Chapter 34
KALLIE
The roar that poured from Graeson’s mouth pierced Kallie’s ears and shattered a piece of her heart. Even Domitius had retreated several steps at the sound.
As he screamed, Graeson collapsed to the ground, his back arching and limbs trembling. The fabric stretched across his arms, his sleeves tearing at the seams. His limbs jerked in unnatural ways, and Kallie could have sworn she heard several sharp cracks as bones snapped.
Panic seared through her, draining her complexion. What did Domitius do to him? Had he or Lysanthia stabbed Graeson with whatever poison they used to create the drakonises?
Kallie tried to yell out to him, but her scream caught in her throat and expanded as if she had swallowed a bone. Moris' spell was still wrapped around her limbs, keeping even her mouth sealed shut. All she could do was watch as Graeson transformed before her eyes.
Her heartbeat thundered, each thump crashing against her ribcage.
"What the fuck?" a guard sputtered.
Sharp spikes poked through the back of Graeson’s shirt.
His limbs grew, and sharp claws formed at the tips of his fingers.
He tipped his head up, his neck stretching and revealing opalescent scales crawling across his skin.
He screamed again, this time more violently.
Kallie’s heart stuttered as the sound smacked her in the gut.
Something protruded from his shoulders, and his entire body began to take a new shape.
Kallie was wrong. This was not Domitius' doing. It couldn’t have been. When she looked at the winged guards and recalled Nyrri’s form, Sebastian and Domitius' creatures paled in comparison to the beast coming to life before them.
The creature Graeson was turning into was four times the size of Nyrri.
But unlike Nyrri, Graeson had no fur. Instead, silver and black scales that shimmered like armor in the sun covered his entire body.
He dug all four sets of claws into the ground, and the earth cracked.
When he shivered, two terrifyingly beautiful, carbonate leather wings, which were darker than the shadows, flared out from his shoulder blades.
He extended his long neck, the movement serpent-like, and released an inhuman screech.
Dragons were not myths, nor were they extinct. They were gods.
If Kallie hadn’t seen him transform before her very eyes, she wouldn’t have known the man she had grown to care for beyond measure stood in front of her. He was an entirely new being, a creature she barely recognized.
When he brought his head down, though, Kallie realized that wasn’t true, not entirely.
A pale scar ran from his brow past his cheekbone, nearly missing his eye.
It was in the exact shape of the scar Graeson bore.
Then, the dragon’s eyelids peeled back. In an instant, they were on her, and Kallie couldn’t look away.
At first, black voids stared at her as if a bottle of ink had been spilled into his eyes.
But as he adjusted to the light, the ink melted away, turning into mere slits and revealing the most stunning molten silver hue that glowed in the golden sunset.
This was who Graeson was. This was the monster living inside him.
And as impossible and as foolish as it was, Kallie was not afraid. Not in the slightest.
A menacing laugh filled the air, and Graeson ripped his focus from Kallie, his head snapping toward Domitius.
The king stood with a victorious grin. "Your mother was right. With you, I will be unstoppable." Domitius tipped his head back, joy spilling from his mouth.
Graeson, however, didn’t seem to find anything amusing about the situation.
His nostrils flared. When he exhaled, smoke poured from his nose.
A tail nearly as long as his body swept out behind him, slicing the air and slamming against the ground.
Those closest to him collapsed, the quake forcing them to the ground.
Domitius pushed himself onto his elbows. His brown eyes were wild, greed and hunger swirling within them. "Heel," he shouted.
A low growl rumbled deep in Graeson’s throat as he lowered his head. But it wasn’t in submission. Not at all. It was in preparation. A predator about to strike. His pupils darkened as he glared at the king. His top lip curled, revealing razor-sharp teeth.
Domitius cleared his throat. "I command you to—"
Graeson’s front paw struck the earth, and Domitius' back hit the ground as the land trembled.
This time, Kallie fell with him. Her palms smacked into the dirt, and a spiral of pain soared through her wrists. Her fingers flexed on the grass.
She gasped, her breath hitching. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her, her limbs finally waking up. In the corner of her eye, she saw Moris pushing himself up.
Inches away, silver sparkled in the sunlight, and the ancient words stared back at her.
You are the holder of your fate.
Quickly, she peered at Domitius through her hair. He was shouting at Graeson, trying and failing to command the dragon. Kallie grinned and sprang for her dagger. She twisted around, striking Moris in the back of his head. His body slumped down, his leather wings sprawling across the ground.
With blood and rage pumping through her, she snapped her head up, readying to charge toward Domitius.
But before she could, she was thrown back.
Her back crashed against the ground, knocking the breath out of her.
She blinked through the searing pain and the gusts of wind smacking her in the face.
One of the other guards hovered over her.
He dug his hands into her shoulders and forced her body into the ground, his wings beating rapidly behind him.
In her periphery, she spotted Ellie struggling against the other guard.
Kallie snarled, her gift humming. "Let go of me."
The guard flew back in an instant.
"Ah, ah. Not so fast," Kallie hissed. None of them would leave this clearing alive. Not after everything they’ve been through. Snarling, she swung, her dagger lacerating his wings. Gray feathers fell.
With a screech, the guard collapsed, his tattered wing failing him. "You bitch," the man sputtered.
"Oh, so you do speak," Kallie mused, her fingers flexing over the hilt.
The guard charged, his wounded wing hanging low.
Kallie dove beneath his legs. Swiftly rolling onto her back, she kicked as hard as she could, her boots slamming into him.
The guard stumbled, barely catching himself before he landed face-first. Kallie didn’t wait for him to steady himself.
She jumped onto his back. She brought her elbow back and struck, her dagger digging into the spot where the wing sprouted.
The guard arched back and howled in pain. Before he crushed her, Kallie jumped.
"Stay down," Kallie ordered.
The guard slumped on the ground instantly with a growl.
When she spun and sprinted toward the others, Graeson was no longer on the ground. In his place, shadows danced across the field. When Kallie looked up, there he was, his scales aflame in the golden light of the setting sun.
Domitius furiously barked orders, refusing to accept his failure to control the dragon, but Graeson continued to hover, as if waiting to strike. As if waiting for her to strike.
Kallie ran harder, her arms pumping at her sides.
"You’ve lost, Kage!"
At Kallie’s voice, Domitius spun, a section of blond hair falling in front of his face. Yet a victorious sneer still sat on his lips. "The fun has only begun, Kalisandre." He threw up his arms.
All around the clearing, the leaves in the trees rustled, yet there was no breeze to blame. Not a second later, arrows shot across the sky, whizzing through the air. But not a single one was directed at her. They all soared into the sky.
Realizing their true target, Kallie screamed, waving her hands frantically.
Graeson’s gaze snapped to her, his lip curling back further.
"Go!" she shouted.
But there was nowhere for him to go. The arrows came from every angle, at various heights, as if the archers were determined to strike the dragon down.
Graeson lurched back, his dragon-form arching, a high-pitched yelp filling the air.
"I never lose, Kalisandre," Domitius said. He brushed a hand through his hair, pushing the fallen strand back into place.
Kallie charged, teeth bared and dagger in hand.
Domitius spewed out a mangled laugh. Then when she was five feet away, he shouted, hand up, "Stop!"
Kallie’s body jerked to a halt. She wobbled like a blade thrown into a tree trunk.
"Kill the girl already," he demanded, glancing at the last guard standing.
From the corner of Kallie’s eyes, she saw the last guard flip Ellie over in one fell swoop. Her back hit the ground, forcing out a soft humph from her lips.
"No!" Kallie shouted in protest. "Re—"
"Silence!" Domitius shouted, his command slamming her mouth shut with a loud snap.
The guard’s boot slammed down onto Ellie’s chest. But the warrior wasn’t giving up, not yet. With her weapons out of reach, Ellie clawed at the guard, using her nails to scratch at any uncovered skin. Red smeared across his flesh as she ripped into his leg without mercy or restraint.
Another heartbreaking screech poured over them, and Kallie’s attention flicked to Graeson. He dove forward, a stream of fire spewing from his jaws as he roared. A tree went up in flames the moment Graeson’s fire licked the decaying leaves. And one by one, the surrounding trees caught aflame.
Kallie gasped in horror as she watched, stunned.
Then another sparkle in the forest caught her eye. The setting sun caught on the metal tips of a dozen arrows from the waiting soldiers, like stars in the sky.
Domitius' laugh echoed in Kallie’s ears.
Her gift stirred within her, but she couldn’t speak. Domitius’ stolen power clung to her skin like a layer of sweat. Still, the energy filled her.
Ellie’s razor-sharp nails ripped through the fabric of the guard’s trousers, and the guard laughed in amusement.