Eight
Flames of Hades
Tirah expected one or more of her fellow soldiers to cut her down for her actions, and was surprised when she found herself at the edge of the circle instead.
She tore her gaze from her dead superior, unable to grasp what she’d just done. What were you thinking? Your life is forfeit now.
As the soldiers brought the dark-haired dragon shifter down, she heard a furious roar, then Dreads charged into the circle.
Cold slithered through her, and Tirah stared at the weapon in her clenched hand. Blood dripped off the Itarium steel blade. No, no, no … Disgust curled up inside of her, quickly followed by horror and shock at her actions. She released the vile sword and watched it drop to the ground.
She wiped her hands on her uniform, then realized that she’d never get clean. She blinked again and staggered back, wanting to get away from it all, but it was impossible. Vile magic continued to swirl all around her, irritating her skin. No, the bloodshed today would forever stain her soul. Then her ears popped, and the sounds of fighting, along with the stench of blood choked her. Tirah turned slowly, taking it all in. This horror needs to stop.
Tirah swallowed hard as her anxiety spiked even higher. What she was about to do, combined with what she’d already done, would likely mean her death. Yet there was no turning back and she didn’t want to live in a world where she was a part of such vile murder.
Decision made, she took a deep breath. So be it. She was already screwed, she may as well, dig the grave a little deeper. Trembling, Tirah drew her heel through the sacrificial blood coating the ground. A pop of displaced air sounded, and the ward keeping the circle active broke.
The cloying magic slowly slithered away, and Tirah’s hands went to her ears as everything suddenly grew in volume. Then she coughed as smoke from burnt flesh choked her.
Saddened at the loss of life surrounding her, Tirah watched, glad to see the dragons quickly and effectively cut down the soldiers. Some of her comrades seemed to realize they were fighting a lost cause and fled.
Part of her wanted to follow them, yet the other part was drawn by an insatiable need to go to the dragon male with the dreads. Tirah took a step forward, only to stop when she caught a faint chanting. It came from her right. She strained to see what it was, but all she saw was a large outcropping of rocks.
Then as the chanting grew louder, terror began to fill her. A different kind of magic, one even more evil than before, sizzled through the air. Suddenly she couldn’t move, she was frozen in place and it felt as if sludge flowed through her veins.
Panic consumed her as the ground beneath her feet let out a loud groan. She sneezed when the stench of sulfurous fumes erupted all around her. She needed to get away. Now. Tirah drew on her own strength and snapped out of her stupor.
The ground groaned again, even louder this time, and Tirah gasped. The middle of the circle split apart, revealing a fiery chasm. Green flames licked upward, and the heat was unbearable. A pungent black cloud rose with the flames and spread in the air. Tirah stared. The opening looked like a jagged hell portal. She wiped at her burning eyes. What the—? How is this possible?
Then the air shook violently, and Tirah lost her balance and fell.
“What did you do?” a soldier screamed as he ran past her.
Tirah ignored him and gaped as bright, fluorescent green flames shot up mere inches from her feet. She scrambled back just in time to see the scorched ground crack and open right where she’d fallen. Her heart raced as she got to her feet and went to flee … only to see the same soldier sucked into another fiery crevasse.
“Quick! Run, Tirah!” a voice in her head hissed, making her blink.
Who—? Stunned, she realized it was her mother’s voice. “Mother?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“How is this possible—”
“There’s no time to explain right now. Just hurry back here. I have a pack ready for you,” Ashara continued.
Certain she was losing her mind, Tirah shook her head, yet it didn’t matter either way. She needed to go. She started to run, but it seemed that everywhere she set her foot, large cracks split the ground beneath her, making her change direction. Every second or third step, she had to shift directions or fall into one of the holes. Breath coming fast, Tirah scanned all around. Numerous green spewing fissures fanned out from the center of the black burning maw, snapping and sizzling as it sought victims.
She jumped when more fluorescent green flames singed her heels, then started in a different direction only to leap out of the way as she nearly collided with another soldier.
Once clear of the gaseous hellfire, Tirah let out a sigh of relief. But it was short-lived. She couldn’t afford to slow down. She was about to start running when a distant movement to the right caught her attention. What—? It was someone hiding behind the rocks. Likely the spell caster. Coward. Except … weren’t they all cowards? Preying on the weak?
Another grievous roar pierced the heavens, snapping her to action. She took off again.
“You can’t hide from me. I will hunt down each and every one of you here today. You will pay for this.” The words echoed through the night air and Tirah shivered. She didn’t have to be a genius to know that the dragon making the vow would never stop. Not until he found everyone involved tonight, her included.
It was Dread’s. His fury and despair ached through her, twisting her guts, and making her hesitate. Then she stepped in a dip and her foot gave out. “Demons,” Tirah hissed trying to keep her balance. She managed not to fall, but her ankle screamed in protest when she continued to run. She needed to get to her mother before the other fleeing soldiers reported that she had killed Captayen.