Dance With Darkness
Page 21
“Dair?” he called to his older sibling telepathically, then spotted him battling a group of ten Ilyium like they were nothing.
“Let’s finish these fuckers off,” Adarias snarled, black hair plastered to his skull and dark-blue eyes flashing.
“You read my mind.” Saber waded through the bodies to his brother’s side. “You couldn’t have left any for me?”
Adarias gazed around disdainfully, then looked at Saber. “You took too long. Ready?”
Saber nodded, and they both shifted into full dragons. “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s,” Adarias said, and as one, they rose into the smoke-filled air. As if in tune with all the death upon the land, thick, billowy black-and-grey clouds swirled angrily around them.
Without wasting a single moment, they used their deadly dragonfire on their enemy. Saber alerted these on the ground to the enemy attempting to hit them from behind. Then he and Adarias swiftly set up a towering wall of flame, cutting off the new group of attackers. It wouldn’t hold for long, but it would buy their warriors some time.
Two brothers born into a family of hunters, they could do no other than hunt the enemy and protect, as they did now. They circled the sky, calling out warnings to those on the ground as needed. Both ready to lend a hand, or use their deadly fire, though their brethren seemed to have it handled.
On his second sweep around what remained of the village, Saber cursed. There were eight Ilyium headed toward the only building that was not on fire.
Over my dead body, you bastards. Saber went into a dive. The shelter was where the clan’s young huddled. They would be terrified as they waited for the battle to be over and their parents to return to them. Hatred and disgust consumed him at the lengths their enemy would go. He knew firsthand they wouldn’t hesitate to cut down the young, no matter the age.
As the Ilyium killed the remaining two guards watching over the young, Saber let out a furious roar and shot a billowing stream of dragonfire down at the enemy. Screams rang out and Saber smiled inwardly in satisfaction. The two remaining Ilyium quickly scattered and ran for cover.
His relief was short-lived, however, and Saber wanted to snarl in frustration. A young male in his teens, gripping a large dagger, darted out of the building and searched wildly around.
“Go back inside!” Saber yelled.
The teen gazed up at him for a moment and then stared at the carnage, his mouth dropping open.
Shit. Saber flew lower to land when a fighter on the ground grabbed the boy’s shoulder. With a harsh word, he shoved the youth back the way he’d come. Then the fighter engaged the enemy once again.
The teen took a few steps, then stopped at the sight of a large Ilyium soldier rushing toward him. Frozen, the knife slipped from his hand.
Saber shot a stream of dragonfire at the male, roasting him alive. Then he focused on the youth. “Go.” The teen gaped up at him, pale and shaking. “Don’t make me tell you again. Pick up your dagger and get back inside.”
The youth retrieved his blade and, with one last glance around, quickly hightailed it back the way he’d come. Relieved, Saber waited until the teen was back in the building.
“Zales, Cass, we need more guards on the young,” he told both his younger brother and his best friend.
“On it,” Zales said, and a moment later, Saber saw a couple of fallen hurry over to keep the young safe.
Saber flew back to Adarias’s side, and together, they helped their brethren fight the remaining enemy, careful not to harm anyone on their side.
When the battle was over, Saber and Adarias took one last sweep around the destroyed village.
“You take east and south, I’ll take north and west,” Adarias said.
“Got it.” Saber flew away to scan the terrain outside the village to ensure no one else would sneak up on them. Once positive there weren’t any more Ilyium, Saber flew back, landed, and shifted into his human-form.
Adarias, already in human-form, was on the ground and waiting for him. “Clear?”
“Yes.” Saber grimaced at the carnage. Most of the warriors from the attacked clan hadn’t survived. “What a waste.”
With bleak weariness in his eyes, Adarias sighed. “Sanctuary is full. This was the fifth village hit this week, so we’re bringing the survivors back home with us. Once rested and healed, we’ll figure out where they can go.”
Saber nodded, feeling for those left living while their loved ones went to the afterworld. The Ilyium didn’t care if they killed male or female, young or the elderly. If you were born of any supernatural species, you were fair game as far as they were concerned.
Is this it? Is this all there is to life? Sick of the constant battle, Saber sat shrouded in darkness and stared blankly into the flames of the community fire. It had been another devastating day and he fought the urge to go, move. It didn’t matter where, so long as he was alone.
Saber’s niece, who’d been working with the other healers tending the wounded, stepped out of the shadows. Long brown hair framed a pale face, as chocolate doe-like eyes searched those around the fire. Maya gave Saber a small smile before her gaze landed on her mate.
“Are you done?” Cass asked. A fellow hunter in the brotherhood of dragonkind’s protectors, Casstiel’s long blond hair glinted in the firelight. Though he wasn’t related to Saber by blood, he was as close as a brother could be.
Maya gave a slight nod. “I am for now. I’ve been told to take a break. Hold me?”
Cass pulled her into his lap and wrapped his thick arms around her. “Of course.”
It was extra quiet as everyone contemplated the horrors of the day. Slowly, a few couples began to drift toward their homes. Saber remained and nursed his drink until Cass and Maya’s embrace became passionate.
He tried to ignore them—was happy they had each other, yet, a part of him felt even more lost than usual in the wake of their newly mated bliss.
“Take it somewhere else,” Adarias teased good-naturedly. Saber’s heart ached and warmed at the rare sight of his oldest brother’s smile. The only time Adarias did so anymore was around their niece. There were a few chuckles at his comment, though the couple in question were so involved with each other, they didn’t even notice.
Then silence reigned again.
As the need to escape grew stronger, Saber finally gave in to it. Without a word to anyone, he stood and quietly eased away. He acknowledged the sentinels on duty as he slipped through the protective wards and was about to pass through the second set of wards, when a faint sniffle stilled him. Saber peered out into the darkness of the forest.
Shit. He walked into the teal timberland, a pale carpet of pastel color in the daytime as it rolled from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley. But in the dark, the moonlight reflected off each pale leaf, making them appear white. “You shouldn’t be out here alone,” Saber said gently to the teen leaning against the dark trunk of a teal tree. His skinny arms were wrapped around legs drawn up to his chest.
The youth—who appeared to be about sixteen—just shrugged, and Saber knew he was smarting from the rebuke he’d received earlier. “I know you wanted to help fight, but you had a job to do. We count on everyone to do their jobs, so no mistakes are made that might end up getting others hurt.” Or worse, Saber thought, but didn’t say it. When the teen didn’t respond, Saber eased himself onto the ground beside him.
The youth glanced at him, then lowered his gaze again. “I feel useless babysitting. I want to do more.”
“What is your name, son?” Saber asked.
“Fen. FenSavinor,” the youth said.
Saber bit back a sad smile. Savinor was the name of one of Saber’s brothers who had died long ago.
“FenSavinor. That is a good, strong dragon name. I have no doubt you will make a fine warrior,” Saber said.
“Maybe, after I go through my awakening and if I survive.”
Saber winced at the bitterness in Fen’s voice. Fen was a predrac.
Most of dragonkind could shift forms right after birth. But for the dracones, born of dragonkind and fallen, they had to survive their awakening during their twenty-first year. “You will,” Saber said with feigned optimism, praying he was right.
“I want to start learning now. Not after my awakening,” Fen said without looking at him.
Saber sighed inwardly. He remembered those years, yearning to join his father and brother as they fought, but having to wait until he was older, stronger. “Your training has already begun, didn’t you know?”
Fen raised a doubtful eyebrow.
Saber smiled. “Yes. The first rule in joining the ranks of warrior is to obey orders.”
Chin on his knees, Fen scoffed.
Saber bit back a laugh. “It’s true. You need to learn to take orders before you can move on. And, Fen, do you know who the most important beings are in any clan?”
Fen nodded. “Of course. The Thundrace and Thundrece.”
“You are right, the leaders are very important. However, the most important are the young.” At Fen’s skeptical look, Saber nodded. “The young are our future. Without them, there will be no dragonkind. So you see, you actually have a very important job. As a predrac, you are responsible for the welfare of the young during any attack.”
It was a heavy burden for any predrac to bear, yet with their enemy hunting them as they did, everyone had to pull their weight. Besides, it was the best way for predracs to start learning responsibility.
“Isn’t that what the guards are for?” Fen asked.
“Sure, but they are only a part of the system.” Saber studied the youth. “What are you told to do if anything happens to the guards?”
Fen swallowed deeply. “We’re to quietly take the young to the next hiding spot.”
“Exactly. Who is going to do it if you are out there trying to fight?” Saber asked. “We count on you to keep them together until an adult takes charge.”
“I know. I just … I don’t want to run and hide like a coward,” Fen grumbled.
“Protecting the young is not being cowardly. In fact, it takes courage. You are their last line of defense if things go wrong.” Saber stared into Fen’s eyes. Fen didn’t say anything, and Saber’s mouth tightened in anger as the past intruded. Memories of other predracs, who with their quick thinking and courage, just barely kept those under their protection safe.
Fen’s shoulders drooped in defeat as he lowered his gaze. “I’m sorry I messed up.”
Saber sighed. “It’s fine, as long as you learn from your mistakes.”
“I won’t let you down again,” Fen said quietly.
Saber mussed the youth’s hair. “I know you won’t. Anyway, we all mess up at some point or other.”
Fen snorted in disbelief. “Not you or Adarias.”
“Yes. Especially me and Adarias.”
“But you are Thorns.”
“We are.” Saber stood and helped the predrac to his feet.
“I don’t believe it.” Fen stared at him with surprise.
Saber gave him a little smile. “Believe it. It’s true. Even Thorns make mistakes. Now, you need to get back inside the inner ward before your mother notices you gone and starts to panic.”
“Yes, sir.” Fen looked up at him. “And thank you. I’ll make you proud of me.” Then with a lighter step, he hurried back toward the village.
Saberthorn
Reading Order
DRACONES
Primalthorn ~ Prequel Novella
Dracones Awakening
Dracones Revelation
Dracones Betrayed
Dracones Thaniel
Dracones Guardian
Dragonsworn Guardian ~ Novella in
the Dragon and Mages Anthology
EFPP
Dance with Darkness
DRAGON HUNTER BROTHERHOOD
Saberthorn
Casstiel; Born of Lightning
DRAGONKIND ~ 52 REALMS
The Dragon Assassin’s Sunstryker - Releases in the Feisty Heroines Anthology June 2020
ALIEN VAMPIRE HUNTER
Kiss of Darkness
Also by Sheri-Lynn Marean
www.sheri-lynnmarean.com
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About the Author
When she wasn't bringing home stray animals, Sheri-Lynn would pretend to race horses. As a teenager, that dream became reality. But no matter what she was doing, Sheri-Lynn always had a book. In 2008, inspired by favorite authors and TV shows, she dreamed of immortals who change into dragons. Tierney, Jax, and Sami came to life, and the Dracones were born. Follow Sheri-Lynn below or Register for updates from Sheri-Lynn HERE and Join Sheri-Lynn’s Facebook Reader Group HERE or follow on Social Media below.