Then, before Draven can so much as reply, she shifts into a dragon. Draven, Lyra, and Galen quickly do the same. Black smoke spreads across the grass. Before it has even cleared, Alistair sprints right into it and towards Lyra.
In the sky, the cluster of silver dragons is closing in quickly.
Draven and the others flap their wings, clearing the black smoke from the ground. I dart towards him. He swishes his tail towards me, and I leap onto it. My heart pounds in my chest as I run up along his spine and then settle in that place where his neck meets his shoulders. The moment my hands are wrapped around the spikes before me, he launches into the air.
My stomach lurches as we shoot upwards.
I grip the spikes hard, but Draven quickly levels out so that he is hovering in the air in front of the wards that protect the Unseelie Court. Galen and Lyra fly up so that they are flanking him. I exchange a glance with Alistair from where he sits on Lyra’s back.
A little to our right, Diana also hovers in the air, her purple wings beating it with slow strokes. But she keeps glancing down to where Grey used to be. He must have disappeared through his portal already.
Ahead, the Icehearts and their silver dragons are drawing closer.
I draw in a steadying breath that does absolutely nothing to calm me down. I didn’t think they would come here this soon. We haven’t even gotten the other clan leaders here yet. And without them, we won’t survive this.
Oh Goddess, I wish Grey was able to just transport everyone here the moment one person walks through the portal, the way hedid during the Great Games. That would save us so much time. But apparently, that only worked because we were inside a pocket reality that Hana was controlling. Now, we will need to wait for him to go through the portal, get them, and then for them to run back through on their own. But by then, it might already be too late.
Below me, Draven lets out a low rumbling noise, as if he can feel my tension.
The Icehearts draw closer. They’re almost here now. Less than one minute, then they’ll be right on top of us.
I swallow and then try again to suck in a bracing breath.
But deep in my treacherous mind, my brain whispers in excitement. Because a battle means that I will need to use my magic again. And then, I will at least feel that intoxicating sense of pleasure once more.
Wings boom through the air as the silver dragons speed towards us.
My heart pounds.
Draven lets out a low growl, to which Lyra and Galen respond with similar sounds.
The Icehearts open their jaws.
Ice flames shoot towards us.
I suck in a sharp breath as Draven suddenly lurches upwards while Lyra and Galen dart to the sides. Clenching the spikes with both hands, I hold on tight as the three of them speed through the air in a rapid attack. The Icehearts roar and the silver dragons behind them break formation for a moment as Draven plows right towards them while Galen and Lyra breathe dragon fire at them from the sides.
Atop Lyra’s back, Alistair summons his magic and starts shooting torrents of fire in other directions as well.
Panic ripples through their previously so neat lines as they scramble to reorient themselves and figure out how to deal with this new threat. Bane lets out another roar, trying to scare themback into formation, while storm clouds and lightning form around Draven like a churning black sea.
Calling up my magic, I shove it towards the bone white sparks of fear in their chests.
Not everyone is afraid, unfortunately. But three of the silver dragons at least have a small flame of fear in their chests when they’re faced with the Shadow of Death. Latching on to those flames, I pour my magic into them until they flare brighter.
Those three dragons jerk back slightly, causing the ones next to them to almost crash into them while they close the final distance to us.
Lightning cracks through the air. I slam more magic into my connections.
Animalistic cries of terror rip from their throats as those three dragons break rank completely and speed away. A villainous grin spreads across my mouth as I watch them flee.
But it’s short-lived when Bane and Jessina surge forward, aiming for Draven together.
Panic clangs inside me, and I create a massive violet flame of pain that I shove straight towards Jessina’s chest. My soul thrums in anticipation of the pleasure that I know will come when it connects.
But right before it can, it slams into some kind of invisible shield.
The abrupt halt is so jarring that I actually jerk back. But I don’t even have time to react, because Bane and Jessina reach Draven.
