Fuck him.
A dreg peeled off to challenge Airia, and she swiped out with her blade, severing one of its wings.
“Kill, kill,” Kerune chanted, his voice a roar above the shrieks of the remaining dreg.
The other dreg landed hard on Glim’s tail and started scaling its way toward Reyla and Brodine, digging its claws into the dragon’s hide. She sprung to her feet and met it before it could reach Glim’s hind quarters. She gouged it with her blade, holding her own.
Time to end this permanently.
Don’t drop Vexxion,I warned Madrood as he leveled out. I didn’t wait for his reply but flitted to Kerune’s dragon, landing squarely behind him.
With a grunt, I drove my dagger into his spine.
A guttural roar jerked out of his throat, and he sprung to his feet, my dagger still deeply embedded in his back. His movement wrenched it from my grip, and I scrambled for one of my sheathed blades as he latched onto my arms and wrangled with me, trying to toss me off the dragon.
I swiped out with my bad leg, knocking him off his feet. He landed hard on his back on the dragon’s spine, driving my dagger deeper. Unadulterated rage filled his eyes. With a flick of his finger, he used magic to pull out the dagger and sent it hurtling toward me.
I snatched it from the air, then limped toward him while he sprung to his feet once more.
He grabbed onto my arms, and holding me tight, flung us off his dragon.
My chest tightened, and I sucked in jagged breaths as my vision narrowed to tunnel-like focus. Every nerve ending felt electrified, prickling with dread. As we spun toward the canopy, my sweat mingled with my blood on my skin, stinging and sticky.
I smacked my palm against his jaw, snapping his head back and bringing out his groan.
We spiraled through the air, me trying to drive a knife into his throat, him plunging his forehead against mine. The blows made flickers dart every which way in the corners of my eyes. I gathered magic, yanking it up from my well and flung it at him, unsure what spell I cast along with it.
He froze, his tortured gaze meeting mine.
He released me, and I flitted to Madrood’s back, relishingthe sight of Kerune disappearing into the thick, piercing branches below.
His dragon shot toward Madrood, ramming into the beast’s flank, lurching me sideways. Vexxion slid from his seat, and only a quick snap with my hand held him in place.
Madrood’s fire hit the other dragon, and with a snarl, it flung itself to the side and flew toward where Kerune had fallen. Slowing, it flapped its wings in a furious rhythm, hovering above the area.
I wanted to believe Kerune was dead because there was not much I craved more than eliminating an enemy. But the wretched man flitted from the forest, landing squarely on his dragon’s back.
The look of hatred he sent me scorched my skin like no fire could ever do.
With a sly smile, he sent a dagger flying.
It hit Airia squarely in the chest.
Her eyes wide with horror, she latched onto the hilt and gaped at me. Blood erupted from her mouth, and she fell off the dragon, tumbling down to smack into the canopy.
3
TEMPEST
My heart lurched up into my throat. I leaped off Madrood and flitted to where I’d seen Airia fall.
I found her draped across a broad limb, her arms and legs dangling, her body . . . shimmering? No, that couldn’t be right. With my arms out at my sides to maintain my balance, I toddled along the branch and crouched down beside her, placing my hand on her shoulder. “Airia. Airia?”
She moaned and shifted her body.
Alive, but his blade had hit her in the chest. I needed to get it out and see what I could do to save her. I was no healer, but with magic, there might be a way.
I gently rolled her over and stared down at her chest. No blade. No wound.
