Page 110 of Consort's Dragon
Avera bit her lip but darted close enough to slash him across the arm.Griff made no sound of pain but rather shifted his balance, so his wound scraped across the soldier.
The man’s weapon dropped along with his slack jaw.
Griff used that reprieve to slash both his palms before sheathing his sword and rushing the soldiers.He began slapping and punching soldiers, his bloody fists leaving red marks wherever they struck.More soldiers woke from Zhos’ spell.
Which led to more screeching from it.
“The rift is already shrinking.Do something,” Opal screamed.
Avera glanced at Zhos who was looking over the edge of the parapet, wavering on whether or not it should attempt to jump into the rift.She could see the gash in the air and knew the same moment Zhos did that it couldn’t reach it.
“Tell the dragons to do something,” she shouted.
Lance shuddered, the chain around his neck glowing before he lunged for Zhos only to abruptly jerk to a halt.
“What are you doing?”Opal yelled.“Grab Zhos and drop it in the rift before it closes.”
Lance remained frozen in place and the thing chuckled.
It took a soldier standing apart from the rest to explain, “Did you not know that the collars can be controlled by anyone with magic?”
Zhos flicked its hand.“And right now, that’s me.”
Lance suddenly pivoted and lunged for Calixte who screeched before diving off the parapet.Lance leaped after her and was joined by Gunther.As the trio of dragons chased each other in the sky, Avera felt her hope sinking.
It didn’t help Opal stamped her foot.“Why would you do that?You claimed you wanted to go back to your world.”
“I’ve changed my mind.Thanks to you, I don’t have to fear dragons.I have three under my comm?—”
Flames suddenly engulfed Zhos as Argent swept in low and bathed it in his fiery breath.As Argent flew past, the fire extinguished and Zhos remained there, as grotesque as ever.
The soldier he’d been using as his voice, though?
Barbecued.
A glance at Griff showed him still slapping soldiers, and those he couldn’t reach were being handled by Gustav, Kreed, Monty, and Simhi.When had they arrived?
“The rift is closing!”Opal screamed.
And quickly, too.The air went from electrified to normal.
Zhos cackled, a sound that needed no one to translate.
Avera saw red.They’d missed their chance to rid themselves of Zhos.The next portal wouldn’t open for a thousand years.Too long.And they still didn’t have anything that could kill it.Nothing from Zhos’ world she could even think of using as a weapon.
Except…
The idea hit Avera suddenly and she didn’t bother to think it through thoroughly.She didn’t have time.A distracted Zhos paid her no mind as more soldiers came to the fray.As fast as Griff dispelled them, more took their place.
Avera ran for the creature causing all the trouble, her bloody hand upraised.
It had a moment to turn and see her coming.Its eyes widened but it didn’t move fast enough to avoid her bloody slap.
The cut on her palm still oozed, and when it came in contact with Zhos, the creature froze.Good.This would make the next part easier.
Actually, not easy at all.Despite Griff coming to the rescue, she still saw only one way out of the situation.
She had to die so everyone else could live.
