The Dragon Legion Collection 9 (10 page)

“And Pelias?”

“I’ll defend him as best I can. You won’t convince him to run.”

Katina nodded, her gaze locked upon the scene below as they came closer. “I’ll hide somewhere too small for a dragon to follow. Somewhere with water.” She pointed to the valley filled with large rocks where there might be water. “Down there.”

It would be a good start, although Alexander was skeptical that any woman could hide from Jorge. He decided not to frighten Katina and merely nodded. “See yourselves safe. I’ll find you wherever you go.”

Katina cast him an unexpected smile. “I know.”

The look in her eyes warmed Alexander’s heart, but there was no time for more discussion. He held her tightly and dove behind the outcropping, like a spear falling out of the night.

The
Slayer
seized the hoplite’s sword and flung it aside, then breathed a long stream of dragonfire at his opponent. Pelias held up his shield to defend himself. The red plume in Pelias’ helmet caught fire, and he bowed low as if injured. Jorge leapt forward to snatch at him, clearly hoping to triumph.

But Pelias straightened abruptly. The dagger in his hand flashed even as he lunged at the dragon. He covered his eyes, leaping through the dragonfire with incredible valor. Alexander caught a glimpse of the determination in Pelias’ expression and the fear in the eyes of the boy who lingered behind him.

A boy who looked much like Alexander. Terror for his son was a cold weight in Alexander’s gut. He put Katina down without landing, glad to hear Jorge snarl in pain.

Any weakness would help.

When he rose higher, he saw Jorge’s black blood spill and heard it hiss as it hit the ground. Only
Slayers
had black blood. Were the
Slayers
who had drunk the Elixir really immortal? Did they actually heal with unholy speed? Alexander tried to remember all the stories he’d heard about them, none of the details reassuring him in the least. He faltered when he caught the scent of death on Jorge, the scent of Cetos’ death, and knew that his mate was reliant upon him again.

Even though he could guarantee her so little. He didn’t dare rejoice that she was a widow, not when she could become a widow twice over in one night.

Alexander refused to despair in the face of the unpredictability of darkfire and the malice of a
Slayer
. He focused on the task of defeating Jorge.

Jorge roared with fury and slashed at Pelias with his claws. Pelias leapt backward, snatching up his shield in the nick of time. Jorge’s stream of dragonfire was deflected by the shield and turned back on the
Slayer
, who roared in fury. Alexander leapt over the rock and struck the
Slayer
in the back of the head with his tail while he was distracted. Jorge stumbled then turned with a snarl, leaping into the air to fight.

Pelias had fallen to his knees. Alexander caught a glimpse of Katina running toward Lysander, then locked claws with Jorge, intent upon drawing him away from the humans.

He noticed immediately that the
Slayer
’s wings weren’t as large or as strong as they should be. He beat his own wings hard and drew Jorge high into the night sky. He wound his tail around Jorge’s yellow one and tightened his grip, wanting to squeeze the life out of this evil dragon. He saw the glimmer of malice in the
Slayer’
s eyes, even as he bent forward to bite at his opponent’s chest.

The hoplite had managed to wound Jorge, no small feat, his dagger blade having slipped between two scales on the
Slayer
’s chest. Black blood still oozed from the wound, dripping over the golden splendor of his scales.

“Sure you want to take a bite?” Jorge drawled, his modern accent startling Alexander. His eyes gleamed. “I’ve drunk the Dragon’s Blood Elixir. One sip and you’re hooked forever.”

“I thought you wanted more immortal
Slayers
.”

“But there’s no more Elixir. I don’t need the competition. Find another snack.” Jorge lurched sideways, tearing one claw out of Alexander’s grip. Alexander slashed at his opponent’s chest with his free claw, and the
Slayer
arched his back with the pain. Three long lines were torn in his scales, the black blood running freely from the wounds. Alexander dug his talons in deep, ensuring that he made the blow count. The
Slayer
’s eyes flashed, then he ripped his tail free, striking Alexander hard across the back.

Alexander spun, using the weight of the blow, then seized one of those small wings. It felt fragile and weak, so he ripped it from the
Slayer
’s back.

He knew the other wing wouldn’t be robust enough to support the
Slayer
’s weight and Jorge clearly knew it, too. He became vicious in his attack, but Alexander flung him into the sky. The
Slayer
swore eloquently as he fell, flailing as he tried to slow his descent with his one small wing. Alexander flew after him and roasted his back with dragonfire. The second wing began to burn and become smaller, even as Jorge screamed and swore.

He twisted to face Alexander, then exhaled a long plume of dragonsmoke. Alexander knew exactly what the
Slayer
was trying to do. Dragonsmoke could act as a conduit, stealing energy from its target and feeding that strength to the dragon who breathed the smoke. Alexander evaded the tendril of smoke, flying farther and farther from the
Slayer
to do so.

“An interesting strategy,”
he taunted in old-speak.
“You ensure that I can’t save you from a fatal fall.”

“I’ll ensure that I survive it on my own.”

“Your plan doesn’t seem to be working.”

Jorge laughed.
“Only because you mistake my target.”
He turned then and directed his long trail of dragonsmoke toward the earth. The smoke turned and dove downward, as sinuous as a snake. Alexander had never seen dragonsmoke change direction so adroitly.

“Stand up,” Jorge roared aloud even as he fell, and a small boy stumbled to his feet. This was the scent that had confused Alexander, the human scent that had been submerged beneath the
Slayer
’s own. Did that mean the boy was in Jorge’s thrall?

How? Why?

The boy was pale and thin, as if he had lost weight and health recently. His eyes seemed to be too large for his face and his submissiveness was unnatural. He obediently stood and turned his face upward, then closed his eyes to wait. Alexander was struck that the child moved as if he were in a dream.

The dragonsmoke plummeted toward the boy, aiming directly at his chest. The boy staggered at the impact, but didn’t appear to be surprised by it. He straightened and braced his feet against the ground, as if preparing for a familiar ordeal. Alexander watched the line of dragonsmoke and thought of a viper burying its teeth deep and drinking of the boy’s essence. Sucking him dry. The line of dragonsmoke became thicker and less ethereal, even as Alexander watched, and he was horrified that he might be right.

He looked back at Jorge to find that
Slayer
grinning. His wing had already grown stronger, because he was able to slow his descent. There was a nub already growing where the other wing had been torn away. Alexander was watching the new wing form.

Jorge’s eyes shone as he landed beside the boy. The boy was wilting visibly even as the
Slayer
regained his power. Jorge took one last deep breath, then broke the line of dragonsmoke with obvious regret. His scales shone more brightly, as if they had been polished, and the blood had stopped flowing on his chest. Even those wounds seemed to be closing already.

“A wonderful discovery,” Jorge said in his gloating tone. He patted the boy on the head. “I fed him the Elixir, knowing that a rapidly growing boy would make more blood and thus more Elixir for me. He’s already repaid me ten times over.”

Alexander landed warily, pretending not to see Pelias—or be aware that the warrior was still alive. He could hear Pelias’ pulse, slow and steady, and his breathing. The older man was injured but not dead. Alexander wasn’t sure he could save either Pelias or this boy, but was glad there was no sign of Katina or Lysander. He assessed the scent of the boy carefully.

“Yes,” the
Slayer
agreed. “He is
Pyr
, or he would have been.” He smiled down at the boy. “Theo, say hello to one of the Dragon’s Tooth Warriors.” Theo just blinked slowly. “This is one of the men commanded by your father, Theo, unless I miss my guess.”

This was Drake’s son! Alexander couldn’t completely hide his surprise or dismay, and the
Slayer
chuckled. “What kind of vermin takes advantage of someone weaker than himself?” he demanded before he could stop himself.

“What kind of fools leave their sons undefended?”

“Those who serve for the good of all.”

Jorge smiled. “How many boys did you all leave behind?” he hissed, clearly not expecting an answer. “All those young
Pyr
, devoid of fathers and training and protection.” He was gleeful at the prospect. “I intend to find them all and put them to work, creating Elixir and energy for me to heal. I’ll get all my power back!” His grin broadened. “And if there are mates to sample along the way, I assure you that they won’t be overlooked.”

Alexander felt sick. “What happened to Cassandra?” he demanded, referring to Drake’s wife.

“Tell him, Theo,” the
Slayer
invited, his jovial manner no doubt untrustworthy. “What happened to your mother?”

The boy shuddered from head to toe. He lifted agonized eyes to Alexander. “She’s dead, sir.”

Alexander was glad that Drake wasn’t present to see the devastation in his son’s eyes.

“I’ve discovered a taste for mate,” Jorge said, his voice so low and silky that Alexander couldn’t suppress a shudder. He had no sooner hoped that this fiend was oblivious to Katina’s presence than the
Slayer
turned to scan the rocky hilltop, his nostrils working. “Where have the other mate and young
Pyr
gone? Is she yours?” Jorge grinned. “Maybe I’ll let you watch.”

* * *

Katina had urged Lysander into a low and rocky place, one that was dark and wet. She could smell the water there and felt safer in the shadows.

Her son didn’t share her view.

“I want to see!” Lysander protested, when Katina would have made him duck low in their hiding place.

“We have to stay safe,” she insisted. “I promised your father.”

“My father! Is that who the dark dragon is?” At this news, it was even harder to hold her son back. “Pelias said that my father had a gift and that I might have it, too.”

“What did Pelias tell you?”

“That my father was Spartan, which I knew, so that I needed to go to the
agoge
and train to be a warrior. But he said that my father was an elite warrior, and that he would watch me to see if I had my father’s powers.”

“Did he tell you what those powers were?”

“He said that my father was
Pyr
, and that the
Pyr
are charged with the task of defending the four elements and the treasures of the earth, which include mankind. He said that the
Pyr
can change shape, that they are touched by the grace of the gods, and can become ferocious dragons.”

It was clear that Lysander aspired to this ability, but Katina was more surprised by how much Pelias knew and had told him. Even so, she was glad to learn more about Alexander’s powers. Had he married her because he was supposed to defend the four elements? “He knew all this? He told you all of this already?”

“The very first day,” Lysander said. “I was sad to leave home, but he told me I had responsibilities.” Her son’s eyes lit. “Mama, I have to see! I might learn something.”

“You should stay here and be safe,” Katina said sternly, even though she was curious herself. Lysander wriggled out of her grip and crept to the lip of the cave she’d chosen.

“Pelias is injured!” he whispered in horror.

“No!” Katina crept to her son’s side, holding him back even as the two dragons fought in the air high above.

“And there’s a boy.” Lysander pointed. “He looks sick.”

Katina squinted at the darkness and could barely discern the silhouette of a child’s figure. She couldn’t have said whether it was a boy or a girl.

“I wonder what that silver thread was.”

“What silver thread?” Katina couldn’t see a silver thread. The child was wavering on his feet, even as the yellow dragon landed beside him. She could see that Pelias had fallen and that Alexander had positioned himself between the hoplite and the yellow dragon.

“I can’t quite hear what they’re saying,” Lysander murmured in obvious frustration.

Katina cast a glance at the sky because she heard the distant rumble of thunder. The sky was cloudless, though, which confused her.

“That boy’s Theo, the son of father’s commander,” Lysander whispered.

Katina looked at him in wonder. “How do you know this?”

“They said so,” he informed her with disdain, as if she hadn’t been paying attention. Lysander suddenly ducked back into hiding beside her, his face pale. “The yellow dragon wants to capture all the sons of the elite company.” His voice dropped to a whisper and he huddled against Katina. “Like me.”

She held her son close, fearful that the
Slayer
would do as he threatened. The yellow dragon lifted his head and surveyed his surroundings, his gaze landing precisely on their hiding spot. Katina had the definite sense that he could see her, even though she was far away and well hidden.