by Delia Castel
Polaris’ heart soared. With that deft movement, she rose twelve feet off the roof and then pulled her wings down to propel herself forward. He wanted to weep with joy. Throughout his life, he had ridden on the backs of dragons, but this was the most exhilarating yet. He leaned on her neck, the warmth of her borrowed body reaching his heart. Marigold was the most extraordinary female he had met, and he would do anything to save her.
They soared above Sigma Central, over the cherry-tree lined Rex Boulevard. “Well done!” He wrapped his arms around her neck. “I knew you could do it.”
Marigold roared with triumph. She was probably trying to speak but had forgotten she could not form words as a dragon.
“We are headed north towards the mountains. Is that where we need to go?” She nodded and, as if by instinct, slowed the flapping of her wings. They maintained their altitude, keeping a good pace. Polaris asked, “Did Uncle Hertz put you in a carriage?”
Marigold shook her head and continued flying until they reached the North Forest Highway. It appeared that they were traveling towards Boreas. Perhaps Uncle planned to imprison her in his district mansion or to return her to the brothel.
As they approached the Sigma North stagecoach station, she lowered altitude. He furrowed his brow. “Is this where he is headed?”
Marigold nodded, and Polaris scanned the streets below. The coach station lights were off, making visibility difficult. He transformed his eyes for night vision and took a second look. Due to Festival Week, there would be no busses running. They hadn’t seen any coaches heading north, and he wondered if they were too late. After a few minutes of circling the air above the station, he asked, “Are you sure we haven’t missed them?”
A growl of frustration reverberated in her throat. Obviously, he was missing something. But if Uncle Hertz had snatched her from the palace and bundled her into a carriage, they would have seen the vehicle as they flew over Sigma. A sigh of frustration blew out from his nostrils. He was missing a piece to this puzzle. If Marigold knew to wait here for Uncle to arrive, then he would have told her his plans. Alternatively, she could have overheard him talking to an accomplice.
Polaris scowled. Was Uncle Hertz working with wizards? It was unlikely. Uncle Hertz couldn’t afford their exorbitant fees, and those who worked for the government would not waste their power on anything as frivolous as an invisible carriage. There had to be a simpler way to cross Sigma without being seen. The only people he was aware who could travel through cities undetected were—
His eyes widened. “Is he transporting you underground?”
She answered with a triumphant roar.
“All right. We need to land. Can you give Berrin back control of his body?”
A reluctant whine echoed in her throat, and Polaris rubbed her neck. “It’s unavoidable. Landing is going to be very difficult in such cramped quarters, and crash-landings could injure Berrin.”
She nodded. Polaris waited for a sign that his brother’s consciousness had resurfaced, but after a few moments, Marigold blew out a plume of frustrated flames.
“Careful. The Sheriff’s Department is obliged to investigate every report of dragon fire within the city limits.”
While they waited for some activity to occur from the stagecoach station, Polaris gave Marigold a brief lesson on how to fly low and in a tighter circle. Moments later, a carriage bolted out from under the canopy of the Sigma North stagecoach station. Polaris narrowed his eyes. It could only be Uncle Hertz. “Glide behind the carriage. Stay low. If this is a decoy, we need to turn back.”
The vehicle raced ahead. Marigold glided after them, but it was not enough to keep up. Polaris tried to catch a glimpse of Uncle Hertz through the window, but the curtains obscured his view. Making matters worse, the gap between them and the vehicle spread. Polaris’ heart thudded. In moments, they passed the city limits and joined the road that intersected the Zenith Forest.
When the carriage disappeared around a bend, Polaris cursed under his breath. “Put more power into your wings, and hold more air in your lungs. We need to overtake that vehicle.”
With a bob of the head, Marigold flapped her wings, bringing a gust of cedar-scented air. Polaris nodded. At this rate, they would race ahead of the carriage, and he would fly down and open the doors. Heart pumping with anticipation, he unbuckled his sword belt, pulled out two sabres and gripped their pommels between his forefinger and middle finger. This way, when he transformed, he’d still be able to hold his weapons and have them ready for later use.
However, as soon as they rounded the bend, they flew into a massive, seaweed-green she-dragon whose malicious scarlet eyes glinted in the moonlight. Her wide, outstretched wings blocked their passage, and Marigold reared back, nearly jostling him off.
“Fly around her!” He gripped her flanks hard with his thighs. If this was Lady Brimstone, or another associate of Uncle’s, the she-dragon would most likely attack.
Before Marigold could evade, the female dragon opened her jaws and sprayed a wide burst of fire. Polaris ducked behind Marigold’s neck, tucking his legs into his chest, but the flames seared the skin of his arms. Burning agony surged into his muscles, heating them to the bone. Flinching, he doubled over and leaned on the back of Marigold’s neck. The stench of burned hair and cooked flesh filled his nostrils, and he clenched his teeth, trying not to retch.
If he didn’t transform right now and heal his arms, he would not be able to fight.
Still clutching the swords between his fingers, he said, “Fly high and stay away from that she-dragon. Do not return until I’ve dealt with her.”
Chapter 21
At Polaris’ words, Marigold’s stomach plummeted. She wasn’t sure she could fly around in Berrin’s body without his calming presence. And she couldn’t work out how to return to her body. Making matters worse was the she-dragon bearing impossibly large canines that gleamed in the moonlight like oversized scimitars.
An almighty roar shook the air, rattling Marigold’s bones. Deep within the maw of the she-dragon, a fireball spun, picking up mass with every rapid rotation. Marigold turned her head, expecting Polaris to say something about this new development, but he dropped off her back.
All the blood drained from her borrowed face. Her jaw dropped, her breath caught, and a surprised plume of flame escaped her mouth, only to curl back into her eyes. Blinking fast, she flapped her wings harder, gaining altitude.
With a snarl, the larger dragon dove after Polaris and snatched him out of the air. He thrashed in her jaws like a fish caught in the maw of a crocodile, crying out in an inhuman scream, which rang in Marigold’s sensitive eardrums. Her heart jolted, urging her to act. Roaring with fury, she straightened her wings and copied the she-dragon’s diving movement, but Polaris transformed in her jaws.
The she-dragon tumbled back with a blood-curdling screech, her mouth split open in an unnatural angle. Blood rained down from her wounds, and Polaris flew after her, blowing a jet of blue flame.
Marigold’s head spun. Her stomach flipped, and her wings flailed. She careened out of control, tumbling down from the sky. Panic emptied her lungs, accelerating her descent. Flapping her wings was no good. The air pressure was against her. The wind lashed at the membranes of her wings, dried her eyes, restraining her in its deadly grip. Her entire world became a kaleidoscope of moon and sky and cobbled road, each spinning in her vision until the cobblestones came into sharp focus.
Heart thudding like a countdown to her demise, she swallowed. Berrin would die because of her incompetence.
A fiery cry ripped from her jaws, and with a jolt, she found herself lying across Governor Hertz’ lap on the seat of a carriage.
The older dragon held her at a strange angle, his torso leaned towards the window. “If my nephew breaks his neck, you’re welcome to render his corpse into leather and dragon meat.”
“It’s the least he deserves for setting the back of the coach afire,” replied the wolf shifter. “That, plus the two other
corpses you sent, might buy you a month of breathing time. But you should be out there fighting them off, not negotiating the price of dragon carcasses.”
Marigold’s panic curdled into nausea. How in Igneous could Hertz order his brother and sister-in-law killed and then pass their bodies for processing into meat and leather to pay off his debts? She had never known of someone so reprehensible! Her heart ached for Berrin, who had likely crashed on the road by now. She tried to push herself off the dragon’s lap, but her fingertips didn’t even twitch.
“That point is moot,” snapped the Governor. “Matheson just righted himself and is now flying in our direction.”
Relief swept through Marigold’s insides like a cool balm, and she exhaled. It was odd that they had mistaken Berrin for Matheson, but she gave her head a mental shake. In moments, Polaris or Berrin would land in front of the carriage and confront her abductors.
“Do something, you idiot!” The assassin slammed his fist on the leather seat. “How could they ambush us like this unless you helped them?”
“Why would I call those brats to interfere with my plans?” Hertz spat. “Even if I were suicidal enough to risk the wrath of your leader, I had disguised assassins watching me since I entered the ballroom.”
“Your female must be the traitor then.”
Marigold’s ears perked up, and she listened for a mention of Lady Brimstone.
“Hardly.” he huffed. “Neither of us knew you would be taking us through the tunnels. If anyone leaked our location, it was one of your assassins.”
A crash made the horses bellow, and the carriage screeched to a stop. Marigold’s heart jumped into her throat, and she stopped breathing. Had Berrin lost control and crash landed?
The wolf shifted towards the window. “Your she-dragon has fallen.”
Marigold exhaled. Without that awful dragon trying to attack them, the brothers could come after the carriage.
“Then she has outlived her usefulness. If she succumbs to her injuries—”
“Yes, yes,” sniped the wolf, “her corpse will be rendered for meat and leather.”
Hertz jostled her by thumping on the roof of the carriage, which restarted. He muttered, “We need to outrun those dragons. Why didn’t you bring a retinue of assassins? Better still, why don’t you stand on the roof and do something?”
The wolf growled. “Because my superiors told me this was a debt-collecting mission, not an aerial battle. And I’m an accounts clerk, you fool!”
Hertz growled. “If assassins had stormed their mansion in the middle of the night like I had suggested—”
“Then you would have racked up even more debt! Give me that she-dragon.” The wolf shifter’s hand wrapped around Marigold’s arm. “I will take care of her while you chase your nephews away.”
Marigold sucked in a sharp breath. Where were the brothers?
The governor pulled her closer into his body and snorted. “I’m not leaving my quarry alone with you in this carriage. Use the darts in my valise and make my nephews fall out of the sky. Feel free to use them as you see fit.”
Marigold tried to twitch, but once again, the effort was futile. If only she could break free of this elixir! She would skin Hertz alive and let him see what it was like to treat other people like cattle.
A heartbeat later, a giant thud made the carriage shudder. It screeched to an abrupt stop, and Marigold slid off the Governor’s lap.
“Here’s your chance.” Hertz picked Marigold up, holding her to his chest like a shield. “Start with the one blocking the road.”
Now pulled upright, she could see part of a dragon through the window. His oxblood-colored scales reflected in the external lantern lights. She couldn’t tell if this was Polaris or Berrin, and she ached to warn him about Hertz’ plans of attack. Cringing, she hoped the points of the darts couldn’t penetrate either of the brothers’ scales.
The wolf shifter reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a dart blower. Marigold whimpered. She urged her legs to jerk forward, to kick the assassin and knock the poison out of his hand, but despite her desire, she remained immobile.
A burst of fire incinerated the door, bringing in a gust of cool air that mingled with the smell of scorched wood. Warmth spread through her chest. She was saved! Hertz’ arms tightened around her body, and he pulled her into his quivering torso. “B-be reasonable, Nephew. The girl isn’t hurt.”
A low growl filled the carriage, making her heart soar.
“Halt!” yelled a voice from beyond the exterior of the carriage.
Marigold tried to rotate her eyes, but she couldn’t see the source of the shouting.
“For the love of Fenrir!” cried the wolf shifter. “They’ve called the Sheriffs.”
Marigold blew out a breath of relief. Even though the High Sheriff had threatened to arrest her, she was now officially a mated she-dragon. He would have no cause for arresting her on suspicion of being a human fugitive. And Polaris would be able to explain most of what had happened.
“What have you done to Marigold?” snarled Polaris.
“Nothing!” Hertz swung to the other end of the carriage, still clutching Marigold. The movement brought her in sight of Polaris, who stood at the smoldering door, forearms transformed. He stepped into the carriage, fury blazing in his eyes. “We were just having a chat, weren’t we?”
“Give her to me,” said Polaris through clenched teeth.
One of Hertz’s arms let go of her waist, and she heard the turning of a door handle from behind. Her breath caught. Was he trying to escape with her? The door swung open, and the older dragon gave her a hard shove in the back. Hertz snarled, “Here you go!”
As she fell forward like a scarecrow, her pulse pounding in her ears. A massive roar filled the air. Marigold assumed it was Berrin, apprehending Governor Hertz and the wolf shifter. Polaris caught her by the arms, pulled her into his chest, and pressed his lips on her temple. “You’re safe now, Marigold.”
Her heart melted at his touch, and he lifted her out of the carriage. Hopefully, this would be the end of her ordeal. She wanted to get the elixir reversed and to spend the night in Berrin’s arms. He held her upright, and her gaze caught that of the High Sheriff, standing in front of a stagecoach emblazoned with the Four Dragons coat of arms. The dragon glowered at Marigold and did not try to apprehend Governor Hertz. She didn’t know where the wolf shifter or the driver had gone, but she assumed assassins knew how to hide from the law and would not be caught. Behind the Sheriff stood half a dozen officers clad in gray uniforms, and two forensic wizards in their charcoal robes.
“High Sheriff,” said Polaris. “My uncle abducted my brother’s mate, and I wish to challenge him in the dragon pit.”
“If your brother nominates you as his champion, I will have no objections.”
“Aren’t you going to arrest him?”
The older dragon turned his head, scrutinizing Governor Hertz, who raised his brows as though in challenge. After a moment of staring at Hertz, the Sheriff's shoulders slumped. “This is a family matter. Sort it out between yourselves.”
Polaris snarled at the High Sheriff and took a step towards Berrin, who was still standing in front of the horses.
“Wait a second.” The High Sheriff narrowed his eyes at Berrin’s dragon form. “You said you were going to the port to see if your mate had been taken out of the country by boat. Why are you here?”
Berrin tilted his head to the side.
The High Sheriff scowled. “Identify yourself!”
“He’s an ally,” said Polaris. “There’s a she-dragon further down the road who—”
“I am enquiring about this dragon,” the Sheriff said through clenched teeth.
“High Sheriff,” said Polaris, “I must protest—”
“Silence!” Nobody spoke for several moments, then the High Sheriff said, “Wizards, by the authority vested in me as High Sheriff of Austellus, if this dragon does not reveal himself, I permit the use of Permanens M
utatio, thereby sealing this dragon’s ability to shift.”
“Do as the Sheriff says.” The defeat in Polaris’ voice made Marigold’s blood run cold.
A second later, Berrin stood transformed in front of them. The High Sheriff’s eyes gleamed. “Why would the youngest Auburn brother have the ability to transform?”
Governor Hertz stepped into view, placing his arm on the High Sheriffs shoulder. “The answer is simple. Young Berrin has cuckolded Matheson.”
“That’s not true!” cried Berrin.
“This story is an obvious pack of lies,” snarled Polaris.
The High Sheriff folded his arms. “Then who is the she-dragon who mated with Berrin?”
Marigold’s heart sank. The High Sheriff had ignored Governor Hertz’s attempt to abduct her and focussed on a way to shift blame onto the brothers.
“I am waiting,” The High Sheriff drummed his fingers on his forearm. “If you do not provide a name, I will be forced to take Goldilocks in for questioning.”
A grinning Hertz strolled toward them. “I will do my utmost to assist you and your officers. The young lady is clearly in need of medical assistance. Polaris, hand her over.”
“I will do no such thing.”
“Enough,” snapped the Sheriff. He pointed at Berrin. “Wizards, bring that one in for questioning.”
Marigold’s pulse raced. Polaris stepped forward, but Berrin shook his head, whispering, “Keep her safe.”
“And the girl?” asked Governor Hertz.
“You will have to prise her from my dead hands,” snarled Polaris.
Hertz gave the Sheriff a pleading look, but the dragon shook his head. “Her mate will decide if she needs reprimanding. I will send a swift to the officers at the port.”