A Kingdom of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 3)

Oh shi-it! I thought-yelled.

We hit with a solid thud and then bounced forward, landing on our chest and head.

Give me back control, I thought. I’m more skilled at falling than you are!

Thankfully she relented, magic blossoming around us until my human arms and limbs were flung around, and my body rolled along weeds and dirt.

I tucked and spun, gaining control before stopping the tumble. As I slid to a stop, strong hands found me and pulled me up. A thick arm bent around my lower back, keeping me upright.

“Are you okay?” Micah’s worried face swam into sight.

“Nice spill, Strange Lady,” Vemar called, laughing. “I’ve done something similar a time or two.”

“I’ve got her.” Hannon braced one hand on Micah’s shoulder and pulled me away with the other. “Can you stand on your own, Finley?”

I rubbed my eyes and sagged but stayed standing. “Yeah. I’m exhausted, though.”

“Me too.” Vemar walked closer, a little wobble in his step.

“You wouldn’t be so exhausted if you’d flown straight and not tried to scare the piss out of me,” said Hadriel, staggering behind him.

Vemar laughed. “Worth it. You sure can scream, little man.”

“Oh, don’t worry, no offense taken, you giant wankstain,” Hadriel muttered.

Vemar turned back slowly, a mad gleam in his eyes.

Hadriel scowled at him. “Finley, I’ll be down by the docks asking after the faeries and wolves. Keep that crazy fucker on a leash, would you?”

Tamara and Lucille walked over with grins as they watched Hadriel stagger toward the docks.

“He should’ve known better than to accept a ride from Vemar,” Tamara said, bending over and bracing her hands on her knees.

Leala joined us, her hair windswept and stars in her eyes. “I think he figured they had some sort of rapport, and a dragon he knew was better than one he didn’t.”

“We do have a rapport.” Vemar rubbed a hand down his face. “One I probably appreciate more than he does. He’s fun to taunt.”

“We’ve always thought so,” Lucille replied.

“Okay.” I straightened up and nodded at Micah. “Thanks for helping us get here.”

“Of course,” he replied. “I have to warn you again, though, this port doesn’t typically like to deal with dragons. It might be harder than you expect to get a vessel.”

He’d told me that yesterday, while we were finishing our preparations. He’d relented on leaving at dawn but attempted to convince me to fly to the larger, busier port to the south, which would be easier for dragons to use. It would have taken us twice as long to get there, though, and time was one thing we didn’t have.

“We’ll make it work.” I took a slip from Leala and pulled it over my head. The non-fliers had been in charge of the clothes. We were keeping them simple, however, in case we had to fly again.

I turned and put a hand to Hannon’s arm so that he would step out of the way. The demons waited in a tense cluster, a few of them darting furtive looks at the dragons standing very close. It was one thing to allow the demons to wander a bit while in the mountains surrounded by nothing but dragons, but here, where there were plenty of escape routes, they were being watched closely. I was sure that was Micah’s doing, and it was a good call.

“Govam, with me,” I called, pushing aside my worry for Nyfain and refocusing on the challenges of the moment. Govam stepped away from the others without changing expression, stopping by my side expectantly. “Let’s go see what we’re up against.”

“Our boat is still here if needed,” he said as we made it out of the tall grass and weeds and onto a path that led down to the docks. It would merge with a path lined with the stalls and stands of merchants selling their goods.

“I’d rather not use a thing only you can operate,” I told him, watching Hadriel at one of the stalls nearest the village, up the slow rise. My stomach fluttered. Had the wolves returned as promised? And the faeries? “What are the chances that Dolion has closed down the portals?”

Govam took a deep breath and paused for a moment, probably thinking it through. “Unlikely. If he applies the obice, he won’t have to worry about anyone but my kind breaking in. He’ll post powerful demons to guard them in case there is such a breach. With this collection of dragons, we’d be able to get through them, but we might suffer losses, and it would certainly take more time. It would be best to avoid it if possible.”

I remembered to breathe as we made our way to the docks. My stomach was in knots. We could do without the wolves if we had to. We could even do without Calia if absolutely necessary. But each absence would stack the odds further in Dolion’s favor.