I’d never come close to even the outside, let alone… this.
Because of the heat.
It wasn’t even familiar and bearable heat like dragon fire could be for me.
It was purely uncomfortable, blistering.
Being an ice dragon, it was obviously a lot for me to take.
Something Zayn had noticed right away.
He had a semi-transparent fuchsia film of his Ifrit magic enveloping me to counter some of the effects. To take the edge off, basically. Because his flame didn’t operate like this either. Especially not with me.
Thankfully, the actual gateway into Sanctus was located about fifty feet back from the lava-filled crater.
Ambrose’s black tendrils swirled around it, marking the site until it became visible and not just the black stone that it was presenting as right now. He was there crouched over it with Ketheron right beside him.
Vaxan was on the opposite side of it facing them, hands braced on the rough ground, his concentration zeroed in on it, waiting for the cue to drive all that immense vibrational resonance power down into Sanctus and tear it the fuck apart. He had a glowing white ring on his thumb, which was something Cassius had forged to enable Vaxan to channel him even with Cassius unable to be here in person due to Ruxnoth-siphoning concerns.
It was just after sundown, and units of The Shadowed had arrived, along with the wolves from Vyrn Hollow Shifter Habitat, those not civilians, but the trained warrior contingent that lived among them there. Remnant, Rhyza, and Lazriel were with them. A film of rose-gold magic courtesy of Kai was enveloping the vampires, including Remnant—Kai’s Sunveil shield protection that would guard them against the sun. Even though the sun had actually gone down, Ruxnoth had the ability to warp so much, so there was very real worry that he might turn night into day in a bid to nuke them all to stop us.
Just outside were two dozen members of the Guardian Movement, here to contain the situation, and also to safeguard us, as rumors had it that the Light Fae and several roguecontingents from across the supernatural world were freaked by this, and the devastation it could cause if things went sideways.
Sylas was offsite and protected inside one of Ambrose’s black magic planes. It was possible that Ruxnoth would feel his magic once he got started on the mass death-tethering, and we couldn’t have him trying to stop Sylas from pulling that off. The necromantic magic protecting and concealing Sanctus needed to be knocked out.
Velra was dealing with Temperance and getting theNihilumbraready for when Sylas pulled out the necromancers, as the hostile ones would need immediate containment.
Ambrose jolted all of a sudden, a choked sound escaping him.
“Winter has bonded with the core,” he announced. “He’s sent the pulse. I have a lock.”
A flood of adrenaline shot through me, warring with excited anticipation, knowing it wouldn’t be long now before this was done, before we had Winter back right here with us.
“Shit,” Zayn breathed, rubbing my arm fervently.
“I know,” I said, smiling out at him.
“Come on, Sylas,” Lazriel spoke, smashing his fists together as he paced up and down the frontlines of his parents’ soldiers at his back. “You’ve got this, my sexy necromantic heartthrob.”
Normally whether Sylas had it or not wouldn’t ever be a concern. But this was the first big spell he’d performed since he’ddied,and it wasn’t exactly a small undertaking. Death-tethering twenty necromancers took immense power and skill, and he couldn’t falter for even a moment.
I rubbed Zayn’s nape when I felt his pulse pick up at the anxiety coming off Lazriel.
He turned his head to me, nuzzling against my touch and smiling.
“The two of you hung out when you stayed at Winter’s a few years ago, right?”
“Yeah. A lot. Laz even taught me how to ride a motorcycle.”
“Hmm. Makes so much sense.”
He chuckled.
Lazriel swung his head to me, and called over, “Hey. Heard that, dragon princess.”
Remnant and Rhyza joined me in a little laughter.
“Such a handful,” I told Lazriel.
