Page 134 of The Last Dragon
Get out.
Get out.
Get out.
I can’t die here, not now. Chills run down my spine, but the heat is too intense for me to keep going. I can’t call up the unfamiliar power. A speck of crimson trickles down my chin. I look around, searching for a familiar face.
“Nida,” I cough out. Where is she? Where is she? Where is she?
My knees buckle, and I crash to the ground, hard enough for the impact to split the weakened floorboards. With a trembling hand, I try to push myself up, but I’m too weak. What’s happening to me? Why can’t I move? Did Grogol inject me with the serum?
A cough echoes through the chaos, and a shadowy figure appears, stumbling and leaning on a pillar engulfed in smoke. My vision is still blurry, but I try to reach for the figure that’s inches away. They pause and then stumble forward, grabbing and throwing my arm over their neck. The scent of cinnamon and blood coating my tongue takes over. I’m hauled to my feet and pushed toward the exit and I suck in another breath, this time, it’s fresh air. I’m suddenly dropped to the ground, my knees and hands hitting the dry soil as I cough the remaining residue of smoke out of my lungs. I whip around, refusing to turn my back on whoever dragged me out of this hellish fire. Long, black streaks of hair and piercing gray eyes greet me. Valous. He turns, facing the burning tavern in front of him. His burning home. A loud, pained roar escapes him.
I glance at my surroundings. Bodies of men, women, and children lie on the bloody soil. Wails carry through the ruins as survivors cradle their loved ones, their lives hanging by a thread.
This is all my fault.
With the little strength I have left, I rise from the ground, legs trembling as I try to get my balance back. Heat radiates from the flames of the tavern, spreading to homes near it. There is noway to stop it. In seconds, the silhouette of the wooden cabin will only echo in smoke, before it completely falls to ash.
Valous’ body tenses, rage seeping through his teeth. Guilt gnaws at my throat. If I hadn’t shown up… if I hadn’t dragged him into this—if I’d just found a way to carry the weight on my own—none of this would have happened. Now, because of me, dozens are without a home. No hope of rebuilding. No one left to thank but the Corps.
“Valous,” I manage to squeeze the word out, still battling the burning in my throat. He turns to me, eyes wide. I try to apologize. I try to say how sorry I am. Not even someone like him deserves this. For a moment, he looks as if he could kill me. As if he has a knife behind his back, ready to strike my throat. But he only takes a few steps back.
“Donot,” he hisses through clenched teeth. Fists at his sides. “Do not.” His eyes rake across the field, shoulders slumping, and he releases a soft sigh. Then his attention returns to mine. The thunderous flames rage behind him.
“Where is she?” I ask, taking a few steps to grab Valous by the crewneck. “Where’s Nida?” My voice is loud.Thunderous.
He grabs my hands, pushing himself away from my grip. He’spissed. But controlled.
“He took her,” he says calmly. “Grogol took her.”
I stare at him. Processing his words. Took her? Why? Is he going to use her against me? Wipe her memories? Fill her with lies? No, I can’t let that happen. I take a breath and then I step back, turning away. And I walk.
“Where are you going, Zel?”
“I’m going to go get her,” I say.
“You are telling me right now that you are going to turn around, leave these people—their homes burned—nowhere left to stay?”
“What do you want me to do?” I yell out.
“Give me what I want,” he seethes through clenched teeth.
I’ve never seen him like this before. My mind aches. It’s like there are empty patches in my memory. It’s like the conversation we are having now instantly fades from my mind. Only fragments are left.
“What is it that you want, Valous? I ask, weakly.
Valous stares at me, taking a deep, slow, deliberate breath. In just a few seconds, everything changes. The rage in his eyes—the anger that looked like it might explode, like he was about to stab me—fades away. His breath evens out. His muscles relax. He becomes calm. Collected. Controlled. He shuts his eyes for a moment. Then, he opens them.
“A rebellion,” he says calmly. “Give me arebellion.” He takes a step closer.
I watch him in disbelief. What? A rebellion? Is this what he’s been doing all this time?
“You give me that, you burn the Third down to the ground like they did our home—and I’ll give you an army. I’ll give you Nida back.”
This bastard. Is he seriously using Nida’s life as leverage? Is he seriously asking me to do this? I look around me, watching the people’s eyes. Hatred for one common enemy seeps through them. And then I glance at the burning tavern.
I look at Valous. “No,” I say.
