War In The Winds (Book 9) (18 page)

Authors: Craig Halloran

Scaled muscles bulging, Nath twisted the dragon’s neck by the horns. The dragon flopped to her back and thrashed and roared on the ground.

“Selene!” Nath yelled again. “Are you free? Selene!”

Glitch!

The dragon’s body lurched with violence, slackened, and went still.

“What?” Nath looked into the eyes of the beautiful dragon and watched her rosy fire go dim. “No!” He saw Selene standing over the dragon’s chest, the spear jutting out of it.

“You saved me, Nath,” she said, swooning. “For now, that is.” She teetered and fell onto the ground and lay still.

“Selene! Selene!”

He rushed over, picked her up in his arms, and brushed the hair from her face. She was bruised and bleeding. A tremor shook inside the cavern, and the path of rocks popped up from the lava lake once more.

Dare I try it?

He noticed the eyes of the fire goblins were gone from within the caves, and no more trolls or dragons were to be found. He edged toward the burning shore. Geysers blasted, but the rocks remained. He glanced back at the rose blossom dragon. Sadness filled him.
This is madness.
In his arms, Selene’s battered face was unconscious. He hopped from rock to rock until he reached the shore.

He didn’t notice the jaxite stone she tossed into the lava.

An hour later, they emerged from the grave once more.

“We made it,” he said. The cool air was refreshing, and he let out a long breath, shaking. With Selene slung over his shoulder, he could feel her breathing and her heart beating. She’d be alright for now. “Let’s get you back to the army.”

Traversing the ledge, he made his way down to the bottom of the canyon and headed back for the horses. The commander, tall and heavy, was still there.

“High Priestess!” he said, rushing toward them. “What have you done, Dragon Prince?”

“I’ve saved her,” Nath said, “as I said I would.”

“It’s suspicious.”

Nath’s golden eyes narrowed, and smoke rolled from his nose.

“Er,” the commander continued, “let me ready a horse for her.”

Suspicious,
Nath thought
. Isn’t every bit of it?

Epilogue

Curse me!

Selene stood with her acolytes, rubbing the wrist where the Band of Negation had been. Her dark brows were furrowed. Her face was swollen. She’d taken the beating of a lifetime in order to fool Nath Dragon, but he had turned the tables on her. He had failed to take the life of the innocent.

There is no way he’ll be turned.

She took a seat inside the tent and said, “Secure that treasure and leave me.”

The men and women scurried away. Nalzur’s Band of Negation did work, but she had full control of it. She always had full control of everything. Except Nath Dragon.

Blast his white scales!

They seemed even whiter now, what he had anyway, but she’d only had a glimpse, recently. He’d come to visit, but she’d pretend to be sleeping, and the clerics would hurry him away. She ran her fingers along a jagged gash on her forehead and smiled.

I actually took a beating for that man. That dragon! What have I become?

The plan had failed. Had it succeeded, she was certain Nath would have remained by her side forever. That there was no way Balzurth would have been able to stop them. Nalzambor would have been theirs. The Mountain of Doom would have been their palace.

Her fantasies had evaporated, however. Her body ached as she sighed. Soon, Gorn Grattack would be calling, and Nath Dragon would have to die.

About the Author

Craig Halloran resides with his family outside his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. When he isn’t entertaining mankind, he is seeking adventure, working out, or watching sports. To learn more about him, go to:
www.thedarkslayer.com

The Darkslayer Series 1

Wrath of the Royals (Book 1)

Blades in the Night (Book 2)

Underling Revenge (Book 3)

Danger and the Druid (Book 4)

Outrage in the Outlands (Book 5)

Chaos at the Castle (Book 6)

The Darkslayer Series 2

Bish and Bone (Book 1)

Black Blood (Book 2)

Red Death (Book 3)

The Chronicles of Dragon Series