A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 4)

Fear riding us hard, we roared out our warning as we approached the next village. And the next, flying by the castle as people ran out of the doors. I saw Micah hurriedly strip and shift before taking to the sky, Vemar joining him. They joined me as I flew.

Wherever I looked there were more demons, all running in the same direction.

How do they even know where he is? I asked as Vemar’s dragon dipped. Fire belched from his mouth and scoured the ground, washing over the demons and burning across two struggling trees. Flame stuck to the trees, crawling up the trunks, quickly burning out, since there was no fuel in dead things. The demons kept running, unaffected.

Shit, I thought. They must have some sort of magic spell protecting them from fire.

It looks like they’re coming from all angles. They seem to have a homing beacon on Nyfain.

My dragon swooped down. Her belly scraped across the tops of trees until a clearing gave her space. She landed too fast, snapped in her wings, and slid across four demons who quickly painted her underside red. She barreled into a tree, unfortunately took it out with her sliding body, and sprang to her feet as she turned. Her tail whipped around, smashing into three demons and sending two wolves scattering.

Watch, folks, I thought, as the big, dumb dragon takes out the wrong people.

Fuck’s sake, not that stupid invisible audience again. I thought we’d gotten over that.

Desperate times, as they say.

She launched back into the sky as the other dragons circled overhead, probably all wondering, What the fuck?

In the next clearing, she landed behind another group of demons and trampled them with her feet. Then she was up again, flying over the next village in a race to get to Nyfain. Young dragons were already popping into the sky. The wolves of the villages must’ve felt Weston’s warning through their pack bond and spread the word. That was handy.

One of the young dragons veered out of control and crashed. Like us, they needed training. They needed direction. We’d have to put that on the never-ending list of things to do.

Now to Nyfain, I thought, having a hard time not being in control when his safety was on the line.

I felt his rage burning hot but also a shock of pain. She soared over the wood, this time a little slower to make sure all the other dragons could keep up. More demons streamed through the trees, all of them intent on getting to Nyfain.

My own rage pumped higher with each pump of my wings. This would not happen again. Dolion’s reign on this kingdom was done; I would make sure of it. We’d been plagued with him and his kind for long enough.

Adrenaline and power filling us, she spotted Nyfain ahead. He was in a clearing of his own making, having knocked down smaller trees and trampled bushes and brambles to open up the area around him. His dragons flew low, dipping and snatching demons off the ground before chomping them and throwing their lifeless bodies. Their fire didn’t work on the demons, though, even with multiple streams from many dragons that had the trees burning down below. Without it, they were at a disadvantage in the air. Dolion had prepared for this.

That was when I saw the wolves.

Weston stood at Nyfain’s side, ducking and dodging around Nyfain’s swinging tail or swiping claws to maul anyone who dashed close enough. His wolves fanned out around him, taking down five demons to every swooping dragon’s one kill. This was a ground battle, and in order to beat this horde, wings were ineffectual.

Get down there, I thought-shouted, but my dragon was already on it, not even slowing as she dove to the ground. She hit the earth and slid, crushing a crowd of demons under her scales.

I should’ve brought weapons, I thought, used to fighting with my body when on the ground.

I got plenty.

She swung her tail, taking out three demons while bending to snatch up another in her jaws. Wolves quickly came to our sides, ducking in and around us as we clawed one group and stomped through another, their claws raking our sides but doing little damage.

A slash made her flinch, though, searing pain cutting into her leg.

She turned, catching a demon with a sword held high, ready for another slash. Dark red blood leaked down her leg, just above the ankle.

A mighty roar from Nyfain’s dragon trembled the earth, infused with blistering rage and incredible power. He tromped the short distance to get to us.

Just kick the thing, I told her as the demon swung.

A wolf lunged from behind, chomping into its neck and then ripping its great head to the side. Blood splattered, but I didn’t have any time to congratulate him on the kill. There was a cluster of demons right behind the first, sacrificing the sword wielder so they could go for the wolf.