Chapter Seven #2
The tendrils coiled through the flames untouched and snaked toward the dragon until finally, they wrapped around both of its front legs. Without a thought from me, they tightened around the limbs, and with a crack of bones, pulled its legs out from beneath it, yanking the beast to the ground.
Before it could struggle back to its feet, more tendrils poured out of my palms. One by one, they wound over the dragon—its tail, back, shoulders, neck, head—and held it prisoner.
It couldn’t stand, but the dragon snarled and lifted its head, its chartreuse eyes locking with mine.
It cracked open its jaw—wide enough to swallow three of me whole.
A sickly orange glow gathered deep in its throat.
Fire sparked in the depths, the flickering flames illuminating its whetted fangs.
The gathering heat was so intense, it warmed my skin even from where I stood.
But before it could spew its useless fire at me, Mephisar fell from the sky like a meteor, a furious scream ripping free of his throat as he crashed into the dragon’s face.
He slashed, his claws and fangs ripping open its flesh.
Mephisar howled his rage as he dug his claws deep into the dragon’s eyes.
Blood erupted from both sockets, spraying the air and Mephisar’s coiled body.
With a deafening scream, the dragon bucked against my tendrils, then gave its head a powerful shake, managing to dislodge Mephisar. My wyrm hit the ground hard before rolling to a stop a dozen feet away.
Blood streaked the dragon’s face, both of its eyes leaking black ichor. It bared its fangs and hissed a truly terrifying hiss, but I saw the fear beneath the rage.
Good.
It should be afraid of us.
More tendrils sprouted from my palms like living vines. They darted toward the dragon, and the closest shaped itself into a lance. It pierced upward from the ground, sliding effortlessly through the dragon’s chest.
The beast screamed again and shook its head back and forth as though desperate to free itself from my magic’s hold.
“Lily!” Rathiel shouted.
I jerked my head in his direction to find him rushing toward me.
Behind him stood the others, and for one moment, I allowed myself to breathe.
Eliza was beat to hell, Levi looked like a walking corpse, Calyx appeared to have caught a few flames, if his singed feathers were any indication.
And Gorr was standing on three legs, but they were here and alive.
The three of them didn’t look like they had much left in them to give, but Eliza clutched her daggers, while Levi and Calyx held their swords.
Rathiel, however, held two. One was his. The other was Inferno’s Kiss.
He broke from the group and threw mine toward me.
My blade arced through the air, and the hilt connected with my palm like it belonged there—which it did.
Flames instantly ignited around the handle once my fingers closed around it.
I spun my wrist once, warming up, then returned my focus to the dragon.
Even with my shadow lance piercing its chest, it refused to die. Stubborn asshole.
I needed to change that.
I took a running start and let my magic suffuse me. All of it. Fire and shadow joined as one. My power howled in my chest for freedom, almost like it was begging me to stop holding back—so I did. I gave my magic free rein.
The shadows answered first. They came willingly, almost like a cloud of night seeping out of my body. But instead of shooting toward the dragon, they coalesced around me and gathered on my back. And from there, they unfurled.
I didn’t stop moving, but I did spare a glance behind me, my brows climbing when I caught sight of two great, sprawling wings erupting from my shoulders.
They looked and felt so real, almost like they’d always been there.
Like they were exactly where they belonged.
They weren’t my old wings. They were darker.
Colder. But they were mine. I felt it deep in my bones.
Elation broke through the dark cloud suffocating me, and without any hesitation, I bent my knees and launched myself upward, my feet leaving the ground in a blur of soot.
Miraculously, I didn’t fall.
I flew.
Something I hadn’t done in ten years.
A wild, broken laugh tore free of my throat as I climbed higher and higher, pumping the wings like the limbs I’d once had—before Lucifer had stolen them.
I wanted to scream my misery for Sable, my elation for my new wings, my pain, my joy…but I had to focus.
Gathering my thoughts, I angled myself downward. The dragon hadn’t moved, still held in place by my shadows. Time to end this.
I tucked my wings in, aimed my blade downward, and dove.
Flames surrounded Inferno’s Kiss, and embers trailed behind us as I plunged from the sky.
The dragon bellowed at my approach and tried to rise but failed.
It struggled against my bindings, dug its claws into the ground, screamed its anger, released a stream of scalding fire, but none of that stopped me.
I matched its scream as I landed on the dragon’s head and drove Inferno’s Kiss right through the top of its skull, between those curved horns and down through bone and brain. The impact brought me to a crashing halt on top of its head, and I flared my wings out behind me for balance.
The dragon gave a last scream—then collapsed. Dead.
I didn’t move at first, still too in shock to do anything but breathe. After a moment, I tucked my wings away, completely out of sight. They retreated into my back, but I still felt them there, ready for me to call upon them again.
I exhaled, all of my emotions raging within me.
Pain for Sable.
Joy for myself.
Pride that I’d killed such a terrifying creature.
Down below, no one spoke. But everyone walked around the massive creature to stand in front of its head and stare up at me.
Eliza cradled a burnt arm. Calyx’s one wing looked injured from the way it hung lifeless behind him.
Rathiel, thank everything, seemed unharmed.
Levi looked as though he’d taken the worst of it, blood streaking nearly every inch of him.
Mephisar picked himself up from the ground and slithered over.
Even Gorr limped closer, one back leg tucked beneath him.
I slowly climbed off the dragon, one foot after the other, careful not to slip on the blood-slicked scales. Halfway down, Rathiel offered me a hand, which I took. The second I stood on solid ground, my knees began to tremble.
I passed each of my friends, touching them lightly as I moved by them. Eliza clutched my hand but quickly released me as I pulled away and kept moving.
Sable’s body lay in the ashes, untouched since I’d pulled the dragon off her.
Her massive form looked so small now, so wrong.
I’d never seen her crumpled like that, so it was impossible to think of her as sleeping.
Especially since she was lying in a pool of her own blood.
Her blue-black scales had dulled, her golden eyes still fixed on the sky.
The moment I reached her, something inside me cracked and broke apart.
I fell to my knees beside her and placed a hand on her side. My eyes burned with the threat of tears, but I held them back. I couldn’t let myself give in to the sadness. Not yet.
Mephisar slowly approached. A small, plaintive cry fell from his lips as he stared down at his friend.
I glanced at him and noted that he looked older somehow.
As if this battle had aged him. His wings were limp, the membrane shredded in places.
Blood painted his back and flanks, a few of his claws and one of his fangs broken.
A series of gashes ran along his side, down to his flank.
He didn’t complain, though, even though he had to be in a great deal of pain.
It seemed like the dragon had targeted my hellwyrms. They’d definitely taken the brunt of the attack.
Mephisar lowered his massive head to Sable’s. He bumped her gently, once, as if trying to nudge her awake.
That hurt me more than her death—seeing him mourning her, begging her to wake up. But she didn’t move.
Finally, he made a noise. A soft crooning sound that brought fresh tears to my eyes.
I pressed my forehead to his side, careful of his injuries so as not to hurt him any more than he already was.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered to him, the words empty. “I’m so sorry.”
His tail snaked around me, and he pulled me closer, clearly seeking comfort.
I cried.
For him. For me. For Sable. Because he couldn’t. Because we would miss her. Because we’d loved her.
Gorr limped forward, his shuffling gait uneven, and sat next to Mephisar’s other side. A whine escaped his lips, and he leaned against Mephisar’s other side, offering him whatever comfort he could. Then he tucked down closer to Sable and gave her cheek a gentle lick.
Slow footsteps approached me from behind, and I knew they belonged to Rathiel. He didn’t speak, but he did lay his hand on my shoulder.
I immediately rose to my feet and stepped away.
I didn’t want anyone’s kindness or comfort right now. Because this…was my fault.
I never should have gone off with Rath last night, no matter what anyone said.
We knew better than to venture off like that.
The possible consequences were numerous and now were facing one of the worst. Obviously, we hadn’t been thinking clearly.
I’d just wanted one night alone with him. One selfish moment of peace.
Sigh.
We were at war. This wasn’t a game. This was Hell, not our honeymoon.
If we’d been here, we might have been able to prevent Sable’s death.
She’d chosen to follow me, to protect me. But I hadn’t been here for her when it counted. I hadn’t stopped this. And I swore, right then, that I would never let this happen again.