At that moment at least twenty more dark shapes fly overhead, and the guard grins. “Give up now. Your friends are about to be annihilated.”
I press my lips together so as not to cry out. Surely not.
Aurelion circles the clearing, wings held out from his body, eyes on the other dragon.
Our guard is growing anxious. He keeps glancing back toward us then off into the darkness. More shouting and a burst of flame. A roar.
I hope Jah’ruud and Kaelun are not hurt.
Suddenly a quiet, familiar voice whispers in my ear. “Do not be frightened. Step back when I give you the signal.”
I look around but see nothing. Only blackness. Perhaps it is my imagination, but the shadows seem to have grown deeper still, creeping up to curl around my ankles where I stand.
“Kaelun?” I whisper.
A brush of his hand on my neck makes me shiver.
Aurelion makes a dart for the guard who has stepped away from the place I am bound.
“Come with me,” whispers Kaelun from the darkness.
“Don’t leave Aurelion here,” I hiss.
There’s no reply. I wish I could talk to him—ask what his plan is. A moment later Aurelion growls.
The guard hisses and takes a swipe at him.
There’s a snap, and my arms are free. Kaelun grabs my hand.
Then a howl of wind tears through the quiet and all the air is sucked from the campsite, dragging at us like a swollen, flooded river drags at your legs if you step too deep. With a little scream I stretch forward, grabbing hold of Aurelion’s wing—the only part of him I can reach, even as Kaelun tugs on my hand. The strength of the wind increases. Sand stings the exposed skin on my arms and shins. Branches and scrub are tossed into the air, and even the pebbles on the ground skate forward from the force of it. I shut my eyes tight.
The next moment we have stepped from one place to another in the pitch black, unable to see to orient ourselves.
I gasp, staring around blindly, clinging tight to Kaelun and Aurelion.
Aurelion growls and breathes out a lick of flame, briefly illuminating the rocky walls of a cave, Kaelun’s face, and the sandy floor.
The flame dies.
“Where are we?” I whisper.
“Where is the nightborn liar?” growls Aurelion.
“That’s nightborn rescuer to you, dragon.” Kaelun steps forward, and it’s as if he’s stepping through a door. One moment he is not there, the next he is standing in front of us.
He holds out a large piece of wood. “Here. Make yourself useful.”
Aurelion growls but breathes flame onto the stick until it catches alight.
“I figure we wait here until Jah’ruud is finished showing off, and then we make our escape,” says Kaelun, placing the stick gently against the wall of the cave.
“Escape to where?” Aurelion is clearly suspicious.
I have to admit, just fleeing from this seems like a bad idea. The guards will report back to King Tharael and he will retaliate. Even if Jah’ruud destroys them all—something I’d rather not contemplate—there will be retaliation if Tarquenor discovers who is responsible. Given the situation, Vathira is the most likely suspect.”
“Would you prefer I tied you up and left you to the mercy of your friend back there?” Kaelun scoffs. “I figure the first step is to release the water in the dam and maybe even smash the wall somehow. Then we make it back to Vathira before more dragons come.”
“We cannot destroy the dam!” Aurelion snaps.
