Chapter 24
Saturday arrived so quickly, it was disconcerting. I’d spent every night at the beach house with Cat. Honestly, I didn’t expect to like her as much as I did. At first, I thought gaining her trust was vital and maybe getting her emotionally invested would force her to stay. Who would have thought that the one to get emotionally invested was me?
We spent each night sharing our lives with each other. She told me about her world and what she did. I told her a bit about me, but I mainly let her speak while I listened. I enjoyed listening. And it seemed that she enjoyed talking in turn.
But now it was Saturday, and Uncle Bai and I were preparing for tonight’s clandestine operation. The vast chamber that served as our planning room was lit by the eerie glow of molten rock that crept along the natural grooves of the walls in the volcano, casting unnerving shadows that danced like spirits whispering secrets of the old world.
Uncle Bai was methodically checking the items he would need for the evening—a cloak woven with spells for concealment, a pouch filled with gold coins enchanted to return to him should they be stolen, and a small, intricately carved amulet that would allow him to communicate with me should the need arise.
“The vampires, nobles, and royalty think they're clever, meeting in secret to watch these fights,” Uncle Bai muttered as he adjusted the straps on his cloak. “But we'll be cleverer. This portrait they watch through, it’s no simple magic.”
I nodded, my mind already racing ahead to the challenges we would face. “I'll be overhead. If anything goes wrong once you're inside, use the amulet. I'll be close enough to respond quickly.”
The plan was risky. As a dragon, I had the advantage of flight and the cover of night, but discreetly following Uncle Bai would be challenging. Luckily, the sky was a tapestry of swirling clouds that heralded an incoming storm, which would provide the cover I needed to keep a watchful eye without revealing my position.
My uncle clasped my shoulder, his grip firm. “Be careful, Damien. These nobles, especially the royals, play games with lives for amusement. They won't hesitate to end yours if they discover you.”
His words were a stark reminder of the stakes. “I will. And the same to you. Be careful inside. If it feels wrong, pull out. We're not here to play heroes, just to gather information.”
With a simple nod, we shifted into our dragon forms and soared out of the volcano, heading straight for the mainland. Where I took to the shadows and clouds, Uncle Bai flew out in the open. When we reached his residence in the Northern District, he dropped below the clouds and shifted to his human form while I hovered above.
Before long, a shiny black carriage pulled up in front of his home. I took note of the emblem painted on its side and watched the driver step down and blindfold my uncle before helping him inside. In a matter of minutes they were off, and I was secretly following from the sky.
The world below was a spread of shadow and silver, the land a whisper beneath the heavens. I soared high, keeping pace with the distant rumble of carriage wheels. My eyes sharpened and every sense was attuned to the movements below.
The wind was a constant companion, whispering across my scales and carrying the mixed scents of the earth—pine, fresh water from the nearby streams, and the distant, salt-tinged aroma of the sea. My heart, a steady drum of purpose and vigilance, kept time with the flap of my wings. When thunder suddenly struck and a bolt of lightning illuminated the skies, I realized it would be difficult to stay hidden. I needed to remain vigilant.
From high above, I watched as multiple carriages converged onto a hidden estate within the Southern District, the location cleverly masked by enchantments and natural foliage. Uncle Bai's carriage slipped through the gates and disappeared into the throng of Elaria's elite, all eager for the night's brutal entertainment.
Alone in the sky with only the stars for company, the rain began as a trickle and quickly turned to a deluge. I circled, waiting and watching, the weight of responsibility a heavy cloak upon my shoulders.
The estate seemed markedly out of place here in the Southern District, where the lower classes lived. A residence this grand was typically seen in the Northern District. Its placement here was odd, and how no one had discovered it yet was even odder. But the enchantments obviously played a big part in the ruse. They must have a powerful witch or warlock doing their bidding.
The estate was located along the banks of River Elara. As the lightning continued its merciless assault, I realized I would have to take cover in the forest and hide or else I would soon be discovered. I dove toward the ground and shifted to my human form just as I landed. I brought the amulet around my neck up to my mouth.
“I had to shift and take cover near the river,” I said into the amulet. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Lifting the hood of my cloak over my head, I took cover under a canopy of trees and waited to hear back from my uncle. My thoughts drifted to Cat and the last few days we’d spent together. Not for the first time, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, things could possibly work between us. It was a distinct possibility that my twin flame could serve a higher purpose than simply unchaining me from the island.
I was lost in thought when the wheels of a carriage crunching along the forest bed startled me from my reverie. Its presence was odd since there wasn’t a trail here. I heard the snap of reins and horses galloping against the heavy rainfall. I squinted to get a better look at the incoming carriage and my heart stuttered. I would recognize that carriage anywhere.
It belonged to the Ryder family.
What was it doing out here? And who was inside of it? They were obviously headed toward the river.
“Yah!” the driver yelled as he hurried the horses along, making a path through the forest with single-minded focus toward the river. “Yah!”
“Why does this feel familiar?” I mused to myself.
The night of Arya’s accident… it was raining as well. It was a terrible thunderstorm. That was when we plucked Cat instead of Arya from the river. Could it…?
No .
My muscles coiled to chase after her when I realized I couldn’t leave my post. My uncle was still inside the estate. Without hearing he was okay, I couldn’t leave him… but if I didn’t, Cat would leave me, and I wouldn’t get her back. I had no other choice.
“Uncle, I need to leave you alone for a moment. I’m sorry,” I said into the amulet. Tucking it underneath my cloak, I chased after the carriage that had almost reached the river.
The storm-battered trees whipped violently as I darted through the woods, my cloak flapping wildly behind me. The ground beneath my feet was slick with mud, the scent of wet earth and leaves heavy in the air. Rain soaked my clothes and chilled me to the bone, but my focus was sharp, driven by desperate urgency.
When I reached the river's edge, the roar of the water mixed with the storm's fury created a deafening cacophony. Lightning forked across the sky, illuminating the scene in stark flashes. There, on the riverbank, was the Ryder carriage, its horses heaving, steam rising from their flanks in the cool night air.
My heart lurched as I saw a figure—Cat—leaping into the turbulent river. She was truly leaving me. Without a second thought, I stripped off my cloak and dove into the River Elara after her.
The river’s icy currents seized me with ruthless force. Below the surface, the world was a muffled, pressing silence, the river's roar distant to my submerged ears. My eyes stung as I forced them open and searched the murky depths. Ahead, I spotted Cat, her form graceful and determined, swimming toward a shimmering light that pulsed from deeper within the river.
The portal was a swirling vortex of colors, an ethereal gateway that looked both enticing and terrifying. It glowed with an otherworldly light, casting eerie, dancing luminescence through the water. The sight was mesmerizing, the portal’s promise of escape almost tangible in its pulsating glow.
I surged forward, propelled by a mix of fear and adrenaline. The frigid water bit into my skin as I reached Cat, grabbing her arm firmly to halt her progress. Our bodies collided with a shock that was both physical and emotional, her surprise clear even through the muted light filtering through the water.
I couldn't speak or call out her name as I desperately wanted, but my grip communicated urgency and plea enough. I pulled her away from the portal, kicking hard against the current that sought to suck us both into its mysterious depths.
She resisted and tried to break free, but I held onto her with all my might and dragged her up to the surface. Together, we struggled against the flow, gasping for air as the rain mercilessly pelted our exposed faces.
With a final, desperate effort, I hauled us both onto the riverbank. We collapsed on the muddy shore, coughing and sputtering. I was furious and terrified, my emotions a whirlwind as intense as the storm raging around us.
“By the immortals, what were you thinking ?” I demanded, my voice raw. I grasped her shoulders, needing to feel her solid and real under my hands. “I told you I will never allow you to leave!”
Her eyes met mine, wide and shocked, perhaps from the cold or the nearness of her escape—or from the intensity of my words. Rain streamed down her face, mixing with the tears that started to form.
“You can’t keep me here! I have to go back home!” she shouted, her voice trembling. “I don’t belong here!”
“No,” I cut her off. “You belong with me . I told you, Cat – no one can take you away from me, and that includes even you .”
The storm seemed to pause as if giving us a moment to breathe. Her chest heaved up and down in barely restrained fury as she held back tears and gritted her teeth.
I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, lending her my warmth. Rain continued to fall around us, but the force was less threatening now. She pushed me away and started to pound on my chest, crying hysterically. I’d never seen her so undone before. “I’m sorry, Cat…” I murmured. “I’m sorry.”
“I hate you,” she growled. “I vow here and now that the first chance I get, I’ll kill you. So either you let me leave or prepare to die!”
I met her heated glare unflinchingly. “You can hate me, but I can’t let you go.”
“I’ll kill you,” she promised.
I held her in my arms, convinced of the sincerity of her threat, but I couldn’t find it in myself to care. She needed to stay here with me, and I would do everything possible to keep her. Even if it meant risking my own life.