Page 49

I may have seen one Jade dragon. Let me watch for a minute, Vahly said telepathically to Arc.

The wind gusted. Rain began to splatter, creating large circles on the boulder around Vahly and wetting her recently dried hair.

Lightning cracked.

No more possible Jades appeared, so she climbed back down to where Nix and Arc waited. Arc handed over her satchel, and Vahly settled it across her body.

Nix’s wings shuffled, and she sniffed the air. “I can’t scent any dragons. Not with this storm.”

Rain streamed down in sheets, and thunder shook the ground like a herd of enormous deer were headed their way. Nix stretched her wings over all three of them, creating an amethyst ceiling with sapphire beams.

Hands fisted, Vahly watched the area that surrounded the boulders. Arc cleared his throat, and she jumped, thinking a rogue was about to leap from the storm. This weather was terrible for scouting, searching for plants, and for magic.

“I don’t think I can test out your blood and your plant in this weather, Arc,” she said. “The waves would swallow me whole even if we managed the magic. Let’s go back down and rest.”

“And eat.” Nix licked her lips, her azure tongue like the bottom of a flame. “When in doubt, eat. I still have some of the bacon plant in my bag. If you massage my injured wing, I might be inclined to share.” She walked between Arc and Vahly, keeping them somewhat sheltered from the blowing storm.

Vahly glanced backward, but now she couldn’t see around Nix to watch for Jades. She slid out of her friend’s shelter. “I’ll watch our backs. You two go on. Just in case that wasn’t my imagination up there.”

Rain darkened the sandy ground and splashed against the wide leaves of a tuberous succulent.

Vahly’s satchel rubbed against her neck as she walked behind Arc and Nix.

Every few steps, Vahly turned to look into the pouring rain.

Lines of gray water rushed to the earth, hiding everything more than arm’s length from her face and muddying the path.

Water began to seep into her boots despite the coating of balm she’d applied before leaving the Lapis mountain palace.

The paths down to sea level forked—the way they had come twisted through an open area, free of boulders and growth, while the other was a narrow passage through two rock formations reminiscent of great fists. Weak light showed from the pass, indicating the opening extended all the way through.

They tucked themselves into a cluster of olive trees for cover, and Vahly patted the egg inside her pack. She sighed as she ran a hand all along its rounded form, checking for any damage. The egg seemed well enough so far.

It simply had to hatch. Her heart squeezed with a love that truly made no sense. Shaking her head at herself, she drew a slow breath to calm her pulse. She couldn’t handle the thought of this little creature being gone from the world.

Under the sparse olive leaves, rain dripped between Nix’s wings. Droplets slid down Nix’s forehead and over the thick lashes of her yellow eyes. Arc was soaked too, and the water only made him look more otherworldly as it glistened against his skin.

Vahly wiped a chill hand over her face to clear it of water.

“I think we should take the passage there.” The waterfalls pouring off the rocks drowned her voice.

She pointed between the giant knuckles of stone.

“Less chance of an ambush, because we’ll be hidden from view.

I would hate to stroll right through an open field,” she said more loudly. “I’ll go out first.”

“No. You are the most valuable. When will you accept that?” Nix tsked. “I’ll go out first, and if the rogues hit me, you’ll know to act. It’s not going to be easy for me to force my way through though, not with these beauties.” Her wings shivered, and she slapped a thigh proudly.

Without another word, she headed into the narrow passage, her wings stretched wide like she was flying sideways through the opening.

Vahly’s stomach twisted, and imaginary needles pricked the back of her neck. She set her jaw and tried not to worry.

“Go ahead, Vahly.” Arc nodded toward the passage, his lips wet with rain.

She touched his chest, her fingers pressing into the fine cloth of his surcoat and feeling the muscle and bone beneath. “Please keep all your fancy elven magic blazing strong. I don’t have a good feeling about this.”

“Should we get Nix and go back the other way? The way we approached?”

“No. This way is less exposed than that wide-open death meadow. I think. I hope.” Cursing under her breath, she followed Nix into the pass.

The rain disappeared as the stone hands welcomed Vahly.

The smell of Nix’s magic mixed with the scent of rain and cave.

Vahly’s knee scraped the rock wall, tearing her trousers and sending a line of pain across her skin, and she bit her lip, hissing before she continued shuffling along.

Her boots squelched in the mud as Arc called her name behind her.

“Are you all right?” The passageway cloaked his face in near darkness.

Vahly blinked and glanced to the side to glimpse his magic. “I’m fine.”

The passageway rose under their sodden boots, then turned northward. Thunder shook the air and lightning flashed, showing the exit beyond the shape of Nix’s sideways form.

Vahly’s warm breath bounced off the rock before her, easing the chill on her chin and cheeks.

Her hands spread over the rock at her back, steadying her.

The magic inside her was quiet for the moment.

She wondered if it was because they were in danger.

Or perhaps that was just how the magic worked, waxing and waning with her purpose and energy levels.

She knew so little about her power, about herself.

A loose stone rolled beneath her boot, and she jerked. Her bag fell forward and hit the stone wall with a sickening thud.

Her heart seized.

Sweating, she frantically felt around the egg’s shape, checking it. The back of her tongue tasted bitter. If it was broken …

Her magic surged inside her, and she gasped.

“Vahly!” Nix and Arc called to her in unison.

Eyes closed, she fought to keep from crying or screaming or exploding—whatever it was her magic was trying to do to her.

She felt like a cracking egg herself, her power trying to burst from the shell of her body.

She drew in a deep breath, her pulse racing as power flooded her veins and thrummed deep in her chest like a caged animal.

Swallowing, she fought to stay in one piece.

“What is happening to me?” she croaked.

Arc and Nix touched her shoulder, her arm, her hand. Her skin seemed to soak in their warmth.

“I don’t know, but we’re here. We won’t leave you,” Arc said.

“You’ll handle it, Vahl,” Nix whispered. “You’re a queen, and don’t you forget it.”

Tears burned Vahly’s eyes, but she held them back as the vicious trembling died away.

The walls of the pass held her up—without them, she would’ve been on the ground.

She took two slow breaths, smiling weakly at her companions.

Finally, with one more long inhalation, she began to feel somewhat normal.

With shaking hands, she managed to flip the satchel’s flap open. Her fingers danced over the egg, first one side, then the other, the passageway severely restraining her movement. The egg was well and whole, and Vahly smiled like a fool to know it.

“It’s not broken.” She exhaled in a rush. “I thought I’d cracked it. I tripped.”

Arc’s shoulders dropped as he too relaxed. “Do you need me to tend to your knee? I might be able to despite these less than ideal surroundings.”

“No, I’m fine. We need to get out of this tomb. Nix, if you don’t mind?”

“Don’t have to tell me twice. I think I prefer almost anything to this place.” Her body scraped along the rock, nearing the exit.

The lightning washed the passage in silver.

“Anything?” Vahly asked, putting a hand to her hilt in preparation for leaving the sheltered pass. “Even Lapis nobility genealogy ceremonies?”

“Oh, Stones. Do you think I ever even witnessed one of those monstrosities? I have a life, Vahly. Well, I did before you dragged me into the wilderness.”

“If we get out of this alive and the world doesn’t end, I’ll be sure to invite you to one. It’ll set your bar for entertainment so low, you’ll never think anything is horrible ever again.”

“Stop threatening me with torture, Queenie. I may be bound to serve you, but I don’t think suffering Lapis snobbery is part of the deal.”

Vahly coughed a laugh as they approached the end of the passageway.

Nix maneuvered her way out, wings tipping and curses stringing through the sound of thunder.

Vahly glanced back at Arc only to realize he wasn’t there. She opened her mouth to call out to him—

A full-sized Jade dragon knocked Nix to the ground.

The rogue dragon smiled into the darkness.