by Dawn Brower
A roar echoed above her, but she didn’t check to see what it was. The dragon probably didn’t like being around something more powerful than it was. Too bad. She would defeat it too when the time came. No one would take away her magic. They would all bow down to her.
Something was wrong. She glanced around at Daire and Kalypso. They were looking at her as if they didn’t recognize their queen? Didn’t they realize they should be kneeling before her? Maybe she should remind them. She turned and stalked forward. Energy crackled in the air with each step she took.
“You dare to defy me?” Was that her voice? It sounded as if it doubled over into itself and someone else spoke through her. It must be the power making itself known. That didn’t matter. She didn’t mind if it wanted to show off. She wouldn’t mind doing a little of that herself. “Must I remind you who I am?”
Daire held up his hands. “Please,” he begged.
That was more like it. They should all be begging her for forgiveness.
“She needs to be killed, or she’ll take us all down,” one of the men outside her bubble shouted.
Elodie whipped around and faced them. She hissed out, “You’ll be the first to go.”
He blanched, but held his ground. “You’ll not win this day. Evil never wins.”
They thought her evil? She was the good one in this scenario. It hadn’t been her who’d attacked other people. All she’d done was defend herself. What right did they have to judge her? What would she have to do to make them understand? What did they have against her?
“The dragon protects her,” someone else shouted. “Evil will always surround her.”
The dragon? A flash of memory filled her mind. Cale. He’d always put himself in front of danger for her. He was her protector. Was he still? Her heart beat heavily in her chest and her body shook. The effort to keep the wind in place started to take its toll on her. It no longer flowed easily, and she struggled to keep it in place. She dropped to her knees and pain split through her. Screams echoed through her ears. It took her several moments to realize they were hers. The mention of the dragon had brought her back to reality. It helped her remember who she was and that she didn’t hurt anyone intentionally. That would never be how she handled anything. Life was precious, and she didn’t want to control anyone.
The wind began to calm down gradually. They were going to die despite her effort to stop them. The men on horses didn’t care. Each one of them saw her as evil. Not just her, but Cale and Daire too. Probably even Lulu and Kalypso... What would it take to get through to them? To make them see they were not bad people. All they wanted to do was go home.
Daire dropped down beside her. “Ellie, they’ll be here soon. What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing,” she said. “Let them come.”
“They mean to kills us,” he replied, exasperated. “Tell me you have a plan.”
She did, but he might not like it. It hindered on Cale and his need to protect her. Somewhere inside that dragon was her knight, and she aimed to find him. The shield was almost completely down. The men sat on their horses in the distance and something, or someone, stalked ahead. They moved to let it through, and Elodie was surprised to see a girl no older than her striding slowly forward. She had long golden hair that rippled in the wind—except the wind had already died down. Something about her almost seemed familiar, but Elodie couldn’t figure out what.
The girl had a quiver at her back and a bow in her hand. She wore black leather pants and a matching tunic. She kept walking leisurely toward her, not saying a word, and didn’t even make a move to grab an arrow to shoot it in their direction. She must be rather confident in her abilities, as the other archers followed her lead, but remained in place.
She stopped outside of Elodie’s imaginary circle and then glanced up at the sky. Cale continued to fly above them with Lulu at his side. Why hadn’t they come down to help? What was Lulu up to? Elodie wished she understood Malediction better. Maybe, if she did, she’d be able to fight everything it threw at her. Nothing surprised her anymore, and at the same time it did. Not because all the strangeness of the world shocked her, but because she never knew what it might use to thwart her next. Now she had this girl to contend with and didn’t have a clue what her motivation was.
“Who are you?” the girl asked.
She had green eyes. Those too seemed familiar somehow. She’d seen that shade before, but couldn’t quite place where. It didn’t matter though. It was a silly thing to take notice of. Besides, it had to be a coincidence, nothing more. What difference did it make what color eyes the girl had? One thing was certain: she meant to do them harm. That made her an enemy.
“I could ask you the same question,” Elodie retorted. “Why are you attacking us?”
She tilted her head, but remained silent. Another roar echoed through the air, and they both glanced upward at the dragon. He was a massive, yet beautiful beast. Elodie had a fleeting image of her riding on his back. What would that be like? To soar through the sky without a care in the world?
“The dragon drew us here,” the girl said absentmindedly. “You’re collateral damage.”
Elodie turned her gaze back toward her. She still stared up at the dragon in the sky. Why did her hair seem to have a life of its own? It floated around her in waves, the wind curling through it almost naturally. “You’d kill us to get to the dragon?”
She lowered her gaze and nodded. “Dragons are dangerous and need to die. The stone held the last one, and it should not have been resurrected. If you don’t want to pay the price, you should never have breathed life into it.”
Who the hell was she, and what kind of cryptic statement was that? Elodie decided to take a risk. She pushed herself up and started to stand. Daire reached down to help. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“It’s my pleasure, princess.” He gestured toward the girl and kept his voice low. “What’s your take on her?”
“She’s dangerous,” she said, emulating his tone of voice. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
He nodded. “Do you think they’ll really kill us and Cale?”
There wasn’t a doubt in her mind. The first chance they found, they’d put an arrow through their hearts and not look back. “Absolutely.”
Elodie raised her voice and said to the girl, “I’m Elodie, Princess of Zelnon and its future queen.” Maybe if she shared a little, the girl would do the same.
She patted her chest. “I’m Donia McDonald, Ruler of the Dragon Hunters. My word is law.”
Well, how about that. This girl thought she could order them around because she’d deemed herself ruler of a class of people. It didn’t work like that. She might be the hunter’s leader, but she was far from being Elodie’s.
“It’s a pleasure,” Elodie attempted politeness. “But I can’t let you kill us or Cale.”
She tilted her head as if studying Elodie. “What is this Cale.” Then she smiled smugly, understanding dawning on her. “You’re cute. You think your friend still lives inside it. That’s not possible. He’s dead, and you should accept it.”
Elodie would do no such thing. Cale did not die when the dragon took him over. He was stronger than that, and he would have found a way to survive. Donia wasn’t familiar with her knight and wouldn’t understand his stubborn will. It was one of the things Elodie loved about him. He never gave up, and he always had a plan. She believed he had one even now.
Elodie laughed. “Don’t underestimate Cale—you have no idea what he’s capable of.”
“No,” she agreed. “But I do understand dragons. Trust me when I say no one has survived before. I am surprised though. This one hasn’t attacked anyone yet.”
That was all the proof she needed that Cale lived. He didn’t harm innocents. “It won’t.”
“Yes, in time, it will. We’re done talking. The dragon must die. If you wish to live, do not attempt to stop us.”
Elodie snorted. What made this girl think she’d listen to
anything she had to say? Not help Cale? Unlikely. He’d do anything for her, and she wasn’t going to sit idly by and let Donia kill him.
“Now,” she ordered Daire.
He pulled an arrow out of his quiver and nocked it, holding it steady, awaiting her next command. Donia did the same, but her arrow was pointed at the sky. Kalypso had remained quiet during everything, but she joined them, staring upward. Elodie kept her sight on Donia and the men waiting for the right moment to strike.
“You can shoot me,” Donia said casually. “But not before my arrow hits its mark.”
“Either way you’ll be dead,” Elodie retorted brusquely. “That will make it worthwhile.”
Donia’s laughter echoed back at her. “Will I?” She let the arrow fly and Elodie gestured to Daire to let his go. Elodie held her breath, waiting impatiently for the arrows to either hit or miss their targets. It didn’t take but mere seconds, however the fear made it feel like much longer than that. Please don’t let it hit Cale...
6
Dragon’s Blood
Daire had aimed his arrow for Donia’s, not the girl herself. Elodie wouldn’t have thought to do that, but it kept her arrow from hitting its target. Well, not exactly, it still hit Cale, but it wasn’t a killing blow. It grazed his amethyst scales, leaving a gash above one of his large legs. The roar that echoed through the area deafened them.
Cale’s massive wings faltered in the sky, and he descended rapidly toward the ground. Something must have been on that arrow... The wound itself should not have felled such a huge beast. The dragon looked infallible, but it appeared it was weaker than she could have ever imagined. She stood frozen in place, unable to comprehend the sight of him falling from the sky. He hit the ground hard, the sound reverberating back with a thunderous rumble.
“Nooooo,” Elodie screamed and ran toward Cale. Daire nocked arrows and launched them one after the other to cover her path. She skidded to a halt, landing on her knees beside him. Up close, the gash was much larger than she first thought... She touched it gingerly to gauge how deep it might be. He roared as soon as she pressed her finger slightly onto his scales, making her flinch. He turned his head toward her and nuzzled her. “Cale,” she said softly. “I want to help...” She wasn’t sure how.
“Lulu,” she called to the bird. She hovered nearby but hadn’t fully descended. They didn’t have much time. Daire couldn’t hold them off and they had to do something. The bird fluttered down and landed on top of Cale.
“Yes, princess?” she asked.
“How to I help him?”
“There’s nothing you can do,” she replied. “At least not yet. He can help you if he can figure out his flame.”
His... Oh, it dawned on her what the bird meant. A dragon could control fire. If he could launch it, then maybe they had a chance to escape the dragon hunters. The girl seemed powerful and had better control of her magic. Elodie was too new to hers, and it drained her every time she used it.
“How does it work?” Elodie gestured toward Cale. “Why is he having trouble with it?”
Somehow, it didn’t surprise her that Lulu was able to talk to Cale. She wished he could communicate with her as well. She missed him. He always seemed to know what to do, and at the moment she was so, so lost. She wanted to save him, to save them all really; however, that didn’t seem possible. The more she tried to do the right thing, she ended up falling flat. A new difficulty arose every second they were in Malediction. The world refused to let them go. She didn’t quite understand how any of it worked. Maybe, if she could uncover the mystery of Malediction, she’d be able to defeat it.
One thing at a time. That was her new mantra. If she could only move past this new problem, then she’d be one step closer to going home. She shook her head with frustration. There had to be a way. No matter how many things the cursed world threw at her, she refused to give up. It might take her a minute to move past it, but in the end, she would persevere. This was not where she belonged.
The bird tilted its head and remained silent. Elodie held back the urge to scream. She must be talking to Cale—at least she hoped so. Otherwise, she’d give in to that urge and also throw something at the bird. After a moment, she turned her attention back to Elodie. “He is fighting himself and the gifts the dragon gives him. There is much he can do if he merges with the beast completely. He is keeping himself separate, and there is a battle for control. The pain is almost too much, and the dragon wishes to erase Cale entirely.”
“No,” she said. “Cale must survive. Tell him or me what needs to be done.”
“He has a connection here with you,” Lulu explained. “That is keeping Cale here. It should give him the strength to remain in control after they become one.”
“Should?” Elodie didn’t like the possibility Cale could be lost forever. That damn girl thought he was already gone. It showed what little Donia knew about her knight. Elodie hadn’t given up on him, and she never would. He was her rock and the reason she continued to fight. “What happens if he loses?” She hated asking the question, but she had to understand. If she had any chance of helping him, she must know every detail. It was the only way, even if she didn’t like the other side of things.
“Then the dragon must die,” Lulu informed her. “Because, without Cale, it will kill us all.”
“That’s what I am here for.” Donia walked over to them.
She had a cocky grin on her face. Elodie wanted to wipe it away with her fist. That was the old Elodie. She didn’t answer things with violence if she could help it. “Cale is still in control. Keep your arrows to yourself, or I’ll kill you.” So much for not doing violence... This once though, she would allow herself the pleasure—for Cale.
“I don’t intend to kill him yet,” the girl said. “But it might not be in my hands. The poison is already at work, and he doesn’t have long.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “It is my job to slay dragons.”
Elodie leapt to her feet and lunged for the girl. Daire, on a dead run, pulled her back before she could wrap her hands around Donia’s neck. “Let me go,” she insisted.
“Not until you calm down,” he replied, a little out of breath. “We need to help Cale. The girl can wait.”
For a moment, she’d forgotten about Cale. Damn. How could she keep letting her anger get the best of her? That wasn’t who she wanted to be, and yet that is exactly who she was and always had been. What would it take for her to completely let all that pent-up rage go? “You’re right. Do me a favor and watch Donia and her friends while I deal with this.”
“You can count on me.” Daire nodded. “Now do what you must.”
Elodie went to Cale and sat next to him. She caressed his snout with the back of her hand. He was so impressive and beautiful in this form. That didn’t surprise her either. He was magnificent as a man. Why wouldn’t he be as a dragon as well? “Cale,” she said softy. “I don’t know if you understand me. I hope you do...”
He snorted out a puff of smoke. Elodie would have laughed if she wasn’t so worried. The smoke was a good sign. He could do something, but it wasn’t the fire they needed. She glanced over her shoulder at Daire. He was doing a fine job of keeping Donia occupied. Her men had fallen back. Elodie couldn’t be certain why, but she didn’t really care at the moment either. As long as there was some distance between them, she could figure out a way to escape. Donia might actually be the key... She knew a lot about dragons, and if anyone could help Cale, it was her.
“Lulu,” she called. The bird stayed on her perch across Cale’s back. She didn’t seem to want to move, but Elodie needed her to. “Please, come here. It’s important.”
The bird flapped her wings and made her way over to Elodie. She landed once again on a part of Cale. She seemed reluctant to leave him for any reason. In another time, Elodie would have wondered about her attachment. For now, she brushed it aside for more dire circumstances.
“Princess,” she said with a bow of her head. “You summoned me.”
> She would not roll her eyes—no, she would not. Sometimes Lulu’s formality drove her crazy. Other times, she had no formality at all. Elodie couldn’t figure her out. “Can you deliver a message to Daire without the dragon hunter hearing it?”
“I can do anything.” Lulu puffed out her chest. “There is no other like me.” For that, Elodie was quite grateful. One Lulu was difficult. She couldn’t imagine a world where two of them existed. That was almost a terrifying thought to behold. She shook her head and gestured for Lulu to come closer. Then she whispered her instructions. She couldn’t risk them being overheard by anyone. After she finished, Lulu guffawed. “That is brilliant. I’ll be back shortly, promise you’ll stay here with the knight. He needs us.”
As if she’d leave... “Of course. Now, please hurry.”
After Lulu floated away, Elodie returned her attention to Cale. She placed both hands on his head and closed her eyes. She’d been able to reach into Daire and help him. Perhaps she could do the same for him. She concentrated for several moments, or at least it felt that way. Time was irrelevant in Malediction and seemed to run on schedule too difficult to ascertain. Either way, it took a lot to breach the barrier on the dragon’s mind. Even then, she couldn’t see anything and was moving through it blind. She prayed she wasn’t about to do more damage than harm. This wasn’t like it had been with Cale. There was too much magic for her to control, but perhaps she could do something else.
“Cale,” she said in her mind. “I can’t help you heal or bring you back. You have to do this on your own. We need you to control your fire. It’ll help burn the poison out of your system, and help us escape. Please...try.”
She barely managed to finish the message before something powerful kicked her out. It slammed into her chest and left her breathless. When she opened her eyes, the purple irises of the dragon’s eyes greeted her. He stood up on his haunches and roared. A puff of smoke billowed from his nostrils. He was trying... Please, oh please, let him succeed.