by Emma Hamm
He opened his mouth and let fire pour out. Even that was almost too thin to melt the gold, damn it. He needed more. More heat, more gold, more everything so that he could get her out of that dungeon.
The coins eventually gave in. They liquified before his eyes, the image of the King on their backs melted. He couldn’t wait until that was the reality, and the King really had disappeared into nothing.
Abraxas dug himself deeper into the molten gold, letting it cover the wound on his back and the holes in his wings. That would help. He could heal in a few hours if he stayed like this, all but holding himself together by the very end of a thread. He needed to sleep. Hibernation healed far more than just gold for dragons, but that would come when they were gone. When Lore could look after him while he slept.
The sound of metal footsteps down the hall to the cavern echoed, and he knew this wouldn’t end well. He wouldn’t get to rest or sleep, or even linger in his pool of gold for very long.
“Dragon!” Zander screamed. “You’ve been lying to me!”
He knew the shout of a child who had a broken toy that he had wanted to still play with. And Abraxas could only guess at what the young, nameless brunette had told him.
She’d found them in the Great Hall, wrapped in each other’s arms while Abraxas had been entirely nude. They’d looked like they had known each other, as though they regularly had moments where they were curled together, whispering secrets while all the others were gone. The image conjured in his mind reeked of betrayal.
For that was the truth. He had betrayed the King. And he’d done it with a woman who was the scourge of the earth, at least in Zander’s mind. He’d not only gone against the King’s wish for the dragon to only remain as one of Zander’s playthings. He’d done it with an elf.
Zander stomped toward him, barely even acknowledging that Abraxas had a pool of gold all around him and over his wings. “That little witch was an elf? And you know her?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied. But he didn’t even try to hide the sarcasm in his voice or the way his entire body rattled with rage. “There are no witches in the castle, my king.”
“Oh. Oh, your king?” Zander laughed, though the sound was entirely without mirth. “We both know that’s a lie, old friend. You threw out any loyalty the moment that walking wet dream entered the castle. And I can’t blame you. She has legs longer than most horses I’ve seen, and lips that beg to be wrapped around a cock. But you have never been interested in women, so I have to imagine this is all about me.”
How dare he?
Lore’s name was too good to even be on his tongue, let alone mixed with those foul, loathsome words. Abraxas reared out of the gold, flecks raining down from his outstretched wings and pinging on the stone as they hardened in the air. “Hold your tongue, King, or I will rip it from your mouth.”
Zander took a large step back, closer to his wall of metal soldiers who could at least provide a barrier. But he replied with sarcasm and disapproval, striking a hand to his chest and muttered, “So that’s how it is. You think you’re in love with the girl, is that it? You think because one magical creature walked into this castle and decided you were good enough for her to stick her tongue in, that you suddenly manifested feelings?”
He moved his neck like a snake, slithering over the stone until he loomed above the King. “One last warning, Zander. I would not advise speaking ill of her again.”
“Or what?” Zander lifted his hand and made the same movement as always. The movement that shot the box of eggs out of the gold until it hovered right beside the King. “Or you lose all your hopes for the future? You know what I’ll do to these. I like the idea of having more than one dragon at my beck and call, but I really don’t care either way.”
“You kill the eggs, and then you destroy any chance at controlling me at all.” Abraxas bared his teeth and felt the hungry drool of the hunt slip down his chin. “I am hungry, Zander. I haven’t hunted for centuries after being dedicated to both you and your father. Destroy the eggs, and you release me upon your kingdom. I will feast. I will gorge myself on your people until there is nothing left.”
He’d never stood up for himself before. Never did what it took to make Zander see that he was controlling a very dangerous creature who could so easily kill him.
His teeth hovered close enough to snap. He could eat the King now, get this all over with, and destroy everything that Zander’s father had fought so hard to build. But the eggs. Oh, how they called to him. Even as the King opened the box, he knew that tiny sapphire girl was more precious than all the stars in the sky.
His soul tore right down the middle. One half of him hoping, wishing, dreaming that he could have a daughter to call out to as they soared through the clouds. Their trumpeting calls would fill the entire kingdom with the hope of a new age.
But the other half of his soul whispered that the woman of his dreams languished in a cell somewhere. That perhaps the King had already tortured her. Flayed her skin from her spine so that he could see her bend a knee. As all the magical creatures should to this nightmare of a king.
His hesitation was his downfall.
The King threw something at him. A rope, perhaps. A chain. It didn’t matter what it was, because the band closed around his neck and tightened until he couldn’t breathe. He writhed backwards, falling into the pool of gold as he struggled to free himself.
Zander stepped up to the edge of the cliff and stared down at him with apathy in his gaze. “My father gave that to me before he died. Said I always had to be watchful of how a dragon could deceive. And that if you ever stepped out of line, the same magician who made that box provided this. I hope it hurts, Abraxas.”
It did.
Blindingly so. He wheezed, sucking in the smallest amount of air, just enough to keep him alive but never enough to ease the choking.
Zander tsked. “You could have worked with me, Abraxas. We could have taken this entire world by storm and you wouldn’t have needed to fear a single thing. You’d be the dragon everyone thought ruled the kingdom. I don’t care. Whatever you wanted would be yours. Instead, you proved me wrong. That dragons are untrustworthy, just like my father said. Now, I’m going to deal with that little elf you are so infatuated with. I wonder if elves grow their fingernails back faster than humans?”
He watched the King leave, desperately trying to throw himself back at the cliff to grab onto the human who thought he had everything under control. Unfortunately, Zander did. Abraxas couldn’t move at all, not without all the air in his lungs disappearing. The best he could do was lie in the gold and stay alive.
The weak, keening cry he let out was one only a dragon made for its mate. A cry that said someone had died. That a dragon was in mourning.
He didn’t know how long he lay there. Alone, boiling in gold that slowly cooled. The metal would solidify around his body soon. It would trap him in his own hoard, and maybe that was for the best.
Lore was dead by now. His tail lashed behind him, but even that movement was weak. He had to focus on breathing. On staying alive. And he wasn’t doing a good job of it.
Hands touched his nose, patting his nostrils as though they were trying to see if he was still breathing.
Abraxas cracked open an eye and couldn’t have been more surprised to see Beauty standing in front of him. But... not. Not Beauty and yet, it had to be.
She’d swept her hair back from her face in a tight bun and wore leather clothing that looked suspiciously like armor. Was she even wearing leather pants? Like a warrior, not like the little cream puff who had made him laugh at how kind she was.
“Oh good, you’re still alive.” She patted his nose again, all business, as she peered around his head. “What did he do to you?”
The chain around his throat was so tight he could barely speak. But he tried his best and whispered, “Enchanted... neck... same as.... box.”
She frowned and marched across the cooled gold to his nec
k. What did she think she was doing? Beauty was just a little girl from Tenebrous. She’d never seen magic like this. He couldn’t imagine, at least.
But as she walked, she started talking. And everything fell into place.
“I know this might be hard to believe, but I’m not who I’ve said I was.” She patted his neck while she walked down his body, actively letting him know where she was. “Look, the rebellion isn’t stupid. They knew Lore would have a hard time in this place by herself, and I was here just as a... watchful eye. We’ll say. Someone who was a backup plan in case anything went wrong. Like you.”
Like him?
He wheezed in a deep breath, but then froze when she touched the magical band around his neck. “Ah. Well, this isn’t as complicated a spell as he thought. Let me just... meddle.”
Meddle? Absolutely not. No one was going to tamper with the magic that made it impossible for him to breathe. He tried to shift his neck, but was trapped in the gold. And then she pulled out what looked like a wand from her pocket and the tension around his throat eased.
Not disappeared, but eased enough for him to take in a deep lungful of air and snarl, “You work for the rebellion, too?”
“Of course I work for the rebellion,” she replied. “I have since I was a little girl. My father was one of the first mortals to get involved, because he saw the rightful place of the magical creatures here. Don’t move for a second.”
The wand zapped him like he’d been struck by lightning. Snarling, he tensed as the band tightened again, then loosened. Almost like a snake was wrapped around his throat and fought against her.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “It’s not as easy as I thought.”
Of course it wasn’t! If the magician who had made that box had enchanted this rope, then it would not be as simple as flicking her wrist and muttering a few magical words.
Beauty continued on as if he wasn’t in pain. “Look, I’m sorry I had to lie to you all. It was better if no one knew. In case the King caught anyone or... well. In case what happened actually happened. You threw a tear into things, did you know that?”
“I did,” he grumbled.
“But she likes you. Really likes you if those stolen looks were anything to note.” Beauty waved the wand one last time and let out a loud, “Aha!”
The band tumbled from his neck as though she’d unlocked it. The little human gathered up the band, shoved that into her pocket as well, and then marched in front of him. “You can’t attack the King right now.”
“I’d like to see you try to stop me.”
“No, really. There are things in the works that you don’t know, and that I can’t tell you for reasons I refuse to explain.” She held up a hand when he tried to argue. “No, Abraxas. I will not tell you a single word more. However, I want you to find Lorelei. Give her hope to stay alive. All that romantic stuff, or whatever it is you want to say. We need her alive, not dead. If that means you have to sneak into that dungeon with her and keep healing her, do it. She’s integral to the plan.”
“Why?” he snarled, the fires in his throat already heating the gold around him.
“You’ll see.” She winked, hopped off the gold mountain, and raced toward the entrance to his cavern. “You’re part of the plan, too!”
Damned rebellion. He never should have gotten involved.
But, as Abraxas warmed the gold around himself and shook his massive body free, he felt a renewed sense of hope. If this worked, maybe he could get her back.
If she was still alive.
Chapter 30
Lore
She’d been careless. Lore had known this might happen. But she had spent such a long time making sure every move she made was perfect, that she’d never thought the mistake would be… well. An accident.
At the very least, she’d thought they would catch her when she attempted the actual murder. Not because she was kissing the King’s dragon.
The Umbral Knight holding her shoulder squeezed his hand until it felt like he would break her bones. Wincing, she tried to jerk out of his grip, to no avail. Fine. If that’s what he wanted, then two could play that game.
They rounded a corner of a hall and that gave her enough of a chance. Lore kicked out her foot, shoving all her weight into the Umbral Knight as she sprinted up the wall. The momentum spun her behind him and cracked the metal hand off his armor. Smoke poured out of it, leaving the tin frame empty of what had made it run. Of course, there were still the other nine Umbral Knights to deal with.
Each of their helmets turned to look at her, then back at each other. Almost as though they couldn’t believe what they had just seen.
When their attention returned to the elf, who should have been in their hands, she shrugged. “Sorry boys. Guess I’m a little more than you’re used to handling.”
At least they didn’t do what she had expected. Which was rushing at her one by one. Instead, they stood shoulder to shoulder and pushed her down the hall. They’d created a wall of metal and smoke that should have been impossible to bypass. But she wasn’t a normal young woman, and elves were tricky.
Lore looked up at a small beam of wood that held the flags of the castle on it. Good enough. She sprinted forward, planted her foot on the chest of a Knight, and launched herself into the air. Her fingers grabbed onto the sharp wood, splinters digging into the palms of her hands. Only enough to dangle precariously over their heads while the Knights tried to reach for her. They couldn’t jump, though, and that gave her the advantage.
She swung her legs up and over them, then landed in a crouch behind the idiot soldiers. They really were only good for brute force or people who hadn’t spent their entire life evading them.
Lore didn’t waste time looking back. They’d run after her once she started moving and she’d only get so many steps ahead of them.
Arms pumping, she sprinted down the hall. Where? She did not know. Maybe in the direction of the dragon’s cavern, but that wouldn’t get her very far, either. Lore had to finish this. She had to find the King and... and...
She slammed into a hard chest, bouncing back and hitting the wall, spine first. Breath knocked from her lungs. She stared at the King who had apparently been making his way to see her.
“Ah,” he said with a feral grin. “Just who I was looking for.”
“Who? Me?” She pointed to herself while standing straight and shaking out her arms. “I don’t think you should be excited to see me.”
“You’re an assassin sent by the rebellion, I assume.” The King held his arms out at his sides, fingers spread wide. “We should have met like this sooner, Lorelei. I’m afraid I misjudged you. No longer.”
“You watched me cut an arrow from the sky and you still thought I was a normal mortal woman,” she snarled. “I think all the blame is on you for not seeing what was right in front of you.”
The King’s smile never wavered, although he took a step to the right, blocking her path. “Sure, you could say that. I should have seen through your little ruse sooner than I did. But you were supposed to be here to marry me and you are rather beautiful. You can’t blame a man for falling under the beguiling looks of an elf.”
“I absolutely can.” Lore’s eyes darted left and right, trying to find any kind of weapon she could use. “You have a lot to answer for, Umbral King.”
“Oh, please. We’re past that.” He flinched toward her, laughing when she jolted back. “Call me Zander.”
She didn’t know which one of them moved first. But she ducked underneath his flying fist and pounded her own underneath his ribs. He let out a loud ‘oof’ as the air was forcibly expelled from his lungs. She pivoted, ducking underneath his arm and dragging his bicep with her, locking his arm behind his back.
“I don’t need a weapon to kill you.” Lore pulled hard on his arm, her back against his. The tendon made a horrible popping sound as he strained to keep his arm in its socket.
“Don’t you?” He sounded slightly out of breath, but that could ha
ve been from the pain. “You’re so confident that your skills as an elf will help you here, but you forget the wars always ended with mortal men winning. Do you know why?”
She dug her heels into the floor and pulled hard. “Why’s that?”
“We weigh more.”
He heaved his arm and sent her flying with it. Lorelei gulped down the shout of anger and fear as her back struck the wall again. She fell onto the floor, hands slapping the stone and vision reeling.
A boot came out of nowhere and connected with her face. She felt her nose crack under the strike, then her teeth clacked together as he stomped again. Stars burst in her vision until she couldn’t see him, couldn’t tell which way was up and which way was down.
The King grabbed onto her red dress and hauled her back up, holding her by two fists on either side of her chest. “You creatures always have this ridiculous sense of self worth. As if anyone would care if you were gone.”
He threw her again. Lore barely had time to brace before gravity brought her back down onto the hard floor. Her back screamed in pain, but this time she crawled a few feet before he grabbed her by the back of the head.
Hair fisted in his meaty hands, the King lifted her so she could stare him in the eyes. “A single elf in the royal castle. That was their plan? Did you think I had never trained? That my father wasn’t a warrior like yourself?”
“No,” she croaked before he slammed her head into the floor.
Lore didn’t get up when he released her hair. Her head screamed in pain and her teeth hurt from being knocked around. She felt blood drool from her mouth. She needed to fight and not let it all end like this, but... her limbs refused to work even as her mind screamed at her to rise to battle
He pressed his boot into her back, holding her down on the floor with a slight chuckle. “Look at me, elf.”
She couldn’t. Wouldn’t.
“I said, look at me.” The King pressed harder until her ribs screamed and her heart thudded quickly in warning that he was going to squish her. Like the bug he thought her kind was.