Alliance (39 page)

The witch stood at the mouth of the cave they were dragged into, facing out into the sky. The sun hung low, the last warmth of its rays hitting the stone floor halfway back.

“Does Nykin know we’ve been moved?” Ryneq whispered, stumbling a little to disguise the way he leaned in to Lerran.

“Yes.”

Ryneq righted himself just as the witch turned around.

“Just in time.” She pointed up into the sky behind her to the clear outline of two dragons approaching the caves, with the rest of the riders a distance behind them. “And oh look, they brought the rest after all.” She licked her lips and walked over to stand in front of them, her gaze landing hungrily on Lerran. “I said I wouldn’t kill you… yet.” She grinned when Lerran flinched. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t steal a little of your magic.” She raised her hand and laid it flat against Lerran’s chest. “I just need a little top up.” She pulled a vial from her belt with her free hand, drank the dark liquid inside
—
obviously the blood she’d taken from the arrows
—
and began to mutter under her breath.

Lerran’s whole body tensed as long purple tendrils began to flow from his chest and up along the witch’s arm. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and when they opened, they were totally black, the whites completely filled in, and it chilled Ryneq to the bone. She let Lerran go with a hiss, and he fell sideways knocking into Nysad.

“Hmm….” The witch rolled her shoulders and flexed her hands, and Ryneq could almost feel the power she exuded. From the look of horror on Lerran’s face, it must be more than they were anticipating. “That is so much better.”

The dragons were almost at the caves, Fimor’s red scales shimmering in the fading light as he aimed for the cave mouth. The witch turned to face them as Fimor and Nykin came in to land, her hands outstretched and her red magic crackling around her fingertips. Ryneq prayed the amulets were strong enough to protect them.

N
YKIN
CLUNG
to Fimor’s harness as they approached the landing cave. Never before had he felt so much dread on seeing the entrance to the Eyrie. Thanks to Lerran, he knew Ryneq, Lerran, and Nysad were probably waiting there with the witch and Seran, but he had no way of knowing what state they were in now.

The witch had promised not to kill them, but Nykin didn’t trust her to keep her word. He didn’t dare contact Lerran in case it somehow tipped off the witch about their connection.

“Fimor, ask Kalesh if the elves are in place.”

Nykin could only contact Lerran with his cuff, so Selene wore one too, allowing her to talk to Avelor. The rest of the riders had approached from below the caves after setting the elves on the ground, and now hung back while Selene and Nykin flew closer.

“Selene says the elves are already in the tunnel, waiting for our signal.”

“All right.”
Nykin relaxed his grip on the harness. He’d been holding on so tight his hands were starting to cramp. The witch hadn’t attacked them, even though they were well within her range, so Nykin had to assume she meant to let them land. Reluctantly, he slipped off the amulet and held it in his hand. He’d planned to drop it before they landed in the caves, but he couldn’t let it go.

Something made him want to keep hold of it, and Nykin clasped it in his fingers, choosing to trust his instincts.

“Nykin.”
Fimor warned.

“I know. I’ll drop it as soon as we’re inside. I feel… I don’t know… just trust me on this.”

“Always.”

He saw Selene and Kalesh hang back out of the corner of his eye. They both wouldn’t fit in the same cave, and Nykin briefly wondered what the witch expected them to do, until a harsh voice carried to them from the caves.

“Land the green dragon in the cave alongside this one.” The voice sounded strange, magically amplified to reach them. “Try anything and I will kill the king. Your flames won’t get past my shields, so let’s not waste our energy.”

Kalesh immediately veered off to the side, and Nykin felt his nerves threaten to get the better of him. The cave mouth loomed in front of them, and now Nykin had a clear view of those inside. The witch stood by the far wall near the entrance, with Seran beside her. Rodethian guards held Ryneq, Lerran, and Nysad near the back of the cave, and although Nykin couldn’t see much, he could see that they were all very much alive.

“Nykin.”
Fimor’s voice sounded softly in Nykin’s head as he pulled his wings back and prepared to land.
“Whatever happens, it has been a privilege to have you as my rider.”

“Thank you.”
Nykin’s throat constricted, and he struggled to swallow past the lump.
“But I intend to remain your rider when this is over.”
He felt a wave of warmth flow through their bond and clung to it as they entered the cave.

As soon as Fimor settled enough for Nykin to dismount, he pulled the thigh straps undone and slid down on the side nearest to Ryneq and the others. He rushed toward them, the amulet clutched tightly in his hand, intent on somehow giving it to Ryneq, but two Rodethian guards grabbed him before he had a chance.

He stumbled to the side under their weight, crashing into Lerran, and barely managed to drop the amulet into Lerran’s jacket pocket before the guards hauled him away.

“I just wanted to see him!” Nykin yelled. He glanced over at Ryneq and struggled against those holding him, drawing everyone’s attention away from the tiny bulge now visible in Lerran’s jacket.

“How touching.” The witch then eyed Fimor warily, keeping her distance. She mumbled something, too quiet for Nykin to catch, and when she threw her hand out toward Fimor, sparks of red light leapt forward, wrapping around his wings and his jaw. Fimor struggled to throw off the witch’s restraints, but he couldn’t move, and Nykin felt Fimor’s fury like a tidal wave through the bond. His legs buckled, only the guard’s hold kept him upright.

The witch ignored Fimor’s attempts to escape and turned her attention to Nykin. “Bring him over here, and fetch the other one too. Remind them what will happen if they resist.” Three of the guards nodded and left to fetch Selene.

Nykin caught Lerran’s flinch out of the corner of his eye.

They all watched the entrance to the tunnels. A huge roar sounded from the next cave, and then two of the guards were back, dragging a bruised and bloody Selene with them. But the third was nowhere to be seen. Selene had a split lip and a nasty-looking mark on her cheek. Her knuckles were cut, and Nykin almost smirked as he caught one of the guards wiping blood off the side of his mouth. But the witch had moved closer to them, eyes narrowed as she took in the scene.

“What happened?” she hissed, looking from the guards to Selene. “I thought I told you what would happen if you resisted. And where’s the other guard?”

Selene raised her head defiantly, and Nykin wondered if this would be where their plan fell apart.

“My dragon didn’t care much for the way they manhandled me.” Selene spat, and the witch stepped a little closer.

Nykin held his breath.

“When your bond is broken, they can do whatever they like with you.” The witch laughed at the look of shock on Selene’s face. “Unless Seran wants to keep you for his own amusement.” She glanced over her shoulder at where Seran stood, quiet until now.

Seran stepped forward and let his gaze wander over Selene’s body, lingering where her jacket and shirt gaped at the neck. “I’ll take her.” He grinned, moving closer still. “I hear dragon riders like things a little wild.”

A sudden cry from behind them had Nykin’s head snapping around in time to see Lerran’s eyes flash purple and the guard holding him collapse in an unconscious heap. He made it two feet closer to Selene before the witch shot her hands out and sent twin bolts of red light straight at his chest.

Selene screamed as Lerran stopped, looked down at his chest in shock, and then his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the floor.

Nykin gaped at Lerran’s unmoving body. The amulet should have saved him.
Oh merciful Gods
! If that hadn’t worked, then what about the
magic catcher?

“Such a waste.” The witch frowned as she gave Lerran’s body a considering look before turning back to Nykin. “Hold him.”

She pulled a silver dagger from a sheath on her hip, marched over to Fimor, and sliced it in a line down his back.

He might not be able to roar, but Nykin felt Fimor’s pain as the knife went in.

When enough blood covered the blade, the witch walked back over to Nykin and ordered the guards to bare his chest. “This is my favorite part,” she whispered, black eyes shining, and Nykin braced himself.

“Will it work this time?” Seran interrupted, watching closely. “Will the dragon obey?”

Mariskah glared at him. “I told you I’d fix it.” She raised the blade, dripping with Fimor’s blood, and placed the tip against Nykin’s heart, chanting softly as she carved the first symbol.

“
Let that which magic forged together, now be broken by magic and forever cast asunder
.”

She continued to chant and carve, and Nykin gritted his teeth against the pain. His head throbbed in time with her words, and something sharp and insistent began to tug at his heart. The witch stepped back, dagger falling to the floor as she stretched out her hands, one facing Nykin, the other Fimor.

The witch’s voice grew louder as she said the words over and over. Nykin slumped forward, the pain increasing and the pull in his chest making him want to curl up and keep whatever it was inside. His vision swam, and the rush of his blood filled his ears. He thought he heard Fimor’s whine in the background, but his senses were dulled from the throbbing in his head.

Nothing had ever hurt as much as this.

“Fimor!”
Nykin willed the connection to form, but something kept blocking it. “Fimor!” he cried out in desperation, and the rider’s mark on his wrist flared hot for the barest of moments before fading away to nothing.

Through his half-shut eyes, Nykin saw a flash of red light headed straight for his chest, and then his whole body exploded in pain, as though he’d been turned inside out, and he screamed before everything went black.

“N
YKIN
!” R
YNEQ
screamed his name again and again as the witch chanted and carved into Nykin’s chest, but Nykin didn’t seem to hear him. Ryneq struggled against the guard’s grip on his arms, but they just held him tighter.

He couldn’t believe how everything had gone so wrong. Their plan was risky, but Ryneq never doubted for a moment that it would work. Now Lerran lay dead at his feet, and Nykin writhed in agony under the witch’s hands. “Stop!” he yelled, wanting to get to Nykin so badly.

Seran leaned in close to whisper in Ryneq’s ear, and Ryneq moved away as best he could. Seran didn’t take his eyes off the sight in front of him as he spoke. “How perfect that he is the first one we break. Watch how your precious rider begs for his dragon.”

Nykin’s screams for Fimor echoed around the cave, accompanied by Fimor’s pained cries, and Ryneq didn’t understand why the amulet wasn’t protecting them. Had the elves gotten it wrong? Or was the witch too powerful? He felt all his hope drain away as the witch’s red magic hit Nykin square in the chest, and Nykin passed out cold.

“
No
!”

Ryneq tore his gaze away from Nykin’s crumpled form as the witch’s shrill scream filled the cave. He had one brief moment to appreciate the look of sheer terror on her face before chaos erupted around them.

Fimor lurched toward the witch—her magic no longer binding him—and a jet of bright orange flame shot out of his mouth, engulfing her where she stood. She screamed as the fire took hold, a truly horrific sound that might well haunt Ryneq for days, and staggered to the side trying to escape.

Fimor blasted her again, roaring out his anger as he herded her toward the cave mouth. Ryneq watched with a grim sense of satisfaction as she stumbled blindly over the edge and disappeared in a ball of flame.

“Kill them!” Seran shouted as he made a bolt for the tunnel entrance, but his way was blocked by the appearance of Faelon and four elven guards, who burst into the cave. Faelon rammed the blade of his dagger through Seran’s heart, as Seran looked down in disbelief.

Before the Rodethians had time to react, the elves were on them, slitting their throats before they even had a chance to reach for their swords.

Ryneq turned, offering his bound hands to the elves for them to cut through. As soon as he was free, he rushed over to Nykin and pulled him into his arms. Nykin looked pale, unnaturally so—it all felt far too familiar. Too many times he’d had to hold Nykin and look at his unconscious body.

“Nykin.” He cupped Nykin’s cheek and smoothed his thumb over the slight scratch of stubble. “Nykin.” Nykin moaned, leaning into Ryneq’s touch, and Ryneq let out a small huff of relieved laughter. “Thank the Gods.” Nykin didn’t open his eyes, but it was enough for now.

Ryneq sat there, taking a moment to convince himself that Nykin was actually here and the worst was over. They’d survived. The cuts on Nykin’s chest looked red and sore, but at least they’d stopped bleeding, and his face had started to regain a little color. Ryneq finally felt the tight knot in his chest ease.

A muffled grunt behind him had Ryneq glancing over his shoulder to find Lerran struggling to his feet. The elves helped him up and cut away the ropes around his wrists, and Ryneq stared in shock.

“I thought you were dead!” Ryneq turned back to press a soft kiss to Nykin’s forehead, then stood and grasped Lerran’s arm in greeting as Lerran walked over to them. Ryneq grinned despite the carnage around them. “How?”

Lerran reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark green pendant. “Nykin slipped this into my pocket when he fell against me. I had to pretend so the witch didn’t suspect. I’m sor—” Selene cut him off as she flew into his arms with a choked-off sob.