Chapter 4

"Alright,I'm glad you guys have reconnected and everything," Jeremy said, "but we need to go over our mission here."

Good thing, too, because I was ninety-nine percent sure that Rain and Amara would try to kill each other if the reunion went on much longer.

"Right." Laila zipped up her puffer coat and squatted to dig in her backpack on the ground. She straightened back up with a large green blanket. Supposed it was more of a cloak, though, because she situated it around her shoulders and fastened a purple brooch at the throat. "In Vulla up north, there was an attack. We know it was the life eaters. So that's where we're headed."

"They're common in that region because of the Elite population," Amara said. "My army managed to take out a chunk of them, but they've got to have a base nearby. There were at least three dozen of them."

"They target places with high populations because of how powerful Elites are, right?" Rain asked.

Graham opened his mouth to speak, but Amara was faster. "They're after power. Obviously, they're going to attack people with a lot of it."

Rain narrowed her gaze, though not enough for Graham to notice. Typical straight guy. Completely oblivious to the tension between two creatures who communicated fifty percent in body language.

Ezra and I glanced at each other, our eyes wide.

"That's what I assumed," Rain said. "But sorry, I'm not from here. I'm still learning."

"So are we." Laila's tone was firm, expression no different when she looked at Amara. "That's why you're here, you know. So you can explain things that we might be a bit misinformed on."

When Laila spoke, Amara's stiff jaw softened. "Oh, of course, do gràs."

And that was why. She knew who and what Laila was. Mother goddess. Creator of worlds. Physical embodiment of the tree of life. The only person capable of granting it to Amara.

Laila had not.

There was a certain smell that came with immortality. I hadn't known it as such until Rain and Graham became eternal. Their scent was still the same, but there was a youthfulness to it after they had taken from the tree of life. It was similar to how a newborn baby smelled.

Amara smelled like candy. Just like every other Fae I had met. But she didn't smell like Rain or the other freshly made eternals.

Laila had yet to give her the tree, if she ever would. Given her attitude, I couldn't even begin to imagine why.

"But since this is the first time that you guys have been in a position like this, let's go over some basics," Laila said. She held up three fingers. "Three primary rules. Stick to them, and we'll all make it back here in one piece."

"Rule number one," Jeremy said. "You pick one person, and you stick with that person. You and this person count on one another to protect your lives. This is what they mean when they say, ‘I have your back.' If we need to run, you make sure you have that person's hand. If we need to fight, you fight with your backs up against each other's. If that person needs to shit, you stay in shouting distance while they do."

"Thank you for that mental image," I said.

Luci chuckled. "Get used to it."

"Rule number two," Laila talked over him. "If something looks too easy, it's too easy. These fuckers are known for setting traps and ambushing when you least expect it."

"Ye might see them coming, but don't count on it," Amara said. "To kill ye, to take yer soul, they have to be close. Either stabbing ye in the back, or looking ye in the eye. Don't let them get that close. Run if ye got to."

"Rule number three." Jeremy's expression hardened, becoming colder than stone. "Trust your gut. If something feels off, say so. You're probably right."

"Doesn't everything feel off on a war ground?" I asked.

"Usually?" Laila asked. "No."

"Most of the time, ye hear the birds chirping," Amara said. "Feel the wind in yer hair. Smell the ocean or the sap of the trees. But when ye hear silence?"

"Subconsciously," Luci began, "you'll know something doesn't feel right, but you might not be able to put your finger on what. That's why we say follow the feeling. That gut instinct evolved in us for a reason. Don't ignore it."

An almost indescribable sound punctuated his sentence, kind of like a flag flapping on a windy day. It emanated from above while a large cloud seemed to overtake the sky, shrouding us in darkness.

But it wasn't a large cloud. Above me, at least four car lengths in width, a dragon circled. Then another, and another, and another. Two were almost identical in size and shape. Black, with a purplish hue, just like the Elvan ore all over this dimension.

One by one, they landed with thundering thumps. All seven clustered in a circle, waiting patiently for us.

At once, I was both mesmerized and terrified. Those two dark-colored ones were easily the size of my home. And—not to be boastful—that was saying a whole hell of a lot. I'd yet to see their fangs, but one claw alone had to have been as big as my leg. It seemed that way as they fluttered to the ground, at least.

The other five were smaller, each unique. One, a pale shade of blue, not much bigger than a pickup truck. It reminded me of dinosaurs I'd seen at museums, almost like a pterodactyl. Long pointy snout, two bulging eyes, and front legs far shorter than the rear.

The green one was almost identical to the blue, but its snout was bulkier. As he landed, only a few yards ahead, I got a glimpse at his eyes. They were like those of a goat, slits cut sideways across glowing green irises.

An orange one came next, then yellow, then pink. They resembled birds, not only because of their wings, but because—like Rain's ravens—their heads were small, chests broad and bulky, with a small rear, ending in long, pointy tales.

Much to my surprise, Rain's ravens still circled overhead. For whatever reason, the dragons' approach had not inspired a reaction. I don't know what I'd been expecting, be it fear or aggression, but I'd expected something.

It never came, though. They merely drifted through the wind overhead.

"Jake," Laila called, waiting for his attention. When it came her way, she waved him over. "You're with me."

"Rain, Ezra, Warren, and Graham," Iliantha said, waving for us to follow her. Her blue dress floated behind her like a cloud, smacking me in the legs as we trailed her. "You will ride Kilyn." She gestured to one of those massive, black and purplish dragons. "She's a good girl. Peaceful, truly. Not aggressive in the slightest. She likes a gentle ride, which seems best for all of you who aren't accustomed to flying."

Practically bouncing with excitement, Rain hurried to catch up to Iliantha. "Can I pet her?"

"I'd encourage it before you mount her, yes." Iliantha chuckled, stretching onto her tiptoes to pet Kilyn's shoulder. Sure enough, that one limb was almost as tall as me. "It's a long flight. While I won't be with you for the entire trip, I won't be far behind tonight in case you need me. That shouldn't be an issue, though. Kilyn's never given me any problems." She turned to Graham. "Are you familiar with the lying saddles?"

"No, ma'am," Graham said. "Only road with a saddle a few times, and they were all single rider."

"Well, it's quite simple. This way then." Iliantha raised her hands at her side and floated as high as the dragon's back, at least a story and a half off the ground.

Graham, Ezra, and Rain all followed behind her, simply floating onto the dragon's back. I cursed under my breath when Graham dropped a rope ladder off of Kilyn's frame for me to climb. He only smiled and shook his head at me.

Those two had picked up on Graham's abilities so easily. I envied them for that. Although I was a Guardian, and it should have been easy for me to learn a new power, it just hadn't come naturally to me. I supposed Rain had manipulated the elements many times as a witch, so I understood why she was a quick study.

But Ezra? He was only a Vampire. Didn't even have powers to begin with, and he had accessed Graham's seemingly overnight. I had managed to use them before, namely when we took down Dathor, but never with their expertise.

Climbing up the rope ladder, my finger brushed one of Kilyn's scales. Pain pierced through it. Blood trailed down my arm, and I muttered another curse.

I should have expected that. While the dragon scales were shiny and smooth from a distance, up close like this, their overlap was like shingles on a roof. Only, these shingles were made of glass or sheet metal, it seemed.

"You okay down there?" Rain called, grinning over the edge.

"Just dandy," I said.

When I made it to the top, the oddest site came into view. Rather than a single saddle like you would see on a horse, there was a carpet nearly the size of Kilyn's back. Made of warm, brown leather, it stretched from her neck midway down her back. It had to have been ten by ten feet.

Bumpers lined the edges, almost like a child's cradle. Leather straps with buckles stretched all the way across it. Every few feet, there was another buckle attached to the leather.

"Are those seatbelts?" I asked.

"Do seatbelts keep you strapped to a moving surface?" Iliantha asked.

Had to love the culture barrier. "Usually, yeah."

"Then yes, those are seatbelts." Walking across Kilyn's back, she pointed to each of them. "I'm sure you all know how to use a buckle, so I won't go into much more depth, but now you get the idea. It's a long trip. It's very cold up there, so make sure that you're warm before we take off. Then bundle up, lie down, and get as much rest as you can."