Page 113 of A Kingdom of Monsters

I stifled a gasp. Idris was dressed like a king, his clothing screaming both wealth and status. He walked with purpose toward the steam, took one look, and turned around to speak to the guards again. “Fan out. I want the entire wood searched in case they’re still here somewhere. They’ve probably shadow walked far away by now, but we won’t take chances.”

“Uh, who are we looking for, my lord?”

“The descendants of that filth who killed my fathers and siblings and destroyed my mother, and their dirty half-human whore.”

“Uh, who’s that my lord?”

Idris snarled in evident frustration. “Find the Everlasts, and that girl they keep dragging around everywhere. Bring them all to me.”

“Yes, lord.”

I trembled with fear. We needed to stand up to walk into the shadows, but if we did, would we be seen immediately? What would we do if they charged straight at us?

Like he could read my mind, Ambrose reached over to me and grabbed my hand. “Don’t move, love.”

“What?” I hissed. “But they’re searching for us.”

He nodded. “Don’t move. Just wait.”

“Wait for what?” Scion hissed.

“Wait….now!”

Ambrose's face lit up with an excited grin, but the sound that followed froze me in fear. It was a roar like no other I had ever heard before - deep, guttural, and coming from a beast larger than any I had ever seen. As the ground beneath us trembled, I instinctively covered my head and bit down on my tongue until it bled, desperate to stifle the scream threatening to escape my lips.

A massive dragon, with scales as dark as coal and wings that spanned the width of a small town, soared overhead, casting a shadow over the forest below. Its powerful wings beat against the air, causing trees to sway and branches to snap like twigs. With a deafening boom, it landed on the forest floor, its talons digging deep into the ground. The roar that followed shook the entire forest, leaving a ringing in my ears.

My heart raced as I gazed up at the fearsome creature, my fear palpable in the trembling of my voice. “What the fuck is that?”

“That–” Ambrose said, jumping to his feet. “–Is our ride. Shall we?”

My head swirled with confusion and terror as I struggled to make sense of what he was saying.

But then, I raised my gaze up to the beast, and instead saw a figure perched on its back, frantically waving at me. A grin spread across my face, and I laughed, my fear falling away in one perfect instant.

Bael was back—and he’d brought reinforcements.

36

LONNIE

THE ROAD TO OVERCAST

We rode the dragon all the way to Aftermath.

I clung to Bael the entire time, both exhilarated and terrified at the same time. Thankfully, the dragon was so large that looking directly downward wasn't feasible. Unluckily, that didn’t prevent me from knowing the ground was there, and how very far away it was.

In a comically short amount of time compared to traveling by horse, we could see the mountains of Aftermath in the distance. They stood out, painted orange and purple against the sea of brown and green.

“I’ve only just thought,” Bael said over the wind. “Where are we supposed to land?”

“Anywhere flat?” Scion snapped.

“No, I mean where is it safe to go? Aftermath isn’t exactly habitable.”

I was startled, realizing he was right. Unless I intervened, we were going to end up landing right in the center of all the afflicted and Wild magic.

“I know where we can go!” I yelled as the dragon swooped lower. I pointed down, and behind me Ambrose reached out and gripped my thigh, squeezing in acknowledgement. “Good idea, love,” he murmured in my ear.

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