Evalle’s gryphon had some broken bones in one wing and no way to heal it fast. Her bad leg had taken days to strengthen and had a bend in it.
She hoped her wings would hold up and she could still fly.
Once Daegan had lifted her gryphon a mile in the air, he released her. His voice came into her mind. Sorry, Evalle. I intended to make the battle appear genuine, but not to the point of harming you.
My fault, Daegan. Germanus pulled my attention away. I don’t care. Germanus left. He didn’t believe the battle.
The dragon swept around to face the castle.
So did Evalle’s gryphon.
That’s when she saw Storm’s jaguar far ahead of them, streaking toward the castle. No! Daegan, please stop Storm. Germanus threatened to kill him, too, if I failed.
This was worse than any nightmare she’d had here.
She abandoned the battle still raging between the Treoir gryphons and the realm army. White flashes of energy shot out from Adrianna’s hand and Quinn was probably using mind lock.
Flying hard, she looked to her right.
Daegan’s dragon stayed with her when he could easily outpace her. He was doing that to protect her, but she wanted him to go ahead and help Storm.
Before she could send him on, a flash of silver yanked her attention up. Daegan, look out above!
The realm dragon that had flown high into the clouds was executing the same attack that Evalle had attempted in her effort to show she really was fighting Daegan.
Daegan’s red dragon banked hard just before the silver dragon collided with him.
But when the silver one pulled up, he arced to the left, slamming into Evalle’s gryphon.
She had the presence of mind this time to dig her claws into the dragon’s chest upon impact. If she was going down, so was he.
His claws raked the insides of her wings. Ow. Ow. Ow.
Why had he not blowtorched her yet?
Why couldn’t she thank her lucky stars for one thing in her favor and not look for more trouble?
They tangled with flapping wings and slashing claws. Where was Daegan? He could kill this dragon right now with the silver one so vulnerable.
Daegan’s claws closed around the silver dragon’s neck, then he flapped backwards hard, yanking the realm dragon off Evalle. She fluttered to the ground, landing hard and rolling.
Her poor wing hung loose.
Clenching her beak tight, she forced the wing back in place and called up her healing. A tiny push of energy went to the wing.
Boom. The ground shook beneath her.
She hobbled around. Daegan and the silver dragon had landed hard and were battling. Why was Daegan not killing that dragon?
Please tell her that Storm saved Kellman and himself as well. She couldn’t leave Daegan when he was at the mercy of anything Germanus threw at him.
She started hobbling toward the battling dragons.
That would be an incredible view if not for Daegan’s life at risk. She called out telepathically. Pin the dragon down, Daegan, and I’ll rip out his throat.
No. Do not touch him.
Evalle’s gryphon stopped. What?
The red dragon flapped up, lifting the silver one off the ground, then he dropped the realm dragon hard enough to knock him senseless.
When the silver dragon stopped moving, she said, You did it, Daegan. You killed him.
His red dragon banked around to face her. No, I didn’t. I want to take him back with us.
You can’t take anything out of here.
I will take you both.
She was not arguing with a dragon that had lost its mind. I’m going after Storm.
Without waiting on an answer, because the dragon king could reach her telepathically, she pushed off, groaning in pain. When she reached the castle, she found large patches of blood.
No! That gargoyle had better not have hurt Storm.
She shifted back to her human form. She wasn’t as powerful in this form, but she could get around inside far better as a woman than as a huge gryphon.
Inside she listened for ... Kellman screaming, the sound of a jaguar fighting ... anything to give her a tip.
The silence frightened her more than the noises she’d anticipated.
Her heart thumped like mad. Which way should she go?
Up or down?
What about the arena? Would Germanus be there with Kellman? The arena was behind the castle, but accessed through a lower level.
Padding around on her bare feet and wearing the sack that automatically clothed her every time she was in human form, she peeked at the mangled body suspended above her head.
No second body yet.
Germanus would have hung the second one by now. He was just that sick. She had a chance to save Kellman, but she also had to find Storm.
Her gut said to go downstairs. If Germanus was not there, then she’d check the arena next. Tiptoeing quietly down every step, she listened for any hint of a gargoyle attack.
She’d never seen the gargoyles down here, so maybe they couldn’t navigate these steps?
She paused to look into the treasure room where the hoard glowed innocently. What could be worth more than life?
Nothing.
She started to bypass it and head to the arena when she heard a weak, “Evalle, help.”
Kellman?
Catching herself, she stepped into the room and moved deeper past the pile of treasure until she saw Germanus in his special alcove with one hand around Kellman’s throat, holding him above the ground.
Kellman had his back to her.
“Let him go, Germanus. I did as you wanted. I fought the dragon.”
“No, you didn’t.” A gold and silver sword stood next to his throne. His stolen throne. He was no leader.
“Yes,” she argued. “Daegan is dead. Go outside to see for yourself.” That would give her a chance to grab Kellman. She didn’t know what she’d do then, but she would fight everything Germanus threw at her to save that boy.
“Take another sword from the pile and bring me the dragon’s head.”
Well, shit. “I am too busted up to drag a head that big in here. I need time to heal.” So true. Her battered arm fell loose on one side. She could feel blood seeping through the sack dress and down her legs. “Let’s go to the roof so you can see for yourself.”
“I am not leaving here.”
Why? Was he worried someone would steal his booty?
A loud and vicious roar echoed through the building.
The sound of Storm’s jaguar was music to her ears, but she didn’t want him in here.
Now that she thought about it, Germanus had brought no gargoyles in here either time she’d been in this space with him.
Did that mean Germanus was more powerful in here?
She felt Storm’s energy enter the room behind her. Her heart squeezed with the need to turn around and hug her black jaguar, but that would only put him at further risk. Without moving, she pleaded, “Please leave Storm. He wants to kill you and Kellman.”
Did her mate leave?
No. Storm shifted back to human. She’d been around him enough to recognize the power shift when he changed forms.
He walked over to her, but didn’t touch her. She didn’t blame him.
She looked like an abomination even in human form, and she had to be filthy since Germanus had given her no way to bathe. She didn’t look at Storm for fear of seeing how awful she appeared reflected in his eyes, but she would never forget him hugging her gryphon and saying he loved her.
Storm told her, “Not going anywhere without you.”
She opened her mouth to make him understand that she couldn’t leave here.
Germanus yelled, “This one dies!”
“No!” Evalle lunged, but Storm held her back.
Germanus had a crazy look in his eyes. He grabbed the sword and shoved it through Kellman, then dropped him.
Evalle screamed and fought against Storm’s hold.
Kellman made a painful noise and doubled over, falling to the side.
Storm was saying, “Stop!”
She fought to get to Germanus. “No! He killed Kellman.”
“No, he didn’t.” Storm was holding her carefully, but he was not turning her loose. “Stop, Evalle, or I’m going to hurt you by accident.”
She begged, “Let me kill him. Please, let me kill him.”
Germanus smiled, “Your mate knows I’m safe here.”
Energy burst into the room. Daegan stood there a second later looking like a deadly warlord from a time long past. “You son of a bitch.”
That deflated the arrogance that had been growing in the face of that monster.
Evalle didn’t care who showed up. She kept pleading, “Let me go, Storm!”
Daegan said, “You can’t harm Germanus in here, Evalle. This is a sanctuary room for him. To attack him would hurt you.”
She folded at the knees, which took her to the floor. Living with those two deaths on her conscience was more than she could do.
Storm kept his hands on her.
She cried for the twins she’d loved so long. Her voice broke. “I have to kill him. Please,” came out in a whisper.
Daegan said, “That is my father’s throne and his treasure, Germanus.”
The bastard lifted his chin. “It’s all mine now, dragon. Just wait until I call my dragon in to thrash you.”
“Your dragon tried. He failed.”
“Not possible. You can’t kill my dragon in this realm. He’s more powerful than you.”
Daegan said, “He recognized my power. He’s the second son of the ice dragon house. You put him in here for two thousand years!”
“Not me. Abandinu.”
Daegan accused, “That god would not have brought a dragon from my time when we were all born of powerful dragon houses. Not without everyone believing that dragon was dead. Abandinu would not do such a thing knowing it would start a war with all the dragon houses for that insult.”
Guilt spread across Germanus from his eyes to his shaking hands. But that didn’t stop him from spewing more garbage. “You don’t know what happened. You were in Queen Maeve’s tender care when the war started.”
“Why is that dragon here?” Daegan demanded.
Evalle heaved hard breaths in and out, watching as Germanus began to squirm. Now, right now, she could rip him apart.
Storm knelt behind her with his arms loosely wrapped around her. Any touch hurt, but she would not give up this moment with him.
Germanus warned, “Do not anger Abandinu. I know your mother was a goddess, but this is not her realm, which means she would be vulnerable here.”
“No, it is not her realm, but only a fool would assume anything about a powerful being of which they know nothing. You are a fool. Abandinu is not. What would make you do something so stupid, Germanus?”
“Do not call me stupid.” Germanus stood up shouting, “I am the one holding all the power right now. You will eventually die. When you do, I am free of this place. I still do not believe you killed my dragon. When he kills you, I will escape and be given immortality by Macha. You cannot defeat her in her realm.”
Storm said, “You miserable piece of flesh. Dakkar, or La Cuchilla, whatever you call him, is dead. Daegan sent Macha home with her tail between her legs. How do you think we found you?”
That struck home like nothing else said to this point.
Germanus shook his head. “No, La Cuchilla sent you here to die. We have a blood pact.”
Evalle finally put it together and turned to Storm. “Dakkar? The bounty hunter? He’s the one who did this?”
Storm tightened his arms around her. “Yes. He was using you as bait. He knew we would come for you and he believed that bitch, Macha, would grant him immortality if Germanus killed Daegan.”
Evalle laughed even though it hurt with her mouth screwed up. “Warranty on blood pacts must be void if one of you dies.”
She looked around and up at Daegan with tears in her eyes. “I have to kill him.”
Nodding calmly, Daegan said, “I had thought to deal with him myself, but I would not take that from you.”
When she looked back at Germanus, the crazy guy stared at them as if she and Daegan had spoken a strange language.
The dragon king moved his arms out and around.
They all teleported onto the windy roof.
Germanus twisted one way then the next. “You can’t do this. I hold all the power.” His voice trembled this time when he said those words. He caught himself and slowly turned to look out over the battlefield.
Seven Treoir gryphons and one silver dragon stood together.
Daegan said, “My magic is older than this realm. You assumed you held all the power here.”
Evalle smiled in spite of her busted lip opening up and bleeding. Then she said to Storm, “Let me go. I have to avenge the twins’ deaths.”
“You think that was one of the twins?” Storm asked.
She turned slowly to him. “Yes. It was.”
“No. I swear to you they’re both safe in Atlanta.”
She shook her head, unable to accept his words over what her eyes had shown her. “Germanus sent someone … Dakkar probably … to kidnap them. I watched both of them die.”
“The twins are not dead, Evalle. I had a ward set that would alert me to any breach. I saw Dakkar die with my own eyes and no breach had happened by that point. I don’t know who the bodies belonged to, but Dakkar probably brought two homeless kids and Germanus used the realm majik to convince you they were your twins.” Storm swallowed, then his face turned murderous. “I am so sorry he did that, but I’m going to make him pay.”
She lifted her fists in the air, shrieking with rage over the torment Germanus had put her through.
Shaking her head at Storm, she declared, “No. I will make him pay!” She pushed away. Calling up the change felt like having her body rammed into this stone structure over and over. Adrenaline surged through her gryphon as it screeched with fury, then turned to Germanus.
He backed away with his hands out in front of him, ready to wield his power.
He had killed two boys the age of the twins.
He had tortured her from the inside out.
She turned her gryphon loose on the man who had sent one flying creature after another to its death, leaving their blood on Evalle’s hands.
Time lost all meaning as she attacked and Germanus threw his energy at her. She batted strike after strike aside, glad that Storm was not jumping in to take this from her. He deserved to rip Germanus apart, but she needed this and her mate would understand. When she finally broke through the last strike, she opened her beak above his head, ripped it off, then tossed away the miserable face she never wanted to see again.
Lifting her head, she called to her pack and heard their screeching cries in return.
Evalle?
It took her a minute to realize Daegan was trying to reach her telepathically. What?
Shift back.
Hurts.
I know, but you’re strong. You can do it.
She wanted to argue. She’d shifted and fought to the point that she could barely stand now that the adrenaline was wearing off. But her dragon king had given an order.
The change took time and energy. When it was done, she sat on the ground, but surrounded by soft cloth this time. Running her hands over the material, she realized she now wore a deep blue robe.
Storm reached down with open hands. “Can you stand?”
She took his hands and struggled to her feet.
That’s when she realized Tristan and the other gryphons had arrived and shifted to their human forms, all clothed. Daegan often handled that part just to save time. They stood in a circle around them. Even the realm dragon was here, but not changed.
Could that one shift to human, or not?
Quinn hovered nearby with fear riding his gaze.
Adrianna’s normally no-expression face filled with horror as she took in Evalle.
Tristan stepped up. His voice sounded sad when he asked, “You ready to leave, badass?”
Storm had a gentle, but firm hold on her elbow as if he was afraid to touch any other part. She shook off the mental fog from changing. Her heart filled with love for this bunch.
It was time to send them home.
Her mother’s voice came into her head. Trust your friends who came for you.
Evalle told her mother, I do, but even Storm can’t fix this. I can’t talk to you right now. I need this moment with Storm.
Seeing them for the last time hurt. She would not cry and make this harder for Storm. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she said, “I can’t leave here.”
Daegan said, “Garwyli told us that anyone put in here by Abandinu must be removed by the god. Did Abandinu put you in here, or Dakkar?”
“I have not met the god. From what you’ve said, Dakkar kidnapped me?”
“Yes,” Storm said, now stroking his fingers lightly over her head. “That bounty hunting bastard. So the god didn’t put you in here. Finally one thing in our favor.” He let out a breath of relief.
She said, “That’s not why I can’t leave.”
Quinn came over to her. “Why not?”
She placed a hand on her chest. “I know you all saw the hideous wound where my emerald was torn out.”
Storm’s chest rumbled with a low growling. He paused to say, “I’ll heal you.”
Turning to him, she gave her crooked smile that would probably never return to normal. “Not this wound, sweetheart. I was dying by the time he got me here so they shoved Noirre majik into the wound. Dakkar placed a spell as he used the Noirre. That saved me probably because of my Medb blood. Germanus showed me what happened to a wyvern Dakkar tried to take out of this realm after feeding it Noirre and placing a spell on the creature. The transition of exiting the realm boundaries attacked the Noirre.”
Adrianna said, “Let me pull it out of you.”
“I would, but it’s wrapped inside my heart and running through my blood stream. That’s why I haven’t been able to heal here. I’m guessing that Dakkar spelled the Noirre to attack my Belador blood so that I would not regain all my power. He wanted to ensure that I stayed here for eternity.”
Storm said, “If that’s the case, I’m staying with you.”
“Go home, Storm.” She hurt saying that, but he would not survive. “Abandinu only likes winged creatures. He’ll probably kill you.”
Her mate was adamant. “We leave together or stay together.”
She put a hand covered in wounds and scars on his face. “You would make me watch you die?”
The look on his face crushed her and his words came out thick with emotion. “I am not alive without you.”
Rumbling started in the distance.
She swung her head to determine if a thunderstorm had started. There were no mountains or multi-colored desert landscape now, just gray ground.
The sky had jagged lines spreading across it like an egg cracking.
Tristan yelled over the noise. “What’s happening, Daegan?”
“I don’t know.”
The farthest point she could see inside the realm seemed to be folding in. This had to be what the inside of a toothpaste tube looked like when it was being squeezed.
Air blasted past them.
Bodies of the dead creatures burst into gray clouds of dust.
A voice louder than all of them speaking at one time shouted, “You destroyed my sanctuary!”
Adrianna asked, “That wouldn’t happen to be Abandinu, would it?”
“That’s exactly who it is,” Daegan confirmed. Then he powered up his voice almost as loud as the angry god’s. “We did not come here to harm your sanctuary, but to rescue one of mine stolen by Germanus.”
“You entered without permission. You must pay a price. I want the gryphons!”
More of the landscape slowly imploded, pushing strong winds at them. Evalle’s hair batted around her face.
Storm pulled her into his embrace, still careful as he held her close.
Daegan yelled back, “No. The gryphons are my people. I have no argument with you. Allow us to leave and I will not call in another god or goddess.”
The world around them kept collapsing.
The castle trembled.
Tristan said, “I’m guessing we have less than a minute.”
“Abandinu!” Daegan shouted. “Let my people leave or this will be a war with more than one pantheon. This was not your fault. Do not make it your problem.”
Evalle looked at Daegan’s face to see if he was bluffing.
She had no idea.
Note to self. Never play cards with Daegan. That wouldn’t be an issue since they would all have to leave and she would stay, but at this point she wondered what her eternal home was going to look like.
Abandinu’s voice finally boomed down from the heavens, “You may leave. I no longer wish to power this realm.”
Evalle said, “He can’t destroy this place.”
“Yes, he can,” Daegan said. “Time for all of us to go.”
“What about Evalle?” Storm shouted, because Abandinu went into full demolition mode.
“We got seconds,” Tristan shouted.
Daegan ordered, “We’re teleporting.”
Evalle argued, “No, let me stay. Don’t make Storm watch the Noirre boil inside of me. I look awful, but that ... ” She twisted to Storm and begged, “I can’t let that be your last vision of me.”
Tristan grabbed one of her hands.
She flinched.
Storm snarled, “Get your hand off her.”
Daegan had everyone pulling in close around them.
Still holding her hand, Tristan shouted at Storm, “She dies if she stays. She dies if she leaves.”
In the second it took Storm to process that, Tristan dropped his head to Evalle’s ear. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes, but ... ”
An explosion rocked the realm that sounded as if an atom bomb had just gone off.
The world shifted and blurred. No, Daegan, don’t teleport me, she called to him.
Evalle screamed. Her chest felt pulled in ten directions.
Fire burned her from the inside out.
She heard a mash of voices yelling and felt hands grabbing at her ... then she lost touch with all of them.
Then, it was blessedly silent.