Chapter 13 Onyx
The air was a tempest of blood, smoke, and frost.
My senses were alight, sharper and more overwhelming than any human could endure. The howl of the wind carried the scent of charred wood from the fire in the kitchen and the dust from the tower we had destroyed in our earlier skirmish. Every nerve was aflame, every instinct sharpened to a lethal edge.
This was the hunt. The dance of predators. But this wasn’t just a battle—it was a reckoning.
I circled my prey from above, my wings slicing through the frigid air in powerful beats. The moon was high in the sky, but my dark scales kept me hidden in the snowy night.
The cold bit into my hide, but I hardly noticed. Pain no longer mattered; I was beyond it, my focus a razor-sharp point.
Topaz thought he could best me, but he was wrong.
My dragon’s heart thundered in my chest, urging me forward. My every fiber screamed for violence, the primal instincts of my beast demanding blood. The mage’s magic had cursed me with this form, but in moments like this—when the hunt was on and my mate was in danger—this form was my salvation. It was power. Fury. Death.
Zaorak roared from below, a guttural, ear-splitting sound that vibrated through my bones. His arrogance was palpable, a foul stench that mingled with his fiery breath. His eyes glowed like molten gold, gleaming with hunger for violence, for destruction.
He was a formidable adversary, true, but now that we had both transformed, he had lost the advantage of surprise. His golden scales gleamed in the darkness as he snarled and spat fire, and his glowing golden eyes shone with malice and hunger, alerting me to his presence like a beacon. He was a blazing torch, all arrogance and wrath, daring me to attack.
And I would. But not yet.
The advantage of surprise was on my side, now.
With a thunderous roar, I folded my wings and plunged downward, talons extended. The wind screamed past me, and for a moment, the world was nothing but the predator’s dive—the exhilaration of the hunt, the promise of tearing flesh, the instinctive rhythm of the chase.
I struck with the force of a comet, my claws raking across Topaz’s back. He howled in fury, whipping around with his massive head to snap at me. His jaws closed around my shoulder, his teeth slicing into muscle and scale. Pain shot through me, red-hot and electric, but it only fueled my rage.
I roared, wrenching myself free, the sickening sound of tearing flesh filling the air as I tore his shoulder with my teeth. Blood spattered across the snow, steaming as it fell. The taste of his lifeblood filled my mouth, coppery and thick. It was intoxicating, the primal thrill of dominance.
Topaz retaliated with a swipe of his claws, catching my flank and sending me skidding across the snowy ground. The impact sent shockwaves through my body, and I felt something crack—a rib, perhaps. It didn’t matter. Pain was irrelevant. I scrambled to my feet, my wings flaring wide as I snarled at my opponent.
Seranni.
Her name was a steady drumbeat in my mind. She was my mate. My everything. My reason for living.
She was bruised and bleeding, and yet I could feel her will, her magic, bolstering me even from below. Her presence tethered me to sanity, to purpose.
And I would not let anything harm her, not while I still drew breath. I would defend my mate or die trying.
Topaz lunged again, his movements fluid and predatory. But I was ready. I feinted left, then struck right, my claws raking across his exposed belly. He bellowed in agony, a spray of blood marking the snow as he staggered back. His tail lashed out, catching me across the face and sending stars exploding across my vision.
Rage surged through me, drowning out the pain. I roared, the sound echoing through the mountains like a primal challenge. I circled him, my keen eyes tracking his every move, my dragon’s instincts guiding me. He was cunning, yes, but his arrogance blinded him. He thought himself invincible.
He was wrong.
Zaorak snapped his jaws at me, a stream of fire erupting from his maw. The flames licked at my wings, the heat scorching but not unbearable. I banked sharply, evading the worst of the attack, and retaliated with my own fiery breath. The blaze illuminated the night, a cascade of orange and red that engulfed him. He roared in pain, swinging his neck back to snap at me, his teeth sinking into my forearms and leaving a bleeding gash.
I countered with a swift bite of my own, my teeth meeting in the flesh of his shoulder with a sickening crunch. Blood spattered on me as I ripped away from him, roaring triumphantly.
With his blood in my mouth, I could feel the raw power coursing through his veins, the dark magic that fueled his every move. He was strong.
Topaz had always been the strongest of us all, but now it seemed that the mage had given his henchman more power than before. Had he sacrificed the others to perfect his favorite?
Topaz tightened his teeth in the flesh of my forearms and I roared, trying to shake him off. He sought to siphon off my own magic, to drain me of my strength and leave me helpless before him. But I would not yield, not when Seranni’s life hung in the balance.
With a mighty roar, I unleashed a torrent of flame, the heat searing through the night as it engulfed Topaz in a blazing inferno. He spun free, and I crashed to the ground, gasping for breath.
Had I driven him off? My hope was unfounded, a moment later Topaz emerged from the flames unscathed, his form glowing with an otherworldly light and his golden scales dotted with blood from the many gashes I had inflicted.
I snarled in frustration, my claws digging into the earth as I prepared to unleash my full fury upon him. But before I could strike, Topaz launched himself at me, his jaws snapping shut with bone-crushing force.
Pain exploded through my body as his teeth sank into my flesh, tearing through muscle and sinew with ruthless efficiency. I roared in agony, my vision swimming as I struggled to break free from his grasp.
But then, through the haze of pain and rage, I caught sight of Seranni, her eyes wide with fear as she watched our deadly dance from a safe distance.
I could not let her down. Topaz would never touch her again. And the mage would burn in hell before he got his hands on her.
My fury ignited anew, a blazing inferno that consumed every rational thought. Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I reared back on my hind legs with a thunderous roar, my claws slashing through the air. Topaz stumbled back, caught off guard by my sudden burst of power. With a bellowing roar, my claws slashed upward and caught his face. He howled, recoiling as blood streamed from the gashes I’d carved across his snout.
But even as I fought with all my might, I could feel my strength waning, my energy draining with each passing moment. Topaz had wounded me deeper than I realized. Blood flowed sluggishly from the slashes and bites across my body, taking my strength with it.
I was tiring, and I could feel the flames of my own life force flickering dangerously low, but I had to keep going. I refused to give up. Not when Seranni’s safety depended on my strength. Not when I knew that I could not live with myself if I let her come to harm.
I leaped into the sky again, circling around in the sky as I hunted for my quarry. Topaz had hidden himself in the flurry of snow, and with the wind blowing the snow into my face, visibility was down. Topaz had taken advantage of it, even now, he could be lying in wait to strike against me when the moment was right.
I had to find him and finish him before my strength ran out.
I screamed out a challenge, one that I knew Topaz wouldn’t be able to ignore. As I swung my head this way and that in search of my enemy, I glimpsed a flash of yellow from the corner of my eye. There he was!
Now, to gather all my strength and attack…
I swooped up, swinging around to dive down at Topaz, falling upon him like a meteor.
Topaz loomed before me, a monstrous silhouette against the backdrop of the night sky, his scales glinting in the moonlight like molten gold. His eyes burned with malevolent fury; his jaws snapping shut with a deafening roar as he prepared to meet my charge head-on.
I braced myself for the impact, tensing in preparation for the collision.
It reverberated through my body, a shockwave of pain that threatened to overwhelm me in its intensity. I felt something crack—a rib, perhaps. It didn’t matter. Pain was irrelevant. I scrambled to my feet, my wings flaring wide as I snarled at my opponent.
I roared, wrenching myself free, the sickening sound of tearing flesh filling the air as I tore his shoulder with my teeth. Blood spattered across the snow, steaming as it fell. The taste of his lifeblood filled my mouth, coppery and thick. It was intoxicating, the primal thrill of dominance.
Topaz retaliated with a swipe of his claws, catching my flank and sending me skidding across the snowy ground. Blood welled from the wounds that marred my flesh, hot and sticky against my scales as I fought to keep myself upright against the onslaught.
But still, I refused to be defeated, refused to let Topaz have the satisfaction of seeing me fall. With a primal roar, I surged forward once more, our claws locking and teeth tearing at each other in an animal frenzy.
And then, just when it seemed that all hope was lost, I felt a surge of warmth radiating through my body, a familiar presence brushing against my mind like a gentle caress. It was Seranni, her magic intertwining with mine, healing me, strengthening me, fueling my resolve to keep fighting.
Her magic was a warm, golden thread weaving through my veins, binding my fraying strength. I could feel her love, her desperation, her unwavering belief in me. It was like a fire rekindled, a spark igniting in the ashes of my resolve.
I swung my neck down to look at her. She was on her feet, bruised and bleeding but still determined. She held her hands out to me, following my flight. With my dragon sight, I could see her hands glowing with a powerful magic—magic that she was pushing into me.
I couldn’t let her down.
With renewed vigor, I redoubled my efforts, my blows raining down upon Topaz with a ferocity that bordered on madness. He snarled and spat, his own attacks growing weaker as my relentless assault wore him down.
I could feel the magic in me gutter like a lone candle in a fierce wind—this was my last chance—and still Topaz struggled on, slashing and gnashing at any part of me he could reach, becoming more desperate with every passing moment. He knew he had reached the end of the line.
And then, finally, when he reared back to strike at me, I saw an opening. Ducking under his outstretched claws, I struck snake-quick—one final, decisive blow—my claws tearing through his chest, crushing his ribs and piercing his heart with a force that sent him crashing to the ground below. He lay there on the mountains, defeated and broken; his golden scales stained with blood as he gasped for breath.
I gave a triumphant roar, and landed on top of him, crushing him under my claw, as he had tried to do to Seranni. He snarled; and his deadly talons slashed uselessly through the air as he grew weaker by the minute.
I watched until the light left his eyes, and only then did I turn back to Seranni, my heart swelling with love and gratitude. She had saved me.
Just as I had sworn to protect her, my mate had saved me.
How could I ever be worthy of such a perfect mate?
I would spend the rest of my life trying to prove my love and devotion to her, and I would enjoy every moment.
With one final, weary flap of my wings, I I half stumbled, half leaped down to her, landing on the snowy clearing outside the wrecked tower. The wind howled around us, scattering the ash and embers from the smoldering ruins. My body ached with every movement—deep, searing pain from the wounds Topaz had inflicted and the exhaustion of holding my dragon form for so long. My wings trembled as they folded against my back, the effort of keeping them steady almost too much to bear.
Seranni stood at the edge of the clearing, her small form illuminated by the silvery light of the moon. Her hair was wild, tangled from the wind and streaked with ash, but her eyes were fixed on me, shining with relief and love.
It was an effort to shift back, but I knew my human side was what she preferred. She would want to feel my arms around her.
As soon as my feet hit the ground, I let the dragon magic drain from me. Shifting back to my human form was like peeling away layers of fire and stone, leaving me raw and vulnerable. My scales receded, and I stumbled as my talons gave way to bare feet.
But none of that mattered. She was waiting for me.
Before I could catch my breath, Seranni broke into a run, slipping and sliding over the snow as she came toward me, her arms flung wide. I barely had time to brace myself before she crashed into me, her momentum nearly knocking us both to the ground.
But I held her tight.
Tears streamed from both of our eyes as we caught each other in a fierce embrace.
The warmth of her body against mine banished the icy bite of the night. Her scent—lavender and smoke—wrapped around me, grounding me as her fingers curled into my shirt, clutching me like a lifeline. My hands found their way into her hair, tangled as it was, and I pressed my forehead to hers, letting out a shaky breath.
We had done it. Somehow, we had survived.
“I’m sorry,” Seranni sobbed, her voice muffled against my chest. Her words tumbled out in a frantic rush, like she couldn’t get them out fast enough. “I’m so sorry, I was such an idiot, I shouldn’t have hidden it from you, but I thought I was protecting you, I just wanted that mage to leave us alone, I didn’t know he would send a bloody dragon after us—I’m so sorry—” She sobbed, her breath hitching.
Her hands roamed over me desperately, brushing against the torn fabric of my shirt, her trembling fingers finding the edges of my wounds. She sniffled, her breath hitching as she tried to get a look at the damage. “Let me look at you, I need to heal you—”
I caught her hands in mine, stilling their frantic movements. “Later,” I said softly, my voice raw. “We don’t have time right now. We have to leave, Seranni. We can’t stay here anymore. The mage will come looking for us.”
Her eyes widened, and she blinked up at me, her tears glinting in the moonlight. I could see the fear in her expression, the weight of everything that had happened crashing down on her. “But—”
“I know you’ve been waiting for your father,” I said, my heart tightening at the pain I saw flash across her face. “But—”
She shook her head, cutting me off. “No,” she said firmly. “I don’t need to wait for him anymore.”
Her voice wavered, but there was a resolute strength behind it that made my heart ache. She sniffled again, brushing the back of her hand across her cheeks to wipe away the tears. “I know he won’t be coming for me. I guess I knew all along, but I didn’t want to admit it, because he was all I had.” Her voice cracked on the last word, and she looked down at the snow.
“But now you have me,” I said, tilting her chin up so that our eyes met. Her eyes lit up at that, and I smiled back at her, blotting her tears. “You’re not alone anymore, Seranni. I’m your family, now.”
Her lips trembled, and for a moment, I thought she might cry again. But instead, a soft smile broke across her face, hesitant and shy. “You’re my family,” she repeated, as if trying the words out for the first time. Her eyes glistened, and her smile grew. “I have you.”
We held each other for a moment longer, the only sounds the crackling of distant flames and the howling wind.
But then, a sharp whistle cut through the night air, startling us both.
I turned toward the sound, my dragon instincts prickling. Down the mountainside, lights flickered to life in the village. My fight with Topaz had woken up the people of Vilusia, they were gathering in the streets, pointing toward the wreckage of the tower.
“It’s time,” I said. “We have to leave Vilusia behind.”
I paused, hoping Seranni would agree. She glanced down at the village, her expression unreadable. My heart swelled when she took my hand in hers, interlacing our fingers together.
“Yes,” she said softly. “I’m tired of hiding, tired of fighting for a family that never wanted me.” She shook her head. “I’m going to make my own family, now.”
I swallowed hard, my heart swelling at her words. This brave, fiery woman was my mate, my partner, my everything.
“We’ll make one together,” I said, squeezing her hand. “You and me. Always.”
Seranni looked up with a smile, and all the stars of the night sky were in her eyes. She reached up, cupping my face with her hands. Her touch was gentle, but there was a fierce determination in her gaze as she stared at me. “I love you, Kael,” she said, talking slowly until I could feel the words settle into me, until I could be sure of their truth. “I love you so much.”
The words lit a warmth in my chest that even the icy wind couldn’t touch.
My breath caught. For a moment, the world around us disappeared—the broken tower, the blood, the snow. All that existed was her and those words.
“As I love you,” I said, my voice breaking. My throat felt tight, but the words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered. “You’ve saved me, Seranni. In more ways than one. I’ll never let you go.”
I had never expected to end up here, with my mate in my arms. She had saved my life in more ways than one, and now it was my chance to give her all the love she deserved.
As before, I would not fail her.
We worked quickly, gathering what we could from the ruins of the tower. Seranni and I tied the essentials into a makeshift sack, leaving the rest to the blaze. The tower was half-collapsed, smoke curling into the sky as the flames consumed what remained.
The place had been both a prison and a sanctuary, and as we packed what little we could salvage, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of bittersweet sorrow. This had been our home, however temporary. And now we had to leave it behind in ruins, half ablaze with dragon fire.
By the time the villagers arrived, all they would find was the aftermath of a battle between dragons. They would never know the truth.
Finally, we were ready.
“Shall we?” I asked, giving Seranni a hand as she picked her way out of the ruins, her shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
She looked back at the tower one last time, her expression somber but resolute. “Let’s go,” she said, turning to me.
I nodded, my chest tightening with emotion. “Climb on,” I said, stepping back and letting the dragon take over once more.
Shifting was quicker this time, though no less painful. My bones stretched and cracked, my skin hardening into obsidian scales. Wings unfurled from my back, and my talons dug into the snow as I lowered myself to the ground. Seranni approached cautiously, her breath fogging in the cold air.
She hesitated for only a moment before climbing onto my back, her hands gripping the ridges along my neck. Her touch was light, careful, but it steadied me in a way nothing else could.
With a powerful beat of my wings, we took to the sky. The wind roared around us, carrying the scent of ash and snow. Below, the village lights grew smaller and smaller until they were nothing more than pinpricks of gold against the dark mountainside.
Seranni clung to me, her warmth seeping through the chill. I could feel her heartbeat, steady and strong, and it grounded me as we soared into the night., my wings bearing us to our future.