Didn’t I tell him they didn’t? “No.”
“Then they are not exactly like you.”
He can be such a jerk. “They have other talents.”
“I guess if they’ve managed to survive more than a minute in the Unknown, they must.”
“And I guess while you were locked up, you didn’t embrace the concept of rehabilitation.”
“You couldn’t be more wrong. I am a new man. Far more understanding than I ever was. My point is, your friends have no power to help us, and that is a liability—even if you aren’t willing to see it as such, I am. We will have to come up with a plan that will compensate for their disability.”
There’s no talking to him.
We arrive at the place where I left everyone, and I ease the downpour into a light mist. The rain has cooled the ground and a thick fog forms. Kera rushes through the knee-high fog to Baun and clasps his hand between hers. “It is good to see you.”
He touches her face with his other hand and smiles. “I am pleased you are safe.”
“Relatively,” I say, still irritated by his view of our friends and uncomfortable with the two of them being so chummy. This is the Lost King. The scourge of Teag. A man so horrible he was banished by his own father and best friend.
And I just saved him. I can’t think about the ramifications of what I’ve done. We have to get out of here. I turn to Signe. “Where’s Reece?”
“He said we needed to keep watch.” Signe nodded in the direction of the enemy camp, then slants a wary eye at Baun. She doesn’t appear happy he’s joined our little group. Why would she? He’s the one who started the extermination of humans and those tainted by human blood. People like Kera. Like me.
By the way Kera is fussing over him, I’m beginning to think she’s forgotten about that.
I stalk off, hunting for Reece. There are broken twigs and his discarded bag where he sat watching. And then footprints in the mud heading toward the enemy. The fog is thick, which is good cover, but not perfect because I can see him slinking between the structures toward the one Granel entered.
I retrace my steps, and when Kera sees I’m alone, she asks, “Where’s Reece?”
“He’s gone to kill Granel.”
Signe stands, her hands balling into her wet skirts. “I feared he might.”
I can’t blame Signe for not stopping him. Once Reece saw Granel, I knew he wouldn’t stay put. I’m more shocked he left the girls unprotected. What is it with this place that causes sane people to do irrational things? I take off my sword and hand it to Kera.
“What are you doing?” Her eyes are huge.
“Reece doesn’t stand a chance out there by himself.”
I point to Blaze, who’s made a nest out of a charred patch of ground and underbrush. He quickly rises, understanding me, and lumbers over. It’s like we have a link of some sort. I only have to think, and he reacts.
“No.” Kera grabs my arm as I’m about to vault onto Blaze. “There are too many.”
“If it were me out there, or your dad, what would you do?”
Although the rain is far less than it was, water drops slide down her long hair like she’s an elaborate Japanese rain chain. So beautiful even soaking wet. I want her to be brave. To know there’s more than just us. It’s taken me a while, but my human side has finally taken over. I’m in control now. Me.
“I’ll be okay. I’m a
I can feel her whole body shaking, but she lets go. “You’re right. Go get him.”
I bring her close and kiss her in the way that makes her knees weak and her heart melt. I love her so much, I’m nearly devastated by the longing in her kiss.
I pull away and mount Blaze. She touches my leg and I touch her hand. “Protect Baun and Signe. You’re smart and clever and stronger than you let on. If anything goes wrong…if I don’t come back, find a place to hide until your strength returns. Between you and Baun, you’ll figure out a way to get out of here.”
Leaving her isn’t what I want, but it’s the right thing to do.
I nudge Blaze and as he lifts off, I feel Kera’s fingers sweep down my leg. I push Blaze higher into the clouds and thank God humans can lie.
Kera’s right. There are too many.
I lean forward, hold low and tight to Blaze, and begin our dive.
Game On
There’s a shout. A clash of swords. Reece has made himself known, and it won’t be long before he ends up hurt or dead. Blaze swoops down and lets out a stream of fire. The camp comes to life. We buzz over the area time and again, avoiding their attempts at bringing us down.
When the dark souls appear, I spin Blaze away and he rumbles deep within his throat. In no time, four dragons, scarred from tip to tail, appear and slash at the dark souls, tearing them apart, yet just like at Ainsbury Cross, the black ribbons repair themselves and strike back.
Searching the area, I find Reece. Our landing shakes the ground, drawing Reece’s attention. I shout for him to get on Blaze. “You can’t fight them. You won’t win.”
“I can’t let him live.”
I know his hate for Granel is strong—I feel it, too—but this is a no-win situation for Reece.
“He’ll die. I promise you. But right now we need to get Signe and Kera out of here.”
A big hairy thing charges us. I don’t have time to do anything but launch myself at Reece, wrap my arms around him and tell him to trust me. The ground opens up under us and we fall through. Reece screams and I clamp my hand over his mouth before covering our heads with dirt. Confident Blaze has taken care of the problem, I pop us back out of the ground.
I immediately slam Reece against Blaze’s side. “This is my world. My problem. I’m not asking you to get on. I’m telling you.”
Reece nods and mounts Blaze. I take my place in front of him and tell him to hang on. Blaze leaps up and we lurch through the air, dodging all manner of missiles and magic they’re throwing at us.
“We’re going to need your friends,” I tell Blaze. A few moments later, the massive dragons flank us like a bombing squad. We sweep down and skid to a stop close to Kera and the others. We don’t have much time. Granel’s army is pulling together fast.
A dozen wolflike men charge out of Granel’s camp, and two of the dragons turn to face them. From deep in the ground, I bring up a line of sticky tar that traps a few, but others jump over and meet the dragons head-on. Several of them are charred by the dragon’s breath. Others are crushed by the heavy tails or ripped apart by the dragons’ jagged teeth.
Reece jumps off Blaze and pulls Signe to one of the other dragons, ignoring her questions about Granel. I go to Baun and help him mount the other, and then settle Kera in front of him. A cannonball flies over our heads and tears through the woods behind us. It hits the ground and explodes into a million pieces that shred the trees into mulch.
I don’t want to know what damage one of those will do to flesh and bone. They may have overestimated the distance, but knowing Granel, he won’t make that mistake again. “Go straight over the gorge.”
“Are you sure we can make it?” Kera asks. “If dragons can fly out, why haven’t they before?”
“Arrows!” Reece yells. We all turn to see a hailstorm of arrows fly our way. Reece nudges the dragon he and Signe are on and they leap into the air and head toward the gorge.
Before I can think, Baun raises his hand and the arrows turn into butterflies. Hundreds of black and gold wings fill the sky. Without missing a beat, he digs his fingers into Kera’s shoulders for balance. “Why would they leave? The Unknown is more of a sanctuary for them than a prison.”
“He would know,” I tell Kera, then grab my dad’s arm, forcing his attention onto me. “Whatever you do, don’t turn back.”
“What are you doing?” Kera tries to hold me there, but I yank free and slap the dragon on its side, sending
