28. Tahlia

When the light came again, they were back on the other side of the strange circle cut into the forest.

They stood side by side, dragons, ghost, and Fae, all seemingly stunned to the same degree. Tahlia touched the woven belt at her waist. The wool was soft like any other wool. Did this thing truly have power of some sort?

Tahlia turned to Marius, who stood on the other side of Trevain. “Why wouldn’t she just tell me what to do?”

“I assume—” he started, trying to see Tahlia clearly around the ghost. Then he let out a small snarl and waved at Trevain, shooing him away. Trevain gave Marius a look but allowed Marius to usher him a few steps back.

Marius’s broad chest moved as his gaze slid over Tahlia’s face. The urge to touch him nearly overwhelmed her.

“As I was saying, Mother Twilight most likely knows we must go through an ordeal to gain the abilities we need to succeed.”

“I’m game.” Tahlia rubbed her hands together, excited for the next step in this grand adventure. “Any task that will stop that giant from killing everyone on the mountain and,” she said, lowering her voice, “any ordeal that will get my hands back on you, I’m more than willing to conquer.”

“I have no doubt you will subdue Katk, Lady of the Skies. But you must learn to hold your tongue when we are back with the order, on missions and in training. You must learn a semblance of discipline regarding our relationship and the order.” His eyes softened and heated, his warmth extending from his muddied leathers to brush over her body.

“Aye, High Captain. I will behave. Mostly.”

He chuckled and shook his head.

“You know, you look even better all grimed up like this,” she said, gesturing to the dirt on his cheek, his tangled hair, and the mud along his white vest and trousers.

“I’m filthy.”

“I understand that you hate it, but it does something for me seeing you ruffled.”

“I’m well aware.” His lips turned up at one side, and gods, did she want to kiss him until neither of them could breathe…

“What’s the plan?” Fara called out. She was rubbing salve on Lija’s scales like the wonderful person she was.

Marius saw what Fara was up to and seemed to be having a silent conversation with Ragewing.

“Did you figure out how to speak to him in your mind?” Tahlia asked.

“I did.”

We should head toward the stones, Lija said.

A chill wrapped Tahlia. Can you tell if Katk is headed there again?

Yes. His evil energy thrums from that direction, from the lands just before the old border.

“Lija says Katk is going for the stones again,” Tahlia said. “Eh, where did Trevain go?”

Fara and Marius looked around, and Lija faced Ragewing, their gazes locking over everyone’s heads.

“Ragewing says the spirit was pulled to another place,” Marius said.

“What does that mean?” Fara asked, her voice getting high-pitched.

“He is a ghost. Who knows the mystery of his afterlife?” Marius said, apparently not at all concerned.

Tahlia mounted Lija. “What is your problem with him anyway? You’re a little mean to the fellow.”

“I’m a little mean to everyone or did you not notice?” His eyes sparked with humor.

“Well, yes, you’re the King of Grumps, but you’re more about discipline and doing what is right. You don’t usually push at people the way you do with Trevain.”

“I am trying to trust him, but the feeling wavers. The fact is, we don’t know what his motivation is for helping us.”

Once again, the familiar look of Trevain pushed at Tahlia like a memory she couldn’t quite grasp. “He can’t just be a nice ghost?”

“His civilization was ruined by ours. So no, I think he has an ulterior motive, and though I can’t blame him for that, I won’t trust much of what he says until I figure him out.”

Hurry, rider,Lija said.

“Should we move?” Tahlia asked Marius. She pushed her curiosity about Trevain away.

Marius gave a curt nod, and he climbed atop Ragewing in one seamless maneuver. She’d never tire of watching him do that.

They took to the sky with Fara in the saddle’s extra seat behind Tahlia. Tahlia had Fara untie her quiver from the rest of the gear. Reins in her teeth, Tahlia slipped the quiver onto her belt, then took her bow from Fara’s outstretched hand. She tucked the reins under an arm.

“Thanks!” she said to Fara over her shoulder.

“It’s what I’m here for!” Fara sounded like she was about to throw up despite the forced cheer in her tone.

Tahlia nocked an arrow and watched the ground for Katk.

“So that goddess was vague, wasn’t she?” Fara said. “You will know.” She wiggled her fingers.

“Yes, and what was all that about the Autumn Weaver? I like pumpkin cakes and bonfires as much as the next person, but I doubt that’s what the goddess was going on about.”

Fara shivered. “Probably something horrible you will have to fight.”

“More horrible than a plague giant?” Tahlia asked.

“I’m endlessly surprised at the terrors that pop into your life.”

“Glad I keep you on your toes.”

Fara closed her eyes and sighed like Tahlia had drained her of every ounce of patience.

Marius and Ragewing led them over a valley rutted with old roads and the chewed-up remains of villages and walled towns. A river passed through the valley and ran into a quarry that reflected the dragons’ shapes.

Katk’s lumbering form filled the horizon.

Tahlia had to set her jaw to keep from calling out a warning that no one needed.

“Really hoping that wisdom shows up any second now,” she said, more to herself than anyone else.

Fara squeezed Tahlia’s shoulder. “You can do this. I can’t. I will probably fall off Lija and perish. But you, you’ll be fine.”

“No perishing today, please.”

“I wish Trevain was here,” Fara said. “He knew things. He could have helped you here, I bet.”

Tahlia agreed. “I hope he is all right. He’s been wonderful, no matter what Marius says.”

“Is he still worried about Trevain’s motives?”

“Yes. The whole ruining Trevain’s civilization and killing everyone he knew thing,” Tahlia said.

Fara made a grumbling noise. “But that was ages ago. He didn’t seem to be harboring a grudge, helping us the way he did.”

“And that’s why Marius suspects him. He was too helpful too fast.”

“I’m starting to wonder if Marius is right,” Fara said. “Maybe we truly are better off without Trevain.”

Tahlia glared over her shoulder. “Don’t you start too. Trevain is a sweetheart.”

“Only you would call a ghost a sweetheart,” Fara said.

Lija chuckled in Tahlia’s mind.

Katk was near enough now that the stench of him brought their conversation to a halt.

“You take the lead on this,” Marius called out over the roar of the monster.

Tahlia took a shuddering breath and touched the woven belt. But nothing came into her head. No ideas. Not anything resembling a plan. She had to stall.

But they had no time for that. Over the hill, the standing stones rose from the fog. Katk would be there in mere moments.

The monster swung a fist at Ragewing. The dragon blazed a full-force flame at Katk and he reared backward, dodging the fire.

A thought simmered deep in Tahlia’s mind. She pushed the thought toward Lija.

Katk’s shadowlings had used a cage of fire to hold Fara. Maybe that would work for Katk?

Good idea, rider,Lija said.

Glad to hear you think so.Tahlia took a steadying breath.

“Create a crescent of flame above him and we will slowly lower the elevation!” Tahlia shouted toward Marius. She prayed the dragons would have enough fire to make this happen.

“Aye!” Marius called out, his body leaning forward as Ragewing tilted upward to hover, wings flaring.

Lija, if Ragewing’s fire dies, I need you to fill the crescent. Are you feeling up to this? We will have go to in close for the flames to touch and create a barrier.

We will rope him in like shepherds do to sheep. Don’t doubt my fire, rider. I am here and I am ready to fight.

Lija flew close, Marius and Ragewing going in as well. If Katk reached up now, the plague would hit Marius or Katk’s fist would simply smash Ragewing out of the sky. Neither sounded pleasant.

“Now!” Tahlia’s throat was already raw.

The dragons blew fire and Katk wheeled left, trying to avoid the flame. The dual fires rippled through the air, hissing into the fog and sending waves of heat across Tahlia’s face. Katk let out another ear-splitting roar. Ragewing’s fire sputtered and went out. He and Marius dropped back and Lija shuddered as she increased her fire to make up for the loss.

Lija’s body rippled under Tahlia, the vibrations making her teeth knock together. Tahlia shot three arrows in quick succession. The monster batted two away, but one stuck in the side of his neck. Gold and black poured from the wound, but Katk didn’t stagger.

He must yield, Lija said, her voice in Tahlia’s mind weakening and broken with effort.

Ragewing flew around behind Lija and Marius shouted, “Pull back! She’s draining herself. Pull back!”

I’m not. Do not ask me to stop!

But the pain in Lija’s voice pushed a cold dread through Tahlia’s chest.

Lija, the High Captain has given us an order. We must.

No, I can do this…

The fire sparkled and leapt erratically. In the space between one blast and the next, Katk swung his fist. His knuckles smashed into Lija’s wing. Lija shrieked, an ear-cracking sound. They spun backward, completely out of control. Fara clutched onto Tahlia’s waist. Tahlia could hardly breathe.

Ragewing shot beneath Lija. He stretched a wing and caught at her broken one, steadying her as the ground came at them fast. With Ragewing’s help, Lija managed to even out in the air and soar to a stop.

Katk roared and stalked toward them. Fury burned in his demon eyes.

Ragewing and Marius whirled to face the monster.

Tahlia stood in the saddle and placed hands on Fara’s shoulders. “Stay with her. Do what you can.” She thrust her dagger, hilt first, at Fara, who stuttered something unintelligible and accepted the blade.

With her short sword still sheathed at her belt, Tahlia leapt from Lija’s back to Ragewing’s. Marius turned, eyes like bolts of lightning.

“What in the name of all the gods do you think you’re up to?” he demanded.

Standing and doing her best to remain so while Ragewing lashed out at Katk with talons, she nocked an arrow. She aimed and fired. The arrow zipped past Katk’s gnarled ear.

“Helping you not die,” she said to Marius, her words a blur and her pulse leaping. “And I’m keeping that monster’s hands off my dragon!”

Her second arrow glanced off Katk’s rock-hard head and fell to the ground.

Ragewing kept fighting while Marius slung his whip through the air. The whip snapped across Katk’s left eye and he howled. Blood poured from the injured eye, black and gold gore leaking down the monster’s broad cheek. Katk surged forward and Ragewing was driven backward.

Tahlia tumbled to the mud beside Lija, who tried to breathe more fire at the monster but only managed a flurry of sparks. Tahlia scrambled for her dropped bow, snagged it, then she rolled and shot another arrow at Katk, this time toward his softer bits.

Katk dodged the arrow and hurried forward, his gaze on the standing stones.

They were losing him. Lija was down, maybe for good. Ragewing was out of fire. Sweat trickled down Tahlia’s face and she swiped it away with the back of her sleeve. They couldn’t lose this fight.

“Go!” she shouted at Marius, who was staring at her from Ragewing’s back like he wanted to take her up with him.

The scarlet dragon took off like a bolt from a crossbow. Tahlia threw her bow down and drew her short sword. She ran after them, feet pounding over a rise of mossy rock. Ragewing flew in front of Katk’s face and lashed the clawed tip of one wing across the monster’s good eye. Tahlia couldn’t see everything from the ground, but Katk certainly wasn’t slowing. If anything, his steps were growing longer and more sure as he came within feet of the first rune-marked border stone.

Lija, stay with Fara. Don’t try to join me.

Lija’s only answer was a resounding roar that bounced off the wall of rock Tahlia ran beside. Tears pricked Tahlia’s eyes. Lija’s pain shadowed Tahlia’s side like a varjuline had latched onto her arm and between her ribs.

Marius’s whip cracked. Katk whirled, more graceful than he should have been at his size, and he reached toward Marius. Marius leapt from Ragewing’s saddle and landed hard. His face shone with sweat as his sword flashed. Was his leg injured? Blood poured from Katk’s knee. Ragewing flew at the monster, lashing out with talon and tooth, but Katk bent, dodging the scarlet dragon’s attack. The monster swiped a hand at Marius.

Three thoughts hit Tahlia’s mind like quick cuts from the sharpest blade.

Katk wasn’t going to miss.

Marius would die cursed and plagued with golden boils—the same horrible end as many of his Mistgold ancestors.

She was the only one close enough to save him.

Her blood singing through her veins that this was her mate, she jumped between Katk’s hand and Marius, her gladius outstretched like a spear’s head. Katk’s hand hit her. The blade sank into his foul flesh, and she held on to the hilt. The monster shook his hand to dislodge the blade. Tahlia was thrown into the air. Her stomach lifted as she fell again. Katk batted her body aside. She slammed into the earth. Her breath left in a violent gust. But she was on her feet before the pain hit her.

Marius stumbled backward as the monster grabbed for him again. Tahlia reached out and shoved Marius back.

Their eyes met. Sorrow swallowed the storm of Marius’s gaze. He mouthed one mournful phrase.

No, my heart, my love.

Katk bellowed, grabbed Tahlia, and lunged toward the standing stones.

A wave of aching pain started in Tahlia’s palms, where she’d touched Marius. The sickening sensation spread into her chest, down her legs, and up her neck toward her face. A shiver ran through her. She was like an egg cracked against stone, her strength and energy spilling into Katk’s sticky hold on her.

The curse crawled through her body. The monster held her tight. He stomped on the first of the standing stones and the rock exploded. A wind scented with green grass and rain touched her cheeks.

She shut her eyes. “Goodbye, Marius, Lija, Fara, and Ragewing. I’m sorry I failed.”

A warmth circled her waist. She opened her eyes. Red sparks lit her torso, only partially visible within Katk’s great hand. An image shimmered to life over the view of the second stone. Katk smashed the runed stone with a fist and threw Tahlia to the ground.

But the image only grew clearer.

Titus stood beside Maiwenn and Ewan. Claudia, Atticus, Justus, and Enora were there too. Then all of the riders except Ophelia. They weren’t truly present though. This was only a hallucination.

Tahlia!Lija shouted into Tahlia’s mind.

She realized Lija, Fara, and Marius had been shouting her name as they tried to fight Katk.

“Tahlia! Don’t give up! Fight!” Fara’s voice was a reedy plea on the wind in Tahlia’s ears.

Blinking, she pressed a palm against her pounding forehead. The image of the other riders faded. The view of Katk’s massive form and broken bits of the standing stones went black. Tahlia fell into darkness.