An hour later, Kelnor’s good mood was gone. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, tapping his foot and scowling at the assembled team while casting occasional irritable glances at the stone door to the barracks.
Srot was late.
Char shifted his weight to his right side. His head was still throbbing, but at least he hadn’t thrown up so far. He wouldn’t be able to once he transformed. Vomiting was human, not dragon.
So was shivering, he realized, feeling the goosebumps rise on his arms. His eyes wandered to the spot where he’d dropped Iris two days ago, motionless and blue.
Why hadn’t he thought of that before flying with her?
“Alright, let’s go over it again,” Kelnor barked. “The second team’s mission was a success, so we’re pressing deeper into human territory. Mostly archers, watch out for mages. The king’s mage wasn’t in the last battle, but the humans have multiple mages of varying skill level. Do not underestimate them. We stay high, move fast, hit hard, get out. Got it?”
Char tore his gaze from the floor and straightened his spine as he responded with the rest of the team. “Yes, sir.”
A loud crash echoed through the flight cavern. Char didn’t have to look to place the sound; he and Rath had burst through that door fast enough to knock it to the ground often enough for him to know. He stepped back against the cavern wall. Kelnor would waste no time with his transformation, and his dragon form was massive, even by dragon standards.
“Sorry I’m late!” Srot exclaimed, breathless from running. “What did I miss?”
“We’ll fill you in on the flight,” Kelnor replied in a brusque voice. “Let’s move.”
The rest of the team joined Char against the wall as Kelnor’s red eyes glowed and a blast of cold air swept through the cavern. In a blink, their commander had transformed, nearly crushing Srot under rock hard red talons. Kelnor headed toward the exit, ducking to keep the protruding ridge of thorny red scales on top of his head from scraping against the ceiling. His tail uncoiled and stretched out behind him, long enough for the tip to flick the fallen door at the back of the cavern into place when he launched into the air. Red wings unfurled, bending the trees below with his first downstroke, sucking them upright again with the upstroke.
Thrak followed, and then Srot, shedding a few deep purple scales on the cavern floor with his exit.
Char and Rath, the wild cards, always took up the rear.
“So, are we gonna behave this time?” Rath asked, flexing his muscles.
Char sighed. “Just go.”
Rath smirked. His blue eyes glowed; a fourth blast of icy wind whipped Char’s black hair around his face; and then his brother was in dragon form, hardened muscles bunching and extending under glistening black scales as he raced toward the exit. He never walked out, not even when they had been children in flight school, when missing the correct wing stroke meant tumbling down the mountain. He always ran, and he always expended far too much energy with the takeoff, usually adding in some sort of barrel roll for flare.
Char couldn’t count the number of times he’d launched out after Rath and swatted him to the ground while his brother was off balance, just for the fun of it. Lines of broken trees streaked the mountains from such incidents.
He wasn’t in the mood for that today. They were on their way to another battle, and they couldn’t risk any injuries from stupid games, anyway.
He called up his magic and forced it through his veins. The rush of ice was exhilarating. In less than a second, his frail human form was gone, and he was a mass of muscle and scales, swishing his tail across the cavern floor.
Across the spot where he’d dropped Iris two days ago.
He set his face toward the exit and ran away from the memory, pushing off and unfolding his wings, downstroke, upstroke, climbing higher and faster into the chilly mountain air. It rushed up and over his wings, across his scales, but the sensation didn’t bring him the usual intense pleasure. Not today.
He could almost feel her in his talons, her body temperature dropping lower and lower until the shivering stopped just before they reached the flight cavern.
Hey, lighten up, Rath said, his voice sounding in Char’s mind. He tucked his wings to his sides and spun a tight circle around Char, dropping below him and unfurling his wings to whip himself back around and above.
Conserve your strength! Kelnor shouted back at them.
Yes, sir, Rath said in a glum voice, gliding down beside Char again. If dragons could have rolled their eyes, he would have.
And no stunts this time. I want everybody coming back in one piece.
Hear that, Char? No girls, Thrak teased.
I dunno, I kinda think he picked a winner, Srot interjected. Pretty sure she fixed things that weren’t broken. I’m feeling better than I have in a long time. He pulled out to the side, giving himself plenty of room to do a barrel roll for emphasis.
Great. Don’t tell me you have a crush on her, too, Rath muttered.
May I remind you adolescents we’re on our way to battle?
In a few hours, Rath dismissed Kelnor’s grumbling. So, Srot, what’s it like to have a girl in your head?
Srot’s jovial laughter echoed through their minds. You’ve never flown with your mother?
Rath snorted. Flying with her is like flying with Kelnor.
Don’t tell her that, Char finally said.
He speaks! Rath did another loop around Char, smacking his tail across his brother’s face.
Char pulled up above the group and flapped hard enough to knock Rath off balance, using the burst of speed to pull ahead of Kelnor.
Where do you think you’re going? Kelnor shouted.
Away from the adolescents.
Char was the fastest among them. It wasn’t long before he was out of range from the group’s telepathy, free to clear his head and think. He caught an updraft, soaring higher into the sky.
Another battle in a few hours.
They had no reconnaissance this time. That didn’t sit right with him. The second team had only encountered a single low-level mage in their battle, and they'd eliminated him early in the fight. By all accounts, he had been unprepared, ill-equipped, unable to handle the stress, and too slow to react.
He was supposed to die, Char realized.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Char’s head still hurt. He knew he wasn’t at the top of his game, and he wished once again he hadn't drunk so much last night. Going into battle with a hangover was less than ideal.
He kept his thoughts to himself when the group caught up to him.
Until a few hours later, when they flew over Iris’ hometown. He tilted his head to the side for a quick glance, and what he saw made him dip lower to get a closer look.
The town was gone. Not a single building remained, not even the church. The old, heavy stones were scattered and crumbled across the smoldering ashes. It was all just a blackened spot on the earth.
Did the second team say anything about this?
No, Kelnor said. They felt his mood darken. Only a couple of buildings were on fire when we left.
This doesn’t feel right.
What is it? Rath asked, coming alongside Char.
The second team’s battle was too easy. It was a massacre, not a fight. That mage was set up.
Higher. Now, Kelnor ordered, pointing his nose to the sky and beating his wings to take him up above the clouds.
Kelnor? Srot asked.
This may be a trap. Battle formation. Stay high, keep close.
Kelnor took point, with Thrak and Srot side by side behind him and Char and Rath at the rear to form the tails of the V. There was no more light-hearted banter. The group flew in silence, scanning the world below for signs of life.
Nothing. Not even a farmer in a field.
Another hour, and they passed the site of the second battle. That was when Char felt it: the unmistakable snapping and crackling.
Pull up! Now!
It was too late. A bolt of blue shot up from the ground before anybody could react, wrapping around Srot’s neck like a noose and yanking him down. Char roared and dove at it, spewing flames that vaporized into steam with a single touch of the blue magic. Srot was struggling to keep aloft with frantic wing beats.
Then another person joined their telepathy. There was no voice, just a sense of confusion, like the intruder had only woken up.
Who the heck is that? Kelnor demanded.
Char, watch out! Rath shouted.
Char tucked a wing to his side to drop and turn. Another blue rope whizzed past him and continued toward Srot. Char pivoted and readied for another strike, knowing he wouldn’t make it in time, knowing he had to try—and then the nameless confusion sharpened into razor-like focus.
No!
The blue rope smashed into a white wall. Char spread his wings wide and twisted his body to stop himself from doing the same. He flapped up to Srot’s side, grappling with the shock of Iris’ presence, watching in disbelief as the white disc sucked the blue into itself and widened until it blocked Srot’s entire body from the ground. Only a small hole remained, allowing the original noose passage, but the white was narrowing around it as Iris panted with exertion.
Nobody was more stunned than she was. They could all hear the erratic beating of her heart. She didn’t know how to regulate her telepathy to hide her emotions, and she didn’t know what was going on, but she was determined not to let harm come to Srot—or anybody else.
How is she here? Kelnor asked, circling above them. Do not descend! he warned the rest of the anxious team, watching from higher up.
I don’t know, she said. I—
Hello, Iris.
A suffocating panic flooded their minds. Char expected the shield to falter with Iris’ spike in terror, but it didn’t. She pushed harder, narrowing the hole around the blue rope a little more.
You’re the king’s mage, Kelnor said, his voice low and threatening.
Correct. Nice of you to bring a conduit.
The noose tightened, digging into the scales covering Srot’s neck. He roared and flailed about, but the relentless blue yanked him down even more. His lower jaw was inches from hitting the white shield.
Stop this! Stop hurting him! Iris shouted. It’s me you want—not—him!
The white snapped the blue. Srot jolted upwards from the momentum of his hard wingbeats and the sudden loss of the downward pull, but this wasn’t over yet. The white was still there in the sky, and now, blue veins were snaking across it, and Iris was the one crying out in pain.
The mage chuckled. You used too much magic yesterday to keep this up for long, Iris.
Rage seethed within Char at the sound of that light, amused tone. The mage was toying with her. She was fighting her own fear to protect Srot and the rest of the team, and he was using that to make her expend more magic.
Char scanned the ground and the river below, searching, but there was no sign of any humans to be found. The mage had to be close, though…
What do you want? Iris gasped.
You have something of mine. I want it back.
She hesitated, just for a second, and the blue veins reached the edges of her shield.
Iris! Srot shouted.
She redoubled her efforts, widening the shield even more, her breath coming in short bursts. Ican’t take it off.
The mage laughed. Foolish girl. Did you really think I would settle for just the amulet when you promise to be such an interesting study?
Talk to me, not her, Kelnor interjected. She is my prisoner, and she is not in a position to negotiate with you.
Ah, are you the leader? Then I have a message for you.
The blue veins expanded. Iris screamed.
Stop playing with her! Srot shouted.
Char couldn’t take it anymore. He dove to the ground for a better look, his belly skimming across the tops of the trees surrounding the river, counting on the mage’s game with Iris to keep him distracted. Kelnor kept his mouth shut. He knew any word from the team would bring the mage down on Char before he could escape.
He had to be here somewhere.
The king has authorized me to offer you a deal. Hand the girl over to us, and we will entertain the notion of a truce.
There. Concealed beneath a grove of trees on the riverbank, a mottled green and brown tent, invisible from the sky. Char opened his mouth, fire smoldering in his throat—
This will stop the fighting?
Keep your mouth shut, girl, Kelnor commanded.
What about a treaty? Something in writing to hold them to it?
The mage chuckled. Sweet little Iris. That priest was right about you.
Her shock hit all of them like a slap in the face. What?What did you do to him?
You should worry about yourself right now, Iris.
The blue veins exploded, engulfing the white shield in blue flames. Iris screamed. Char let loose, funneling fire between his teeth to light the trees surrounding the hidden tent. The mage cursed, but Char was already climbing skyward, with Rath sweeping in to meet the blue lashing out at Char’s tail with his own line of red flames. Iris was writhing in agony, flickers of white barely visible in the blue torrent.
Stop this! Char shouted, circling around for another dive.
One week.
The blue released the white, sucked back into a swirling shield around a single man standing amidst Char’s flames. His frigid blue eyes met Char’s without blinking.
One week from today, at noon, where the church used to stand.
Used… to? Iris’ voice was faint. She was fading in and out of consciousness, her shield dissolving into a dusting of magical snowflakes.
Bring her, and we will discuss the terms of the treaty.
Char held eye contact with the mage a moment longer before he pulled up with a frustrated huff of smoke. Iris had passed out, every once of energy and magic she had spent, but the mage stood tall and confident. Trying another attack would just result in Char becoming another casualty of this encounter.
There were already two casualties: Srot and Iris. And Iris hadn’t even been physically present.
Fall back, Kelnor commanded.
Char flew up to join the rest of the team and fell into formation. Kelnor pointed them west, toward home. Defeated.
With Iris’ screams still echoing in their minds.9Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPF9LsqtBcy
