CHAPTER 48 #2
Unsure if I am fading away to my death by the blood loss, or if the cold will freeze me, pausing my heart at last.
I can feel my heart slow down, and I go limp. The bones in my ribs are on the edge of breaking and crumbling as the dragon tightens its grip on me. My midnight hair is swaying in front of me as I continue to hit against the beast, but I get slower and weaker with every effort.
Through my eyes that fade to darkness, a crimson-red fire breaks through the water-filled clouds. A crack of lightning whips past us, flashing a shadow of two dragons flying behind us.
A strong gust of wind, mixed with the mist of the clouds, beats at my skin.
A tail whips in the air inches away from me, pearly-white spikes along the scales beam brightly against the darkness, the iridescent scales lightened like the snow back in the Ice Nation.
Florian.
He came after me.
He came.
Fire ripples throughout the air, heating up the sky as ash falls down over us. Thunder claps loudly, shaking the dragon as it clenches tighter around my petite waist, almost snapping my bones for good this time.
In soars the other dragon, dark scales that camouflage into the clouds, but with the sight of the crimson-red lava coursing through the scales… I know it’s Koen.
The view of Theon and Kaine riding along the back of Koen makes my lips part to breathe out a trembling laugh.
Theon’s arms are stretched wide above his head while he cheers out to the Gods, as if he is riding a damn roller coaster.
Kaine clenches on to Koen’s scales for dear life, but that’s when I notice the rest of the chosen who have survived, sitting behind the two of them, eyes fiercely locked on to me.
They are ready to fight.
They all came for me.
Florian’s enormous mouth widens underneath the dragon of the Darkland’s neck, biting against the air as Tilly weaves the dragon away from him. The dragon twists in the air, rolling around as the world around me blurs into lines of color.
My head sways back and forth, slamming against the scales of the dragon repeatedly before it takes a fierceful dive straight towards the ground.
The cracks of lava come into view, bubbling at the surface before popping into the air. My nose is almost inches away from the heat of the lava that can kill me.
But that’s when galloping sounds of hooves begin to vibrate through my ears. The crackling sounds of fire mixing in with the gusting sounds of the dragon's wings beating against the ground.
Fire embers spark through my sluggish eyes, brightening the darkness that is on the brink of consumption.
With a burst of flames, my fire horse violently sprints across the blackened ground towards me.
Its mane dances in the air as it leaps relentlessly over cracks, spilling smoldering lava.
The scorching air ripples around us, blending with the crackling sounds of fire and dragon wings.
My fingers stretch outward, inches away from her face but the dragon lunges upward, taking me further away from her.
“We are all coming!” I hear her call out to me, steadily chasing the dragon that takes me over the mountain cliff where the battle took place.
The bones are still singeing in the air with smoke, the remembrance of the darklings clawing at Koen’s back makes me rip away my gaze.
But even though my horse sprints after me, once we make it over the mountain filled with lava and charred logs, her fire is no longer in sight.
I am alone.
THE CLAW RIPS OUT OF my flesh, releasing me from its grasp as my body slams against the ash-filled ground. My body rolls, beating against rocks and broken branches until my side thrusts against a boulder that is covered with dried lava.
The lava here will kill a Deskyiara. And now, they all know this. The Royals. Tileatha.
Koen’s darkness inside him could kill me. His insides pulsing with the only magic that can kill a Deskyiara for good.
My weakness is now their greatest weapon against me.
My eyes flutter as I notice the ground moving.
Hundreds of small insects with horns, pulsing with a crimson-red hue, scurry away as my body beats against the ground. I can hear their high pitch hissing and buzzing while their tiny legs dance across the onyx dirt.
If Theon was here, he would have died. They all resemble the shape of a spider.
But how I wish he was here.
I wish they all would find me.
I need them.
A strong gust of wind beats against me, holding me against the ground until the sounds of wood crunching under claws break away at the ringing in my ear. I can hear the dragon’s wings, cracking as it stretches wide before tucking them against its enormous, arrow-filled body.
My teeth grind while my trembling hand brushes against the puncture wound of my thigh. The blood seeps through my fingers, and I know I won’t have much time left. But at least Koen is safe.
As long as he stays the hell away from the Kingdom.
He will live.
I let out a pained scream as I wrap my fingers tightly around the arrow.
One.
Two.
Thr—
Before I can think anymore, I rip the arrow out of my leg and shriek. Everything around me blurs, and tears pour out of my eyes as I fall back to the charred ground.
I hear a sinister snicker echoing in the slight breeze. A vibrating growl rumbles in the throat of her dragon while her boots kick rocks towards me before she squats down in front of me.
My elbows dig into the warm ground, groaning in agony as I try to rise but fall once more.
“And to think the God of Fire chose you.” Her voice twists into disappointment. “I feel they chose wrong. So weak. Just like Mother.”
Her fingers grip my hair tightly, yanking my head up to meet her narrow eyes. I don’t even recognize her.
The blue hues in her eyes are gradually being replaced with a crimson-red hue, matching the fire darklings, and my stomach twists into knots.
As I meet her gaze, my teeth grind with the thought of taking all the strength I have left and shoving the dagger that is attached to my pants into her throat, but I don’t. All I see are memories.
All I see is the sister I once knew, and it breaks me to see her like this.
My eyes shut to remember the girl she once was.
FIREFLIES SPARKLE AGAINST THE SKY as we cuddle with our blankets on the top of a hill, far away from the lights of the Kingdom.
The sounds of dragon wings whip in the breeze as their shadows darken the sky while they soar over us.
“Just to think Mother wants us to learn how to ride one.” Tilly rolls to her side, elbow digging against our cream, stitched blanket. “She says we are too young right now, but I say, give us a few more years and she is going to make us.”
I rise, chin lifting high to the dark sky. “I feel it would be quite magical to soar in the sky.” I stretch my arms up, closing my eyes to let the wind trickle between my fingers.
A strong shove against my shoulder followed by laughter makes me snicker.
“You’d fall off of a dragon, I know it.” Tilly snorts, lifting her knees to her chest. “All I know is when the God of Fire chooses me and one day I become Queen, I’ll make sure the dragons leave Eekatia, including the shifters.”
My brows pull inward. “Why would you want them gone?”
She leans closer, shoulder bumping against mine as she whispers. “I had a vision once, of a time where we ruled and not the dragons. A time where they no longer had the powers of the stones, but we did.”
“You mean you had a dream?” I let out a breathy laugh.
“It was a vision, from the Gods themselves!” Her voice drops to a serious tone. “I promise if you follow me, I shall always protect you, dear little sis.”
“You’ll make a great Queen one day.” I shove my body into her, eyes lifting to continue to watch the stars flicker from bright to darkness. “But, I don’t want the dragons gone. They are a gift from the Gods. Mother has always told us that.”
She leans in closer, whispering against my ear, “Mothers can lie.”
MY EYES ROLL, FLICKERING OPEN.
“Dying already?” she grunts. “Where is the fun in that?”
Her head cocks to the side while the wind catches her white hair that glistens a golden hue from the sun setting. “I mean, look at you!” She cackles, shoving my face back down to the ground before standing. Her hands slap against her raven, leather pants, dusting off any ash and dirt.
The pain radiates up my thigh as I pull my legs inward to stand. My hands shake uncontrollably when I push off the ground and rise, swaying a bit.
But I stand, despite the pain. Despite the blood that gushes from the wound of the dragon. Despite my eyes flashing to darkness every few seconds.
I won’t let my sister win.
She will not kill me.
“What do you want!” I hiss, my fingers stretching wide beside me.
Her head tilts upward, twisting on her heels to turn towards me and pointing to my arm. “Those stones. I need your dragons.”
“Never.”
“You have no say, dear sis.” Her arms cross. “The dragons will be mine.”
A thunderous roar fills the air behind her as the dragon's mouth widens towards the sky. The ground trembles beneath my feet.
I brace myself, arms crossing over my face while I squint through the ash that catches in the fire.
“You have no idea what I have created since I left you.” She steadily walks towards me. “You have no idea the power I have taken!”
“You always wanted the dragons gone!” My voice cracks as I limp towards her. “You said you’d never ride a dragon, and now look at you!”
Her voice rips in the air as her finger points to her heart. “I control them, dear sis! They are all mine, and those little ones shall be mine too!”
“You’ll have to remove them off of my dead body,” I snarl, spitting blood against the ground as it hisses with steam.
“Easy.” Her lip tugs into a wicked grin, snapping her finger as the dragon's head swivels down and its red eyes meet mine.
“You don’t have the balls to kill me yourself?” I snicker, stumbling over as I sway side to side.