Page 30 of Catastrophe

We roared and battered against the barrier, ignoring the magic that continued to inflict us with zaps that increased with each touch, until we weren’t roaring with rage anymore. We were crying out in pain.

Eventually, we slumped down and curled up away from the cruel blue barrier. Trapped. Alone. Scared. We waited for our enemies to do as they planned. Our fight was over.

CHAPTER 8

BAELEN

My bond with Clawdia stretched and ached as we separated, and I stepped out of the portal to see … a landscape that rivaled the desolation of Ombra. The surrounding woodland smoldered, and smoke rose into the sky, gray covering the blue.

Trees singed with black patches of ash crumbled, snapped, and crackled with every passing second. Tiny flames flickered under cinders of the branches as I stepped on it, the heat burned my bare feet, and I hissed.

Out of control or angry? I wondered. And is he still here, or is he leaving me with a trail of destruction to follow?

A roar was all the warning I had before a great gust of fire headed toward me. I darted away, my feet burning through my shoes and sweat covering my brow from my proximity to the flames. I turned my head toward the culprit and saw Charlie in his dragon form, caged in a magical force field.

Still here, then, but not by choice.

In a rage, the dragon spewed more flames. His tail and wings and body thrashed behind the cage, kicking up sand and throwing rocks. For a moment, I questioned whether I was mistaken to berate Elizabeth for her treatment of Charlie. This beast didn’t resemble the sarcastic male I knew, and faced with his anger, I wasn’t sure if I could blame her for her actions. His size and power, even trapped, was enough to intimidate the son of gods. And I was not unused to the tantrums of powerful beings.

“Baelen?” a voice called, and I turned toward the shouted question. Behind an old wall along the edge of the woods, Savida’s bright red hair peaked over the top of the wall, and black eyes started wide at me.

Ah, another betrayal. Dragons don’t take well to disloyalty. That is why he’s so angry.

“Hello, Savida,” I replied with a frown.

But a daemon couldn’t create force fields, so who trapped Charlie?

“Thank the gods you are here!” he cheered and stood to wave me over as Charlie roared again. “Did you see? We’ve captured Fafnir! We were just discussing what to do with him.”

Avoiding Charlie’s flames, I made my way to the wall and saw Daithi, Sigurd, and another witch curled behind it, which explained the force field. But Sigurd had famously fought Fafnir, so why didn’t he recognize him?

“I saw you captured a dragon. It’s a shame it’s not Fafnir.”

I stopped before I told them the identity of the dragon. I wanted to see how far Sigurd would go with his lie. Whether he genuinely didn’t know what Fafnir looked like, which was suspicious for the “protector,” or if he had another motive. Either way, I’d find out if he was a danger to us before I let Charlie free. I won’t chance anything else happening to us.

My comment caused a silence that even Charlie abided by. I glanced over the wall to see him staring, listening.

Sigurd’s laugh drew my attention back to the bewildered and ash-covered group. “Not Fafnir? My boy, I think I would know what Fafnir looks like.”

“Yes, I would think so too, but apparently not.” I stared at him until the smile faded and his eyes shifted away from mine. Suspicious.

Daithi sneered. “How do we know you’re telling the truth? You’re possessed, aren’t you? Where are Zaide and Clawdia? What have you done with them?”

“I have done nothing to them, and I’m no longer possessed. The shadow forced Clawdia and me to heal the shadow natural portal, and Clawdia’s bond with Charlie snapped. Meanwhile, hunters attacked the island, and Zaide was taken. Clawdia and Elizabeth are working on finding out where he is to rescue him. I’d like to get back to them as soon as I can so I can help him, too.”

Another pained silence descended before Daithi choked out, “Zaide’s been captured?”

“Your vision came true,” Savida whispered.

The horror on his face made me restless. Zaide was mine as much as Clawdia was. Knowing he was in danger set my teeth on edge, but I needed to get Charlie back first.

“How can we trust you are telling the truth? About not being possessed anymore?” Sigurd asked suddenly, his blue eyes narrowed on me.

“The shadow asked you if your life prevented natural portals from working and threatened you with a painful death if you lied. You assured him natural portals couldn’t be blocked, but their locations are protected and hidden.”

“Is that true?” Daithi asked sharply, his dirty green hair swinging toward the protector as he glared.

“That’s correct,” Sigurd muttered reluctantly.

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