Chapter 21

They coalesced in the sigil room, surrounded by smoke and ash. Bael coughed by her side. Since she’d last been here, someone had tidied up. Cardboard and duct tape now covered the shattered window, and the broken glass had been swept from the floor. Ursula’s legs still trembled—a relic of looking into the dragon’s eyes—and her palms felt sweaty on the sword’s hilt.

She stepped into the hall. “Hello? Anyone home?”

Footsteps sounded further down the hall. In another moment, Zee and Cera poked their heads from the kitchen doorway.

Cera ran to Bael, her eyes wide. “Lord. What happened to you?” Her gaze darted between Ursula and the shadow demon. “You’re not trying to drink her blood anymore?”

“No. I went to help Ursula retrieve the sword.” He coughed as he spoke. “The handmaidens in Avalon took my magic, and with it, the blood hunger.” He coughed again.

Cera’s eyes widened with concern. “Are you all right, my lord?”

“I’m fine,” said Bael with a shrug. “Just a bit of ash in my lungs.”

“Sorry, I didn’t have time to warn you about that,” said Ursula.

“What happened?” asked Cera.

“Another dragon,” said Bael. “We had to leave in a hurry. Ursula and I haven’t eaten much in the last couple of days.”

“Follow me,” said Zee. Ursula followed her to the kitchen, her mouth watering. When she’d left New York, the pantry and fridge had been completely bare. Now, food covered every surface—cans of soup, bags of potatoes and rice, even a bowl of fresh fruit.

Ursula’s jaw dropped, and she rested her sword on the wooden table. “Where did all this come from?”

“London,” said Zee matter-of-factly, grabbing a can of soup.

“London?”

“Kester used the sigil. Brought back loads of groceries.”

“Kester?” Ursula had so many questions to ask him. Namely, what the hell was the Darkling? “Is he here?”

“No, you just missed him.” Zee began rummaging in the fridge. Over Zee’s shoulder Ursula saw containers of eggs, orange juice, and butter. Zee handed Ursula a small parcel wrapped in brown paper.

Ursula smiled wanly at the packaging: Paxton Whitfield. Pulling open the package, she found a blue-and-white marbled wedge of cheese, and she inhaled the sharp scent of Stilton, her heart still heavy.

Zee crossed her arms, studying Ursula’s expression. “I thought you’d be a little more excited. You seem like you’ve just come back from a funeral.”

Ursula loosed a sigh, sorrow weighing hard on her chest. “A dragon attacked Avalon. It was a bloodbath.”

“Shit, Ursula.”

“I need to stop the dragons.”

“First, eat.” She thrust a chunk of baguette at Ursula.

Ursula spread some of the cheese on the bread and bit into it hungrily.

Across from her, Bael was eating chili straight from a can, but only managed a bite or two before Cera snatched it from him and dumped it in a pot. Bael sighed, but didn’t say anything.

Zee worked on uncorking a bottle of wine. “So what’s the plan?”

“We’re going to fight the dragons,” said Ursula through a mouthful of cheese.

Cera turned on the flame on the stovetop. “How, exactly?”

Ursula nodded at the sword on the counter. “With Excalibur.”

“Oh.” Zee’s eyes widened. “That’s Excalibur.”

Cera’s brow furrowed as she stirred the chili. “So… how does it work? Now that you have the sword you can just magically kill all the dragons?”

“No,” said Bael with finality. “She’ll need to train to use the sword first. Have you ever fought a dragon? It requires certain skills.”

Ursula arched an eyebrow. “You’ve fought a dragon?”

Bael shrugged. “It was a long time ago. I was victorious.”

Ursula’s stomach tightened. “I now know that I need to avoid eye contact with the beasts. That last glimpse into the dragon’s eyes in Avalon nearly had me pissing myself. But how long do you think it will take to train me with the sword?”

Bael stared into the distance. “Dragons are ancient creatures. Like the fae, they existed before the gods were banished to their separate hells. Their skin is virtually impervious to conventional weapons. Apart from Excalibur.”

Zee spoke up. “The legend is, that blade was forged by Oberon, the first king of the fae. With it he struck down the Great Wyrm of Avalon. The sword passed down from king to king, until it was stolen by Queen Viviane and given to Dagon, god of the sea.”

“Viviane,” Ursula breathed. “I saw a vision from her memory. She’s the Lady of the Lake.”

Bael nodded. “Dagon kept the blade for himself.”

Ursula pointed to the Angelic lettering along the edge of the sword. “Cast me away,” she said out loud. “What does it mean?”

“Show me the other side,” said Zee.

Ursula turned the blade over. There was more Angelic script: Take me up.

Zee let out low whistle. “So the stories are true.”

“What do you mean?”

“When King Oberon forged the blade, it is said that he cursed it.”

The sword seemed to call to Ursula, that strange magnetic pull, but she forced herself to step away from it.

Zee traced her fingertips over the hilt. “The ancient fae king was worried that he’d made it too lethal… too powerful. So as protection, he cursed it to discourage people from using it unless it was absolutely necessary.”

Ursula sucked in a deep breath. “What does the curse do?”

Zee shook her head. “I don’t know. The blade was forged eons ago. The stories mentioned that King Oberon left a warning on the blade, but no one remembers what he was warning anyone about. That’s generally how fae legends go. You get a little bit of the story but nothing particularly helpful.”

Ursula nodded. “So it can cut dragon hide, but it might be cursed. Anything else I need to know?”

Zee shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

Cera turned from the steaming chili and squinted at Bael, as if scrutinizing him. “What happened to your magic? I cannot sense it.”

“As I said, the maidens of Avalon took it from me.”

Ursula stared at him. “But we got it back. I have my fire magic back. I thought you had yours, too.”

He shook his head. “Mine could not be restored.”

She dropped her bread on the counter, no longer hungry. “You didn’t get your apple?”

“No.”

Her stomach sank. “I’d sort of been hoping you could help me fight the dragons.”

Bael crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m strong even without my magic. It’s why the gods were fighting over me in the first place.”

Ursula cocked her head. He certainly doesn’t lack confidence. “Right, but if we’re going to fight the dragons, we need all the extra help we can get.”

Swift as a night wind, Bael deftly grabbed her around the waist and lifted her into the air as if she weighed little more than a piece of lint. “Do you doubt my strength? I was chosen to be Sword of Nyxobas because of my battle prowess.” Gently, he lowered her until her face was mere inches from his.

She stared into his fathomless gray eyes, so stark and cold against his inviting golden skin. Her pulse began to race, and she had the strongest urge to lean in and kiss him on his perfect lips, that surprisingly sensual mouth. “I believe you.”

Bael lowered her to her to the ground.

Zee coughed. “Are you two quite done, or do you need us to leave?”

Bael snatched the soup simmering on the stove. “Tomorrow I will train you to fight a dragon.” He stalked out of the room.

Zee arched an eyebrow. “A little tetchy?”

“My lord was hungry,” said Cera defensively.

Ursula rubbed her eyes. “Any idea where exactly Kester went?”

“Yes.” Zee popped a grape into her mouth. “He went to speak to the dragons.”