Rowan and Renegade’s men had secured the perimeter of the mansion, but they were losing ground. The last line of defense was the female Wizards who guarded the Wizardlings in the underground tunnels. The reinforcements had not come in the numbers needed to fight the Ravs’ army. He doubted there were enough in the whole of the magical community who could defeat such an overwhelming force.
Renegade’s men had suffered heavy casualties. The Ravs were taking their time now, confident of a victory, wanting to savor this moment.
Thousands of birds crowded the sky overhead, turning day into night and blocking out the sun—and thus blocking Rowan’s source of renewal for his core’s energy, as well. His reserves were dwindling. Conserving as much of his power as possible, he used his knife and bare hands, but such weapons were no match for the Ravs.
How had he let it come to this? He would be dead and Morgan at Vlad’s mercy. He’d played this all wrong by refusing to accept the level of treachery permeating the Grey Council and the Talons until it was too late. But while there was breath left in him, he would not give up. Rowan cleared his thoughts of everything but primal defense, lunging toward the two Ravs who circled him with death reflecting in their eyes.
With one hand he grabbed a Rav around his neck and plunged his knife into the creature’s heart, pulling his blade free as the Rav’s comrade tackled him to the ground. The Rav opened his mouth, cackling in a language known only to them.
Teeth, filed into sharp points, glistened like liquid silver as the black-rimmed mouth formed words whose meaning was clear—the Rav and his kind were bent on genocide of the Wizard race. The Rav threw back his head to gain momentum to sink his teeth into Rowan’s neck.
An explosion of flames blasted the sky and Rowan seized on the distraction, slitting the Rav’s throat and pushing him away. On the ground, all paused for a split second, mesmerized by the shadow so dark it swallowed up the cursed heavens as it moved with deadly calm overhead. Its wingspan dwarfed the birds around it. The moment was upon them. Vlad had summoned a force to finish what the Ravs had started.
In the next instant flames once more ignited the sky. Instead of the target being Rowan’s men on the ground, though, the trajectory of the flames was aimed at the dense population of flying Ravs. The smell of sulfur, ash and burnt feathers smothered the air. Light filtered through the sky as hundreds of birds dropped from the sky in sheets of black rain.
The shock released everyone from their trance. A human-form Rav slashed Rowan’s arm with his talon-like hands, then glanced toward the clouds as another blast ignited the sky. Hundreds of sparks of black light flashed randomly as more birds caught fire. Overhead, shrill cries of the dying birds drowned out the clash of weapons and the screams of battle.
“Did you do that?” Renegade shouted over the din.
“Frack, no. I barely have enough fire power left to light a cigarette.” Rowan blocked an attack, killing the Rav. “Whatever it is, it’s on our side.”
Renegade and the Fire Wizards took the advantage provided by their unknown ally and fought back with renewed hope and strength.
Giant wings flapped overhead, turning to make another pass as the ravens merged into a dark formation. Their survival instinct to group together for protection was their doom, making it easier for the massive beast in the sky to kill more at once.
A few dozen of the human-form Ravs, seeking escape, changed back into birds and lifted off the ground. Many were caught in the path of the fire breather before they reached the clouds. Only a few escaped.
The creature that had saved Rowan and his forces glided down to the shore. Its wingspan was the width of a football field, its scales as red as fire.
“What is that thing?” Hunter said.
“Dragon,” Rowan breathed, afraid to hope. “It might be my brother.”
Renegade pointed his bloodied sword out in front of him. “You’re right, Rowan. It’s a Dragon, all right.”
Rowan put his hand over the hilt of Renegade’s blade and lowered it. “If I were you, I don’t think I’d point a weapon at him. Remember what he did to the Ravs.”
Renegade’s eyes widened as he sheathed his sword. “Good point, but I thought Dragons were all dead.”
Rowan sheathed his own weapon in his boot. “Not dead. Not all.”
Memories slammed into him in crystal clarity. It was as though the appearance of the Dragon had awakened his memories. Memories of the Dragon nest he and Stryker had found as boys. Memories of how they’d camouflaged the opening so no one would stumble into it and destroy the eggs before they hatched. Memories of his brother’s reaction and the momentary change of color in his eyes when he accidentally touched one of the eggs.
The Dragon dipped his head, pushing his thoughts into Rowan’s mind. “Hello, brother. I was headed to meet you at the island when I sensed you needed my help.”
Rowan moved toward the beast, his hand outstretched. “Stryker?”
“Aye.”
Renegade pulled Rowan back. “What are you doing? You can’t touch that thing.”
Rowan whirled on Renegade. “That ‘thing’ is my brother! And just in case you’ve forgotten already, he saved our bloody lives!”
Renegade lowered his voice, his expression shadowed by concern. “I haven’t forgotten. Maybe… maybe Dragons are not the monsters we all believed. It wouldn’t be the first time history was twisted into a lie to fit someone’s purpose. But you know the legends as well as I, maybe better. You can’t take the chanceat least some of what they say about Dragons is true. Not now. My elders as well as yours warn that touching a dragon will at the least alter the person’s perception of the world, driving him insane, and at the worst, change them into a Halfling, forever caught between two worlds.”
Rowan glanced toward the Dragon. Its size dwarfed the compound, where Renegade’s men still clung to their weapons, their expressions wary as they gave the beast a wide berth. Rowan didn’t share their fears. Stryker was his brother.
Rowan clamped his hand on Renegade’s shoulder. “I want you and any man able to fight to meet me down by the dock.”
