her wrist. He stood, both feet firmly planted on the cushions, and looked out at the storm.
“I can sense him,” the warlock said. “His thoughts are near, but not on you . . .” He pointed at the other cell. “Or there, even. They seem scattered, almost as if he sleeps . . .”
Gwen paid no attention to his babbling, her concern suddenly focused on the second prison. Yssa. Gwen had entirely forgotten about the half-drake. No matter what she thought of Yssa’s involvement with Aurim, she could not leave the younger woman to the Storm Lord’s insanity.
“Shade . . . we need to take her with us, too.”
“Does she know me, too?”
It was doubtful that the Green Dragon’s daughter had ever met Shade, but Gwen replied, “Not quite so much, but, yes, she should definitely be included.”
He nodded decisively. “Then, we’ll go get her now.”
Without warning, Shade walked through the wall.
And Gwen, despite her sudden reservations, had no choice but to follow.
Immediately the howling wind and torrents of rain sought to bowl her over. Thunder threatened her eardrums and the lightning, so close, almost blinded her.
But Shade, ever the creature of fantastic actions, waved his hand and around them the elements all but stilled. He then guided her along as if they both walked on a quiet woodland path instead of thin air. The savage wind barely moved his hood.
As he led her toward the second prison, Gwen marveled at the depths of his power. She had known Shade to be in many ways stronger than any other spellcaster, but never had she imagined this.
Gwen tried not to think about what would happen if he released his grip on her. The enchantress doubted that she could maintain her concentration long enough to save herself, especially with the storm buffeting her.
Shade did not pause until they stood before the opaque wall. He cocked his head as if listening, then told Gwen, “His thoughts still drift. We may enter.”
That said, the warlock touched the wall with his other gloved hand. His fingers sank through. Shade immediately stepped inside, taking Gwen along.
From within came a gasp. Yssa pressed against the opposing end, staring at the two newcomers open- mouthed.
Her eyes swept over Shade, then turned to the one that she knew. Her cheeks reddened. “My Lady Bedlam . . .”
The rage that Gwen had held in check suddenly threatened to boil over. She satisfied herself with a glare at the Green Dragon’s half-human daughter, then replied, “You’ll be coming with us, Yssa.”
Standing, the half-drake woman glanced at Shade again. The hooded figure held out his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it.
“I hope you know much about me,” Shade remarked casually.
Yssa frowned. “I don’t under-”
“This isn’t the time or place to begin our discussion,” Gwen quickly interrupted. “Shade, if you please?”
As Yssa gaped at this new revelation, the cloaked warlock led the pair through the wall.
But the storm was not the only thing to greet the escaping trio.
Through the black clouds burst a monstrous form. The dragon soared toward them, its huge maw open. It roared, a harsh sound that cut through the thunder. Crimson orbs glared at the tiny figures and the dragon stretched forth its massive claws.
Undaunted, Shade walked toward it.
Both Gwen and Yssa struggled to pull him back, the notion of meeting a dragon in such a manner hardly sane, but the warlock dragged them forward with no effort whatsoever.
Gwen searched inside herself for her link to the forces from which she drew her magic. This time she felt it, but only as a faint sensation. Hardly enough to sufficiently cast a spell, especially one effective against the oncoming behemoth.
The gray dragon roared again. The huge maw opened wide, revealing sharp teeth nearly as tall as its intended victims. Its wings seemed to envelop the sky as it neared. It was one of the largest dragons that the enchantress had seen in her entire life.
As it closed, Shade suddenly released his grip on both women.
Gwen screamed as loudly as Yssa-screams that faltered when neither plummeted earthward. The two drifted helplessly in the storm, Shade’s remarkable power keeping both of them alive even while he focused on the savage leviathan.
The hooded figure stretched his arms to the side as if seeking to embrace the winged giant. The dragon slowed, apparently suddenly wary of this tiny creature floating in the sky who showed no proper fear in his moment of death.
Shade brought his gloved hands together.
A crack of thunder dwarfing any so far heard shook the heavens. Gwen and Yssa put their hands to their ears in a futile attempt to block out the overwhelming sound.
As if struck by a solid blow, the dragon tumbled backward over and over. It roared in confusion and sought desperately to right itself. Only when it had tumbled far into the distance did it finally begin to recover.
“Did you see that?” Yssa called, as astounded as Gwen by the warlock’s might. “I’d heard that he knew all manner of spells, but-”
The rest of her comment ended in a startled scream. Gwen had no opportunity to react, for, at the same time, a terrible force pressed against her body and she was flung high into the storm. A cry as desperate as that by Yssa poured from her mouth.
The second dragon flew the two stunned women far from the scene of the astounding battle. Gasping for air, suddenly soaked by the horrendous storm, Gwen watched in horror as the first beast soared toward Shade. At the same time, the dark clouds above and around the hooded figure rumbled ominously.
With a heart-stumbling roar, the storm unleashed a relentless barrage of lightning bolts at Shade. The dragon approaching him let loose with a fearsome spray of fire . . .
But the beast carrying Gwen and Yssa veered away from the struggle, leaving the question of Shade’s fate hanging. The enchantress could not imagine that he could survive such an attack. But if Shade had died, did that mean that he would even now be resurrected elsewhere? If so, would he be in the same confused state of mind?
The leviathan suddenly began descending. Gwen forgot all about the warlock as she saw them approach a familiar trio of peaks.
With one swift turn to the east, the dragon headed toward a huge cave mouth carved out of the top of the middle peak. Atop one of the other mountains, another dragon roared at the newcomer, who responded in kind.
The beast who carried them folded its wings as it entered the cave. Gwen felt every bone in her body jostle as they touched the rock floor.
Time and hundreds of dragons had worn this area almost smooth. No stalactites or stalagmites decorated the interior, those long ago cracked free by the huge inhabitants.
As it slowed, the dragon shoved the two ahead. The enchantress immediately whirled on the beast and, to her credit, Yssa did the same. Unfortunately, before they could do anything, a voice behind them said, “It would be unwissse to anger the Great One further, femalesss . . .”
Behind them, a drake servitor stood waiting. He resembled one of the scaled warriors in every manner save that his helm was all but undecorated. He had no huge crest, only a thin, barely noticeable ridge going back. Even without it, however, he stood almost seven feet tall.
“I am Ssssurak. You will come with me.”
To emphasize his command, a pair of strong hands pushed both forward. Glancing over her shoulders, Gwen discovered the dragon gone. In its place stood an even more towering drake warrior, his savage crest the exact image of the head of the dragon who had brought them here.
“Move . . .” he ordered, eyes flaring red.
Ssssurak waved one hand over the palm of the other. A small, blue pyramid about the size of an acorn
