by Dawn Brower
Donia spun on her heels to head to the dragon. She had given him up for dead and must have decided to let him agonize until his last breath. The rotten girl would soon realize she would never defeat Elodie’s knight. This magic that had wound its way around him wouldn’t win. She’d bet on Cale in any circumstance. Daire came up behind the dragon hunter and knocked her in the head. Lulu hovered nearby, probably making sure Daire had followed Elodie’s instructions. Donia fell hard to the ground—the dragon blocked the scene from her friends. They hadn’t yet realized their queen had fallen.
Good.
Elodie stepped forward anxiously. “Do you think you can breathe fire now?” He appeared to nod, but Elodie couldn’t be certain. Nothing in Malediction was ever a sure thing. She silently prayed they’d make it out alive—not just from their current predicament, but the entire cursed world. This was the first step toward that end goal.
Daire tied the dragon hunter up with some rope then gagged her. He’d saved the items from his time as Kalypso’s captive. At the time, Elodie had thought him insane for it, but now that it came in handy, she applauded his forward thinking. Once Donia woke up, she’d be their prisoner and they would be able to control the outcome. Elodie nodded at Daire as Kalypso came up to guard the hunter. She’d need Daire for the upcoming battle.
The other dragon hunters started to notice Cale had stood and were making their way back toward them. Elodie glanced from them and toward the dragon. His dragon’s blood had oozed down his side and crusted over—the wound was beginning to heal. She breathed a sigh of relief for that small favor. At least he wouldn’t lose any more of his precious blood.
“Are you ready?” she asked him.
In answer, he opened his mouth and breathed fire for the first time. It was a small flame, but it was a start. Perhaps it had even been on purpose as they didn’t have anyone close enough to attack yet. Either way—she had faith they’d win.
“Then let it begin...” She turned toward the dragon hunters and raised her hand—motioning for Cale to attack when ready. Her knight would not die today, and after Donia’s soldiers were dispensed with, then she’d interrogate her. Soon, if all went well, she’d have her knight back. She spun on her heels and headed toward Daire, leaving Cale to take care of the hunters.
7
Enemies Abound
Cale understood far more than Elodie realized. He’d been listening the entire time and desperately wanted to communicate with her. Lulu, the insufferable bird had been able to talk to him. He’d much rather it had been his princess, but at least Lulu was better than nothing. Having no one understand him had nearly driven him insane.
He’d hovered in the sky talking with Lulu for a long time. The bird had tried to help, in her own way. He couldn’t completely blame her for his failure. He didn’t understand the magic brewing through his blood, and no matter how many times Lulu explained what he must do to utilize it, he couldn’t do what she suggested. It hadn’t been until Elodie tried to reach him that some of it clicked in place. Not because she’d unlocked some secret part of him, but because the dragon hadn’t liked the intrusion. It had wanted to lash out at Elodie, and Cale refused to let anyone hurt her if he could help it.
An internal battle raged from that moment on. It hadn’t taken long before he was able to wrest control as he merged fully with the dragon. That had been what Lulu had been trying to get him to do; however, he’d been reluctant. Merging meant he was giving up on being the person he’d been before. Now he realized he would never be a knight ever again, but he could still be Elodie’s protector. That would have to be enough for him. He couldn’t be a man standing by her side and he had to accept it and hope he could be content with it. There was also the possibility he would have to remain in Malediction once she returned home. He hated that he might be separated from her, but a dragon didn’t belong in Zelnon.
Cale stood on his back legs and spread his wings wide. The wind whipped over them, giving him the momentum to stay upright. Elodie glanced up at him, concern etched across her face. He wished he could hug her and reassure her everything would be all right. That was something someone else would have to do from now on. There was one thing he could do for her though. He could make sure that these dragon hunters left them alone for a little while.
He knew enough about them now to realize they would never give up. Whatever it took to kill him, the hunters would work tirelessly until that happened. Elodie taking out the queen had helped. She was the truly powerful one, and in her arrogance, forgot even she could fail.
The hunters stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at Cale’s battle-ready pose. He’d unleash all the fire inside of him to protect Elodie, but he didn’t want to kill them unless he was left with no choice. They all reached for their bows and nocked arrows in place. They weren’t the kind needed to kill him. Only the queen could wield those. They were poison-tipped, and he had to be hit in the heart for it to kill him. Luckily, the queen had wanted to have fun and hadn’t bothered to hit him again. He didn’t understand what game she played, but he was thankful for it. Now he might have a chance, at least for a little while to figure things out. Lulu had hinted there might be a way for him to not remain a dragon. He wanted to know what that was... As they launched, he let out a stream of fire, reducing them to ash on contact. It was time for them to realize who he was, and what he could do.
Fear permeated the air. Cale laughed inside his head. He learned a new thing every second he was merged with the dragon. He could smell things no mere man could, and fear smelled like heaven to him. It fueled him more than food and made him want to create more of it. He faced the hunters and considered launching another bit of fire in their direction. That turned out unnecessary. They all, one by one, spun on their heels and ran toward their horses. Cowards... They didn’t bother to attempt a rescue. Their queen was their captive, and they left her to whatever fate they chose to bestow upon her. He’d never have done that to Elodie. Clearly those men didn’t care enough about her, or they’d not have given up so easily.
Still... He didn’t trust it. Their easy acquiesce didn’t make much sense. They must have a plan of some sort. Their fear had been real enough, but that didn’t make them cowards. A good soldier respected fear. Sometimes his fears kept had him alive when nothing else had. If he didn’t have fear, he wouldn’t have a reason to live, to fight. It went hand in hand with every other emotion. Only a fool feared nothing, and while he had made some questionable choices—some fairly recent—he was far from being one.
He needed to talk to Lulu. She seemed like the only one who understood him, and he had to get a message to Elodie. They must leave this place immediately. They shouldn’t be around when the hunters came back.
“Lulu,” he called for the bird.
“Yes, my dragon knight,” she answered back.
It still baffled him that they didn’t have to be near each other to communicate. Once they opened their minds to each other, they could speak over a great distance. It was something he wouldn’t become accustomed to any time soon.
“I need you to speak to Elodie.”
“The princess?” the bird asked. “Why don’t you speak to her yourself?”
“You know I can’t,” he exclaimed.
The bird was going to drive him mad... How many times had he thought that upon meeting her? He’d been so concerned for her when he thought she might die. Had carried her gingerly until they found that dragon statue and she seemed to come back to life before their very eyes. Now she was back to her usual annoying self.
“You can,” she insisted. “You must face your fears, weaknesses, and every one of your inner demons. They are preventing you from being the powerful dragon you were meant to be.”
“I was never meant to be a dragon,” he told her. “Why do you keep insisting I was?”
The bird chortled. It was as irritating as the bird herself. “Knight, you’ve always been a dragon in a human body. The ring wouldn’t have worked with just anyo
ne.”
That was news to him... He assumed anyone who had slipped the ring on would have become one with the beast. “That’s information you could have shared sooner.” He might have taken different steps otherwise. “But none of that matters right now. Please tell Elodie...”
“Fine,” the bird interrupted. “We will discuss this later when you’re more amenable to it. I’ll give the princess your message.”
She shut her mind off to him. Damn it. He hadn’t told her what he wanted to say. The stupid bird must have done that on purpose to force his hand. How was he going to tell her they needed to leave without Lulu’s help? There had to be a way... Cale frowned and turned to look at the princess. She was deep in conversation with Daire. He couldn’t help resenting the prince. The other guy was supposed to marry Elodie, and Cale had no claim on her. He’d meant to leave before this happened. He couldn’t stand seeing her with someone else.
That was all in the past. Even if he could go back, he wouldn’t change anything. Some fates couldn’t be escaped from. This was his. To always be on the outside looking in. The protector who’d die for the one person he loved. He steeled himself for the upcoming effort to communicate with Elodie. He would succeed because the alternative was unthinkable.
ELODIE STARED DOWN at Donia’s unconscious form. She had doubts the girl was really out cold. If she were in the hunter’s place, she would pretend to be asleep too. It was a good way to gather information an enemy might not want you to have.
“What do you think we should do with her?” Daire asked.
She wished she knew. “Keep her with us for now. She might prove useful later. I want to question her about this world and all she knows about dragons.”
Donia might be the key to saving Cale. Either way, it was better to keep her close then allow her the opportunity to strike when they were unaware. They had to move. Cale had taken care of the hunters far better than she could have planned. They’d scattered like a herd of cattle afraid of slaughter. Relief had flooded her at the sight of them galloping away. One thing down, only a hundred million more to go...
Reaching Zelnon seemed so impossible at times. So much kept getting in the way, and she was afraid she’d never see her home again. At least she had Daire. He’d been so helpful and never left her side. She’d been so wrong about him. This time in Malediction had taught her a lot of life lessons and made her grow up in ways she’d thought she already had. She had a lot to learn and it humbled her to realize that.
“Daire,” she said softly.
He glanced up at her. “Yes?”
“Thank you.” She smiled warmly. “I don’t know what I’d have done without you... Cale, he’s—well, he’s here at least. Now I need to find some way to save him. You’ve been a great help.”
He frowned, then opened and closed his mouth a few times as if he was at a loss for words. Finally, he shook his head and spoke, “Do you ever stop to think before you speak?”
That took her by surprise. What had she said to offend him? She’d been courteous, hadn’t she? Her temper was reined in, and she didn’t have any bloodthirsty thoughts. The urge to punch him was gone completely. That shouldn’t be a milestone, but sadly, it was. “I do actually. I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you.”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” He lifted a brow. “It’s always about you. Not once did you think I didn’t do it for you.” He shrugged. “Maybe it started out that way, and perhaps I even hoped there would be more between us, and still do—but what Cale’s going through... That can’t be easy. I want to save him as much as you do.”
That was...different. “All right,” she said. “I won’t thank you again.”
He had started to act really weird ever since the dust storm. Something about him wasn’t the same, yet she couldn’t figure out what. Lulu said a piece of her was in him now. That she’d claimed him somehow. Was that piece what caused him to want to suddenly be Cale’s champion? Every new piece of information led to so many more questions.
“Princess,” Lulu said as she floated down to her.
“Yes?”
“The dragon knight wishes to speak with you.”
That was interesting... “Cale can speak?”
“Of course he can, silly,” she said flippantly. “Once he manages to figure it out.”
With those words, the bird flew away. Elodie wanted to strangle her. How was she supposed to have a conversation with Cale when he couldn’t talk to her? She would have to hope they could fumble their way through it. She turned toward Kalypso and said, “Follow me.” Then she motioned toward Cale. “You too, and one of you bring along Donia. We might as well move out after this. It’s not a good idea to stay here. We don’t want to make it easy for the dragon hunters to find us.”
“I agree,” Daire said.
Kalypso rolled Donia in front of her like a ball. Elodie sighed. It was a short distance. They could work out something else once they started the lengthier journey. This was only over to Cale. The dragon might be able to haul her or something...
“Cale,” she called out. The dragon turned toward her and nodded. They might be able to do this after all. He snorted and smoke rolled out of his nostrils. Good dragon... They didn’t need any actual fire. “Lulu said you wished to speak with me.”
Cale lifted his head again. There was some movement with his eyes that Elodie recognized as a gesture Cale made often—lately more toward Lulu than her. That little bit of movement comforted her when she didn’t realize she needed it. This was her knight and it was good to have him by her side—in any form.“Did you roll your eyes?” Elodie snorted out a laugh. “At least some things didn’t change. Lulu can still drive you insane.” The laugher felt amazing, and for a moment, things seemed normal. “I expect I can figure out what you want to talk about. You want us to leave this spot?”
He nodded.
“I thought as much,” she responded. It was so odd to have this conversation with him. At least she knew his mind well enough to figure out what he might have wanted. “It makes sense. The problem is I don’t want to leave Donia here. She might be useful to us later.”
Lulu took that moment to fly back down. She landed on Cale’s head and started to pick at her feathers. Cale tried to bob her off his head, but Lulu dug her feet in—literally. She latched on to his scales and wouldn’t let go.
“Lulu, I think you’re irritating the fire-breathing dragon.”
“He won’t hurt me,” she said flippantly. “He adores me.”
Elodie covered up another laugh with her hand until she got herself under control. Then she turned her attention back to the bird. “Do you have an idea how we can carry our hostage?”
“Are you asking me to carry that heavy thing?”
“Uh...” Donia would be heavy for the bird, but the girl was so tiny, Elodie was surprised the wind hadn’t blown her away. “No, but I’m open to suggestions.”
She chirped several times. “The dragon will carry us all to his cavern for the night. No one will bother us for a while yet, and it will give you time to question the false queen.”
Lulu must mean Donia. Elodie would ask later why she called her the false queen. If she cared enough she’d ask, but she didn’t. It was more important to get away from the area and rest. “All right,” Elodie said. “Do we climb on his back?”
“Kalypso and I will come later,” the bird informed her. “You climb up now and have the prince hoist her up. He can join you and help keep you both in place as the dragon flies.”
It all sounded scary and exciting at once. They did as Lulu instructed and then Cale lifted his wings until they flew through the sky. Cale’s scales were a combination of smooth and rough depending on which way she brushed her fingers across them. He smelled like a mixture of salt water and brimstone. Never in her life would she have believed she’d ride on a dragon—let alone Cale in the form of one.
She couldn’t wrap her mind around what it all meant or how it all made her fe
el. She loved him, yet she couldn’t help enjoying riding on the back of a dragon. It left conflicted emotions deep inside of her. The wind rolled over her, and with each flap of Cale’s purple wings, pleasure spread over her wrapped in guilt. Cale shouldn’t be a dragon, and they never should have been sent to Malediction. How was she going to fix this and help him become a man once again? It didn’t take long to reach the cavern on top of a high mountain. They’d be safe there—at least, she hoped they would. Daire climbed down first and then caught Donia as Elodie pushed her off. He carried her inside the cave and set her down.
Elodie followed behind him, leaving Cale to lie on the ledge outside the dragon’s lair. That was weird too. Cale now had a home here in Malediction. Would he even want to return to Zelnon? What would she do if he chose to stay? A lump formed inside of her throat, and she swallowed hard to push it away as she fought back insecurities she thought she’d let go of a long time ago. She was afraid to ask him and tucked her questions away for another day, like so many she’d been collecting of late.
8
Never Say Never
Cale watched from his perch outside the cave. He couldn’t go inside. It was too difficult to be around everyone and not actually be with them. It was bad enough he had to be their mule and carry them to his cave. Daire and Elodie appeared to be getting along together, and he didn’t like it. Jealousy didn’t sit well with him, yet he found himself fully amassed within its hold.
He would like nothing more than to join them and be a part of their apparently merry group, but it was impossible. Taking part in the conversation would prove difficult. The only one he could talk to was the bird, and most of the time he thought about roasting her with his fire. If she would’ve made a tasty meal, the urge might have been fulfilled. As if on cue, his stomach rumbled. Cale couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually eaten anything or what. What could he even eat?