The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania 3)

Randall’s eyes were wide. “Like fire.”

“Sweet molasses,” I managed to say.

The orange lights erupted. Great plumes of fire smashed into the ice wall, and it cracked down the middle. I could feel the heat of the flames through the wall and watched in horror as a lick of fire curled through the crack. The ice began to split even more, and Randall grabbed my hand, jerking me toward the cave entrance.

The heat at our backs grew exponentially as we ran. I looked back over my shoulder in time to see the ice wall shatter, steam rising as fire shot through, melting the chunks of ice that tumbled to the ground. The dragons both tried to fit through the small opening at the same time, but the remains of the wall held, though it creaked dangerously. Two sets of claws reached out, scraping along the ice, scrabbling for purchase.

I ran, following Randall, his robes flowing with every step he took. He was light and quick, and I almost had a hard time keeping up, my feet sliding along the ice, the weight of my pack throwing me off-balance. I gave brief thought to tossing it aside, but Ryan’s letter was rolled up safely inside, and I couldn’t bear to part with it. I shouldn’t have brought it to begin with, but I hadn’t known how long I was going to be gone for. If I tossed it now, the dragons might destroy it. I couldn’t have that.

The fact that these dragons were assholes shouldn’t have surprised me.

They were testing me.

Just like Zero had.

Just like Kevin had.

The fact that neither Zero nor Kevin had exactly known they were testing me didn’t matter. Zero was a child. He’d said he thought we were playing. Kevin was just… Kevin. He was a douchebag who had wanted to hoard pretty things.

These two, though.

They knew what they were doing.

Maybe they did want to eat me.

Maybe they didn’t give two shits about a destiny of dragons.

Maybe they didn’t care what the star dragon said.

And that made me run even faster.

From behind me, in the distance, I heard the remains of the ice wall crumble.

The dragons roared, louder than they’d been before.

WIZARD

WE ARE COMING, WIZARD

WE FEEL YOU

WE SEE YOU

WE TASTE YOU

“Go fuck yourselves!” I screamed back.

They laughed in my head, grating and harsh.

The path in the cave twisted sharply ahead, and I couldn’t slow in time. My feet slid along the ice, and I crashed into the wall, bouncing off it with a jarring impact. Something in my shoulder snapped wetly, and I cried out as the pain rolled through me. My stomach lurched as my vision grayed.

“We must hurry,” a voice said in my ear, hands coming to my good arm.

“Shit,” I muttered. “Fucking hurt my shoulder.”

“I know. It might be dislocated. Fight through it. We have to go. Now.”

And with no other choice, I followed him.