Page 36 of Ava’s Love of the Dragons (Of Dragons, Love, and Destiny #2)

Draco fired volley after volley at the castle complex, smashing his tail against the magic barrier, and Thalara joined in the attacks. They did it so skillfully that the mages hadn't noticed Ava's arrival.

At least until now.

Remaining crouched, she crept along the battlement until she discovered a narrow recess in the wall and looked into the courtyard.

Magg was surrounded by her opponents. She lay on the ground unconscious, but she was breathing.

Two mages whispered a spell, causing her to float up from the ground and drift behind the men like helium-filled cargo.

They were heading towards the main building, presumably to present their catch to Elora.

Hopefully, Magg's crash at least allowed Kilian to bring Lilly to safety unnoticed. However, now there was someone else who needed to be rescued. Fear made to clutch at Ava's heart, but she couldn't be weak.

She was no longer defenseless!

She crept further behind the parapet, listening for every sound, and heard two mages going down the fortification.

"Reinforce the gate's shield only after the guardian is inside."

"Understood. Will Elora carry out her execution herself?"

"She won't let anyone else do it."

Ava turned chalk-white. The mages were just waiting for her—and they wouldn't let her go again. How could she have expected anything else? After all, according to the prophecy, she was Elora's greatest threat.

Nevertheless, her breathing remained unexpectedly calm. Maybe because deep down she had anticipated this. Maybe because deep down she knew she couldn't win against Elora. Maybe because she was expecting her own death. But she wouldn't let her friends die.

She had to remain undetected for as long as possible.

That was the best chance for Kilian to get Lilly to safety.

Staying bent over, she crept along the rampart until she passed the stairs the mages had gone down.

The ground constantly shook under the dragons' attacks, and impacts echoed through the complex.

Due to the unceasing attacks, all the mages remained in the courtyard instead of running to the fortifications—probably to avoid getting hit by dragon tails. This was good for Ava, because this way she could hopefully sneak into an unguarded corner, and then she'd figure out what to do next.

She ran along the battlement without being discovered and reached a staircase, where she paused.

A small utility building rose a few meters away in the castle courtyard.

It was deserted and offered itself as a hiding place or at least as an intermediate stop on her way into the castle.

If she ran fast enough, her opponents might not discover her.

Without hesitation, she stole down the stairs and reached the courtyard. Footsteps sounded. Nimbly, she jumped behind a barrel, just in time before two mages walked past her and marched up the stairs.

"The magistra said we need to expand the protection by going on the rampart."

That surely meant Elora.

"So be it."

Several mages followed. If it were daytime, they would have certainly discovered Ava, but as it was, the wall cast shadows on the barrel she crouched behind. She waited silently while the darkness of the night engulfed every spot not reached by the lights.

As soon as the troop had passed and spread out on the fortress, she targeted the residential tower. She had to get in there.

She slipped to the small building, pressed her back against the wall, and stole to the other side, where she remained standing in the shadows.

A simple wooden shed stretched along the length of the main building, where there were horses tied up.

Without getting caught, she ran towards it and hid between the horses' bodies.

The animals whinnied incessantly, so she quickly crept forward and finally reached the entrance gate of the residential tower.

How was she supposed to get in unseen? Just open it?

She looked over her shoulder. At that very moment, Draco fired an attack on the main gate, so all the mages were focused solely on him. Quickly, she pulled open the gate, slipped inside, and hurried through the long, high corridor.

Two weeks ago, she had been dragged through this corridor by the guards to the arena. She wouldn't have thought she'd come back here voluntarily. Although "voluntary" wasn't the best word to describe her return.

A dark blue carpet on the floor muffled her steps.

Suits of armor stood to the sides, giving the impression that she was in a fairy-tale old castle, but she knew appearances were deceiving.

In this building there ruled a sorceress who knew no mercy, no scruples, no compassion.

As soon as she got her hands on Ava, she would kill her on the spot.

She reached the corridor that the throne room branched off from. No one was to be seen—all the mages were busy defending the castle complex. No doubt about it, the dragons were reliable.

"You're doing great!" Ava called out to Draco, who let out a deep growl.

"Don't get caught!"

"I'm doing my best. Does Elora have Kilian in her power?"

"He escaped and found Lilly. I'll let you know as soon as the girl is safe."

"Finally, some good news!"

He rumbled. His voice no longer sounded anything like that of the little dragon who had hatched recently.

The battle demanded that he grow beyond himself; Ava needed him, so he was going through another intense growth spurt.

And she would have so loved to witness that.

She wanted to see Draco again and come out of this castle alive—with her friends!

She found the corridor leading to the prison cells and climbed the stairs. Although facing Elora was her destiny, she wouldn't challenge her. Perhaps she could escape the sorceress before the bloody finale.

Magic lights were hanging at the stairways, so she hurried. If someone came towards her, there was no way to hide. She passed the third staircase and reached the hallway where she had been held captive.

Boot steps echoed.

Damn.

She quickly looked for a hiding place, but the walls were bare, the corridor narrow, and there was neither decoration nor furniture. Without hesitation, she ran back to the stairs and climbed up until she was out of sight from the prison wing. She remained still there, listening.

The heavy footsteps reached the stairs and came in her direction.

Crap!

She immediately jumped up and crept further. Reaching the next corridor, she hesitated. It was just as plain and bare as the previous one, offering no place to hide. So she quickly raced up the stairs and reached the top floor.

She remained on the last step, holding her breath, but fate showed no mercy. The firm steps also climbed the uppermost section of stairs. She had no choice but to flee into the unfurnished hallway.

She ran on the balls of her feet so the heels of her boots wouldn't betray her, then reached a door that was ajar.

She quickly slipped inside and found herself in a simple bedroom.

No one was there, the curtains were drawn, and the bed was made.

She silently prayed this wasn't the room of whoever had unknowingly been on her heels.

Hurriedly, she slipped behind the bed frame and remained still.

The heavy footsteps came closer, and then the person coughed loudly and passed the bedroom where she was hiding. When the boot steps finally faded away, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

She waited until a door was pushed open and shortly after slammed shut.

Silently, she crawled out from behind the bed, pushed the room door open, and listened to the hallway.

As all remained quiet, she set out. On silent soles, she crept back to the stairs and stole down the steps until she reached the third floor.

Before entering the corridor, she listened vigilantly.

There was nothing to be heard.

Tightly clutching the dagger with the Isip stone, she slipped into the hallway and reached the first barred door. Inwardly, she rejoiced. She had gone the right way. She was in the cell block.

But the first prison cell was empty, and no one was being held in the second or third either. Moreover, there was no guard. Why would there be, when the mages knew ways to keep all ordinary mortals in the cells?

The end of the cell block was not far off, yet there was no sign of Lilly and Kilian. Where were they?

"Kilian has her and just needs to get her out of the castle."

The message came just in time. Ava pumped her fist in victory. "Great. Tell Thalara they should get to safety. I'll take care of Magg."

A deep growl sounded, distantly reminiscent of laughter. "Do you really think the dragon rider will fly away when he knows you're in Elora's castle?"

"He must, so don't tell him."

"Too late, Thalara has already told him."

Cursed dragon bonds...

"I heard that."

"I didn't mean you."

"We'll talk about this when you're back. Now pay attention."

He sounded like a centuries-old wise dragon.

She crept through the hallway to the stairwell. As soon as she arrived there, she heard footsteps again and two men talking.

"What does she need the girl for?"

"She wants to make sure she doesn't escape."

"Alright, I'll get her."

"I'll come with you. The little one is quite a handful."

No doubt the guards were talking about Lilly. And they were coming up the stairs towards her.

Heaven help her. Shouldn't luck be on her side?

Ava ran to reach the stairs before the mages discovered her. She raced up the steps before the guards reached the third floor.

"I thought you wanted to come along? What's wrong?"

Ava's heart stopped. Had one of the men seen her after all? Judging by the sounds, they were on the stairs.

"I thought I heard footsteps."

"That's definitely Henc. I bet the lazy dog is lying in some corner sleeping off his hangover. How I despise these Old Folk! No dignity, no self-control!"

Ava remained motionless at the top of the stairs, barely daring to breathe. Finally, the men continued on.

"You're probably right."

The firm boot steps moved towards the cell block. Any moment now, they would notice that Lilly was no longer there. Better for her to disappear from here and sneak into the throne room before the guards turned the entire building upside down. On the other hand, the chaos might help her free Magg.

Ava crept down the stairs, peering into the hallway to see the mages with their backs turned, walking along the prisoner's wing.

She glided down the steps silently, leaving the third floor behind without being noticed by the guards.

She looked up one last time to make sure her adversaries hadn't spotted her when her feet got tangled and she fell headlong down the stairs.

She landed hard on the edges. Only with great effort did she suppress the cry of pain that wanted to escape her. Instead, the sound of her fall echoed through the castle complex.

The mages came running immediately, while Ava tried to scramble to her feet, but it didn't work. Something had wrapped around her legs, preventing her from standing up. And in that moment, she understood.

She hadn't tripped; she had fallen into a magical trap.

Damn it!

The first guard planted himself two steps in front of her and put his hands on his hips, a far too satisfied laugh on his lips. He was dressed in the dark robes of the mages, but the hood was pulled back, allowing her to see his narrow face.

"So much for Henc! I knew I sensed you, Guardian!"

Ava recognized him immediately. He was one of the guards who had first taken her to Elora and then to the arena during her last visit.

"Let me go! I don't want to hurt you, I just want to free my friends!"

He laughed lazily. "You can tell your lies to our magistra. I'm afraid this time she won't give you the chance to fight before your death, even though I would gladly watch. This time, Guardian, you're done for!"