.
I shook my head. Were they talking about Raolcan?
This time it was he who spoke to me, a note of chagrin in his mental voice. Did I forget to mention that I was a prince?
I was pretty sure he hadn’t forgotten, and he was going to have a lot of explaining to do.
Gladly.
Soon. Once this mess was sorted out.
That’s right. Focus on the problem before us and not on a tiny detail about my ancestry that I failed to mention.
I’d be irritated if I wasn’t so ridiculously grateful.
Hold onto that feeling. It’s exactly right for this moment in time.
Read the rest of Amel’s story in Dragon School: Prince of Dragons
Behind the Scenes:
USA Today bestselling author, Sarah K. L. Wilson, hails from the rocky Canadian Shield in Northern Ontario where she lives with her husband and two small boys. Her interests include the outdoors, history, and philosophy. Her books are always about fantastical adventures in other worlds.
Sarah would like to thank Harold Trammel, Eugenia Kollia, and Sarah Brown for their incredible work in beta reading and proofreading this book. Without their big hearts and passion for stories, this book would not be the same.
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