Page 24 of The Dragon King

Uncle Ezra kept his position at the Realm of Caelum, his back to the door. “Fleur Nia?”

I checked her pulse. “She’s still alive.” Her eyes had closed, and her breathing had decreased.

“Hold on,Fleur Nia,” he said. “For me.”

Her eyes opened briefly, but then they closed again.

I continued to apply pressure while stopping the bleeding in other places.

Talon cut down more of the enemies, stopping anyone from approaching the queen or the tree. But then the enemiesdisbanded, leaving a large opening as a dark elf approached, his armor black like oil, his eyes sinister as they locked on Talon.

Talon spun his blade around his wrist as he stared at the challenger.

The dark elf kept his distance. “Queen Eldinar hovers between life and death. You may be able to raise an army of the dead to fight for you, but they cannot speak. She won’t give you what you seek once she’s beyond the veil, not that she ever intended to give it to you anyway. Step aside—and I’ll give you what you want most.”

Talon remained still, his cape blowing in a gust of wind. His face was hidden from me, so I didn’t know his reaction to those words…if he was tempted or disgusted.

The elf continued to stare him down. “Give me the Realm of Caelum, and not only will I give you the location of the dragons, but I will alsogiveyou the dragons.” He raised his fingers and tapped them against his temple. “If they refuse to serve you, I will make them serve you. You will reclaim your lands in full glory. You will control the minds of your enemies. You will be the greatest king who ever lived.”

Queen Eldinar started to breathe harder in my arms. “No…” Her voice escaped as a painful whisper. She tried to leave my arms, but her body was too weak to cooperate. “Calista…stop him.”

“I don’t need to stop him…” I believed—and I believed with all my heart.

The dark elf continued. “The Realm of Caelum is forbidden to us. We can change that. We can defeat the God of Caelum and make it exactly what we want. You can have it all, Talon. Your revenge—and your salvation.”

I didn’t fully understand the elf’s words. They spoke a language I could understand, but the message was still foreign to me.

“All you have to do is step aside.” He raised his arm and gestured to his right, like he wanted Talon to step off the stage and let the curtain close behind him. “And you’ll have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

I waited for Talon to raise his sword, but it didn’t happen.

Talon continued to stand there, his cape whipping around him, the battle going on right before his eyes, elves still being cut down as they sacrificed themselves to protect the forest and the tree.

My heart started to wane. My grip on faith began to slip. I was just about to say his name when he spoke first.

“I decline your offer, Alaric.” He spun the blade around his wrist then moved forward.

Alaric hesitated for a split second, seemingly surprised by Talon’s decision. But he unsheathed his sword and blocked Talon’s blade before it slammed down on him. He turned with his own blow, and the two of them became locked in a battle with blades that danced quicker than could be watched.

Unlike the other monsters that challenged Talon, Alaric was actually skilled with the blade and quick on his feet. Talon’s blows never met their mark because his speed was equally matched. The men circled each other as they tried to find an opening in the other’s armor. Both of their capes whipped around them in an elegant dance, their swords clashing and grinding when they slid past each other.

Uncle Ezra stepped forward and defeated the enemies that tried to make it to the tree, protecting us and the doorway on his own. My uncle was a general and a great swordsman, but the difference between his abilities and Talon’s became obvious when it took him three or four blows to strike down his enemy rather than one.

I did my best to keep the queen alive, but there was only so much I could do. Enemies surrounded us as they tried to make it to the tree, and Talon was locked in a battle with his equal. The forest continued to be ravaged by monsters and fire. Smoke wafted into the sky and blocked out the stars. Screams continued to pierce the night.

Alaric evaded Talon’s attack and stepped back. “Why do you defend this bitch?” he snarled. “She will never give you that location. If you kill me, it’ll be gone forever. Do you understand what you’re doing?—”

Talon took the opening and sliced his blade clean through his neck.

Alaric’s head dropped to the ground, and his body crumpled underneath it.

He turned back to face me, his cape spinning behind him, and marched to me with the same rage on his face. “Ezra, get the queen to a healer. Take Calista with you. I will defend the tree until the enemy is defeated.” He turned back around to face the dark elves, Behemoths, and goblins that still wanted to claw at the tree. He spun his blade around his wrist once more then attacked, striking down his enemies with ease.

General Ezra didn’t question Talon and scooped his wife into his arms. “Come on, Calista.” He began to turn away.

But I stayed and looked at Talon, not wanting to abandon him.

“Calista.” My uncle’s voice captured my attention. “He’ll be alright.”

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