12.The Mettle of a Metalbrand

12. The Mettle of a Metalbrand

“Why are you smiling?”

Mom’s question catches me off guard as I put a plate away.

When my hand rises to my lips, I find that she’s right. I’m smiling while putting the dishes away because my thoughts are on Liam. His strong biceps wrapped around me, his dimples, the crescent moons brand near his hip. His strength and kindness. Since Toby let me borrow his car, I’ve been able to see the professor every day. A week full of Liam Monroe, and it’s still not nearly enough. The very memory of him makes it difficult to focus on the mundane chore before me .

"Oliver," my mother's voice startles me from my reverie, and I turn to see her standing hesitantly in the doorway. "You look... happy."

I manage a weak laugh. "I guess I am."

Being with Liam is supposed to help my powers and help me relax. That’s what I desperately needed. Happiness hasn’t entered into the equation. Or maybe it sneaked up on me?

"Talk to me," Victoria implores. “You’re gone more. Sometimes, you don’t even spend the night here. You seem excited. Have you met someone?”

The desire to share a sanitized version of my relationship with Liam wars with the urge to keep it close to my chest like a precious secret. Maybe I shouldn’t tell her. How will I explain it when our arrangement ends soon? Just the thought has the smile slipping off my face.

"Oliver," she repeats my name when I fail to answer. "Whatever is going on, I'm glad you're doing better. You deserve happiness."

I can’t find the words and need to head out anyway.

Standing in front of Toby's borrowed blue sedan, I text him a quick ‘thanks again’ message. His generosity in lending me his car makes the trek across the city to Liam's apartment so much easier than taking the bus. Plus, it's nice having a friend looking out for me. After sending the message, I hop in the driver's seat and head off.

The sun dips lower on the horizon as I navigate the city streets and reach the highway. The car’s speed creeps up a few miles over the speed limit, and I make no move to correct the speed. The faster I reach Liam, the better.

When the traffic forces me to slow to a crawl, I exit the congested highway and turn onto a quieter road leading to a more rural landscape. It should be faster at this time in the early evening.

The drive continues serenely on this peaceful stretch of road. I drive towards some railroad tracks without much thought as I start cruising through. Red railroad crossing lights begin flashing urgently.

Before I can finish driving past, the black and white striped gates lower across the road, blocking my path. It all happens so fast.

What’s going on? I’m trapped inside the tracks!

Peering both ways along the empty tracks, I see no incoming train. Huh, that’s odd. I’m in no immediate danger of being crushed, but I don’t like this.

Something doesn’t feel right.

Movement catches my eye. My stomach drops as a familiar figure appears on the other side of the tracks, leaning against the gate with a wicked smirk. Razor. Fear rises in my throat, but I force it down, refusing to let it show.

Rolling down my window, I holler across the tracks at him. "Go away, Razor!”

"We aren’t kidding around, Oliver.” Razor looks amused at having me as his captive audience. “If we aren’t compensated for our stolen property, the dragons are gonna have to... commandeer something of equal value. Catch my drift?"

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. "I didn't steal anything. Leave me alone."

Razor tilts his head, the fang earring glinting with the last rays of the setting sun. "Hmm, maybe you're not taking my warning seriously enough. Sounds like you need a little demonstration..."

My heart pounds against my ribcage as Razor grins menacingly. I hate being trapped on the tracks. Getting out of the car does not feel like a wise decision. What if that’s exactly what he wants?

But if I stay in the vehicle, I can’t go anywhere. Would I be able to knock down the gate? Without room to build up speed, the car won’t be able to hit the barrier with much force.

The worst part is that I’m playing right into his hand. Being scared like a trapped animal. He’s getting the exact fearful reaction he desires.

I have no idea what to do. What should I do?

A guttural snarl rips from Razor's throat as his body contorts, bones cracking and shifting. Oh no. No, no, no. Dark purple scales erupt across his skin, gleaming like polished amethyst.

He grows larger, more monstrous, until a massive dragon with viciously curved claws and a barbed tail looms before me. Razor's friend Roc was intimidating in human form, but even the smaller Razor is utterly terrifying as a dragon, filling my entire field of vision .

The car offers no real protection against that fearsome creature. I scramble out of the car, nearly getting tangled in the seatbelt in my haste. The whoosh of enormous wings beats the air behind me as I sprint towards a wooded area in the distance.

If I can get somewhere he can’t see me or reach me easily, I have a chance at getting away. Don’t panic.

Razor soars over me in an instant, spewing fire. I scream and jump away from the orange blaze of heat, forcing me to backtrack towards the car.

Danger, I’m in danger. This definitely qualifies as dangerous. That means… I have my powers back.

Desperately, I reach for my magic, trying to summon the power that flows in my blood. It feels sluggish, responding awkwardly to my call. Out of practice, and without Liam by my side, manipulating the elements is like grasping at smoke.

Razor toys with me, snapping his jaws and swiping with his claws, letting me dart away at the last second. The heat of his breath singes my hair as I narrowly avoid a blast of fire. I throw myself to the side. Gravel bites into my palms as I hit the ground hard, rolling away.

I push to my feet, feeling slow and clumsy compared to the behemoth hunting me. Cold sweat coats my skin. I'm hopelessly outmatched, a mouse scurrying before a lion .

The dragon's barbed tail lashes out, and the relief of avoiding that wrecking ball is short-lived. I hear the crunch of metal. No. Not again.

Razor’s tail slams into the roof of Toby’s car, creating a massive dent.

Suddenly, my fear transforms into white-hot anger.

These dragon thugs are terrorizing me, and now they want to destroy my friend's property too? Hell no.

"Enough!" I bellow.

Destroying car after car. Vehicles that don’t even belong to me. Small acts of kindness from others that these dragon assholes turned against me. Like everything the Brass family touches these days, it turns wrong. No, this is their fault.

Razor struck Toby’s car. Toby is my friend. The only friend I have right now. I won’t let him get away with this.

Call me crazy, but I can’t run anymore. I turn to face the oncoming dragon head-on. Power surges through me, fueled by my desperate rage. I reach out with my magic, feeling the thrum of metal all around me. The train tracks quiver and groan as I exert my will over them.

With a screech of tortured steel, a section of the rails tears free from the ground. Hurling the writhing metal like a javelin, the dragon twists left sharply, just narrowly avoiding being skewered.

I don't give Razor a chance to regroup. Ripping up more lengths of track, I launch them at the dragon in rapid succession. If I were using my brand to its full potential, I’d be able to create some metal from nothing. Instead, I have to rely on what is around.

Each projectile forces Razor to swerve and dodge, preventing the beast from closing in.

A thunderous roar splits the air as Razor rears back, jaws gaping wide. I barely have time to register the flicker of flames in that cavernous maw before a torrent of fire hurtles towards me. Instinctively pulling the nearest stray metal closer, it rapidly expands and shields me from the searing blast.

The force of the flames slamming into the barrier staggers me. I grit my teeth, pouring all my strength and will into maintaining the shield's integrity. The metal glows cherry-red, warping and melting at the edges, but somehow holds against the inferno.

The fiery onslaught abruptly ceases.

Lowering the shield, I see Razor hovering before me, steam curling from flared nostrils. For a tense heartbeat, we stare each other down. Then the dragon wheels around and surges into the darkening sky.

The dragon soon vanishes from sight. The full impact of what just transpired hits me.

A strangled laugh bubbles up from my chest. I did it?

I faced down a dragon. With my own magic, I defended myself and Toby's car from Razor's wrath. The roof of the blue sedan looks crumpled with a sizable dent, but I think I can pop it back in place.

This was just a taste of what the dragons are capable of, a cruel taunt. If I'm going to protect myself and those I care about, I'll need to be ready for anything.

I refuse to be terrorized anymore. If they attack, I’m going to fight back. I’ll do everything I can to make them sorry for tormenting us. Liam and Toby don’t deserve this treatment… and neither do I.