Sark’s broad frame filled the tunnel ahead of us, his black armor gleaming under the firelight. His hateful eyes fell on me. “I remember you now. Nysa sent me to find a girl in a small fishing village in the Water Realm and told me to kill her family and bring her back alive. I took care of the parents, but the girl wasn’t there. When I went to look for her, Doran stopped me.” His cruel gaze snapped back to my father. “You told me she was your daughter, a product of a fling with another woman.”
Doran stared the other Dragon down. “Yes, and I said if you told Nysa about her, I’d tell her about your own discretions, and if you touched one hair on Kira’s head, I’d kill your granddaughter too. The Fire God’s priestess, isn’t she?”
My mouth fell open as they argued. Doran had saved my life back then and I’d never known it. Had he been looking out for me all this time without me realizing it? No, I couldn’t believe it.
“But you lied,” Sark spat. “She’s Nysa’s daughter.”
“Yes, but she’s still mine.” Doran stepped in front of me. “And I won’t let you hurt her.”
“You fool! We need her. You know that.”
“Maybe so, but I can’t do this any longer.”
“You think any of us want this?” Sark asked. “I’ve watched my own daughters die too. None of us likes it, but it has to be done.”
“Not anymore. It’s time this ends. Let her go, and she’ll break the cycle. None of our children will have to die again.”
Sark stepped forward, his voice menacing. “I can’t do that.”
Doran sighed. “I had a feeling you’d say that.”
His body began to shift and grow, forming scales and wings. “Get Kira out of here,” his dragon voice growled, while his large body filled the tunnel. “I’ll hold him off and find you later.”
Sark had begun to change too, becoming the blood red dragon of my nightmares, while Slade grasped my hand and began to drag me forward.
“No!” I struggled. I’d only just found my father and begun to realize he might not be the monster I’d thought he was. I had too many questions for him, and now they wanted me to leave him behind to fight the man who had haunted my memories for so long. “With all of us here we can take Sark down for good!”
“I know you want to fight him, but this isn’t the time,” Auric said. “Reven needs you.”
I blinked at Auric as his words pierced my red veil of anger. Something about the way he said them made me realize things must be even worse than I’d imagined with Reven. And as much as I wanted to stop Sark, I was exhausted and could barely walk, let alone fight. The others looked weary too from fighting the shades. I sensed dull pain in Jasin as well, which meant he also needed healing. As Auric had said, this wasn’t the time for this fight. I reluctantly nodded and began to move forward.
Sark’s large red tail slapped down in front of us, blocking our exit and making us jump back. Doran’s dragon form wasn’t as large but was more agile, and he pounced on top of Sark, knocking him down.
“Go!” he roared, just before Sark rolled back on top and began to tear at my father with his claws.
We took off at a run just as fire began to spew from Sark’s mouth and an icy chill permeated the air as Doran fought back. As much as I wanted to stay and help my father, I had a duty to my mates and everyone else. I only prayed I would get a chance to speak with Doran again later.
My mates led me through the dark, musty sewer tunnels, and by the time we emerged we were all drenched and smelling like rotten eggs…or worse. A cart with two horses waited outside, and we climbed into it.
I made sure my mask was securely fastened as Slade urged the horses forward and the cart began to move through the city. I glanced back and saw the tall spires and black arches of the palace, where I’d been held all this time without even knowing it. The main tower rose high in the center, giving Soulspire its name. That was where the Black Dragon was said to live, at the top of that tower. I shuddered at the memory of the last time she came to see me, when I’d learned her true plan.
Jasin wrapped an arm around me. “It’s okay. You’re free now.”
Auric passed me a blanket, which Jasin helped wrap around me.
“The things I learned…” My voice trailed off, and all I could do was shake my head. I had to tell them everything Nysa had said, but the horror was still too great to speak it out loud. In time I would be able to tell them, once we were safe and everyone was healed. But not yet. I was still coming to terms with it myself.
Slade drove the cart through the streets of Soulspire and I gazed about in a daze, taking in the colorful decorations, lively music, and amorous couples. It was hard to believe I’d been trapped in a cage made of bones while all of this joy was going on outside the palace walls. Somewhere in the city Nysa and the other Dragons were making a speech. What would Nysa do when she learned I escaped? Would she hurt Doran?
I leaned my head on Jasin’s shoulder, the weariness finally taking its toll. At first, I worried someone would recognize us, but no one cared about a few dirty looking people in a cart, not with the festival going on all around us. Auric grabbed us a few pieces of meat on a stick, which I greedily ate along with some of the apples and oranges in our cart, and then we pulled up at the gate to exit the city. The guards barely even glanced our way as they waved us through. Slade urge the horses forward, and then we were free. I let out a relieved sigh as we left the city behind.
