by Sarah Noffke
Wilder brought his arms down just in time, and a blast of smoke hit those firing in their faces. It didn’t kill them. Sophia had been clear about that. It blasted them backward, and all of them hit the wall on the far side, their cowardly weapons falling from their hands and plunging the room into disarray.
Wilder knew that things would go from bad to worse fast, so he decided to cut it off.
He brought his hands up and pulled down the beam that held the doorframe in place in the surrounding concrete. It collapsed at once, pinning the demon dragonriders and the criminal mortals they’d taken control of in the adjoining space.
Wilder put his ear to the rubble that had fallen before him after waving away the dust that billowed up. He listened to the commotion on the other side as they all scrambled, trying to figure out what had happened.
When things started to settle down, Wilder cleared his throat. “Now, demon dragonriders, the next time we meet—the next time you’re face-to-face with any Dragon Elite member—please remember, you’re young. You’re new. We are your authority, and you will respect us. In return, we’ll ensure you aren’t erased from this planet. Cool?”
When there was no answer, Wilder turned and hurried back the way he’d come. He knew the Rogue Riders would claw their way out, but not before Sophia found Trudy DeVries and they were out of there.
Chapter One Hundred Twenty
Sophia heard something at her back and tensed, thinking another Rogue Rider approached. With Inexorabilis in her hand, she spun and nearly sliced the love of her life. The blade halted inches from Wilder’s face.
Sophia tensed, held her breath, and took in his shocked expression and rapid breathing.
Then they both broke into quiet laughter, realizing that they’d nearly offed each other. They nearly embraced with relief that they were both okay, but instead, turned to the passage ahead.
Wilder gave her a sturdy look. They both knew that reunions and moments of relief were better saved for later when they could celebrate bigger victories.
“She has to be up ahead,” Sophia stated.
He nodded and pulled his sword.
They ambled through the dark, listening to the trickling of water and taking each step soundlessly.
Ahead, they heard chatter. Two men were conversing—arguing. That seemed to be all the Rogue Riders currently did, besides exploit criminals.
Sophia laid a hand on Wilder’s chest, keeping him from spilling around the corner and assaulting the men. She peered around the bend and saw that it was two demon dragonriders guarding a large woman in combat clothing. Warrior Trudy DeVries.
Her hands were pinned behind her back, and she was tied to a chair, her chin down as if she was asleep.
The guys were stationed on opposite sides of a doorframe, propped up as they both ate corn dogs.
For a moment, Sophia thought about assaulting them for their food but realized that wasn’t the reason to knock them out, and she really wouldn’t want their leftovers. She wanted her own food.
To her surprise, Trudy looked up. There seemed to be a flicker of a smile on her face, as though the Warrior saw her, but that seemed impossible from that distance and in the dark.
“All I’m saying is that with Tanner gone, I’m next in line for third in command,” one of the guys said, then took a bite of his corndog and chewed with his mouth open. “Why do you think Nathaniel put me in charge of watching this one?”
The other guy shook his head. “I’m in charge of watching this woman too.”
“Guys,” Trudy said in a sing-song tone.
“How many times have we told you not to talk?” the first guy said.
“A few times,” Trudy replied. “That’s been fine and all, but now I’m ready to be done with this whole hostage thing.”
The other guy laughed. “Well, thing is, sweetheart, that’s always been up for us to decide when it’s over. You’re our prisoner, you see.”
Trudy DeVries looked up, and Sophia knew at once that her gaze connected with hers. “No, the thing is, that’s always been up to me.”
She snapped her head to one side, and the guy closest to her eating the corndog fell to the floor instantly as if he’d passed out, his food rolling away. Before the other guy could react, Trudy snapped her neck to the other side as though rolling out an especially stubborn kink. Like the other guy, the demon dragonrider fell to the floor too, totally passed out.
Sophia and Wilder jumped out from behind the corner at once, looking around for other guards. There were none. Trudy DeVries smiled broadly at them.
“Well, hello, Rider Sophia Beaufont,” Trudy DeVries stated proudly, looking strong. “I’ve been waiting for you to show up so I could do that.”
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-One
Sophia rushed forward and worked to release the Warrior from her bonds. “Wait, I don’t understand. You were waiting for me to show up so you could free yourself? Because that’s what I watched happen.”
Trudy worked out her wrists when she was released, letting out the tension as she rolled them around. She nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.”
Wilder tilted his head and regarded the Warrior with confusion. “I’m not sure I understand.”
“Nor I.” Sophia stood back, wondering if this was a trick. Maybe it wasn’t the real Trudy DeVries. Maybe this was a trap. Perhaps they’d been set up.
Trudy stood and smiled down at Sophia while clapping a hand on her shoulder. “You did good. You got to me. And you wouldn’t have found the Rogue Riders if I hadn’t been captured. My visions told me that much, so I allowed it to happen.”
Sophia nearly choked on her gasp. “You what?”
“She’s a seer?” Wilder asked in disbelief.
“Shush,” Sophia urged. “She’s good and helpful, and my family has kept the DeVries family secret for generations.”
Trudy turned to Wilder with confidence and smiled. “You will too. I’ve seen it.” She winked.
Wilder shook his head and shivered. “Okay, that’s just creepy.”
“And cool too,” Trudy stated, seeming excited to be free.
“Wait, I need to back up.” Sophia shook her head. “It seems like you could have gotten out of here at any point based on how you knocked these guys out.” She indicated the guys on the floor.
Trudy nodded. “They have about as much experience as a college freshman.”
“You got captured,” Wilder argued.
“And you were here just now,” Sophia stated. Then it dawned on her. “You needed me to find the Rogue Riders based on some weird vision you’ve had. You allowed all this to happen, knowing that it all needed to. You endured being captured because…”
Trudy simply stared at her, waiting for her to work it out.
“Something that happened tonight is crucial to the future, isn’t it?” Sophia questioned.
Trudy pulled in a breath. “I dare say it’s all crucial. What Evan did. What Wilder did. What you did. It all sets up the Dragon Elite, and without it, well, you all didn’t stand a chance. So yes, I allowed an uncomfortable reality to happen for me so that you all could have the potential to succeed, but please note, that’s all it is. It’s potential. It’s up to the Dragon Elite to make the most of the playing field that you’ve leveled.”
Sophia couldn’t help but grin, although she was a little angry that the Warrior put her and everyone else in danger for this. But then, Trudy had this confidence, and it seemed to be to create a better future so how could she be angry? “Wow, I can’t believe all this.”
“I know,” Wilder said, a similar look of disbelief on his face. “You have the weirdest friends.”
Sophia and Trudy both laughed.
Finally, Sophia shook off all the strangeness and looked the Warrior for the House of Fourteen over. “Are you really okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”
Trudy glanced at her arms and nodded. “I’m stiff and need a proper meal, but I feel fine.”
“That was pretty impressive when yo
u knocked those guys out,” Wilder commended.
Trudy smiled, looking down at Sophia. “You didn’t really believe these kids could take me hostage?”
Now that Sophia thought about it, the whole thing seemed silly. “It was weird, but you knew I’d come and get you.”
“I knew that, even without seeing the vision,” Trudy stated. “Also, there’s something else I need to tell you.”
Sophia tensed and prepared herself for what came next.
“Call Liv and tell her to meet us,” Trudy stated. “I need to tell her something, and you should be there.”
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Two
“How did you know that I’ve wanted to try this place?” Liv pulled the mound of nachos to her, her eyes wide as she took in the hugeness.
“I didn’t,” Sophia admitted, excited by her pile of nachos at Nacho Daddy. “It was Lunis who mentioned it.”
The blue dragon was back in toddler form, cleaning up a pile of nachos from his side of the table. It was a very strange sight. He pointed a chubby finger at Warrior Trudy DeVries. “It was her. She came to me in a dream and told me about this place. I will say no more.”
The Warrior glanced at the sisters and nodded. “I have to admit that I knew the Rogue Riders would take me and that they had to. I can’t tell you why or what happens from it, but I can say that if things go right, it sets things into motion that are important for setting up the future.”
Sophia nearly shivered from the implications. This felt so important and also so risky. “What do I do?”
“Push forward.” Trudy watched as Evan downed a beer. “I know it’s weird for most when they know about the future, but that almost messes it up. So just proceed and know you’re on track.”
“That’s some wicked stuff, seer.” Evan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Hey, not a word about this, dragonrider,” Liv warned and pointed at Evan.
He immediately held up his hands in surrender. “No worries. I’m much obliged to the Warrior who gave me the opportunity to take out that dirt weed.”
Sophia nodded. “Nathaniel was no good. You did good.”
“I agree,” Trudy said with a nod. “As did Wilder, setting the foundation for a better future for the Rogue Riders.”
Wilder held up his mug of beer and grinned. “Why, thank you. I love it when they pull out the big guns. I’m always like, you made it easy for me.”
“You all performed beautifully,” Sophia commended, holding up her glass of beer. “Great job, everyone. I’m grateful that Trudy is safe, even if it was a ruse all along.”
They all clinked glasses. Well, all but Liv.
“Yeah, you sneaky future seers are always setting us up, aren’t you?” Liv asked, digging back into her nachos.
Trudy nodded. “Unfortunately so. We can only tell you all so much to achieve the desired results. Too much and we’ll undo the vision. Too little and it might not happen. Avoiding potential realities is even more tricky, which is why I didn’t tell you anything about the baby so that you sought your own solution.”
Liv dropped the chip in her hand. “The baby…you saw something about the baby?”
Trudy nodded. “And in every vision I saw, if I intervened, I made it worse. So I didn’t say a word and let you sisters work it out together.” She indicated Liv and Sophia. “Again, you’ve proven to be a perfect team and created the perfect outcome.”
Liv’s eyes widened. “Are you saying…” She looked at Sophia, then at Trudy, and back at Sophia.
The other Warrior smiled. “I am. Your baby is fine. The vision I see tells me that your child isn’t a demon.”
“Oh, my angels!” Liv exclaimed, nearly jumping up from her seat. “I have a normal baby.”
Trudy’s light expression dropped. “No, I said you don’t have a demon. Your baby will be anything but normal. Yours and Stefan’s baby will go on to rule empires but at many costs.”
Sophia sat back in her seat, suddenly feeling very heavy.
Liv did the same.
“Much like all the Beaufont children,” Trudy went on, “your child will be healthy and happy and extremely talented. They also happen to have inherited your great burden of having to save the world. No surprise there, right?”
The group all exchanged foreboding expressions before everyone laughed, knowing that was all of their fates. Grateful that the baby wasn’t a demon and Trudy was safe and that they’d put the Rogue Riders in their place for a little while, Sophia laid her head on her sister’s shoulder feeling victorious. Liv patted her shoulder, laying her head on hers.
“Well, we did it, didn’t we?” Evan said proudly.
“We sure did.” Wilder smiled at Sophia as she had a moment with her sister.
She straightened, suddenly thinking about something. “Evan took out Nathaniel. We met most of the other Rogue Riders. Where was Versalee? None of us saw her. What happened to her?”
They all exchanged foreboding expressions, unable to shake the feeling that they’d been successful, but the true evil was still out there in the world.
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Three
From the rooftop of the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Versalee glared down at the scene below on the Strip. There were ambulances and magical rescue operations, but none could save Nathaniel and his dragon, Bolt.
They were dead.
She smirked and shook her head. It was messy, but everything had gone to plan.
Nathaniel had never been her real second in command. She’d only told him that to get him to follow her deception.
Versalee glanced at Ash, her dragon, and smiled fondly. There had only ever been one second in command, and that was her dragon. Tanner and Nathaniel had simply been her attempts to keep the Dragon Elite’s attention off her while she planned, worked, and figured things out.
And it had worked.
While Nathaniel had created problems in Las Vegas at her orders, she’d secured the Rogue Riders' real headquarters. She’d recruited real followers, not caring what happened to the ones in Las Vegas. Versalee had been planning, and it had all worked.
Now she had a headquarters that wouldn’t just be perfect and protect the Rogue Riders, but it would make her and Ash stronger. It would make them the force they needed to be to defeat the Dragon Elite.
She laughed out loud, unheard over the city’s noises. Soon she’d be so powerful that the Dragon Elite wouldn’t know how to face her and her dragon. Things had all worked out perfectly, and soon the do-gooders would meet their end. That’s when she’d take her throne as the reigning dragonrider, ruling over the world.
Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Four
The Castle had never looked so beautiful. Sophia strode down the great staircase to find the area lit with many twinkling lights. The Christmas tree was so large that it didn’t seem real, but the evergreen scent wafting off it told her it was authentic and fresh-cut.
The tree towered to the top of the high rafters in the sitting area outside the Castle's entryway. There were decorations in every possible place. Last year had been beautiful with lights and bows and wreaths, the first time in a long while that there had been Christmas decorations or a celebration. Now it seemed that Trin had outdone herself.
The cyborg strode in from the dining hall carrying a silver tray with frosted cookies and chocolate-covered pretzels.
“Fantastic job,” Sophia said as the housekeeper set the tray down in front of Mama Jamba and Mahkah lounging on the sofa. The stoic Native American was simply sitting, a slight smile of contentedness on his face as though the decorations brought him a new level of peace. Mother Nature was flipping through a monthly planning calendar. The three newbie dragonriders sat on the other side of the room, not looking as relaxed as the others.
Trin glanced up, confusion on her face. “Me? You think I did all this? It wasn’t me.”
“Oh,” Sophia said with surprise. “I guess Quiet outdid himself yet again.”
She smiled and curtsied. “I figured it would be nice to dress up for the occasion.”
“What occasion?” Evan strode into the room, his shirt untucked and NO10JO on his heels.
“It’s Christmas,” Trin stated. “Did you just roll out of bed?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I sort of saved the world recently so I figured I’d sleep in. Sue me.”
“I might,” she sang, winking fondly at him and turning on her heels and heading back for the kitchen.
Evan’s eyes widened at the sight of the tray of cookies. He bolted over and reached for one with each hand.
“Save some for the others,” Sophia warned.
He stuck two cookies in his mouth at once and mumbled. “You mean, save one for Quiet.”
“I do,” she stated as the groundskeeper strode in from the outside, the sharp cold wind sneaking into the Castle through the stained glass front door.
“Quiet, you don’t want any cookies, do you?” Evan asked through a mouthful.
The gnome mumbled something inaudible and strode over, taking a cookie.
Some things never change, Sophia observed, slightly amused by the pair’s constant antics.
Quiet pointed at the tree and muttered something else.
Evan turned and looked where the gnome indicated. It was the angel on the top of the tree. It wasn’t an ordinary Christmas angel. Instead, it was made of gray stone and wore a long flowing gown. That wasn’t the strange part though. It was that the angel had its face covered with its hand.
“Oh hell nah!” Evan exclaimed, his eyes wide and keeping his gaze pinned on the angel. “Was that there before?”
Mama Jamba glanced up casually from her planner and shook her head. “No, I believe it just appeared. Must have been in your honor.”
“Damn it. Now I can’t look away from it,” Evan complained. “This ruins everything.”