Tala Phoenix and the Dragon's Lair

by Gabby Fawkes

  "If the group split up,” Dion was continuing now, “any dragons flying overheard might think we’re an armadillo or perhaps some type of exotic cat."

  Axel snorted. "What type of exotic cats prowl the Badlands?"

  As if on cue, I heard a high-pitched shrill and a stone with spikes ran by. I blinked twice, wondering if I was seeing things. It had been a strange few weeks, and I wouldn’t put it past myself.

  “Aw, a pinchin,” Persephone cooed, picking it up. In her hand, the little thing’s black eyes raced along its body as its mouth opened and closed nervously.

  Still processing, mine did the same. “Uh…”

  “It’s harmless,” Axel said, “Likes to be left alone.”

  Withdrawing its spikes, the stone slid out of Persephone’s grasp and into the sand.

  “Jerk,” she muttered as its spikes and legs returned and it raced off.

  “We’d better go,” Axel said. “Tala, you stay with me. Everyone else split up how you see fit."

  "I’m with Tala," Kian said quickly.

  Jeremy, who had grudgingly changed back to his human form, quickly scooted over to me too.

  Persephone and Demi probably would have called dibs on our group, only they were already several feet ahead. Persephone had chased after the pinchin, but, having failed to catch it again, was now walking and chatting alongside Demi, the two of them seemingly without a care in the world.

  “Good. I’ll go with the competent Olympians,” Jenna said, a sly grin creeping across her face.

  I ground down my teeth hard. There was no point in snapping at her when we were trying to figure out what to do. After all, we’d all been through a lot – and not just after busting out of school. The years of torment before that had changed all of us too. In different ways – made some of us stronger, others weaker or – like Jenna – meaner.

  I knew all that. I knew I shouldn’t allow myself to get irritated. And yet…

  "I don't know," Artemis said, notching an arrow to her bow with her lithe yet muscular-looking fingers. She carried the black and gold weapon on her back so often that I barely noticed her wearing it anymore. "I have been known to accidentally shoot my companions…"

  She let out a light, tinkling laugh, and Jenna looked like she might collapse on the spot. I had to resist the urge to throw my arms around Artemis and hug her. I managed to restrain myself, but only just.

  "Fine, we split up," Apollo said, clearly displeased. "What shall our plan be if we get attacked?"

  "If we get attacked, which I doubt," Axel said, "the other group can come and help. Dion, you have that terrible flute, don’t you?”

  Dion sniffed. “I’ll have you know Zeus gave it to me as a birthday present.”

  “Yeah, and you playing is like a baby screaming,” Axel said immediately. “The other group will be sure to hear it.”

  “What about if we get attacked though?” Jenna said, clearly only concerned that her own ass was safe.

  “I can shoot an arrow ahead of you to alert you,” Artemis offered.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” she said to Kian. “I only accidentally hit people I dislike.”

  "Main thing is,” Persephone said, finally coming over, “is the other group still going to come help even if it's clear that we’ll all suffer a fiery death?"

  "Nice of you to join us," Axel said.

  "I thought you couldn't die anyway," Kian said to her.

  Persephone tilted her head and raised her eerily-Demi-similar cornflower blue eyes in an expression of supreme boredom. "Of course, we won't die, silly. Only you pitiful mortals."

  "Which I am?" Demi asked.

  "Frankly, I'm don’t know," Apollo said. "And unless you want to test-"

  "Back off, archer boy," Persephone barked, stepping in front of Demi. "I've lived a looong time without my mom, and now that she’s here you are not messing that up."

  I mopped the sweat off my brow with the end of my sandy blonde ponytail. "Guys, can we decide before I become a roasted enchilada?"

  “Mmm, enchilada,” Kian murmured, a glazed expression coming over her face. Even though I was positive she’d had them like, twice in her life, if that.

  "Tala’s right," Jeremy stated, starting ahead.

  And with that, we separated into our two groups, Jenna’s lagging behind.

  As we walked along, I was pleased to find out that Dion had brought snacks - Nutri-Grain bars of all things. I accepted one gratefully, deciding not to ask any questions.

  "He's friends with the owner," Kian said, reading my why-isn't-this-a-Mars-bar expression.

  That was another thing Olympus sorely lacked. Sure, there were fresh fruits and vegetables galore, but good old junk food? Nope, they didn't have a Doritos tree, or anything useful like that.

  Anyway, this Nutrigrain Apple Cinnamon goodness was something, and right now my growling stomach wasn’t picky.

  After a while of walking, the once-interesting rock formations of the Dragon Badlands became commonplace. Or maybe I was just getting hungry and thirsty again. Whatever the case, my mind was starting to grow dull.

  Axel pulled me to the side and looked at me hard. "If we do run into dragons,” he said. “You have to understand something."

  "Yeah?"

  "All they know is power and submission. And they will be more powerful than us, doubtless. Dragon clans travel in packs of no less than ten. We won’t stand a chance. The only thing we can do is submit and hope they can't be bothered to deal with us."

  "And if they are bothered?" I said.

  I didn't like the sound of this plan. Not one bit.

  “Then we will fight,” Axel said grimly. “There’ll be no other choice. But before that, our best bet is to stand down. Phoenix dragon or not, you are no match for ten fully grown dragons who’ve had decades to master their skills. You’re new, you’re unpredictable, and you’re relatively untrained. Yes, we Olympians can swing a few blades and shoot a couple of arrows, but when it comes down to it, these dragons can scorch us raw and toss us like ping-pong balls. You and your friends won't survive it."

  "You can't protect me from this," I said quietly. "I'm not going to let some dragons tear my friends or me apart."

  "Don't you realize that seeing what you are could provoke them worse?" Axel demanded. "There have been rumors of the Phoenix clan disappearing. No one knows why – or if the rumors are even true. But they were – are – top dog dragons, the Phoenix Clan - the strongest, most vicious clan of all. The other dragons won't hesitate to put you down if they see a chance to take out a Phoenix. Especially if they think you’re the last one left."

  "Then I won't give them the chance," I snapped.

  "Tala-"

  "No," I said. "You don't get to tell me what to do. I appreciate you looking out for me, I do. But I'm strong. I can fight."

  I was so fired up that I hadn't even noticed that both of my hands were balled into fists, while Axel’s hands were clenched around my forearms. Our gazes met.

  Damn, I had been really worked up the last few days, hardly noticing the holy-hell-hot effects Axel usually had on me. All at once, the attraction hit me in one swipe.

  "Come here," he said in a gruff voice.

  As his mouth claimed mine, the response I had prepared flew out of my head.

  Wow. That manly scent of his was downright intoxicating.

  Mmm… and his lips. Taking and demanding almost as if we were alone, not–

  I pulled away. We were not alone. We were in the middle of the freaking Badlands, with our friends literally footsteps away.

  What, did Axel think I was in the mood for a hella public – hey everyone, look what I’m doing! – makeout session or something?

  "I meant what I said," I said, careful not to catch his eye again. "I'm not going to sit back and-"

  "I know," he said, and, palming the back of my head, he kissed me again. Electricity jolted down me, all the way to my toes.

  "Axellll!" Dion called from ne
arby, a hint of alarm overriding his ordinarily jovial tone.

  Breaking apart, Axel paused.

  "I hate to interrupt," Dion said, "But…"

  "There's something circling us in the air," Kian said, right beside him, her tone decidedly less casual. "And something tells me it's not an armadillo..."

  5

  Yeah, that was no armadillo.

  What was in the air overhead, flying back the way it had come, was a giant winged creature. A dragon? I knew it had to be, and yet I dared to hope it was some kind of overgrown bird.

  "What do we do?" I asked Axel.

  "Spread out!" he hissed to everyone, probably still trying not to be heard from above. "Quick! That way when it comes back with others…"

  And that, of course, was the precise moment that the sky filled with large winged bodies.

  Shit, shit, shiiiit... Dum spiro spero.

  Yeah, neither swearing nor my Latin reflection that ‘while I breathe, I hope’ was going to help me now.

  Because the winged bodies throttling toward us, the creatures that destroyed all hope of escape or hiding, were definitely dragons. And with how fast their compact red bodies were shooting at us, flame-tipped wings slashing the air, beaked-seeming faces snarling, there was no way they’d stop in time.

  I winced, cringing back as I anticipated them barreling right into us.

  At the last second, a few feet overhead, they stopped. Hovering mere feet above us, they reared back their heads. As if inhaling just so they could roast us.

  Ooo look, friends come to play, my PV said.

  -Not now, I hissed at it.

  But instinctively my birthmarks were burning. There was no choice anymore. I was shifting. I had to.

  Invigoration pumped through me. A loud horrible sound pierced the air. My arms spread and flapped until I could feel it was my wings flapping instead. The heat swelling through me further, I rose into the air and looked upon them. The fiery pigeons. The fools who dared challenge me. Who were destined for destruction if they so much as let out a puff of smoke.

  But whether I would completely slaughter them remained to be seen...

  While the group had circled the even feebler humans, one mighty beat of my wings sent them propelling off in all directions, except for one.

  The biggest stared me down, a growl gurgling in its throat. Ha – it was the one daring me to make my move.

  A mili-second before its tail slashed at me, I dodged, lunging back. Then I swooped in close to exhale my fiery disapproval right in its face.

  As it fell back, shrieking, I reared up close to it before it could so much as think. Deep into its eyes I stared, as my fire crackled between my teeth and I hissed, "Come to play?"

  The Firebird’s red eyes were blinking furiously. "But the Phoenix clan… They…”

  "Yes?"

  The pitiful creature couldn’t seem to speak. Its mouth kept opening and closing.

  "Speak!" I bellowed.

  "Haven't been seen,” it hissed. “Disappeared. Some said they’re dead, but-"

  I laughed, big booming gusts. The greatest dragon clan that had ever lived - dead? Preposterous.

  "But no one has seen anything," another fiery bird protested hotly, hovering down.

  I fixed my gaze on this new bird. “Where is their stronghold?"

  The creature dared gawp at me as though I were mad. "You don’t know?”

  “Don’t make me ask again,” I hissed.

  “But you… don't want to go there."

  I blasted out fire, and the coward escaped just in time. It hovered a few more feet away, its head trembling horizontally. At least it better be trembling and not still disagreeing, if it valued its life.

  "None have ever made it inside without invitation,” it squeaked, eyes bulging. “Impossible to make it through the booby traps, the lava moat."

  Its fear did not infect me. I turned my back on it. "Excellent. My home is well protected."

  Nearby, the other Firebirds had returned to hover, although they knew better than to draw too close. I let my breath out in casual, flame-tipped exhales. As I lowered to the ground, I flicked my wing off to the side. "You may go now."

  Once I got to the ground, the humans were eyeing me warily.

  Something smacked into the back of my head. I reared, blasting flames as I whirled around to identify and punish the culprit.

  "Dum spiro spero!" several voices yelled at once.

  How dare they.

  My flames curdled in my throat. Who would I burn first? The Olympian who I could clearly see had hit me over the head, the god who thought himself immortal? Or, perhaps the other group joining now? A face full of flames would make a nice surprise.

  Dum spiro spero…

  I scowled. Why was that so cursedly familiar and annoying?

  Dum spiro spero…

  And then I remembered.

  When I came to, I heard footsteps. It was Jenna.

  “In the thick of it, I see,” Kian said to her drily.

  “If by ‘in the thick of it’, you mean hiding behind that rock formation for the entire encounter, then yeah, she was,” Persephone said, pointing to a potato-wedge shaped one.

  “You guys?” I said, inhaling dry air and coughing out.

  Why did transforming into a dragon have to hurt so damn much?

  Because you don’t do it enough, fool, PV supplied succinctly.

  -That was a rhetorical question.

  And that was the you-know-and-I-know right answer.

  Crouching by my side, Demi squeezed my hand. “We rushed over as soon as the Firebirds showed up and Dion played that horrible flute.”

  Dion made a peeved sound. I looked to Axel, whose facial expression screamed ‘foul mood’.

  "We’ll have to figure out a better way for you to shift back," he said.

  I sat up, forced my eyes open all the way, got a full blast of the scorching sun, then clamped my eyes back closed and lay back down.

  Using my hand as a shade over my eyes, I said optimistically, "Hey, at least I didn't burn you to death, did I?"

  "Not quite."

  Dion sidled over and crouched on one knee. “There’s good news and bad news.”

  “Is one of them that we’re close?” I asked.

  Demi peered at me, shock making her already pale face paler. “You really still want to go there? After what they said?"

  "Where else can we?" I said. "Besides, we’ve got immortal Olympians with us, we can afford a few booby-traps."

  "Dibs on not being a pawn," Artemis said quickly.

  "I'll be the pawn," Axel said. "Tala is right. We’ve made it this far, there's no point turning back now. Even if there still is danger."

  "You forgot the part where I just saved everyone's asses from getting turned into roasted chili beans," I said. “So, we’re past the whole dragon danger, at least.”

  "Yeah, there's that," Axel said gruffly.

  In an undertone, he added, "I don't suppose what I said before crossed your mind - about not transforming and provoking them?"

  "Nope," I said immediately – and truthfully. As soon as I’d realized dragons were coming, instinct had taken over, shoving logic and sense out the window.

  You mean slow logic and faulty sense, PV said.

  -We did do things your way, if you haven’t forgotten. Aren't you at all appeased?

  My PV sniffed. You give me five minutes of threatening some fire-freckled pigeons and I'm supposed to be appeased? Logic and sense would’ve had you assume your dragon form as soon as we stepped foot in the Badlands. Not bother to assume your pitiful human form at all ever, for that matter.

  "So those dragons were Firebirds," I said, pointedly deciding to ignore my PV. I turned to the others. "Are all dragon clans named after birds?"

  "Yes," Apollo said. "You're descended from them."

  "What, some kind of killer ostrich?" Kian asked.

  If Apollo found that funny, the impassive planes of his square jaw showe
d no sign. He looked deep in thought. "I remember it well. Thousands of years ago, the witches thought bewitching birds into ferocious weapons would give them an edge against the shifters in their battles. They were wrong.”

  “You remember all that?” Kian asked dubiously, clearly loath to believe it of her precious ‘sisterhood’.

  Okay, so I was a bit peeved about how loyal she was to those enchanted snobs. Just a bit.

  "Your precious sisters are the one who won’t even help us," I reminded her.

  "You mean the ones who you won't even let help us,” she shot back.

  "The ones we can't afford to risk helping us," Axel clarified. "Enough."

  "Agreed," Persephone said. "Can we get out of the sun and into that nice deadly shady stronghold of yours?"

  "Fine with me," I said, grudgingly accepting Axel's proffered arm. "Only how far is it?"

  “Few more miles," Apollo said, supremely unconcerned. "The Phoenix clan made sure they had the best and most remote spot in all the land."

  "Most remote," was all I had energy to mutter unhappily in response as I actually got to walking, my legs protesting.

  To think, after this Kakernacker-worthy leg-slaughtering trek, I was supposed to somehow get through a bunch of Dragon booby-traps. Yay me.

  You mean may yay us, PV said, with a satisfied sigh. We're going home.

  -Awesome possum.

  No, I fear that dish shall not be present there, PV said. Unless it is imported…

  -Gross.

  “So, we going?” Jeremy growled, back in his bear form.

  He shrugged at our looks. “The dragons already found us, so…”

  Apollo nodded. “As you were.”

  Everyone looked to me.

  “I’m good,” I said, setting forward further. “Let’s go.”

  After all, sitting around here wouldn’t get us any closer to the stronghold. And the longer we waited, the less energy I’d have. Already it felt like I could use about five back-to-back naps, or just one good looong sleep.

  So off we went. We walked and walked and walked. We walked so long that conversation petered out to an exhausted bad-tempered silence. Even the periodic bites of Nutri-Grain and sips of water didn't do much when our legs felt like they wanted to crack off and become one of the jaggedy rock formations around us. It didn't help that the Firebird attack had inspired the other group to rejoin us permanently.