Dragon Wish (46 page)

arm. “There is nothing we can do. Come, brother.”

He turned to leave, desiring to assist with driving the

remaining rogues away. He searched for the mystic dragon.

Had the great ones destroyed the monster? The sand roiled

to the right of him, a good distance from the cavern. He

stared at the place. A flock of white dracs cut a line up from

the desert. They flew in front of him, fleeing from the spot.

They extended their back legs at Rylen and him, driving

straight for their chests.

Paladin gasped. He lifted his left arm to protect his chest

and face, but the dracs caught hold of his limbs. They flew in

the direction of the cavern. Several yards behind them, the

dunes exploded with a tower of golden power. The magic

blasted everything in the near vicinity, dissolving everything

in its path into dust and glass.

The dracs holding Paladin and Rylen zipped faster. The

moment they reached the caverns, the new white dragon

leader appeared from behind them. She swooped, her huge

wings surrounded them, protecting them. Another explosion

followed.

Sand, smoke, and debris struck the new leader, driving

her toward the barrier. Paladin clasped her talon where it

wrapped around his chest.

Sensing the danger of them drawing so near to the

barrier, he shouted at her. “Stop. Now.”

Not sure she heard him, he waited, trying to see how

close they came to the protective shield over the cavern.

Breath caught in his throat, his vision blocked by her body,

he struggled to break away from her. She managed to dig her

taloned feet into the slippery ground and lean forward so she

lay almost flat, huddled over them.

“Be still, Sire, you are safe, and safe you will stay.”
Her

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words came into his mind, sending waves of comfort through

him. Next to him, Rylen released a choppy sob.

“What is happening?” Paladin sank his feet into the sand,

twisting and shoved up, hoping to see.

“Sinimal is driving the mystic beast away. Fury is ruling

him. Never have I witnessed such.”
Rolling to her side, she

loosened the protection of her wings a bit so he might have a

better view of the scene.

Dust, stirred by the wind and generated from the

dragons’ wings, gusted, dancing up to the sky. Gaps in the

dusky clouds revealed Arcane hovering below Sinimal. The

great black dragon sent fiery streams down on the rogue,

ripping holes in his wings and opening wider the slashes

covering Arcane’s body.

“See, Sinimal drives him away. Do not fear, Arcane

along with his minions are finished.”
The husky comment

vibrated through his body.

Her words repeated what he witnessed. Arcane, injured,

hopefully with mortal wounds, fled south from his own

father. The massive mystic dragon flew close to the ground.

His agonized cries echoed above the continuing battle.

Paladin glanced at the white dragon, holding him safe. He

sent silent thanks to her for her aide. He waited for joy to

come to him for their victory against such horrific odds, but

only sorrow for the loss of so many pooled in his mind.

Seren’s sweet face appeared in his mind, sending a need to

see her spiraling through him.

“Release me.”

“As you say.”
She set him on his feet beside her.
“Go then

to your female. She is safe. Take with you this brother. He

too is done with this fight.”

Stepping away, intending to fly to the caverns, he

stopped, faced her and bowed low. “My thanks to you.”

A low rumble came from deep in her throat.
“None are

needed. We have fought for our mutual survival here.”

“Still, you saved both Rylen and myself. That debt I can

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never repay.” He straightened, lifting his eyes to meet hers.

“Tell me your name. It will be written for all to know the

greatness of the new White Dragon Clan leader.”

“Melina, my king. Now go, your lady yearns for news of

your safety.”

He nodded, turning to the entrance. After he’d taken a

few steps, Ren materialized from a cloud of dust to his right.

The wizard, leaning heavy on his staff, stopped when he

caught sight of him.

Blood oozed from a deep slash on the top of Ren’s right

leg. Paladin hurried to his side. He pulled Ren’s arm over his

shoulders.

“You were careless, I see.”

“Nonsense. A mere scratch.” Ren grinned at him.

“Then you don’t need my help?”

“I would not go so far as to say that, but it is not as bad as

it looks.” Ren chuckled. “I suppose I am becoming much too

old to prance around on backs of dragons in flight.”

“You need wings.”

“Once I find where Saxilon is hiding, I will have my true

powers. I won’t need them then.”

A shout rang out. “Sire.”

Two white dragon clan soldiers rushed to them. The

battle weary men fell to their knees before Rylen. His brother

stared at them then glanced at him, confusion evident in his

frown.

The man closer to Rylen spoke, his voice breathless, filled

with pain from the many wounds on his body and face. His

white armor showed deep gouges streaked with black burn

marks. “Our forces are being driven back. We need your

command, Sire.”

Rylen shook his head, his bottom lip trembling.

Without considering, Paladin barked at the men. “Rally

your troops and fall back toward the caverns. The white

dragon king has surrendered our father’s sword to me.”

Eyes wide, the man’s soot-coated head swung around. He

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gaped at Paladin. His open mouth, his stuttering speech

revealed his surprise. “But...”

Not uttering a sound, Rylen pulled free his sword. Hilt

first, he handed the blade to Paladin. “Do as he says. He is

the rightful king. We would do well to follow his lead.”

Nodding, the two men raced off to where they came from.

Holding Ren steady with one hand and clasping the

sword with the other, Paladin managed to steer the three of

them to the entrance. Soon, they reached the barrier. Ren

spoke the spell to open a pathway. Just as they entered, a

startled cry came from behind them. Looking over his

shoulder, Paladin witnessed Largin’s tumbling dismount.

The elder wizard half-fell, half-slid from the back of his

mount, eliciting snickers from Ren.

A bark of laughter spurted from him at the sight of Largin

hanging upside down by one foot. “Rylen, go, help him.” He

glanced at Ren and grinned. “There’s another who needs to

stay safe within when there is fighting.”

The laughter helped alleviate some of his tension, but the

torturous day along with the constant fighting had taken its

toll. Exhausted, Paladin shuffled through the gap. He’d taken

a few steps into the cavern before Seren appeared in front of

him. Feathers fluttered on the wings protruding from her

back.

She stopped her headlong dash, coming to a sliding halt

steps from them. Breathless, she stared at him. “You’re safe.”

He nodded to reassure her. His gaze wandered to the

wings and he asked. “How?”

She reached up and back, touching them. “Oh...they came

out. I don’t know how to make them go away.”

“Ah,” he smiled, understanding her dilemma. “Come, let

us tend to Ren then I will show you the way to dispel them.”

“What about Bask? I saw him fall.”

The mention of the fallen wizard’s name brought a return

of his pain over losing the man and Lior. He shook his head.

“He is gone. As is Lior.”

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She gasped, a hand going to her mouth. “No. Oh, no. He

died because of me.”

Her comment sent anger coursing through his veins. Not

so much because of her self blame, but she believed this

battle her fault. He imagined the turmoil in her thoughts. If

she had remained on Earth then none of this would have

occurred. “Don’t. He died defending our way of life. Do not

assume this battle was solely because of you and Legion.”

“How can you say it isn’t?” Tears sparkled in her eyes. He

wanted to reach out and smooth them away, but wasn’t sure

she would accept his comfort.

“Arcane has been planning to annihilate the humans and

dragonseeds for thousands of years. You are a tiny part of

this. Whether you were here or not, he still would have tried

to destroy all the humans on Avaris. Do not place the blame

on yourself. It doesn’t belong there.”

Without waiting for her to answer, he moved past her.

They started down the steep incline into the tunnel. Ren

remained silent during the conversation and continued to do

so.

A shocked cry came from Seren. He looked over his

shoulder. She stood, staring at his brother.

“What are you doing here?” She placed her hands on

hips, glaring at the younger man.

Throat working, Rylen looked at him.

“Seren, he’s here with me. Arcane’s shadow no longer

falls on him. It is not our place to judge him.” He started to

say more, but Ren interrupted him.

“I am going to bleed to death if this leg is not seen to.

Seren, leave him and come with us. I helped with Legion’s

birth, now it is time to return the favor.” The wizard nodded

at the inner tunnel. He tilted his head closer and murmured

low so she wouldn’t hear. “Hurry, before she realizes I have

distracted her.”

They proceeded without waiting for any of the others to

follow. Paladin took Ren to his quarters where the wizard

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stripped off his pants. Paladin helped him recline on the cot

and covered his hips with a blanket. When he finished, he

looked up to find Seren standing in the doorway.

“I ordered hot water to clean it. Who’s going to stitch him

up?” She moved nearer, eyeing the deep cut. Swallowing, she

glanced at him. “Don’t expect me to. I don’t know how to

sew.”

“Sew?” Paladin frowned at her. Her strange ways amazed

yet confused him at the same time.

Ren repeated the word. “No one is going to sew me up.

Why would you think that?”

She shrugged. “That’s what we do on Earth. We stitch

severe cuts with sutures. How is it done here?”

The wizard chuckled, an expression of relief passing over

his face. “We use magic. Only magic. The wound will be

healed from the inside out. This, sometimes, takes several

days to complete. Largin will take care of it. I’m sure he’ll be

very busy over the next few weeks.”

“That’s a relief, I was beginning to worry you wanted me

to do it. I’m sorry, I like you, but I’d end up hurting you

worse.” She smiled down at Ren. “Do you want some water

or maybe something stronger for the pain?”

He waved her away. “No. Paladin, take her away. Show

her how to dispel those wings. She’s leaving feathers on my

floor.”

Neither argued with Ren. She followed Paladin out of the

small room into the larger central cavern. He took her arm

and led her a short distance away to a quiet, sheltered alcove.

Facing her, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Concentrate on your wings.”

She closed her eyes. Her face screwed up into a

thoughtful frown.

“In your mind see yourself with the wings. Now think of

what you look like without them. That is all you have to do,”

he said, watching her face for any sign of confusion.

After a few seconds, a whitish aura radiated from her.

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The wings dissolved from her back, some of the feathers

falling at their feet.

She reached to feel. Her eyes lit with excitement. “They’re

gone.”

“It is a simple matter to call them and then dispel them.

You’ll become adjusted to it.” As soon as the words came out,

he regretted them. She would never grow accustomed. She

intended to leave Avaris. He had no idea whether the magic

in her blood would work on Earth.

“Thanks.” The sweet smile he loved to see slipped over

her lips. Her gray eyes rose to meet his stare. “Are you all

right? Truly all right?”

“I took no wounds. There will be many arriving who are

injured. I need you to help tend them, Largin will show you

how. I have to return to the battle to make sure all ends the

way it should.”

“What do you mean?”

“The white dragon clan must know I have accepted