A Kingdom of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 3)

I grabbed Hannon’s forearm and gave him a long look. He was calm, even now. Unruffled but ready for anything, always dependable.

“Keep yourself safe, Hannon. Please. Don’t leave this world tonight. I can’t win back one and lose another.”

“I was never the risk taker, Finley. You keep yourself…well, alive if not safe. Leave me enough of you to patch back together.”

My eyes glossed over again, and I nodded before cutting off all sentimentally, not letting the fear of what was to come claw at me. Nyfain would be okay. He had to be okay. I couldn’t consider anything else. Not now. Now, I could only think about getting to him and saving the motherfucking day.

“Dragons,” I called as the faeries continued their work. The demons stepped up closer, Govam watching Calia intensely, obviously feeling her use his magic. “The rest of you will run through before you shift. Here we go!” I made a small gesture and turned, my intent clear. It was time to add my battle roar to the mix.

I sure hoped we could fucking roar. It hadn’t gone well in practice flights.

I got this, my dragon thought, power pumping through us.

Everyone scattered out of the way, reading my intention, but Hadriel called out, “More room—she’s huge,” pushing and shoving at people to make room.

The pain barely registered through the adrenaline as the dragon form took over. Calia was moving her arms now, weaving them through the air like a dance. Those around her bowed under the strain, lending their power and strength to her efforts. Even the demons started to wilt from the strain. We wouldn’t have much time.

Roar, I thought like a whip crack. Now!

My dragon tilted back her head. The vibration started low and then built up through us, one clear directive blasting out with an incredible surge of power, all our own.

Fight!

Everyone around us shivered and shuddered. The wolves shifted as Weston tipped his head back again and added his song to our roar. Micah and Tamara added their roars as well, calling for action. Calling for vengeance!

“Go!” Calia said, pushing her hands wide. “Go! Hurry!”

The leathery substance peeled away, high enough to fly through, wide enough for one dragon with extended wings. Plenty big, in other words.

My dragon took to the sky immediately, moving through the doorway and into the very edges of the Forbidden Wood, beautiful on one side and twisting and crackling on the other. My rage fanned higher at this evidence of what the demons had done to us. To this kingdom.

I stayed in the air as Tamara came through next, followed by Micah. Below them, dragons in human form sprinted through on one side and the wolves streamed through on the other, peeling away in organized groups or shifting and taking to the sky and flying out a ways to make room.

When enough of us were through, we banked and turned to face the castle. I didn’t need a map to know where to find it. From the first time I was taken there, it had been stored in my heart, along with the rest of the kingdom. Along with the rest of my home.

My dragon roared again, the sound booming and reverberating through the air. Way up ahead, shapes popped out of the shadows, startled. They waited between the trees, weapons strapped to their bodies, keeping watch even way out here.

Demons.

Kill them all, I growled.

My dragon didn’t need to be told twice. No one did. We all shot forward as one, the dragons and wolves and those on two legs.

My dragon was first, though, on them in a heartbeat but blocked by the accursed trees.

Fire, I thought, anxious to get to them. Wanting to be the one who smote them from my home.

I’m fucking trying! It won’t come.

We’d never been able to do it in practice. Ami had said it took time to learn. Usually a dragon could only summon fire if they were utterly secure in their flying ability and at max power.

But fuck it if I didn’t need to get this knocked out a lot sooner.

My dragon flew low, just above the treetops, our mouth open and the desire to blast the demons strong. Still, nothing came. Not from us, anyway. The results were better when Micah and Tamara gave it a go.

A blast of delicious heat coated our sides and underside as streams of fire tore through the night, raking over the demons and burning them alive. Those gathered in front of me, sparse because we were so far on the edge of the kingdom, pulled up their bows and nocked their arrows.

Oh shit—

If I’d been in charge, I would’ve flinched or ducked and thrown my hands over my head. Arrows flew right at us, their aim perfect, the points gleaming in the moonlight. My dragon roared with rage as the arrows struck…and bounced off.