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DRAGONFYRE

CEDRIC

A thunderous roar shook the ground beneath their feet as the two champions raced on. Zephyr skidded to a halt, a cloud of earth rising at her ankles, and Cedric stopped short to avoid ramming into her.

“Four hells, watch it!” Cedric shook his head. “Your little healing salve might have worked a miracle on the cut on my back, but I don’t imagine it’ll do much good if I twist an ankle.”

The sylvan shot him a sheepish look. “Sorry, but...you heard that, right?” Her voice was wary.

“I did,” Cedric replied. “Stay alert.”

Zephyr nodded, her expression solemn. Cedric had to admit, her company had been welcome as they dashed through the arena, avoiding beasts when they could, cutting them down when they couldn’t. Her sense of direction was keen—as was her hearing. Had he been alone, Cedric was quite sure it would have taken him at least twice as long to get across the arena...and he likely would have attracted quite a few more dark beasties along the way. Perhaps there was something to this teamwork concept, after all.

The archway was nearby. Cedric could not see it at present, hidden as it was by the craggy cliffs overhead as they trudged through a sunken valley. But he could feel it. It called to him, beckoned him.

Cedric offered his hand to Zephyr as they climbed onto a flat mesa that overlooked the far end of the arena.

“There.” She pointed ahead as she fought to catch her breath. The archway stood a mere hundred feet or so away, glowing invitingly.

Another roar shook the earth, enough so that Zephyr stumbled. Cedric’s gaze shot to the sky, squinting as he tried to determine the source of the sound, then he leapt back in surprise as a massive beast soared over their heads.

His eyes widened as the monstrous creature landed in front of them—directly barring their path to the archway. Row after row of glistening black scales reflected the aurora, causing them to shine in shades of purple and green. At one end, a long sharp snout. A much longer clubbed tail at the other.

The breath whooshed from Cedric’s chest as the mighty beast flapped its colossal wings once more, before folding them at its sides with a snap.

“Dragon.” Zephyr’s voice was nothing more than a whisper. Reverent. Terrified.

Thin black pupils set in golden starburst eyes burned with something primal as Cedric met the dragon’s stare. He knew he should avert his gaze. He should look away. He should do literally anything other than continue staring at the incredible, terrifying beast, something the dragon would surely take as a challenge.

But Cedric could do nothing but watch as smoke curled from two slanted nostrils. As the dragon’s gaze seemed to peer right into the very depths of his soul. As the beast reared back to full height before loosing another ground-shaking, earsplitting roar .

Zephyr took a step closer to Cedric, out of fear or some wildly misguided instinct to protect, he didn’t know. He, in turn, was moving to push the small sylvan behind himself when another voice filtered into his ears.

“Oi! Come on then, ye foul beastie!” The dwarven champion, Thraigg, stood alone on the dragon’s other side, his piercing blue eyes narrowed in defiance as he waved his mammoth-sized hammer. “Do yer worst. I’ve a taste for dragonblood tonight!”

Cedric wasn’t sure what Thraigg was playing at, trying to draw the beast’s attention when the dwarf had a clear path to the archway. But he certainly would not complain about the unexpected distraction. Not as the beast tilted its head—a feline movement that made Cedric feel certain it was calculating whether to abandon the snack in front of it for the smaller, noisier one at its back.

Unfortunately, the calculation did not end in Cedric’s favor.

He barely had time to shove Zephyr out of the way before the dragon’s massive maw descended upon him. Spinning to the side, Cedric drew his sword just in time for it to crash against ivory fangs—each tooth the length of his hand. The creature’s breath was scorching, laced with the sulfurous stench of burning earth.

“Get to the archway, Zephyr!” he shouted, voice strained. He pushed back against the dragon’s might, his heels digging into the earth. “Go!”

“I can’t leave you here!” Her response was barely audible over the gritty clash of steel and teeth.

“Listen to him, girlie,” hollered Thraigg as he leapt forward, swinging his hammer. “I’ll get yer knight past this vicious beastie yet.”

The dragon pulled back, snorting as if amused by the thought of being bested. Its tail lashed out with breakneck speed, the air shuddering as it passed over Thraigg and whipped toward Cedric. The knight saw it coming a second too late, and though he moved in time to avoid the massive club at the end, the heft of the tail connected with Cedric’s midsection, sending him flying backward. He slammed into a nearby rock formation with a thud , his sword skittering away.

Pain blossomed across his ribs, white creeping in at the edges of his vision. He thought he felt something warm and wet bloom at the back of his head .

There was no time to determine if that was true, however, as the dragon’s fiery gaze locked on Cedric, crumpled at the base of the rock. Behind the wicked beast, Zephyr was creeping forward as if she meant to help him, and his eyes widened in warning. What was she doing? None of them were a match for this creature, that much was clear. It was dumb luck that Cedric’s chest hadn’t been caved in by the force of that tail. Zephyr needed to take advantage of its fixation on Cedric and get her ass through the archway.

Thraigg chose that moment to charge, his hammer raised high as he hollered, “Try ignoring me now, ye ugly lizard!”

The dragon yowled as the dwarf brought his weapon down on the beast’s hind leg. It whipped its head toward the source of its pain, affording Cedric the distraction he needed to get away.

He seized the opening, ignoring the stars blurring his vision and darted toward the spot where his sword had fallen. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt just as the dragon’s tail lashed out, sweeping Thraigg off his feet and sending him careening into Zephyr. The two of them collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs and weapons.

Then it turned to Cedric once more, chuffing in a way that sounded suspiciously like a taunt.

Cedric set his stance, lifting his sword. The beast lunged at him, claws raking the air. Ribs screaming in protest, Cedric pivoted and brought his blade up to meet the strike. Steel screeched against scale, sparks lighting up the night as he deflected the blow.

Snarling, the dragon reared up, forcing Cedric back to avoid being crushed as its legs met the earth with a thunderous shake. The moment it touched back down, Cedric rolled forward and drove his sword up into the soft flesh of its underbelly.

A bellow of pain erupted from the beast and for a single victorious moment it seemed like it might slink back, retreat.

It did not.

It swung. And before Cedric could even make sense of what was happening, he was being smashed back against the rock, the dragon’s heavy claw pinning him across his chest. He gasped as the pressure forced the air from his lungs. The edges of his vision darkened. His sword fell from his grip .

Cedric was certain someone—Thraigg? Zephyr? Both of them?—was shouting, but the sound was distant, muted. And it was all he could do to continue breathing.

Hot, pungent air blasted his skin as the dragon drew its head close enough for Cedric to see his reflection in its shining black scales. Blood ran down the side of his neck, staining the collar of his doublet crimson beneath his armor. His eyes were dark, his cheeks hollow.

The first trial. He hadn’t even been able to make it past the first trial. Some champion he was.

The dragon tipped its head back, and Cedric heard the distinct sound of something sparking in the back of its throat. He nearly laughed. He supposed that of all the ways this monster could end his life, being roasted by dragonfyre wasn’t the worst one. At least it would be quick. Better this than being eaten alive and drowning in the beast’s belly or being slowly torn apart by tooth and claw. And maybe Zephyr and Thraigg would still get to the gate while the dragon was busy with its knightly meal.

Admittedly, the thought didn’t bring him much relief.

Tossing a silent prayer to Aurelia into the ether, Cedric steeled his nerves and glared at the dragon, even as the glow of fire built in the back of its throat. He hoped Lord Church would understand that he had tried. And he hoped that the fact he was willing to meet his death head on would count for something in the Hereafter.

But before the flames could erupt from the dragon’s mouth, something swept past Cedric’s vision. Bits of stone and sediment buffeted the side of his face as a staff dug into the rock by his head. A figure vaulted from behind him. A booted foot connected with the dragon’s jaw. Its head jerked to the side.

A pained roar tore from the beast’s throat, even as flames shot from its open mouth. Heat singed the tip of Cedric’s ear as orange dragonfyre spewed past, just a few footspans from roasting him whole.

The dragon stumbled back with a yelp, releasing its hold on Cedric as its flame sputtered out, a dagger suddenly protruding from the massive beast’s snout. Cedric fell forward as his mysterious savior landed in a crouch directly in front of him.

His breath caught in his throat .

Dazzling wings that matched the aurora overhead beat once before folding against her back. Periwinkle hair blew in the wind, that faint almond scent cutting through the brimstone-laced air.

Elyria.

The Revenant had come.