Agreed on all counts.
Hopefully, Hubric was right and we would be at our destination soon. The hills were a little higher ahead and the dragons had to climb higher into puffs of cloud to cross over them. We raced upward and then swooped down over the other side as my breath caught.
I still wasn’t entirely used to the feeling of nothing between me and the ground. It made my stomach rock when he did things like that but that wasn’t the only reason I felt ill. Beneath us was a dish-shaped valley.
At one end, a circle of spires and open arches stood, open to the sky, the floor between them made of a cracked marble that once had been a massive mosaic picturing a stylized dragon. Around the spires and arches and creeping over the marble floor, the forest had grown up. Trees pushed their way upward, roots buried in the cracks, widening them and finding purchase wherever they could. Vines covered portions of the arches, hiding them completely. Most could still be seen, the white stone sticking up like teeth from a lower jaw.
We circled around the spires, looking for a spot to land. What was that happening on the other end of the valley? Was that-?
The ground bubbled and spat like a cauldron on that end of the valley, as if it were made of liquid and not of rock. I thought I could make out tiny figures centered around the roiling mass, but it was hard to tell in the corrugated landscape. They could just as easily be standing rocks and burned out tree hulls as people. Something about the place felt strange, as if I could tell we were not meant to enter.
Nowhere is off limits for dragons.
No one said anything about off limits. I was much more worried about the bad feeling tingling down my spine. The one that screamed danger.
All I feel is excitement.
Savette’s hands reached from behind me, gripping me so tightly that I could hardly breathe.
“No, no, no,” she said.
I tried to signal to Hubric that we shouldn’t land, but he wasn’t watching my hand signals. Kyrowat dove into a spiraling landing, aiming for a spot right in front of the arches, Enkenay dove next, and Raolcan followed.
“I don’t think we should land!” I yelled.
It’s fine.
Savette’s hands were shaking and sobs ripped through her. I tried to pat her hand with mine, but I wasn’t going to be much comfort. I had a terrible feeling about this place.
Chapter Nineteen
Rakturan leapt off Enkenay while we were still landing.
“Healing Arches! Here! This is incredible. The ancients built these, infusing them with magic from self-perpetuating pockets that they say reach to the very center of the earth. If you put someone with magic in them near these they can do incredible things – heal the whole world!”
“Has that ever happened before?” I asked. Savette’s grip on me was making me nervous. She was more agitated than ever, and she almost felt as hot as Raolcan. That couldn’t be good.
“Don’t you people know anything in the Dominion? Need I tell you the stories of Ash and Harika, Jasper the Golden, Brave Kajisha and the five heads of Landeran?”
“Yes?” I’d certainly never heard those tales. They must be from Baojang.
Hubric’s eyes traced the arches as he spoke:
“Born high on the mountain,
Blazing bright under the sun’s demise,
Twice blind but still seeing,
The only bulwark against the dark
Watch as the arches proclaim
Dominion of Light.”
“We know of the Ibrenicus Prophecies, too,” Prince Rakturan said, walking towards me. “They speak of the Chosen One who will save the world, though they are very vague.”
Prophesies always are. No one believes it’s a prophesy if you say, ‘The soup will be too salty on Tuesday.’ It’s just too specific and too boring. People like prophecies to sing.
I just wanted to get out of this valley alive. I had the creepy feeling that something was watching me. As Rakturan lifted Savette down from behind me, I turned to watch the shadows behind us. Dusk had descended, and the light was of that certain quality that was almost harder to see through than the black of night. I could hardly tell shadow from object or movement from stillness. A creeping sensation ran up my back and then down again.
Steady, spider. Steady.
I shivered.
“See something, Amel?” Hubric asked.
“Why did the ground on the other side of the valley look like it was boiling?” I asked.
“Boiling? I didn’t see that. Did you look properly or were you dizzy from the descent?”
I hadn’t been dizzy – or at least not enough to throw off my vision. Something had been going on there.
“What about the Dusk Covenant? Weren’t they supposed to be here?”
“Thankfully it seems to be just us,” Rakturan said, helping Savette toward the arches. “Would you like the blindfold off, High Castelan? Perhaps you’d see better.”
“Overwhelmed,” Savette said, her hands clutching at him like they had at me.
“Save your strength.” He lifted her, carrying her toward the wide arches. There was no door, or rather, each arch was one. Why build a structure with no roof or proper door? It could never serve as shelter or defense. Never be practical in any way at all. I needed some sort of defense right now.
“Did you see something, Amel, or are you just worried?” Hubric asked. He was half in the saddle like he was going to decide whether to get down or not based on my words.
“I thought I saw something. The ground boiling and shadows that could have been people.”
“Or could they have been shadows?”
I shrugged.
“Dismount and help us get Savette into the Spires. It’s common to jump at shadows on your first delivery. Don’t worry about it.”
I scrambled to obey, clutching Raolcan for a moment too long as I dismounted. Anxiety rippled through me, spiky and sharp.
I’m here. I won’t let anything hurt you.
I strapped the crutch to my arm and hobbled after them, carrying a waterskin. We were all thirsty after such a long flight. Savette would need a drink. Would the dragons be fine?
We are always capable of looking after ourselves.
I noticed Enkenay easing himself through one of the arches into the large courtyard beyond. I didn’t like looking at him for long. He seemed to be decaying before my very eyes with nothing that I could do about it. Maybe if I was White...
No one can cure death.
But just to ease his pain would be good. It was funny that he was so taken with Rakturan – of all people! – that he would go with him here.
Everyone needs a purpose. Even the dying. Don’t take his from him.
Hubric lit a lantern but it was almost unnecessary. Savette stood in the center of the circle, glowing as bright and white as the moon. The bandage around her eyes fell and white light flared from her eyes, lit her face, and haloed her whole body. I stared at her, stunned, then looked for Hubric, catching his eye as he shared my moment of awe.
“Rakturan?” she said. “Are you close?”
“I’m right here.”
“Can I trust you?”
“Yes.” He seemed to be trembling beside her and their words were pitched so low that it felt like eavesdropping to listen to them.
“In this place and at this time, can I trust you?”
“I swear.”
“I was meant to be your bride. A price to prevent war. An object to be traded from one man to another. You know that. And you also know you didn’t want me. You wanted someone less noble, less loyal, less pure. You wanted someone you could control and use. And when you saw my new power you wanted that, too.” She sounded so clear, like she was actually with us this time instead of half-floating out in her other world.
“Why are you saying all of this?”
“I want to know if it is true.” She took his hands in hers and looked up at him, her face so vulnerable, but so bright that it lit his, too. “I
don’t think you can lie here. I don’t think anyone can.” Savette turned to me. “What did you think of me when you first met me, Amel?”
The answer sprang to my lips before I could speak it. “I thought you were arrogant.”
“And yet you loyally help me. Why is that?”
“You’re my friend.” Again, I hardly thought before the answer as in my tongue.
“See? The truth.” Savette turned back to Rakturan. “And now I want it from you. Why are you here?”
“I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“So quickly?”
“I didn’t ask for it. It just happened and now,” he paused, shaking his head. “Now nothing is too great to give you. No risk too much to take, no price too much to pay for your safety. I want you whole and well and happy.”
“Then I can trust you?”
“Above all others.” It was a vow.
“Good.” She took his face in her hands. “I need help. I need someone to help me walk through this. I can almost feel what I need to do, but I need someone to remind me what is true. Will you stay here with me?”
“Of course,” he breathed, leaning in close.
I looked away. The moment felt too private to watch. My eyes struggled with the dark behind me after the bright of Savette. I kept blinking away purple ghosts in my vision.
Wait. Did I see someone creeping up to where the dragons rested? Was that a form? Or was it only the purple light? I squinted, staring into the darkness. Behind me, a strange buzzing sound at the edge of my hearing began. I shook my head to try to clear it, but it was no use. I’d lost track of the shape. Wait. Was that another? I was almost sure it was...
Thunk! A crossbow bolt buried itself in the ground beside me.
“Enemies! Enemies are here!” I shouted.
Hubric cursed and I heard the sound of glass breaking as his lantern went out. No time to wonder why. I raced to Raolcan as fast as I could on my crutch, but before I was even there he let loose a stream of flame in the opposite direction. In the light of the flame, dozens of figures raced toward us, weapons in their shadowy hands.
Chapter Twenty
Raolcan took a step backward and I dodged his foot just in time.
Climb up quickly, spider.
I grabbed the saddle, scrambling up, frustrated as my dead leg weighed me down and held me back. The seconds dragged out like hours as my fumbling movements finally pulled me into the saddle.
You’ll have to strap in while we launch.
It was all the warning he gave before leaping into the sky. I clutched the saddle tightly with one hand, fumbling with the other to attach the waistband.
Hold on with both hands this is about to get interesting.
I cinched the belt into place, but the thigh and shoulder straps dangled loose. No time to strap them in. I shoved my crutch into its spot on the saddle and hung on with both hands. Raolcan swooped around the healing arches, flying low as he circled back to where we had been standing. This would have been easier for him without me on his back.
Then how would I keep you safe?
Dark figures rushed toward the arches, weapons raised and a yell in every throat. How many of them were there? The ground seemed to be crawling with them.
Raolcan dove low, belching fire at them as he passed. Clothing and people lit up like torches and I clenched my teeth against the horror of it. Raolcan pulled upward as we shot past the horde on the ground, wheeling up into a tight circle again.
As we turned, I saw Kyrowat behind us, rushing down a parallel path to the one that Raolcan had just taken, spitting his own gouts of flame as he went.
Hubric gave me a signal, a loop motion of one forearm rolling over the other – again. He didn’t even need to order it. Raolcan was already completing his circle and coming back around for another pass. I hated this. I didn’t like seeing people burst into flame, didn’t want to hear their shouts, didn’t –
Would you rather watch them kill your friends in the circle? Savette who you have worked so hard to save?
So far no one had made it past the arches. Raolcan and Kyrowat had scorched everyone close, but another wave brought our enemies rushing toward the arches. I held my breath. I didn’t want to see Savette butchered in there, or Rakturan who had saved my life, or Enkenay - even if he was dying.
Evil is powerful. It infects people – and dragons - but they also feed it. They choose to embrace it and then we have our own choice to make.
We dove low just as the front of the wave was pushing into the arches. Raolcan blasted them with fire and inside the arches Rakturan spun, sword in hand, to dispatch two who had escaped the flames. What choice did Raolcan mean?
The choice to defend what’s worth protecting or, in faithlessness, to let it be slaughtered by evil.
That didn’t’ sound like much of a choice.
That’s why I’m not shy about flaming our enemies. They would rip you to pieces if they could. I will not allow that.
The attack broke with Kyrowat’s next burst of flame. Rather than running into the inferno, the black wave of shadow fell back. I looked to Hubric who made two pointing motions that meant pursuit. Raolcan pulled in next to Kyrowat and we flew after them. What did you do when they fled? It seemed wrong to flame them when they were running away.
And let them regroup? You’d have to fight the same battle twice.
I looked nervously over my shoulder at the healing arches. Savette stood within, Rakturan in front of her his sword held high. Her glow had grown faintly blue and now wisps of light floated out from her, like vines spreading out from their root. They formed a mandala pattern of light over the ground, spreading outward one layer at a time.
There’s something strange about our enemies. It’s almost as if they are luring us out from the-
Raolcan roared and reared backward mid-flight. I screamed, clutching the saddle, just trying to stay in place. What was happening? I gripped the saddle as Raolcan arced to the side. Beside us, a dark force hit Kyrowat, sending him spinning end over end until he crashed into the ground. I felt the reverberation of his crash in the air. What would it have felt like on the ground?
Ifrit! Raolcan’s tone felt frightened, and no wonder.
As we curved around, I finally got a good look at our enemy. My own heart stuttered in my chest.
A dark figure of wispy, ever-moving shadow stood before us. When the shadows moved too far apart, a red glow of fire shone through from the heart of the creature. Shadow bubbled the ground around him, swallowing up any of the human enemies that got too close. There were still hundreds of them, but worse, much worse, was the figure bubbling up from the ground behind him.
Inside a ring of Magikas, a second Ifrit was rising from the earth.
Chapter Twenty-One
Raolcan reared up again. This time spurting flame at the towering Ifrit. The flames were so close that they felt hot against my skin and hair. I held on tight, terrified as the Ifrit swiped at us. Raolcan dove, sweeping to the side as he circled around the Ifrit, flames spurting out as he attacked.
Across the valley, Kyrowat recovered himself and leapt back into the sky, but the Ifrit was fast. He spun to face us and flung something in his hand toward Raolcan and me. Raolcan flamed, but the shadowy mass he threw at us was impervious to the flame.
It hit us, darkness surrounding us. I had the feeling of tumbling over and over, but no reason to think it was really happening. I couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn’t feel. Terror filled me. I’d never expected to fight a demon from the back of a dragon. I’d never even expected to be on the back of a dragon while he spat flame at an enemy. My legs and arms were trembling so much that I couldn’t get them to stop. My heart was racing too fast. I couldn’t catch my breath. I bit my lip hard, tasting blood.
Something jarred me, shaking my grip loose on the saddle. I clutched the safety belt with both hands, hoping and praying that the leather straps would hold. My vision cleared suddenly, and once again the moon an
d stars were visible. I tried to still my breathing, tried to see what had happened. Raolcan crouched on the ground, and I dangled at his side, held in place by the safety straps.
We were on the steps of the arches. We must have been flung by the Ifrit all the way across the valley. Somehow, in the chaos, the army of human shadows had surged forward again. They were minutes from overtaking us. In the air, Hubric and Kyrowat wheeled and dove, spitting fire as they attacked the Ifrit again and again. Kyrowat favored his left side, only making right turns. Was he injured from his fall?
Yes.
“Raolcan?” I asked, pulling myself back up on the saddle. “Are you hurt?”
Yes.
I gasped, loosening my safety straps and grabbing my crutch before dismounting, awkwardly. How badly was he hurt? I stepped back, looking him over. One of his wings was crumpled to his side. At my thought, he pulled it in, protectively. Blood leaked from his mouth and nose and he trembled like a leaf in the wind.
“Raolcan! No!” I ran to his face, wrapping my arms around his head. “Can you fly?”
No. I could tell he was holding back pain. That’s why he didn’t say more.
“Can you get inside the arches?” I asked, anxiously.
Our enemies rushed across the landscape, the Ifrit at their head. Kyrowat’s flames did nothing to stop him.
I’ll try.
Raolcan pulled himself forward on his forelegs. His right wing fighting to help pull him. His back legs dangled uselessly behind him. I knew that feeling. I knew how helpless it felt. I tried to make my thoughts strong and hopeful to help him. After all, this place was called the ‘healing arches’ that must mean there would be healing here, right?
What were we going to do? Our dragon’s fire couldn’t stop the Ifrits. Our enemies were on their way. We had one warrior who could wield a sword and one girl with magic who had no idea what she was doing. I chewed my lip and tried not to think about it. I tried not to think about how afraid I would be when men with weapons rushed into where we were. I tried not to think about what it would feel like to die. Tried not to think about what it would feel like to watch Raolcan die.
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