CHAPTER THIRTY #2
Slowly, Kodhan turned, setting the full brunt of his burning gaze upon me. His eyes glowed, as if his flames kindled behind the green of his eyes, setting them ablaze. It was like holding a gemstone before a hearth. An irresistible, mesmerizing sight.
Instinct screamed at me to step back—the violence and fury lacing his expression wringing doubts regarding what he’d said, back in his room.
But I wouldn’t run. If he wanted to take back his claims here, as the dragons bore down on us, so be it.
I refused to die as a coward. No, he would have to look me in the eye, to face his lies, if he wanted to end me.
But as my rage clashed with his, he blinked slowly, and I could see it dissipate like a retreating storm. The glow behind his irises dimmed, making it look as if it had all been a trick of the moon’s light.
“You’re right. We must move.”
Not a liar, then. A tremor of relief coursed down the length of my spine.
“We should follow Elias and Lachlan. It’ll forcibly drag them into the dragons’ path and eliminate any possibility of them tampering or hiding the pins,” I offered, tightly.
“At least one of us has their heads sewn on right. Let’s go,” Brannon answered, though his voice was that of a stranger, the hollowness to it deep and unforgiving.
Still battling the embers inside of him, Kodhan nodded. His attention remained fixed on me. On my right iris.
“Kodhan,” Theia hissed. “It’s now or never.”
The command must have been laced with magic, for he tore his eyes from mine, and took one stiff step towards the watchtower.
Lachlan and Elias were already three-quarters of the way up the rickety ladder, their feet barely touching the rungs with the speed of their climbing. One of them had to be using wind.
We made it to the base of the watchtower at the same moment the dragon on the left unfurled its wings. It took to the skies like an arrow, its talons scattering branches as it flew in the same direction the two girls had run. To pick them off.
Quicker than an asp, the remaining dragon finally struck, maw snapping open in preparation to grab Elias from where he still scrambled behind Lachlan, the latter hauling his body over the lip of the lookout.
With a surprised shout, Elias branded his arm like a sword, slashing it through the air.
A wave of blinding fire soared towards the dragon, halting it before teeth could pierce flesh.
Its answering snarl leeched the color from my face.
Brannon began the ascent first, Theia close on his heels. Then I climbed the first few steps, the ladder swaying with the weight of the three of us. But Kodhan didn’t follow.
He began to back away. “You three take care of Elias and Lachlan. I’ll distract it.”
My answer was immediate. “No.” Shaking my head furiously, I backtracked a handful of rungs.
But Kodhan reached up to grab my calf, stopping me.
“It’ll kill you,” I pleaded. “Aren’t dragons impervious to fire?
I read that in a book once. The ones I told you about.
” Rambling would do no good, but the words kept tumbling out anyway.
“Not impervious. It won’t kill them, but burning scales are a less-than-comfortable experience.”
“How would you know?
“I read about it in a book.” He winked, then said, “Make sure those bastards suffer.” And left no room for arguing as he let go of my calf and whistled at the dragon. As if it were a dog.
“Wait,” I gasped, but he did no such thing. He began to walk backwards in the direction of the tree line. “Wait! What if we get separated?”
“I will find you, little viper. Always.”
“Swear it.”
“I swear it on my life.”
And then he turned to face the dragon head-on.
Its attention was now fixed wholly on his every movement. It twisted away from the watchtower, head low to the ground as it made its way towards Kodhan instead, sizing him up like a cat would a mouse.
I had to help him. I couldn’t let him use himself as bait—
“Eloise.” Theia’s voice cut through my panic from above, firm and unwavering. She looked down at me from several rungs above. “Do not let his actions be in vain. We must hurry.”
I spared one final glance towards Kodhan, whose hands were ablaze once more. She was right. Every second we spent atop the watchtower was one he spent risking his life.
Tiny, needle-like bits of wood stuck out from almost all of the rungs, piercing my fingers, but still, I climbed. Go, my body screamed. Faster.
Lachlan and Elias could’ve burnt us on sight, could’ve stopped us from climbing with wind. It would’ve been the quicker, easier way to get rid of us. But they simply watched us haul ourselves over the final rung, onto the flat wooden plank surrounded by ramshackle railings.
Spears of fire whizzed past the lookout, aiming for the dragon. Peering over the railing, as far as I dared, I studied its scales for telltale signs of burns. But where flame should have seared welts across its body, it bounced clean off the surface instead.
Brannon noticed my dismay and analyzed the scene, tensing. “Something isn’t right.”
Theia appeared at my side in an instant, trusting the railing far more than I did. She leaned her entire upper body over it, straining to get a better look.
“Can’t you do anything?” I pleaded.
“I can’t.” Her face went a ghastly shade of white. “Its walls are too solid.” Wood groaned. She ignored it. “I can’t even feel a presence on the other side. It feels like a locked door to an abandoned room.”
“Enough games. I’m tired of waiting,” Elias said from behind us.
It happened too quickly.
The speed of which magic struck never ceased to amaze me. But now, as fire coated every inch of me from the neck below, I took it all back. I wished I’d spent less time admiring it and more time figuring out if there was a way to slow it down.
“You thought we would forget about your little stunt?” Elias spat.
“The fire’s not hot now, but move so much as an inch, use so much as a kernel of magic, and she’s dead.
I’ll flay the bitch alive, and make you watch.
” A tendril of fire crept up my neck, stopping just shy of my lips. Waiting to ravage my insides.
It was foolish of me to think Kodhan was the only fire-wielder with that particular talent. But where his magic caressed and tingled, Elias’ felt like rough sandpaper scraping furiously back and forth across my skin.
“Same goes for you, too.” He flicked a lazy hand at Brannon, whose lip peeled back in a snarl that rivaled the dragon’s. “Lachlan already has control over the air in my lungs. He’ll feel any of your attempts to steal it.”
“Let her go.” Theia squared her shoulders. “It is me you have a problem with. Not her.”
“You’re wrong.” Elias unsheathed a dagger from his thigh.
He tested its weight, flipping the garnet-encrusted hilt in his hand.
He’d made use of his time outside the tower, too, if he had weapons.
“You’re not the one that plunged one of these into Darion’s heart during Courage.
” He pointed the dagger at Brannon. “And you’re not the one who sliced Stellan’s neck open like a pig for slaughter during Strength.
” The dagger swung in my direction. “She is.”
He slowly crept towards me, boots thumping on the wood planks like a clock ticking down my final moments.
“Only a mutt like you would resort to such low blows. Not even giving them the dignified deaths they deserved. You butchered them like animals. So why would I give you the satisfaction of dying at the hands of magic? Why wouldn’t I give you the same death you gave my friends?
” He laughed, the crazed tint reminding me of Darion.
“But you would like that, wouldn’t you, mutt?
To die from magic.” He tsked. “I bet you would beg to get a taste of what it feels like to wield. Even if it killed you.”
“They deserved all of it. I’d do it again if I could,” I seethed, hoping to rile him up further. Angry magic is sloppy magic. He only smiled.
“Stop.” A slight waver plagued Theia’s voice. “Right now, or I’ll turn your mind to mulch where you stand.”