James nodded in the direction of Zenon’s den. “As the beta and leader of the skulk, he took on the most important task. To poison Zenon.”
“What?” I gasped, suddenly filled with dread.
“Why are you so surprised?” James asked. “We’re foxes. We fight dirty.”
I began to panic. “No, it’s not that - Luce shouldn’t - ”
A sudden, thundering roar blasted through the cave, followed instantly by a high-pitched yelp and a sharp thud.
My blood turned to ice.
“Shit,” Kass muttered. His cover blown, he quickly cut through the bars, no longer caring about the amount of noise the saw made.
“Luce?” James called frantically.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the walls, getting ominously closer until Zenon’s dragon appeared, exuding fury. He walked on three clawed limbs - and in his free hand, he held Luce’s limp body. A dart hung loosely from his shoulder. Luce wasn’t able to make a clean shot before Zenon caught him.
The sight made my stomach drop.
“You!” Zenon snarled. The unbridled rage in his voice chilled me straight to the bone.
“Luce!” James shouted.
Halo and the other foxes cried out in grief and confusion. They scattered around Zenon in a loose semicircle, baring their teeth despite their fear. In Zenon’s hand, Luce let out a whimpering groan. He was still alive - for now.
Steel clanged to the ground as Kass finished creating an opening for me. I leapt out of the cage and held out my shackled hands, and he quickly slided them off as well.
But I didn’t even have a moment to relish my freedom from cages and chains. Zenon was attacking the foxes. He swiped a claw through them, more annoyed than angry, like he was holding gnats at bay.
For a split second, the selfish part of me thought about running - of leaving the foxes behind, and escaping, just Kass and my unborn child and I. But the thought of it, even for just a brief moment, sickened me. The foxes returned to fight for me. Theyreveredme. I couldn’t let them die here.
“Let’s go,” I growled to Kass.
Then I transformed. Where a small omega stood a moment ago, now stood a shimmering golden dragon with unimaginable power pulsing through his veins. Kass joined me in shifting. His dragon form towered over mine, his dark blue scales almost black in the low light.
A deep growl rumbled in his throat. “You attack him. I’ll try to protect the foxes.”
We didn’t waste any time. With power thrumming through my body, conjuring spells was easy. All my depleted magic had returned with full force. I launched a clear-magic arrow straight at Zenon’s side. He snarled as it struck him. It diverted his attention away from the foxes, and he dropped Luce.
James rushed forward to his friend’s body, grabbing Luce’s scruff in his teeth and dragging him away from the chaos.
We didn’t have time to check if Luce was okay. I needed to attack Zenon and end this as soon as possible.
Zenon raised a clawed fist, intending to smash it down upon the foxes yelping and snapping at his legs. As his fist fell, Kass sprung. He grabbed Zenon’s arm in his razor-sharp teeth and bit down.
Zenon snarled. “Die!”
Kass’s eyes flashed to mine urgently, signalling me to attack.
This is it,I thought.
Magic pooled between my claws. It was my most powerful natural affinity - fire. As Kass held the thrashing Zenon in place, I sent a spear of fire directly at Zenon’s heart. The foxes scattered as the fiery weapon flew through the air. Kass braced himself, then at the last moment, let go so he couldn’t be caught in the fire.
But as the spear struck Zenon’s chest, nothing happened. The fire fizzled out into smoke and vanished.
Zenon laughed. “You did not learn after the first time, did you, Halo?”
The realization hit me too late. I should have known Zenon was immune to fire because of the first time we met - when I’d engulfed myself in flames to keep him away.
