And with that, Ryu and I pushed our way out of the double doors separating us from the helipad.
The first thing I noticed was that the monks’ channeled power was stronger out here. They obviously could focus the magic where they wanted it, and I was shocked at their control.
I was even more shocked when another dragon appeared in the air above us. Only this one seemed to be made of golden fireworks, sparkling in the sky.
I got ready to panic as it stretched silent wings, its head rearing back as it emitted a silent roar. But then I realized what it was: an illusion, fueled by the monks’ power.
You are good, I thought, thanking my lucky stars we’d wound up with such powerful allies.
Needless to say, I wasn’t the only one to notice the golden dragon. The Red and the White, upon making another lazy circle around the building, paused in their knocking off bits of the surrounding skyscrapers. I’d never known what a surprised dragon looked like, but now I did. I reckon it’s a bit like a gecko seconds before it’s run over by a car.
With a roar that shook the foundations of the building we stood upon, the Red and the White closed in on the golden dragon. It darted upward, trailing light just like sparklers did in the hands of running children on the Fourth of July. The dragons gave chase, and our dragon, the monks’ dragon, flew straight up, taking the Red and the White high into the sky before it made a sudden U-turn, plummeting downward.
Right toward us.
The golden dragon disappeared in a shimmer of power as it hit the asphalt of the helipad, the Red and the White crashing into the tarmac with far less graceful thumps that shook the whole building. It was the Red that recovered first, clambering to its relatively tiny little feet and galloping toward where Ryu and I waited.
Exactly what I didn’t want to happen. But beggars can’t be choosers, and neither can people who are about to be eaten by a dragon. So with a muttered curse word, I raised my labrys and invoked the power of the creature.
[Gotcha,] the creature said, almost gleefully. And just as the Red got close enough for me to see the hungry gleam in her emerald-green eyes and smell the sulfur on her breath, the Red disappeared with an audible pop.
The White roared in confusion, rushing toward where its mate had just been, but like a ghost in front of it, there arose the glittering golden form of the monks’ manifested power. This time it was in the shape of a phoenix, and it glided toward the White on silent wings, an act that seemed to confuse the White even more.
The ivory, pearlescent dragon skidded to a stop, snapping its jaws at the phoenix flying toward it.
That gave me just enough time to reinvoke the labrys and run forward a few paces, where I took what I hoped was a Xena-like power stance – my feet spread about shoulder’s length apart as I held the labrys with both hands, its power coiling up inside me like I was winding a jack-in-the-box. I’d come up with a plan in that instant. It was either a really good plan, or a really dumb plan, but I wasn’t going to know which until I did it.
Ryu joined me a second later, adding his strength to my own. I think it was only then he realized how puny it was, in comparison with how powerful I’d become.
‘Get back!’ I yelled at him. ‘Get back and shield yourself!’
I flicked my eyes to him, to make sure he obeyed, and I saw his indecision. I’d hidden behind him for so long, no wonder he couldn’t imagine a scenario in which he hid behind me.
This time, I went ahead and yelled, ‘Ryu, get back! You need to protect the monks! I have a plan!’
My words about the monks snapped the baobhan sith into action and he turned on his heel to dart back toward the door.
I turned back to the White just in time to see the glittering phoenix run straight into the dragon’s face … and disappear.
Realizing it had been fooled, the White galloped toward me with a roar of irritation.
Anyan, I prayed. If you’re in there, stop this now.
But the dragon kept coming, breathing out those jets of powerful air that hit my shields like a Mack Truck.
‘Anyan!’ I shouted, done with prayer. ‘Stop!’
My words did nothing. They didn’t even appear to register with the creature.
With a heavy heart, I played my card.
Opening my arms wide at the very last second, when the White was nearly upon me, I let all that power I’d been coiling blast forward. It caught the White square in the chest, lifting the dragon off its feet and sending it crashing down, a dozen yards away, where it skidded on its back toward the end of the helipad.
It lay still for a few minutes, and I prayed I hadn’t killed it.
‘Anyan!’ I shouted again. Maybe it would get to its feet, and the White would be knocked out, and Anyan could take control, tell us how to get rid of the White…
But when the dragon finally did rise, it was to gaze at me with green eyes full of hate.
Carefully, I invoked phase two of my plan. I held my trembling knees still with an iron engagement of will, and I made the labrys blaze as if that hit with which I’d just leveled the White was merely what I had on for starters.
The dragon’s green eyes narrowed as it assessed its chances, alone against the champion. And then it slipped backward, off the end of the building, beating a hasty retreat.
Only when it was far out of range did I let my knees unlock, sending me downward in an ungainly slide.
The truth was, I’d blasted the White with everything I had, and then bluffed more power.
‘Jane!’ Ryu said, catching me as I toppled the rest of the way to the ground. My ex hugged me close, telling me what a great job I’d done.
I guess that, technically, we’d won that round.
But I’d felt only loss when confronted with the White’s cruel jade eyes.
Chapter Eight
For some reason, I wasn’t all that surprised to find myself standing in front of a hut wearing a hat. Woven thatch made a strange cone that went low over the side walls, and the doorframe yawned in front of me.
The night was cool; I was chilly, and the warm light of a fire beckoned from inside the structure. So I went inside.
The hut’s round walls were painted with bright, circular patterns in yellows and reds. They looked very Celtic. The place was also very clean, with a small sleeping area curtained off by animal skins tucked against a wall, and the rest used for living. Storage was high up, with shelves holding woven baskets and piles of stuff, so that there was more space on the floor.
I felt very at home, so I went ahead and sat down by the fire, warming my hands by holding them out in front of me.
‘There you are,’ came a low, rough voice behind me. ‘I’ve been hoping you’d find me.’
I smiled, feeling both exhilarated but oddly calm. ‘Of course I found you. I’ll always find you.’
I looked up into Anyan’s smiling gray eyes.
Intense relief flooded through me, but I couldn’t for the life of me think why. This was Anyan’s hut; why wouldn’t Anyan be waiting for me?
The barghest knelt, wrapping his arms around me from behind, cloaking me with his heavy body. We sat like that for a few minutes while he drew in long breaths, as if memorizing my scent.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he whispered in my ear. ‘I’ve missed you so much…’
I appreciated the sentiment, of course, but I couldn’t imagine, for the life of me, what he meant.
‘Miss me?’ I said. ‘Why? I’m always here.’
He stiffened around me, and I wondered what I’d said wrong. But he didn’t tell me.
‘Of course you are,’ was all he said, and then he moved so he was sitting next to me.
I leaned against him, and we watched the flames for a long time. It felt so good to be in his arms, but I knew it should be normal, after all this time.
‘How are things, Jane?’ he asked eventually, his voice a low hum in the dim light.
‘Oh, fine,’ I said. I tried to think of something to tell him about, but I couldn’t. ‘Nothing’s going on. Everything’s just … fine.’
The truth was, I felt like I did have something big to say; that there was something very important, to both of us, which had happened. But every time I thought I was about to remember what it was, it slipped away.
‘You can’t think of anything going on you want to tell me about?’ Anyan’s voice was still soft and low, but I knew him well enough to detect the faintest note of desperation.
‘There is something … but I can’t remember. So it can’t be that important, can it?’ I said with a laugh he didn’t return.
Anyan remained quiet for a bit, as if deep in thought, before turning to gaze into my eyes.
‘What’s wrong?’ I said, concerned.
The smile he gave me was rueful. ‘I’m just wishing I had more power in this place. There are rules I cannot break.’
I arched an eyebrow. ‘You’re plenty powerful, Anyan. And what rules are you talking about?’
He shook his head sadly, as if regretting what he had to say. ‘It doesn’t matter, Jane. I must take what I can get. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I’m just happy I found you.’