10. Chapter 10
‘ S pectrae? That’s not possible! Spectrae can’t cross the Barrier. No greater Vella can. Are they … oh gods, are they swarming ?’
Ani’s voice shook with fear and disbelief.
My reaction, however, was filled with the anger I’d assured Ani was under firm control. It didn’t help that she’d pointed out something genuinely terrifying.
How the fuck could a swarm of spectrae have crossed the Barrier without being noticed?
I knew the Rift was growing, the keystone’s magic fading little by little, and we’d encountered more Vel demons sneaking through. It wasn’t even a matter of numbers now, though; their magic was stronger, too.
Ghouls and strigae were physical beings almost mindless in their hunger with little magic of their own, and were surprisingly adept at slipping through the Barrier. Spectrae, however, didn’t have physical bodies. The foul magic that fuelled them had always been successfully blocked by the Barrier … until now.
Does this mean that Alaric can join our patrols? I wondered, dreading a repeat of our first experience.
We weren’t equipped for this kind of attack. Our unit was carrying civilians with a small protection detail, so we couldn’t perform the evasive manoeuvres required to escape a spectrae swarm. The hard truth was that people, and likely dragons, were going to die today—and there was almost nothing I could do about it.
Still, if there was someone I could save, it would be the mage who’d give us a chance to restore the Barrier and prevent full-scale war with the undead.
‘It’s not the best time to discover they can cross to our side. We haven’t had a single spectra in the kingdom since the end of the war. We’ve only ever fought them during patrols on the other side, but it appears our time of peace is over.’
‘The baskets?’ she asked, and her gaze instantly followed a crimson dragon, which I’d learned earlier sheltered the female who had drugged her.
Can I tell Ani the truth and risk her panicking?
The wind wrapped Ani’s braid across her neck with a powerful gust. I took the silken chestnut hair in my hand, unwrapping it gently, and was surprised to find that she didn’t pull away from my touch.
She trusts me, I realised.
It was time I earned that trust, especially since she was a trained mage who might know how to help with our situation. ‘Most of us will probably die here. This swarm, its size, is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It will be an impossible fight. If you have any spells that can help, I will be eternally grateful. And if we survive, I swear to treat you like royalty and kiss the ground you walk on.’
I clenched my teeth as I watched my squadron move into formation, assessing the size of the swarm as they approached. I’d faced smaller groups during patrols beyond the Barrier.
We patrolled regularly, even more so in the last three months, both to train the riders and to monitor events in the Barren Lands. When we’d encountered the spectrae, I’d taken the opportunity to train the men in the ancient technique used to handle the creatures I’d found in an old manuscript from the Necromancer’s War.
It was simple, yet deadly.
Vahin took on the role of bait, luring the spectrae to feed off his life force. At the same time, the other riders would use their dragons to destroy the monsters. Still, looking at the swarm before me, I doubted if even Vahin could withstand their devastating touch.
The spectrae were the Lich King’s answer to dragon riders.
They were a malicious creation formed using foul magic that ripped out the spirits of living creatures, using their suffering to fuel a ravenous hunger. Mad souls locked between life and death forever cursed to swim in the streams of the aether, they were incomplete and therefore unable to cross the Veil to eternal peace.
Their semitranslucent bodies had no solid shape and drifted like clouds until they found a host to feed on. They fed in order to regain corporeal form and finally find peace, but there was nothing, no amount of life essence, that could make them fully whole again.
There was only one way to destroy the spectrae, and it was only possible while they fed. Once the spectrae had stolen enough life essence, they would become solid enough to be vulnerable to spells, enchanted weapons, and dragon fire.
Any living being could be a victim, but a dragon’s life force drew them like moths to a flame. If not eliminated, after the malicious spirits had tethered themselves to a dragon, they would siphon its essence until the dragon fell from the sky. That’s why Vahin was always the bait. He was the strongest dragon at Varta Fortress, but I always felt the echo of his torment as the spectrae latched onto him.
I looked around at my comrades-in-arms, seeing their trust in my leadership whilst knowing I was about to send many of them to their deaths. This battle would not be about victory but about limiting our losses and keeping one person safe.
I sent Vahin a mental command to hold back and I heard the question in his mind, but what stunned me were the actual words that came from him.
Why, Orm? I can hold on the longest .
I knew dragons could communicate via thoughtspeech, a manifestation of wild magic that allowed them to speak into their rider’s mind if they were close enough. I’d read in the old volumes that they could even talk naturally, although their words always had modulated hissing sounds. Vahin had never spoken to me before, though—only used feelings and images to communicate. Having my dragon speak in my mind had startled me, and it took a while to compose myself enough to answer.
Because of Ani. Alaric is confident her magic is the key to restoring the Barrier. I can’t risk her life if there’s a chance to fix it, I answered. Our bond deepened, revealing Vahin’s disapproval of my reasoning, but he understood. I didn’t mind risking our lives, but not when he carried such precious cargo.
I will have to withdraw my protection of her mind to focus on the others. She will be terrified, Vahin said.
Despite the upcoming battle, I marvelled at his willingness to talk and hoped it would continue. Since meeting Ani, Vahin had clearly changed, seeming more and more aware and interested in the world around him every day. He had even begun seeking my company instead of soaring the skies, descending only when called. And now, with a voice of his own, he felt more like a fellow warrior than the beast I rode.
‘Stay back,’ I told him, this time aloud for Ani’s benefit.
She wheezed in a breath when the dragon rumbled in response, and I felt a tremor run through her body. That was how I knew Vahin had stopped projecting his calming aura. I tightened my grip around her waist, feeling sorry but impressed that she was holding her own.
‘How can I help?’ she gasped, leaning forward as the swarm of spectrae came close enough to see each individual enemy floating on invisible winds. ‘You can’t, unless you can somehow make them physical before they touch the dragons.’
I gestured to my second-in-command to take on the role of bait. Tomma’s dragon wasn’t as strong as Vahin, and I prayed to all the gods that he could withstand the assault while we attacked the spectrae.
Tomma saluted, and his dragon roared in challenge, surging forward to meet the threat. But my heart stuttered when I saw the lieutenant’s face; there was no hope in his eyes, only the determination of a man ready to die to keep others safe.
I knew the pair would fight to the bitter end to buy us time to destroy the enemy. If they survived, I would do everything I could to reward them appropriately, though looking at the size of the swarm, I knew our chances were slim.
‘Before you ask, I wish we could outfly them, but we can’t. The spectrae will follow the dragons to the fortress, and that would endanger everyone there. I’m so sorry, Ani. I should have let you travel by horse.’ I inhaled her herbal scent, knowing I’d likely have to sacrifice my men for her today.
‘When the spectrae attack, Tomma and Rahsul will draw them in, flying a figure of eight to lure them all. When they latch onto his dragon … It won’t be pleasant to watch, but if he occupies them long enough, the squadron might be able to incinerate them while they feed. That means we’ll have to fly fast and hard in order to dodge any stray spectrae and use dragon fire to destroy those attached to Rahsul. Our only chance lies in disrupting the swarm’s connection. If we kill enough of them, they may retreat,’ I finished, feeling Ani’s breath quicken.
‘I know, don’t worry about me. But the rider … Orm, he’ll die. I’ve read about it. The bait dragon almost always dies.’
‘We don’t have a choice. We have no other means of fighting them. Our only weapon is dragon fire and sacrifice.’ I wrapped one arm around Ani and placed the other on Vahin’s neck.
‘Brace yourself. We’re going in,’ I shouted, seeing the swarm cloud split apart at the edges to release a single spectra that drifted towards the squadron. At the same time, the rest headed towards the single, weaving dragon.
I grimaced as Vahin beat his wings forcefully, surging towards the periphery of the formation. The howling wind in my ears couldn’t drown out the agonised screams. The spectrae attack had begun and crackling red aether pierced the dragon’s midriff, pulsing in time with his steady heartbeat.
The sickening sight shone against the darkening sky, its ghastly crimson hue so reminiscent of blood that I almost looked away. The parasites feasting on Rahsul became more solid with each bright pulse, and I couldn’t help but snarl in disgust and hatred. When their forms were solid enough to block the last rays of the sun, I commanded the squadron to attack.
‘Now!’
Vahin roared, evading a stray tendril and tilting to the left as intense heat erupted from his mouth, bathing Rahsul’s scales in coruscating 1 flame. Muffled cries cut through the sounds of battle as the terrified women in their baskets panicked. Unlike them, Ani gasped but didn’t scream. Her heart hammered so hard I could feel it through our clothing as she bent forward to flatten herself against Vahin’s back while holding the saddle’s pommel with trembling hands.
We almost collided with the squadron’s youngest rider as he slipped out of formation, his dragon succumbing to an aetheric tether. The frantic beast was trying to burn itself free while his rider leaned down to stop a panicking woman from jumping from her basket. I directed Vahin to attack the spectrae to release them from the choking strands.
After aiding the rider, I joined the others circling Tomma, burning our enemies with unyielding determination—but there were too many, and they were relentless. Despite moving in a well-executed formation, more and more dragons broke off into solitary battles, fighting two or three enemies, leaving them unable to assist in the main attack.
Vahin manoeuvred with the agility of a swallow, but I could sense his agitation and guilt, especially when Tomma’s dragon shuddered, dropping several metres.
‘They are dying, Orm.’
Ani’s voice sounded so strange, flat and devoid of emotion. The woman who’d been plastered against the dragon’s back, whimpering during the rapid, wrenching manoeuvres now sat up as if she had a steel rod fused to her spine.
‘We’re all going to die,’ I snapped, unable to control my frustration because I knew we were losing.
‘I won’t let it happen again. Ask Vahin if he’ll let me Anchor him,’ she said, and I frowned, unsure what she meant, but before she had finished speaking, an ecstatic roar made me shake my head.
Yes! Tell her I said yes!
‘He said yes, but now’s not the time …’ I started, the words dying in my throat when she turned to look at me.
‘Fly forward and take Tomma’s place,’ she demanded.
Vahin instantly changed direction without my command. When I tried to protest, Ani placed her hand on my chest. ‘You don’t have enough dragons to fight them all, but you have me. I won’t let good men die. Not again. It is time for you to see what I’m capable of.’
It wasn’t the frightened request of a soldier or a lowly town mage. No, death and vengeance stared into my soul, and if I’d been able to retreat from its scrutiny, I would have.
Instead, I thanked the gods her ire was aimed towards my enemies and watched Ani continue.
I will give you the stars you pray upon if you can save us now, I thought, watching as Ani leant forward and placed her hands on the warm scales of Vahin’s neck.
I barely knew her, but the wild magic, the darkness I caged in the depths of my soul, awakened, stirring in response to her courage and flooding me with the most unexpected feeling of desire. I wanted to kiss her— so fucking much .
As my hands tightened around her waist, Ani murmured words I couldn’t understand, and the battle was drowned out by Vahin’s roar. I felt my dragon’s shock and pain as a power beyond any I’d ever witnessed burned into his mind, forging a magical tether.
Through my own connection with Vahin, I could see and feel each moment, wishing I could help, as magic tore into his spirit and then withdrew, taking a shard of his soul and leaving a piece of hers behind. Ani gasped when they fused, but something felt wrong—the process was causing them both immense pain.
Vahin’s body quaked beneath me, short gasps of pain broken by eruptions of fire, and I could feel his confusion even as he allowed forces I couldn’t understand mould him in new and frightening ways. All the while, Ani’s body grew hotter with each passing moment until it felt as if I was holding a burning torch against my chest.
‘Ra’shina’ta Vahin.’ 2
Ani’s voice thundered with a pulse of power that hit me like a hurricane. As if on command, the spectrae stopped, and I watched in disbelief as even those connected to the furthest dragons withdrew their tendrils, rushing towards Vahin as if pulled on an invisible leash.
Tomma’s eyes reflected shocked relief while the other riders chased the oblivious, half-solid forms of the spectrae, burning several to ash. I had never heard or read about anything like this. All of my instincts told me to fight, to force Vahin into evasive manoeuvres. But Ani had asked for my trust—so I held back, even as dozens of monsters swept towards us.
I could feel the power surrounding us, crushing the air from my lungs. Could see the distorted faces of the spectrae coming for us, their endless suffering dragging tears from my eyes. Pity mixed with fear as I watched on, helpless, wishing I could erase the existence of the man responsible for this abomination. The Lich King. The one who broke fate’s contract to prolong his life and his reign, destroying everything he touched.
Vahin jerked, roaring in pain when the first tendril pierced his chest, then another and another. It looked like hundreds of spears were peppering his armoured body, the assault coming from so many directions that I couldn’t follow them all. I knew what to expect, had braced for the pain from our shared connection. This time, however, it wasn’t a dozen but hundreds of tendrils latching onto the dragon’s vital force. Our bond was wide open, and as much as I tried to ease his suffering, to share it, I felt my strength melt away under the relentless assault.
‘Ani …’ I croaked through a suddenly dry throat, but the woman in front of me was rigid and unresponsive. Doubt crept in, but it was too late for that now.
Thunder crashed, deafening everyone, while unnatural, crimson lightning blinded us, burning the air left in our lungs and the skin of our bodies. I clenched my teeth, trying to hold Ani in place as I fought overwhelming weakness .
Fuck, we’re going to die.
Vahin’s heart stuttered. Ani took one hand from the dragon’s skin, raising it in the air. Somehow, miraculously, I heard her speak, her voice as gentle as a summer breeze, whispering a single word that set the world ablaze.
‘I?ātum.’ 3
Though I didn’t recognise the word, my body did: it was etched into every fibre of my existence. A living flame was unleashed upon the undead. A wave of cleansing fire erupted from the surrounding air, consuming everything it touched. I looked down, expecting to see my body turned to ash, but the fire flowed past, warming my skin as it connected with the spectrae’s tendrils. The flames poured into the monsters’ ethereal bodies, incinerating them almost instantly.
I could feel Vahin’s pain ease with each passing moment, but his concern for Ani rose as she swayed. Tell her to let me in. She can’t control the fire without me. Tell her, Orm! He shouted in my mind as Ani’s breathing became so shallow I could barely feel it. I reacted to Vahin’s fear and tried to call her back from wherever she had gone.
Vahin’s panic grew as the skies cleared. The last of the spectrae disappeared into nothingness, revealing the bruised light of dusk as I held the unmoving mage in my arms. Then everything stopped, and the silence that replaced the thunder was just as deafening.
It was as if the attack had never happened. I still had an entire unit; maybe one slightly dishevelled, but I hadn’t lost a single man, dragon, or passenger. Even if Ani wasn’t able to seal the Rift, she was a godsent miracle; the first mage since the Necromancer’s War who had fought the spectrae on dragon back.
Orm, hold her.
Vahin’s voice rumbled in my head, and I instinctively tightened my grasp on Ani’s waist. She fell back to my chest bonelessly, the ending of the magical spectacle seeming to have cut all the strings that had held her up.
‘Ani?’ I asked, gently touching her cheek. She was still burning up, the heat radiating through her clothes, but the hands resting on my thighs were ice cold. ‘Ani, please talk to me. What is going on, Nivale?’
The word had slipped out so naturally, the nickname fitting the woman I held so close. The nivale was a flower that only grew on the highest mountain peaks next to the unblemished snow. They had iridescent, white petals streaked with veins that shone like fire, their leaves prickly and hard to grasp, with tiny needles that irritated the skin of whoever touched them.
Despite their rarity—or possibly because of it—the plant was highly sought after. Sometime in the past, it was discovered that the roots, bitter and difficult to swallow, could lessen the pain of those beyond salvation, easing their steps into the afterlife.
I felt the hope that Ani had given me twisting, becoming something I couldn’t describe, but the prickly miracle before me was silent and pale. Only her shallow breath and burning body reassured me that she was still alive, and I knew I couldn’t lose her.
‘Fly to the stronghold as fast as you can!’ I ordered the riders, and we surged forward. The fortress wasn’t far, but the woman in my arms didn’t look like she had much time left … and I had no idea what to do.
She is fading from my mind, Orm. Talk to her. Give her something to hold on to. She still can hear you.
‘Can you hear her? Can you talk to her?’ I asked because as soon as he had mentioned her presence in his mind, I had thought about the dragon rider connection.
No. If I could, I wouldn’t ask you to do so. The Anchor bond is not complete; something is preventing the connection from solidifying—Orm, she channelled dragon flame. I accepted her. I can feel her in my soul, but she didn’t take mine. She will die if the bond fails.
The flames that played under her skin, creating a darkening pattern, and the tone of panic in his voice set me on edge. ‘Ani, please open your eyes. Vahin needs you to let him in. Please, allow him to help,’ I begged, noticing her eyelids flicker at the sound of my voice.
‘You did it, you stubborn woman. You saved us all. Your friends are safe, so you can’t give up now. We are so close to the fortress. Just hold on. Don’t you dare leave me with a life debt I cannot repay. Don’t you dare leave me … Ani, please.’
I knew I was talking nonsense.
I searched her face for a hint of consciousness while the wild power inside me raged, thrashing with fear and anger in its cage. I wanted to protect her, but I couldn’t, and it drove me insane . I was going to lose her; and my sanity—because I had never been so close to breaking, to going berserk. All because of her. ‘Fuck,’ I groaned, my arms pressing her hard to my chest. I had failed —failed to protect her.
I’ve failed my woman.
Vahin rumbled his approval at the term, and I felt his mental touch lessening the strain I was under.
Yes, ours. Keep talking. She likes the sound of your voice.
So I did.
‘You know, we have an impressive library in the stronghold. The place is so old that several archimages have frequented it, meeting with the dragons before they’d enter the Barren Lands. Some say the original spell that created the Barrier is hidden somewhere within those dusty tomes. I will show it to you; or if you don’t like books, I will take you to the summer falls. The lake is too cold to swim in, but it is so beautiful there. I’ll show you my favourite place—a mountain peak that shimmers with mountain flowers. I will never force you again. I’ll burn the geas. Just live for me, please .’
Ani’s eyes flickered open, and I felt her hand tighten over mine.
‘Promise?’ she whispered, and I brushed away the hair that had been plastered to her forehead by the wind of our passing.
‘I promise, Nivale. Just don’t die on me and I promise I’ll set you free,’ I affirmed. I continued to tell her all about the fortress and the people who lived there while she held my hand as if her life depended on it. And maybe it did, because her skin kept growing hotter despite the buffeting wind.
I sighed with relief when, after what felt like an endless flight, I saw the sturdy walls of my home. Ani lost consciousness a few moments later, drifting into a delirium despite my best effort to keep her awake. I felt Vahin’s strength fading fast alongside hers, as if the broken connection was draining them both.
‘Go to the lair and feed, old friend. If I have to worry about you, too, I won’t be of any use to Ani. I’ll send extra provisions when we land,’ I said as we passed over the exterior wall, but Vahin rumbled in disagreement.
I won’t leave her.
‘I promise to stay with her. You can sense her through me, but you need to heal as well. You just withstood an attack that should have killed you. Alaric will help her. He has the best chance of understanding what is happening.’
He is not a dragon, and he knows nothing of dragon fire .
‘But he is a mage and knows about Anchoring. He’s studied Ani and conduit mages every day since he discovered her gift. Why, when you finally get your voice, do you have to argue with me?’ I asked with growing irritation. We still had to get Ani into the castle, and her breath had started coming in laboured pants.
She is not the only one who is changing because of the Anchor bond, and I don’t want to lose this feeling again … the awareness she awakened. I was asleep for too long; I have lost centuries, drifting in the streams of time. Fix it, Orm. Make sure she knows she won’t lose her Anchor again. I’ll fight for her. Tell her I didn’t abandon her , he said, landing heavily on the grass.
‘I will, and Alaric will find a way to connect you.’ Vahin nodded, looking at me with sadness in his intense blue eyes.
He must. Otherwise, we will both die .
1. Coruscating — bright and flashy beams; also a severe and intelligent action.
2. I give you Vahin.
3. Burn.