Sarah Beth lit a blue candle, set it at the base of the tree, and bowed her head. The younger witches followed their mother’s example before all joining hands. In one voice they prayed, “Universe, Goddess of All, God of Heaven, Guardians of the Corners, and Spiritual Guides of the Elements, we invoke the Power of Seven. Lend us your power, the power of your domain, and the power of your elements to bring the dragons’ home. Help them to vanquish any evil they may come against, and most of all, we ask…”
The witches’ heads flew back; their eyes opened to reveal a bright white glow shining to the leaves of the majestic Ash and all together, they shouted, “Release them from their bonds!”
Tiny droplets of water rode on the wind as it swirled through the cavern. The fires raging just outside the archway dimmed to tiny sparks. The ground all around them shook as the witches voices rang through the chamber. The loud clack of twelve iron locks opening at once boomed off the rock walls as their shackles released and the Guardsmen were dropped to the ground.
Pulling the Rose Quartz from his torn pocket, Rian took a deep breath and prayed his dragon could finish pushing the silver from his system. He needed all of his strength to get to Kayne and lead his brethren home. Grabbing his backpack from the ground, his hand bumped Maddox’s.
“I know silver poisoning when I see it. Give me the Rose Quartz and eat this.” Madman handed him a piece of mustard root. “I don’t know what that damned fool Calysta was thinking, giving you something set in silver.”
Rian wondered were the vehemence in Maddox’s voice had come from. The Dragon Leader appreciated that his old friend and mentor was concerned for his wellbeing, but something seemed off. To add to it, the old man’s brogue was stronger than ever, making his tirade seem like he was giving a toast at the pub.
Needing to get to Audrey, Rian took the root, handed the mad dragon the pendant, and ran to his mate. His heart broke as she sat completely still, staring at the open door of her cage as if it was a trap of some sort. He could only imagine the mind games Adramelech had played on her over the years. It only added to the wrath he felt toward the Demon Lord and the vengeance he promised to drop straight on his ugly lizard head.
Rory ran by, swatted Rian in the arm, and yelled, “Hurry up, lover boy. You got the girl. Now, get her and let’s get to the River Lethe. We need to see a man about a dragon.”
The thought of smacking his brother in the back of the head crossed his mind, but the grin on Audrey’s face from Rory’s wisecrack made putting up with the youngest O’Reilly’s smart mouth worth it…at least this time. Kneeling, he carefully crawled as far as he could into the cage. Keeping eye contact with his mate, Rian balanced his weight on one hand while reaching for Audrey with the other.
“Come on, sweetheart.”
The words had barely gone from his mind to hers when Audrey leapt into his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his chest. She was trembling as he backed out of the cage and stood. He could feel her pain…all of it, and wanted nothing more than to take it away. But that would have to wait. She would have to be strong.
“I need you to hold on just a bit longer. We know the dragon the journal was talking about and Brann figured out where he is.” He talked to her as they flew past the hellhounds that were momentarily stunned by the witches’ Power of Seven Spell and down the corridor, following Brannoc and Maddox as they lead the Guardsmen to the River and with any luck, their lost brethren.
Needing to make sure Audrey was okay, Rian continued to talk about whatever popped into his mind. “Kyra, Calysta, and the McKennons are something else aren’t they?”
His heart soared when she whispered, “Yes, they are.”
At least she was responding. He knew that was a good sign and meant she was avoiding falling into shock. “Sam, Lance’s mate, the best doctor I’ve ever seen – well, except for Charlie, Aaron’s mate,” Rian chuckled, “is waiting topside to take care of you. Between her and Niall and my dragon, you’ll be fixed up in record time.”
“Thank you,” was all she said, but the sadness in those two little words broke his heart.
Turning the corner, Rian saw a rickety wooden dock and a canoe that looked like it held more water than it floated on at the same time Brannoc announced, “We’re here! Kayne should be right under that big hunk of glowing whatever it is.”
Following the navigator’s directions, Rian saw an enormous rock formation covered in the same sigils as the Focus Stone he had stowed in his backpack. Setting Audrey a safe distance from the rock, he approached what he now knew from scent to be lava, and took the silver box containing the stone they’d found beside Drago’s coffin. He also pulled out the notebook containing Calysta and Sarah Beth’s notes for the rituals performed when the Assassin was uncovered.
Rory, Royce, Maddox, and Drago joined Rian beside the sigil covered rock just as they’d decided when planning their trip to hell. Opening the notebook, Rian instructed, “Rory, take this bag of purified salt and make a circle as close as you can to the rock. Make sure to throw salt on the rock.”
Rian’s youngest brother did as he was told. Meanwhile, Rian continued, “Maddox, here are the candles for the four Guardians. Ask for the Blessing and close the Circle as soon as Rory has used all the salt.”
The Dragon Leader, his middle brother, and the Assassin all watched as the youngest O’Reilly brother and Madman Maddox completed and closed the circle and then joined their brethren around the glowing, now smoking boulder. Rian handed each man a two-liter bottle of Dousing Serum.
Not missing a beat, the five Guardsmen began speaking the revised Banishment Spell as Kyra had taught it to them. “Oh Goddess of our hearts and the Universe who gives us life, we come to you again in need of your help. We seek to neutralize the dark magic holding our brethren and release him back into the loving arms of his family. We seek to send the evil enchantment and any left behind back to the hole it sprang from. Guide our actions, uplift our hearts, and fill our souls with the sense of purpose only you can provide. So mote it be. Blessed be. Blessed be.”
The remaining Guardsmen joined the five and together they repeated the incantation verbatim three times before lifting their bottles of Dousing Serum above their heads. “Bless our actions. Bless our magic. Bless our souls. Bless our dragons within. Lend us your power. Lend us your spirit. Goddess of all, Universe of our birth, God in the Heavens. So mote it be. Blessed be. Blessed be.” Rian’s voice rang out loud and clear. “Douse the box!”
The dragons emptied their Dousing Serum onto the glowing rock. Flashes of light and plumes of smoke filled the cavern as the lava formation sitting upon where they believed their brethren, Kayne was buried expanded and contracted as if it was breathing. The flames of the candles Maddox had placed at the four corners shot into the air, disappearing into the soot and ash floating above them.
The dragons again recited the Banishment Spell, this time throwing purified salt they’d all been carrying in their packs at the stone. The sigils sizzled and flashed once again before disappearing completely. A loud moaning filled the chamber. The dirt below their feet shook. Rocks and debris fell all around them as a sound like a clap of lightning immediately followed by a heavy roll of thunder roared through the cave.
From one heartbeat to the next, the cave was filled with absolute silence. Not even the moans of the damned could be heard. The flames of the candles at the four corners returned to normal and the rock hiding the entrance to Kayne’s tomb burst before their eyes.
Rocks, dust, and ash rained down on them, but when the debris cleared, Rian could see a huge hole in the ground. Looking back to Audrey to make sure she was okay, he smiled at the woman who held his heart and winked. Turning back to the pit, Rian moved forward. Looking down into the darkness, he cursed aloud at what he saw.
“Son of a bitch!”
His brethren, who echoed his sentiment in a variety of creative ways, immediately surrounded him. Drago was the only one who stood silent. Rian watched the Assassin’s face as he looked at the empty silver coffin, an exact duplicate of the one the older dragon had been held in for over a hundred years.
To the Dragon Leader’s complete surprise, Drago barked out a laugh and then chuckled, “That slippery son of a gun. He found a way out.” Looking up at Rian, the Assassin asked, “Now, how do we find him?”
