Hooves pummeling the cobblestones, Lizelle turned down another alley as dragon breath transformed the street she left behind into an inferno. Looking up, Kendra saw dragons crisscrossing the narrow slice of sky visible from the alleyway.
“Are we going to make it?” Knox asked.
“We will reach the castle,” Lizelle confirmed.
“It feels like we keep backtracking,” Knox said.
“To avoid dragons,” Lizelle said. “Which is why we’re going to survive. Keep your weapons handy.”
Kendra clutched her bow and Knox carried the sack of gales. Despite her great haste, the unicorn galloped so smoothly that Kendra could hold her bow ready with both hands. They burst out of the alley onto a wide avenue and pelted toward the castle. Dragons wheeled overhead at various altitudes.
The thoroughfare was deserted except for some burning wagons and torched vegetable stands. The soldiers were learning quickly to fight from cover. Kendra leaned forward. If Lizelle maintained their current speed, they would reach the castle in less than thirty seconds.
Then a huge bronze dragon dropped down onto the avenue in front of them. Lizelle swerved toward a side street, but then veered away from the two spindly dragons flying toward them, mouths agape, fumigating the road with bright green gas.
“Poison,” Lizelle murmured.
Knox used a gust of wind to push the gas away from them and disrupt the flight of the spindly dragons. Then Lizelle was charging the bronze dragon.
The dragon opened its mouth and expelled a searing burst of lightning that streaked over Kendra’s shoulder, exploding thunderously somewhere behind her. Kendra pulled the bowstring to her cheek, whispered, “Thirty,” and released. The dragon tucked its head, and the swarm of arrows rebounded off metallic scales.
With a battle cry, an enormous woman leaped from a rooftop near the bronze dragon and plunged a long spear through the base of its neck. The dragon hissed and snapped at the giant woman, who warded off the attack with a heavy sword. It took Kendra a moment to recognize the giant as Serena. Had Tanu given her a potion?
“Get to the castle, Kendra,” Serena cried. “We’ll cover you.”
Soldiers in unfamiliar armor appeared on the roof Serena had jumped from. Each pair of soldiers carried a bulky crossbow between them, with a third infantryman operating the firing mechanism.
The javelin-length projectiles from the hefty crossbows pierced the bronze hide, and the dragon flew away shrieking, the spear still transfixing the base of the neck. More soldiers in heavy armor appeared on the street, bearing pikes and longbows.
“Ride, Kendra,” one of them called.
“I think it’s the nipsies,” Kendra said. “They’re our size.”
“And Serena is a giant,” Knox marveled.
“Cover us,” Lizelle said, increasing her pace to top speed. “We’re almost to the castle gate.”
Seth appeared on the castle balcony he had departed from earlier in the day. Beside him, Tess peered over the balustrade, and Calvin, absurdly tall, filled the rest of the ledge.
They stared in stunned silence at the panoramic scene of destruction. The sky teemed with dragons. Wing to wing, reptilian squadrons strafed the city with fire and lightning. Black smoke billowed from burning rooftops. Pockets of Fair Folk held their ground, but most of the soldiers were retreating toward the castle.
A three-headed dragon feasted on one of the few knots of defenders remaining atop the city wall. A white dragon exhaled frost onto a broad terrace, leaving several archers encrusted in ice. Armored by heavy granitic plates, a bulky dragon thundered down a side street, crushing the Fair Folk in its path.
Volleys of arrows bounced off scales or stuck like pins, doing little evident harm. Lance steady, an armored knight on a galloping horse charged a crouching dragon, only to be hurled backward by an incinerating torrent of flame. Swordsmen and pikemen dove into doorways to avoid a roiling jet of acid exhaled by a green dragon passing overhead.
Seth saw only minor victories against the dragons. The triclops Mombatu chased a two-headed dragon hobbled by a broken wing, pummeling the panicked creature with a massive club. A long harpoon launched from a tower pierced the side of a turquoise dragon with curved quills along its slender neck. The heavy body crashed ruinously beside a park, mowing down part of a long colonnade.
A graceful unicorn raced down the main avenue toward the castle gates. From the back of the elegant mount, Kendra fired clouds of arrows with her bow while Knox used the sack of gales to blow aside the dragons trying to chase them. After the unicorn darted through the castle gates, the pursuing dragons swung away. One breathed fire, only to have the conflagration blocked by a previously unseen barrier.
“The shields around the castle are still intact,” Seth said. “But the barrier around the city is gone. This is a massacre. What should we do?”
“Fairview is burning,” Tess said.
“If I’m going to die today, I’ll go down fighting,” Seth said.
One hand shading his eyes, Calvin spoke quietly. “Look beyond the wall.”
Largely obscured by smoke and swooping dragons, a vast army was fighting on the plain beyond the city wall. The dragons attacking the distant troops were falling from the sky.
“Where did those soldiers come from?” Seth asked. “I thought most of the Fair Folk were defending from inside the city wall.”
“You’re right,” Calvin said. “I would know my people anywhere. Those are the nipsies! It was the curse that made us small.”
“All those tiny nipsies got big?” Tess asked.
“They’re human-sized now,” Calvin said. “Along with their weapons and armor and the war engines they brought. The nipsies increased my size when they made me their champion, so now I’m a giant.”
A sudden westerly wind surged across the city, jostling the flight of the dragons. This was followed by a strong gust from the northeast, making several dragons collide in midair. A few crashed to the ground. Above the castle, dark tendrils of cloud swirled.
“Look,” Tess said, pointing. “Our giant friend.”
Thronis clung to the pinnacle of a neighboring tower, one arm holding a dark orb aloft. He was chanting, eyes reading the sky as the wind continued to rise, his toga snapping like a flag.
“Hold to the plan!” the mighty voice of Celebrant demanded over the clamor of battle. “Press the attack! Reserves, destroy this new army!”
“Time to join the fight,” Seth muttered, drawing Vasilis, the blade a searing white. Clarity and certainty poured into Seth. He had to silence the Dragon King. “Tess, go inside.”
“I’m going to help my people,” Calvin said. He dangled his long body from the balcony and dropped to the courtyard below.
Seth sprang into the air, pushing upward with his wings. When the next gale rose from the west, Seth tucked his wings close and experienced little difficulty flying, though most of the dragons looked frantic, flipping and flailing, oversized wings dragging them like sails rather than working with the air currents.
A grin crept onto Seth’s lips. Compared to the perennial storm, these were mild breezes. When the gust subsided, a smallish blue dragon careened from behind, snapping at Seth. With a slight maneuver and a swipe of Vasilis, Seth dodged the bite and lopped off the crown of its head.
Seth felt centered and calm despite the confusion around him. The more he relaxed, the better his wings steered. Vasilis eagerly tugged him toward the heights where Celebrant flew, surveying the battle.
During the next prolonged gust, a long Chinese dragon with a head like a lion corkscrewed toward Seth. Swerving adroitly, Seth avoided the head and multiple sets of claws, then hacked off the last ten feet of its tail. Sinuous body thrashing, the rudderless dragon plummeted to the ground like a kite with a cut string.
Upward Seth climbed, Vasilis humming in his grasp, flaring brighter the closer he got to Celebrant. As dragons breathed fire and lightning at him, his wings instinctively angled him out of danger. Whenever dragons got in close to attack, Seth gave them wounds to remember, opening up a gash on the neck or chopping off a wing. While gaining altitude, Seth killed four more by cleaving the head or spine.
Clouds streamed toward the castle at a supernatural rate. Down below, the army of enlarged nipsies knocked dragons from the sky with ballista projectiles and catapults that hurled clusters of spiked metal cubes. Once on the ground, lancers and pikemen swarmed the fallen dragons, the tips of their weapons piercing the stubborn scales, even as many attackers fell to fire and claw. As greater numbers of dragons moved to confront the vast army, greater numbers died.
Reinforcements from the nipsie army rushed into the city, aiding the beleaguered defenders. In many quarters the dragons sought shelter, surprised by arrows that sank deep and swords that parted their hides.
Celebrant saw Seth coming. The Dragon King hovered for a moment, as if undecided, then came flying straight at him, one eye seared shut, a few dark scuffs defacing his otherwise gleaming scales. Seth soared directly at Celebrant as fast as he could, Vasilis vibrating in anticipation.
“You choose death today,” the Dragon King called.
“Yes, yours,” Seth replied.
The Dragon King opened his jaws, and a quick swerve allowed Seth to avoid a dazzling column of white energy. They fell into a pattern circling each other.
“I have a war to win,” Celebrant declared.
“Don’t worry, I’m here to fight,” Seth called.
“Vasilis has been tested against me before to no avail,” Celebrant warned.
“Vasilis is having an unusually good day,” Seth said. “Konrad sends his regards. I’m here filling in. You have killed good people who were watching out for your kind.”
Celebrant released another blinding exhalation of white energy. Seth dodged it adroitly, though a dragon some distance behind him was nearly cut in half by the blast. Roaring, Celebrant turned sharply and streaked directly at Seth. Holding Vasilis outstretched, Seth accelerated on a collision course with the Dragon King. An instant before Seth would have flown into Celebrant’s gaping mouth, he dipped down enough to pass beneath the colossal dragon, the Dragon King’s jaws clashing shut right above him.
“Raxtus says hi!” Seth yelled, his upraised sword opening Celebrant’s underside lengthwise from the base of his neck to the start of his tail. The syrupy matter that dumped out could have kept Tanu busy making potions for months.
Celebrant’s explosive roar of agony turned into a violent gurgle. “Impossible,” the Dragon King gasped as he plunged from the sky. “Impossible!” His strangled gargling lasted until he struck the ground.
Vengeful dragons converged on Seth. Fire came from so many directions that Seth cocooned himself in his wings, spiraling downward hundreds of feet before swooping out of his dive.
Lightning flashed in the darkening clouds, and the wind became more violent. As the dragons floundered, Seth hunted them efficiently, Vasilis parting the toughest scales as though they were made of mist.
Below, dragons were landing to get out of the wind, only to be mobbed by the nipsie soldiers, led by the oversized figures of Calvin and Serena. Nadia had joined the fray, her face unmasked. Wherever she went, the fighters rallied, and dragons were paralyzed by her gaze.
“Hear me, former dragon brothers and sisters!” boomed the authoritative voice of Andromadus, magically magnified. “Celebrant has fallen, as has most of his guard. Tamryn has joined Jeruwat in death. This ill-advised battle is lost. The storm will only worsen, for none of your weather workers can match Thronis. Celebrant led you into a trap. We will shortly possess enough advantage to render dragonkind extinct.”
The wind howled. More dragons hugged the ground than risked the sky, and the airborne dragons were struggling.
“Cease your attack and we will spare you,” Andromadus continued. “Your king is dead. We will negotiate the terms of your surrender with your remaining leaders. Dragons are not meant to form armies or scheme together in castles! That nonsense is for humans! Dragons hunt. Dragons hoard. Dragons live independently.
“Land and rest your heads on the ground. This will be the token of your nonaggression. You will not be harmed if you submit. Those dragons who wish to live in the wild may do so if they take the appropriate pledges. Others can return to the sanctuaries. You need not perish. This war was Celebrant’s folly, not yours. Survive. Preserve our kind. Live to breed and raise your young. This is your last chance.”
Lightning forked across the sky, followed closely by a cannonade of thunder.
Seth found himself alone in the air. Looking down, he saw many dragons hunkered down across the city and the surrounding fields, bodies flat, heads on the ground, as if bowing. The dragons struggling to remain airborne were being hurled from the sky, flipping and twisting out of control. The nipsie army surrounded and dispatched noncooperative dragons who continued to fight on the ground. The turbulent wind was becoming too volatile even for Seth’s skillful wings, so he took out the Translocator, twisted the middle, and returned to the balcony where he had first arrived.
Fairview continued to burn. Uniformed corpses lay crumpled in the streets among hulking carcasses of dragons. Tess was not in view, so he flew down to the main gate of the castle.
Sheathing Vasilis, Seth felt his hyperawareness relax, and a wave of fatigue made him slump. He waited as a procession of Fair Folk hurried through the gate bearing injured fighters on litters. One block down the main avenue, several soldiers wrestled to remove fallen debris, working to free people trapped beneath a collapsed building. Farther along the outer wall of the castle, Trask spoke with a stooping dragon, taking notes as they conversed.
Seth wandered into the crowded courtyard, where healers had gathered to perform triage for the wounded. He wanted to find his sister, but he saw no sign of her, and he had to dodge around those rushing to help the incapacitated. Seth found his way back to the streets beyond the gate, coughing and rubbing his eyes to combat the irritation from the smoke. He noticed that though the clouds above were darker than ever, the wind had died down. Then he heard his name called. Turning, Seth found Knox and Doren running up to him.
“Seth, you did it!” Doren cheered. “You were fabulous up there!”
“We thought you were doomed,” Knox said. “Then you ripped Celebrant open like a piñata!”
“I was lucky to have Vasilis,” Seth said. “The sword guided me.”
“How many dragons did you get?” Doren asked.
“Plenty,” Seth said.
“It had to be thirty,” Knox said. “Probably more.”
“I honestly lost count,” Seth said. “There was hardly time to think.”
“You lost count?” Knox exclaimed. “You have to keep track of these things! I saw at least thirty. I’m sure I missed some. Maybe we can find the number if we talk to enough witnesses.”
Seth forced a smile. He knew Knox meant well. But all the killing in the sky had felt more like a necessary evil than something to celebrate. “Have you seen Kendra?”
“We were out looking for her,” Doren said.
“I saw her race into the castle,” Seth said. “On the unicorn.”
“Right, I was with her, but then she went out again,” Knox said.
“During the battle?” Seth exclaimed. “You let her leave?”
“Lizelle and I were watching you fight Celebrant,” Knox said. “After you killed the Dragon King, we looked around for Kendra, but she was gone. Lizelle called to Kendra with her mind. I guess Kendra saw Warren being chased by an injured dragon and went to help him.”
Panic started to claw at Seth. “That’s all you know?”
“Lizelle ran ahead to find her,” Knox said. “Doren and I followed behind but had no luck. Want to head out again together?”
“No need,” Doren said. “Here they come.”
Seth saw Lizelle, Kendra, and Bracken coming toward the castle. Bracken had a supportive arm around Kendra, and although she was limping, she was definitely alive. The tension inside of Seth loosened. He ran to his sister.
“Are you all right?” Seth asked.
“I probably sprained my ankle,” Kendra said. “Along with a few cuts and scrapes.”
“She was blinding a dragon who didn’t appreciate it,” Lizelle said.
“It was chasing Warren,” Kendra said. “I stayed behind cover.”
“Until the dragon knocked it over,” Lizelle added. “You could have been crushed.”
“Now you’re a Dragon Slayer,” Kendra told Lizelle.
“Only because you distracted him,” Lizelle said.
“You’re both very brave,” Bracken said. “And it was risky.”
“We saved Warren,” Kendra said.
“I’m glad you survived,” Bracken said. “The dragons didn’t get me, so Kendra decided to give me a heart attack.”
“I’m relieved too, Kendra,” Seth said. “I was getting worried.”
“Worried about your sibling?” Kendra asked. “I wonder what that feels like?”
“Did you see what Seth did?” Knox asked.
“You were amazing,” Kendra said. “My heart was in my throat when you charged Celebrant. But you made it look easy.”
“During emergencies, these wings have a mind of their own,” Seth said.
“You look . . . happier,” Kendra said, studying him. “Is it the victory? I haven’t seen you like this in a long time. I’d hug you but . . . maybe I’ll take a rain check.”
Only then did Seth realize that most of his body was soaked in dragon blood. “I’m kind of messy.”
“What about the wound in your stomach?” Kendra asked.
“I found the help I needed,” Seth said. “I’ve been healed. We destroyed the Unforgiving Blade. Newel’s injury should heal now too.”
“Really?” Doren asked. “I have to go tell him. Do you mind?”
“Go,” Seth encouraged the satyr.
“Who fixed you?” Kendra asked.
“I promised not to mention certain things,” Seth said.
“The nipsies grew,” Kendra said. “You guys must have broken the curse Calvin has been worried about.”
“Yeah,” Seth said.
“You look good,” Kendra said. “Under the layer of blood, I mean.”
“I feel good,” Seth replied. “I’m not a shadow charmer anymore. I wrestled with darkness for so long. I’m not sure I ever understood the toll it was taking. I feel . . . unburdened.”
“You made it back here at the right time,” Bracken said. “We were about to be annihilated before the nipsie army sprouted up.”
“Bracken, I hated that you were such an obvious target on that tower,” Kendra said.
“I fought alongside brave men and women,” Bracken said. “We hit several dragons.” Leaning toward Seth, Bracken punched him lightly on the shoulder. “Nothing like this guy, though. You better watch out, Seth. They’ll be writing songs about you before long.”
Seth shook his head. “I’d rather not have my story told. Let’s just call it even. I helped start this war, and I’m glad I could help finish it.”
“You and the nipsies,” Bracken said. “They fought like lions. After they appeared, I finally understood who they were.”
“What do you mean?” Seth asked.
“They were the lost kingdoms of the Fair Folk,” Bracken said. “At least some of the kingdoms. I recognized their armor and dragon-fighting tools.”
“The nipsies must be really old,” Seth said.
“Maybe these are their descendants,” Bracken said. “I’d love to uncover the whole story.”
“You must be exhausted,” Kendra said to her brother.
“I was,” Seth said. “I’m too wound up now.” He patted his jeans. “I keep looking for Calvin. Forgetting he isn’t in my pocket anymore.”
“You’re going to need way bigger pockets,” Knox said. “Maybe you can take a turn riding in his.”
Bracken stared out at the city. “Many Fair Folk died today. And what remains of Fairview is littered with destruction.” Bracken turned to Seth and Kendra. “But it could have been worse. We’re lucky to be alive. The dragons could be rampaging across the globe. You two made the difference.”
“And you with your weather idea,” Kendra said.
“Andromadus didn’t have weather workers strong enough to build a storm in time,” Bracken said. “Especially since the dragons brought weather magic of their own. But after we discussed the potential opportunity, Andromadus remembered Thronis, who can summon a storm faster than anyone. They had spent some time together at Wyrmroost. Even so, it’s amazing that Andromadus convinced him to come, and that he mustered enough power to transport him here.”
They were strolling back toward the castle. At the gate, Lizelle excused herself. Seth, Kendra, and Bracken sat down together, backs against the castle wall. Knox paced in front of them.
“Did that battle make you guys hungry?” Knox asked.
“Not yet,” Seth said. “Might be the smell of all this dragon blood.”
“I’m really hungry,” Knox said. “Like for eggs especially. Or actually, how great would a milkshake taste right now?”
“I could do a milkshake,” Kendra said.
“I think all the best fast-food places got torched,” Seth said.
“I know it’s old-time technology here,” Knox said. “But they have cows, right? Do they make ice cream? Where does chocolate syrup come from? Chocolate beans or something? If nothing else, they must have eggs.”
Seth looked at Kendra seriously. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.” Seth picked some drying blood off his sleeve. “For a while I thought there might not be a way back.”
Kendra took his hand. “I know. I’m so happy you figured it out.”
They sat together until Andromadus approached them, strolling beside Calvin and Serena, who were no longer gigantic. Wings folded, Raxtus walked with them.
Kendra scrambled to her feet and ran to Raxtus. “You made it!”
“They had to pry me from Herrigan’s jaws,” Raxtus said. “He had me tight.”
“What about Gerwin?” Kendra asked.
“He got Herrigan through the throat with his spear as we fell,” Raxtus said. “But the landing killed him. Poor kid. Snapped his neck, I think. He burned away. The fire came out of nowhere. Only ashes were left.”
“He’ll be back,” Kendra said. “You’re all right?”
“These scales of mine can take a beating,” Raxtus said. “None of Herrigan’s teeth pierced me. He just had me trapped. I outlived my dad. I can’t believe he’s dead.”
“Sorry about that,” Seth said.
“Don’t be sorry,” Raxtus said. “Father was the aggressor. I tried to kill him before you did. He was a power-hungry tyrant. His death was necessary. It’s hard, though, too.” Raxtus sighed. “Lots of conflicting feelings, now that he’s actually gone.”
Seth elbowed Calvin. “I look away and you change size.”
“It’s a theme for us today,” Calvin replied, one arm around Serena.
“How are the nipsie troops?” Seth asked Calvin.
“They fought gallantly,” Calvin said. “Thousands died. Tens of thousands survived. It was a day we have awaited for a long time.”
“It’s weird that you’re my size now,” Seth said. They were almost exactly the same height.
“Imagine being me,” Calvin said. “I’ve felt out of scale all day.”
“You almost outgrew the world for a while,” Seth said. “You went from the Tiny Hero to the Giant Hero.”
“And now we’re just right,” Serena said. “You did it, Seth. You were the hero our prophecy foretold: The curse arose from the demon’s blight; the lord who slays him will set it right. The slayer shall restore our pride, the Giant Hero at his side.”
“Sounds like something Humbuggle would recite,” Seth said.
“Our elders wish to thank you,” Serena replied.
“They may have to wait for a little while,” Seth said, turning to Andromadus, who had been listening contentedly. “Did the dragons surrender?”
“Against all odds, yes,” Andromadus said. “Most of the dragons will return to sanctuaries. The others will follow sworn guidelines to live in the wild. Dragons in the wild will have protocols enabling them to return to preserves if they so choose. Those dwelling in sanctuaries will be able to petition to live in the wild. This flexibility should produce a more sustainable situation than we had before. There are still details to hammer out. Members of Dragonwatch are processing the remaining dragons. I will meet with them tomorrow. I expect I can do more for the good of dragonkind now than I ever could before.”
“That is welcome news,” Kendra said. “Dragonwatch needs to be more mindful of the dragons in its care.”
“There will not be another Titan Valley situation,” Andromadus said. “I will make sure of that.”
Rain started to fall, gently at first, but the pattering droplets increased rapidly. They moved under the shelter of the gateway as the rainfall escalated into a downpour.
“Thronis is helping with the lingering fires,” Andromadus explained.
“There you are!” Tess called, holding a half-eaten roll. “I was looking for you guys!”
“You found food?” Knox exclaimed.
“They have a huge kitchen here,” Tess said. “Tons of abandoned food. Everybody left it behind when the fighting started, I guess.”
“You weathered the battle all right?” Seth asked.
“Eve kept me company,” Tess said. “We watched through a window.”
“Lord Dalgorel’s daughter?” Seth asked.
“Yes,” Tess said. “She’s really nice. She showed me the kitchen. Want me to take you there?”
“I’ve got somewhere I need to go,” Seth said. “Nothing shady,” he added hastily to Kendra. “I just have a promise to fulfill. Speaking of which, I owe a favor to a lich in the Under Realm. Can you ask around about a guy named Toleron? Son of the Duke of Hester. His mom was named Ingrid. He’s supposedly one of the Fair Folk in Selona. Or he was.”
“What do you need to know about him?” Serena asked.
“Just a little about how he is doing,” Seth said. “Or if he’s dead, what his life was like. I’m trying to get to a place where I owe no favors.”
“Will you be back soon?” Kendra asked.
“I think so,” Seth said. “Don’t worry. See if you can track down some eggs. Maybe some milkshakes. I’ll catch up.”
“All right,” Knox said.
“Calvin?” Seth asked. “Want to come?”
Calvin smiled. “I hoped you would ask.”
Seth produced the Translocator. Calvin laid a hand on the top, and Seth twisted the middle.