Page 106 of Of Blooming Embers
“Seryn!” I bellowed, charging in the direction of her and the others, my sword illuminating.
My pulse thundered, pumping in time with my arms. Seryn’s braid whipped behind her as she faced the massive beast.
The wyvern had found us.
Its bulbous nostrils flared, and its broad, gilded chest heaved. As it puffed, the glittering air swirled in eddies around Seryn’s rigid frame. Wings covered in olive-green feathers, tipped in cerulean, spread wide as gleaming indigo plumage trembled in a ripple down its massive, serpentine body.
Slowly, she sheathed her dagger and held her palms up to the creature. Shelf-like brows narrowed over its fiery glare as it considered her.
“Fecking shite, woman,” Breena hissed as Marek bit out, “Cousin!”
I reached the others, slowing my pace and lowering my blade. “Let her do what she must,” I snapped. From what they told me, the wyvern didn’t attack her last time. We would put her in more danger by causing a scene. I sheathed my sword, holding my breath as I observed Seryn’s every movement.
“Unbelievable,” Rhaegar muttered, replacing his axe. He cuffed Breena and Marek’s biceps. Warily, the others lowered their weapons.
A gnarl vibrated in the beast’s chest, its spade-shaped tail flicking in the air as it lowered onto its stocky forelegs and brought its gilt snout closer to Seryn’s face. Against my better judgment, I stepped nearer, hands fisting at my sides.
“Don’t,” Seryn ordered, not breaking eye contact with the beast. She stretched out her fingers. “Do you remember me? I saved your hatchling. I … We don’t mean you any harm. We’re here to ask a favor.”
The dragon grunted, its lips shivering over jagged teeth as if it understood.
Seryn continued. “We need to find a way into the dungeon belowMorpheus’ palace. To … to fulfill the next phase of a prophecy. The Hollowed Stars prophecy. Do you know it?”
Irritated, the wyvern huffed, blowing stray curls around her face and leaning even closer, its diamond-shaped pupils dilating. So close, I saw the gold flecks swimming in the orange of its eyes. My heartbeat thrashed behind its confines as my khorda tenderly touched its lowered snout.
A ripple shivered over its roughened muzzle, and it pushed into her touch, brow bones prudently lifting.
Its gaze snapped to the side, a sonorous grumble vibrating in its gullet.
“Seryn!” Her name thundered over the meadow as my brother hurtled toward us from our left. All at once, my hand shot out, willing him to yield, but the words choked me as a second wyvern dove toward Seryn on our right.
The bigger creature reared its head, and Seryn stumbled backward.
I wouldn’t reach her in time.
Pure terror exploded through me.
It was smaller, but still monstrous, with scarlet feathers streaking over its head and body. Its golden underbelly glinted in the sun as it stretched its dark claws and snatched Seryn from the earth, teal-colored wings flapping powerfully into the sky.
A resounding series of barks shot from the bigger wyvern, and the smaller one’s piercing shriek rent the air in reply, drowning out Seryn’s garbled scream.
Kaden zoomed past me, and I cursed, following him as we chased them.
“Damn it, I can’t lose you, too. Why the bloody void are you here?” I barked, my words clipped and choppy.
Arms pumping, his brows furrowed, and his mouth twisted. “Because I made a fucking mistake!” he yelled breathlessly.
The sound of wings rhythmically beating against the wind stalked us. I clamped my molars in trepidation as shadow blotted out the sun’s rays.
“Brace yourself, brother!” I bellowed as the first wyvern’s enormous talons wrapped around us, our legs and arms dangling from each of the beast’s paws.
My jaw set, hands gripping the curved talons that caged me. If this was how we met our end, it mattered not where the monsters took us as long as I was by Seryn’s side.
Always.
42
NOT MY IDEA OF FUN
