His dragon yelled, I can't stop it.
Try harder.
A pause, and then, I'm sorry. This is my fault.
It was getting harder to concentrate as the pain coursed through his body, but he gritted out, What do you mean?
I kept pawing at the invisible walls, wondering if I could go back to the lake and allow you some time alone with Brenna.
His dragon was a child and lacked adult reasoning.
Before Killian could learn anything else, the shadow substance gripped around his middle and yanked him toward something.
He blacked out and regained consciousness beside the mirror lake.
With a groan, he sat up slowly and noticed the large crack in the lake's surface. What looked like black steam rose from it, and it slowly moved to gather around Killian's body.
Whether this was another dream or he was trapped in a different p
art of his mind, he had no idea. But something told him that he needed to find the baby dragon if he ever wanted to get back to Brenna.
Clenching his jaw, Killian slowly stood and surveyed the area. While the shadow cloud around his body continued to thicken, he could just make out the hills nearby. At the top of one sat the young blue and white dragon.
Killian needed to reach him.
Pushing against the cloud enclosure, pain instantly radiated up his arm.
As he gritted his teeth, he returned his arm to his side. If the darkness consumed him, he would never make it to that hill. That left only one option—the young dragon had to come to him. The question was how to reach him.
An idea flashed. Since speaking in his mind had always worked, he tried it now. Can you hear me?
The dragon's voice wavered as he answered, Yes.
Then come to me. I need you.
But I'm scared. The shadow dragon is coming out and wants to eat me.
Please, if you want to make Brenna smile again, I need your help. I can't get out of this alone.
The darkness continued to build around him, to the point he could no longer see his surroundings.
When the swirling blackness closed in on him and began to shrink, Killian was forced to squat to avoid coming into contact with it. Any time he chanced touching the black mist, it burned his skin. If he couldn't find a way out, he might die.
And then he'd never have the chance to hold Brenna close and make her laugh.
Because in that moment, it became clear that even if his future was uncertain, he wanted what time he had in the present with his beautiful female. He'd wasted too much time already. Time he could've wooed and gotten to know Brenna instead of being surly and acting nonchalant.
Killian would have to fight for what he wanted, even if it meant he could die in the process.
That meant he needed to escape the darkness. Just as he was about to chance standing up, the little dragon crashed through the swirling, thick mist. Within seconds, the cloud spread out and retreated a short distance away. The baby dragon stood in front of Killian and spread his wings wide. "Don't harm him."
The blackness morphed into the shape of a dragon. A deep voice boomed out, "I can't survive without him. You and I must become one."
Something about the deep voice was familiar, but Killian pushed the feeling aside. It may only have been a short time, but he'd grown close to the little dragon. He couldn't let him die.
Killian shouted, "Leave him be and take me."
"No," the shadow dragon answered. "I can't survive without the wee one either."