“We need you, my friend,” he said, low for only our ears. This was not for the rest of the room. “You have more control than you know. You always have.”
Kol huffed, but stayed still, trembles rippling his scales. His eyes flickered while his massive body shuddered. It looked painful. Like holding his dragon form was taking everything out of him.
“They can’t have you again,” Alaric soothed, cupping the dragon’s face in his hands to look him in the eyes. “I won’t let them.”
Kol growled in response, and I was in awe of the prince for not flinching.
“I know,” Alaric whispered. “Let me help.”
The dragon shifted, scales rippling, like he was asking how in the world Alaric could possibly help.
Alaric closed his eyes, and something wordlessly passed between them.
Shrieks intensified outside, and Kol’s head snapped up. He lifted off his haunches and lowered his head with a snarl. He was different then. The dragon’s whole demeanor changed. More confident in the form and in his growl.
Alaric backed away and guided us back.
Nova whimpered. This was it. A roar came from just beyond in the gardens. Nyx was close too, but time was up. Something collided with the doors, and they shook. An ear piercing scraping grated against iron hinges, making my stomach jump to my throat. I knew in my bones they were almost inside. The wood shook again, this time groaning under the strain of whatever pressure the attackers were putting on it. A boom slammed into the wood, and the doors cracked and splintered. It was obvious whatever was clattering into the door was nearly through.
Every fae in the room save for Kol pinned themselves to the back wall. Kol took a step forward and then two back as if he warred with himself inside his mind. My stomach tilted and my breath caught, wondering what would become of us all if Kol’s demons won out, and he could not help us. Nyx was still out there fighting, but the undead were inside now. We were on our own.
I was searching for a plan. Could we break windows and somehow retreat across an inner courtyard and further into the palace? Could we make it to the cellars under the kitchens, and would they even be a safe enough place to hide? Not knowing the force we were up against, it was impossible to say, and all of it became irrelevant when the doors shook and began to splinter.
Screams from inside the hall began to match those from outside as the full horror was revealed. The creatures were breaking apart the doors, and as they reached through the small openings they created, we caught glimpses of the pale, dead-looking skin, gaunt faces, and clouded eyes. They were ungodly horrors. Fae cowered, crying. Guards quaked where they stoodin front of Father, though it was clear they were only moments from throwing down their swords and cowering themselves.
Then the roar that came from Kol turned every head in the room. It was like a crack of thunder had ripped through the hall, and we watched, struck silent, as Kol bellowed out every unresolved feeling he had towards this army.
A stream of flames erupted from within him, aimed at the crumbling doors and the things trying to squeeze through the gaps they’d created. The flames were not the orange of fire like we knew it. They were like shadow and night, and they ate up the screaming creatures, burning them into ash on contact. The doors gave way, but Kol’s dark fire intensified, and any undead that rushed the opening were consumed by the burning night that was this dragon’s unbelievable power. For one who seemed weakened, he’d found his reserve.
“Retreat!” cried a guard from the back of the hall. In the chaos, I saw that a rear door to Gods knew where had been unsealed. Perhaps a throwback from a previous duke’s reign. Guards had led Father into the dark passage while Kol held off the undead, and now the rest of us were being urged to follow.
“Go,” snapped the prince, though it was clear he had no intention of leaving Kol.
“No, we will stay with you,” insisted Nova, to my shock.
I felt torn. I didn’t want to leave Kol alone either, but I needed to get Nova somewhere safe.
Before I could make a decision, Kol surged forward, battering down what was left of the doors and streaming his fire through the corridor.
I grabbed my sister’s hand and ran after Kol. I trusted him to lead us out. Maybe it was naive or reckless, but I couldn’t hide in a cellar and wait for more of those creatures.
Beyond him, all we could see was the charred remains of the ornate hallway and reception room where guests to the palacewere always welcomed, through to the smashed down windows and doors of the entrance. The palace stood in ruins as he led us through the halls, all of which had been obliterated by the incredible dark fire Kol breathed. But wherever his fire touched, the undead crumpled and burned.
Finally, we made it to the courtyard, where we were met by more guards and Kol’s twin dragon. I pressed my palm to my chest, willing my racing heart to slow.
Before I could say a word, another dragon dropped down in front of us, mere feet from where Nova and I stood. I stumbled back a step, lifting my gaze to the dragon. His color flowed molten, burnt orange in parts to almost yellow in others, like he was on fire himself.
Where had he come from? But I knew as soon as the dragon met my eyes. I would never mistake those deep bronze eyes in any form. It was the guard from the reception. The one who’d stared at me.
And I couldn’t look away.
THIRTEEN
FAOLAN
The second our eyes met, I knew I couldn’t leave her side until she was safe behind the walls of the palace in the First Kingdom. What became of me from there would be up to the Goddess, but at least she would be safe.
She set her jaw, staring down my dragon like it was nothing. She would make a good ryder, that much was clear. She smiled, and maybe it was because she was a daughter of Light or perhaps it was her potential powers shining through, but she had a glow around her that made her even more radiant than when I’d first seen her. Her hair shone in the moonlight, the dark black of it lightly curled and in stark contrast to her ivory skin. A sun-kissed sprinkling of freckles dusted her cheeks and nose, and she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes upon.
