Anna woke to the soothing sounds of trickling water, and a commotion from down the stone hallway. Puff stirred beside her, his wing tightening and pulling her snug to his body.
A light clicked on, changing the green, soothing mottled glow to a bright, yellow blast that stung her eyes.
Nik stood beside them, his hair sticking out at the sides. “I heard it, too.”
Anna tugged at Puff’s wing until he released her.
“He wants you to stay beside him,” Nik said.
She glanced between the two of them. After last night, she equated that voice to Puff. It seemed strange, now, hearing the smooth, melodic tenor from Nik’s lips.
Torchlight danced along the walls in the hallway before Pops emerged. “Excuse the interruption. Great One, but the mighty green has returned.”
Puff glanced at her before he started walking toward the hallway.
Nik followed beside her. “He’d hoped for some more time with you this morning.”
Anna smiled, but didn’t answer. Something stirred within her, delighted that Puff enjoyed her company.
But why? Once Connor helped his friend, they would leave, and the Maori would bring Anna down the mountain. After today, she’d never have to worry about dragons again.
She shivered as the joy she’d reveled in only moments ago slipped away, leaving her feeling alone and empty even as she stepped into the room crowded with people.
The Maori parted to the sides of the cavern, revealing Connor, shirtless and wearing the same too-short khakis as yesterday.
Nik glanced at Puff, then to Connor. “He says you smell like…” His eyes narrowed. “Exactly where have you been?”
A wry grin lifted the edge of Connor’s lip. “As I said, I went to get help, but this morning I flew towards the villages to check on my queen’s sister.” He kissed Anna’s fingers. “She is in excellent form, by the way.”
Anna drew her hand back. “You slept with her again?”
“How could I resist? Dragons like beautiful things. She is a gem like no other.”
The same questions spun in her head. What did Sybil know about Connor, and why was she sleeping with this strange guy and not calling the cops about her missing sister?
“Did she ask about me?”
Connor’s grin spread to his whole mouth. “I assure you, she is unconcerned. I have been keeping her occupied.”
A tremor of disgust ran down her spine. “Don’t hurt her.”
Connor glanced at Puff, then back to Anna. He held up his hands. “I swear to you as my queen, all I have done is made her forget about dragons. She thinks you are touring the countryside with the handsome blond stranger you met in the tavern. She, in kind, is enjoying the wealth of pleasure Joesephutus’s best friend has to offer her.” He held out his arms and bowed low at the waist, his trousers riding higher on his ankles.
Was he really that pompous?
He straightened. “I have a feeling I will be spending a great deal of time in the villages when this is all over. I’ve grown quite fond of her…” He glanced at Anna’s waist, then back to her eyes. “Her finer assets.”
Yes, he obviously was that pompous.
But he was exactly what Sybil wanted: a mysterious foreign stranger—the sleazier the better. Her poor sister was probably better off not knowing the truth, as long as she was safe.
Connor turned his attention to Puff. “I have procured the help of a few unlikely allies. I’d hoped they would be here already.”
A few people outside screamed. A dragon roared.
“It sounds like help has arrived,” Connor said.
Puff scampered to the door and pushed through the boulders as he had the previous morning. Connor grabbed Anna’s hand and drew her through the human exit with Nik and the others following.
Outside, two identical, young blond men stood in the dark, staring at Puff. Their hair caught the light of the torches, the breeze drifting through the golden layers. Puff’s milky mane stood out, ghostly in comparison.
The newcomers’ attention darted to Anna.
One approached, narrowing his golden—yes, they were actually golden—eyes. “Is this our new queen?”
He sniffed her hair. Anna squeezed Connor’s hand, doing her best not to shudder at the odd greeting.
“This is Shun.” Connor pointed to the second boy as he approached. “And this is Takata.”
Another dragon appeared. His golden hide shimmered in the torchlight. He hovered before alighting on a rock and staring down at them.
“And that is Pijeth,” Connor continued. “They are gold dragons, if you hadn’t guessed.”
Takata’s gaze started at her feet and drew slowly to her face. Anna couldn’t help but feel like a piece of meat in a display case, being summed up by a potential buyer.
“She’s perfect.” Shun stepped back. “You should take her, Quenor. Bring her back to Dragon Mount and end this.”
Anna backed up a step, but was stopped by Connor’s iron grip.
“I thought I made myself clear,” he said. “The girl belongs to Joesephutus.”
And Joe had promised to let her go. She took a deep breath and released it slowly. As long as Connor stayed loyal to his friend, she’d be fine.
Takata pointed over his shoulder at Puff. “Have you seen that tear in his wing? We’re golds, we aren’t magicians.”
Connor held Anna tightly to his chest. “I am well aware of the extent of his injury. The question is, can you heal him?”
“Yes.” Takata glanced at his brother. “But not in time. You need to take his place, Quenor. Take her. Take the crown.”
“I will not.”
“You must.”
His grip on Anna tightened. It started to hurt, but she didn’t dare to move, as she was stuck quite literally in the middle of an argument between three dragons.
Connor pointed at Puff. “He’s bonded to her. Dragon manifesto isn’t just a code of decency. It has to do with honor. If I took a female from a bonded male, I’d be no better than the king we’re trying to overthrow.”
Puff moved beside them, his head held low.
Connor directed Anna to him, and Puff reared up on his hind legs, standing in a nearly human pose.
Anna slipped her arms around her dragon, and felt him sigh as they embraced. His warmth seeped into her, stronger and faster than last night. The right-ness of it left her dizzy.
Takata leaned toward Connor, fire in his eyes. He was dwarfed by the taller man. Anna suddenly realized that these twins were young, barely teenagers.
“Fuck decency.” Takata spat on the ground. “It’s decency that’s kept us enslaved all these years. Decency killed Elor.”
Puff released Anna and roared, dropping back to all-fours. The younger dragons stepped back. Even Pijeth, above on the rocks, fluttered his wings as if he might fall.
The torchlight danced across Nik’s face as he looked nervously from Puff to the others. “He, umm, wants to know what happened to Elor. Who’s Elor?”
Connor took in a deep breath and released it. “Sorry, I didn’t want to tell you until all this was over.” He glanced at Anna. “Elor flew with us. He was the gold dragon’s hope for the crown.”
“And our oldest brother.” Shun crossed his arms.
Connor grunted. “Elor was Gale’s only real competition for the throne. Five minutes into the flight, the grays turned on him.”
Puff hissed.
Takata drew up a chord tied about his neck, pulling a long, sharp, black claw from within his shirt. “This talon was lodged in my brother’s throat. I yanked it out right before the sentries dropped from the clouds to burn his body.” He spun on Puff. “A lot of good you did to save him, fluttering around at the back of the pack, hiding like a coward.”
Puff howled in the boy’s face, but the young blond barely flinched.
“Don’t embellish your anguish. He was my brother. I’m the one who knows the throbbing sting of loss.”
Puff grumbled.
“He didn’t mean to belittle your pain,” Nik said.
Takata turned on him. “Shut up, human. I am not incapable of hearing.”
Connor held up his hands. “Gentlemen, this isn’t helping.”
Shun pointed at Puff. “That prepubescent dragon can’t fight Gale.”
“Not if you don’t help him.” Connor moved beside Puff. “I don’t know about the rest of Dragon Mount, but I am tired of bowing to the grays. I stand beside my new king, no matter the outcome.” His gaze darted between the two boys. “If I die, so be it. At least I will have done my part.”
Puff raised his head, straightening his posture as he gazed down at his friend.
Connor ran his palm down his friend’s neck. “In two days, we will know our future, and I, for one, hope it’s crystalline.”
The golden boys stared at him, expressions blank, before they eyed each other in silence. Their gazes then drew to Puff where they lingered, until the brothers separated, sharing a silent, pointed look.
Takata turned to Nanna. “I need a small glass jar, and a cheese cloth. If traditions hold true, you would have had several receptacles prepared for the Seventeen Year.”
“Yes, of course, just in case.” Nanna’s smile beamed. “I’ll be right back.”
Behind them, Shun held out his arms and a brilliant yellow light encompassed him. Anna shielded her eyes as night turned to day. The dragon’s body blurred within the glow before a spectacular golden dragon with dark, coppery horns took his place. Puff didn’t flinch despite the dragon being two times his size. Anna couldn’t say so much for herself, especially since the dragon still watching them from the rock was even bigger.
Shun bowed to Puff before nosing the smaller dragon’s stitches. Tyler held out the injured wing, adjusting the sutures as the young dragon worked what Anna hoped would be a miracle. If they really were going back to the mountain empty handed, Puff needed to defend himself.
She closed her eyes, remembering Gale’s monstrous bulk. Would healing him even make a difference? What would these three dragons do when they found out that Connor had lied to them to get their help?
Puff wasn’t going back to their mountain to take the crown. At the very best, he’d slink home in shame, and Anna would be on the next plane to the United States, keeping well out of the reach of any dragon still looking for her.
Puff glanced in her direction. Even in dragon form, she could tell he was smiling. Warmth flooded her, as if nothing could ever harm either of them if they were together.
But that wasn’t true.
The dragon they feared, Gale, knew she was with Puff. Even with a mended wing, how long would her dragon last if Gale truly was the beast they all claimed?
Shun drew away from Puff’s injury and growled a few times.
Takata scanned the crowd. “He needs…”
“The container.” Nanna parted the onlookers. “Give an old woman a chance.”
She set one glass canister on the ground, and held the other up to Elaina, who adjusted a thin white cloth over the top, attaching it with several rubber bands. The young girl handed the container to Takata before they got to work on the next one.
Takata eyed the jar. “Is this the largest you have? His injury is…”
“Extensive, I know. I helped sew him up.” Elaina circled the rubber bands on the next jar. “We followed the customs and brought the jars, we just never expected to have to use them. Glass is heavy to drag up the side of a mountain.”
Takata accepted the second container. “They will have to do.”
He held both jars out to Shun. The dragon bared long fangs and sunk them into each of the cheese cloths. A thick, syrupy liquid shot from the dragon’s teeth until the jars were nearly full.
When Shun released his bite, Takata held the containers out to Tyler. “I trust you know what to do with these?”
The veterinarian nodded. “Boil one into a drinkable form, use the other as a salve.” He took the jars, almost reverently. “Thank you. I’m honored.”
Shun fluttered his golden wings, and returned to his human form. “That’s all I can do. His wing will mend if you continue to apply the venom, and he’ll need the healing draught by tonight.”
“I’ll get right on it.” Tyler turned to his daughter. “Elaina, can you help me?”
Shun watched them fade into the darkness before turning to Connor. “Joesephutus needs to rest. If he exerts himself in the slightest, he’ll undo the healing I’ve done. Then he won’t be able to fly, let alone fight.”
“It won’t be enough,” Takata said.
Connor gripped the young dragon’s shoulder. “Your generation lacks faith.”
“We’ve never known an age where we had hope, let alone faith that our lives could improve.”
Connor spun them both in Puff’s direction. “This is what faith and hope looks like. Be warned, though. The fight may not be only his to win. We’re going to need to be creative. Especially with this stubborn little buck.”
Puff cocked his head and stared at his friend. No one needed Nik to translate to understand the little dragon’s what-the-frig stare.
Smiling, Connor turned to Pops. “I hate to ask this, but do you, by any chance, have a dragon spear?”
Pops’s smile rivaled that of the dragon. “I am old, but I’m not foolish. This is, after all, the Seventeen Year.”
He motioned to the circle of men around them, who each pulled a foot-long, thin metallic rod from their backpacks. Moving as a cohesive unit, the men joined their individual pieces into a long spear that shimmered in the torchlight. Nanna handed Pops the final piece: a sharpened point that clicked onto the end.
A hush fell over the group. The two golden dragons stepped back. Puff gaped, his eyes wide. Above them, the larger gold, Pijeth, howled.
“What is that?” Anna asked.
“The dragon spear.” Nik shuddered. “The point has been mounted on our wall my entire life.” His brow furrowed as he stared at the shiny metal. “I never in a million years thought anyone else knew where the remaining parts were, let alone know how to rebuild it.” He tore his eyes away from the spear and looked at Anna. “According to myth, the dragon spear evened the odds when the dragons started hunting people. It is one of the few weapons capable of inflicting enough pain to immobilize a dragon.”
Anna turned to Connor. “What do you want with that?”
“Simple.” Connor pointed to the cave, looking at Pops. “I need you to bring Joesephutus back into the cave, and keep him there. Use the spear if you need to.”
Puff roared.
Nik held his ears as if his head might explode. “I don’t think I need to tell you guys he’s not happy about this.”
Connor pointed at the cave. “Go. The gold said you needed rest, and rest you will get.”
Puff grumbled at Nik, but the Kotahi just shook his head. “The big guy is right, boss. No matter what happens, you need your strength or you’re as good as dead.”
Nik made way as his grandfather took the weapon and pointed the shimmering tip at the clouds. “I will not dishonor you by using this, Great One. But I humbly ask that you do the right thing and listen to the mighty green.”
Anna exhaled as the small dragon looked at her with sorrowful eyes. He growled in an un-menacing tone, before the two boys flexed into dragon form and helped the crystal dragon up the sloped rocks, and back into the safety of the cave.
Connor breathed a huge relief-filled sigh once Puff was out of sight, and the boys had returned to their human form.
Pijeth jumped from his rocky perch. With a flash of yellow light, he shrank into a man as he approached. Anna realized that he was older than the twins by over a decade, or probably more like seventeen years, now that she thought about it.
He addressed his brothers. “The two of you get out of here quickly.”
“Why?” Takata asked.
Connor’s eyes narrowed. “One thing that will improve with your age, is your hearing.”
They both tilted their ears to the slowly brightening sky. One paled, then the other. A dragon roared in the distance.
“Get out of here. Now!” Pijeth pushed them both.
The boys ran, shimmering into dragon form as they jumped into the air, already batting their wings. Pijeth followed close behind his younger brothers.
The roar came closer. Anna’s ears rang as the Maori clambered around her, grabbing torches and making their way back into the cave.
Puff roared within.
“Your king calls for you, my queen,” Connor shouted, directing the adolescent Maori to the human-sized door as he threw a bolder to the top of the pile, partially enclosing the dragon-sized entrance.
Anna scrambled toward the door, but each step triggered a new sense of panic.
She recognized that roar. The gray dragons were coming.
What if they got here and she was trapped inside that cave? She would have nowhere to go.
Another roar bellowed in the distance, and she stepped back, allowing a woman with three children through the door. She couldn’t go in there. They were coming for her. She needed to get away. She hugged the side of the mountain, watching another family of Maori flee within.
Nik seemed to be fighting with Connor in the center of the clearing, when their eyes drew to her.
Connor howled at her to run.
Nik screamed, “What are you doing? Go!”
Her lips parted to answer, but her words caught in her throat. Nothing made sense anymore—not fantasy nor reality, not standing on a mountain, and certainly not trapping herself inside a cavern. Turning from the opening, Anna ran, leaving the cave, dragons, and the roaring horror in the sky behind her. Her shoes padded on the ground until the trees engulfed her in total darkness.