Page 14 of Wicked Angel
“Looks empty,” Boise said, wrinkling his nose as he brushed cobwebs away from a bookshelf.
“Well, we’re not here for the decor,” Aspen replied. He glanced at Maggie, who had wandered to the back of the cabin, her eyes distant. “What else did you see?”
Maggie’s expression sharpened, and she pointed toward a narrow door at the back of the cabin. “Through here. There’s a path behind the cabin that leads to the cave.”
We followed her out the back door and into the thick undergrowth beyond. True to her vision, there was a hidden path, barely visible beneath layers of tangled roots and overgrown foliage. The air grew colder, a chill seeping through my jacket and into my bones. It wasn’t just the temperature—it was the sense that something ancient and powerful lurked nearby.
The path opened into a rocky hillside, where a jagged cave mouth gaped in the earth like a wound. Moss and ferns hung down over the entrance, hiding it from view, but Maggie’s hand was steady as she pointed at it.
“This is it. The crystal is inside.”
Just as we stepped toward the cave entrance, a shadow passed over us, blotting out what little light seeped through the trees. My head snapped up, and my blood ran cold.
There was our dragon.
8
The dragon’smassive form descended from the clouds, wings beating the air with a sound like thunder. Scales the color of molten gold caught the pale light, and its eyes glowed with a fierce, predatory intelligence. It landed heavily in front of the cave, blocking our path, and its lips curled back in a snarl that revealed rows of razor-sharp teeth.
The ground trembled beneath us, and I stumbled back, my heart hammering in my chest. “Everyone, get back!” I shouted, my voice rough with panic.
The dragon reared up, its wings spreading wide, casting long shadows over the clearing. It let out a roar that shook the trees, a sound that reverberated through my skull and rattled my bones. My magic flared in response, surging toward the surface like a wild animal straining against its cage.
I raised my hands in a sign of peace. “We’re not here to harm you or create trouble. We just?—”
But I never got to finish the sentence. The dragon lunged, fire pouring from its mouth in a searing wave.
Lacey barely managed to throw up a protective barrier, but the flames licked around the edges, scorching the trees behind us. The heat singed our skin, even through the magic, and beside me, Lacey gritted her teeth, struggling to keep the barrier intact.
“Keep moving!” Levi shouted, his voice cutting through the roar of the flames.
He spun to the side, darkfire crackling around his hands as he launched a bolt of it at the dragon—not to harm, just to distract. The flames swirled around the dragon’s scales, harmlessly deflecting off its molten-gold hide. It snapped its jaws, letting out a guttural snarl, and turned its glowing eyes toward Levi.
Aspen and Boise moved in sync, casting spells to reinforce Lacey’s barrier and direct the dragon’s attention away from the cave entrance. Abbie and Maggie were right behind them, waiting for an opportunity to act.
“You have to listen to—” I tried shouting, but had to quickly shut my mouth and duck as the dragon’s tail swung through the air, smashing into the trees beside us.
Wood splintered, and I heard Maggie gasp as branches cracked and rained down around us.
I couldn’t risk letting my own magic out. If I lost control, I’d become a danger to all of us. So, I focused on staying light on my feet, dodging and weaving through the chaos as the others kept the dragon occupied.
The ground shook with every impact of the dragon’s claws, each tremor sending leaves cascading from the canopy above.
Aspen flicked his wrist, sending a stream of magical rays toward the dragon’s side. It barely flinched, the electricity crackling harmlessly over its scales. “This isn’t working!” he growled, frustration clear in his voice.
“We can’t hurt him!” I called back, ducking another sweep of the dragon’s tail. “We need the crystal! If we make him angry?—”
“He’s already angry!” Levi cut in, his darkfire wrapping around the dragon’s foreleg like chains, barely managing to slow its movements. The dragon let out another ear-splitting roar, its eyes blazing as it strained against the darkfire’s hold.
“Enough!” the dragon bellowed, and for a split second, the air seemed to tremble with the weight of his voice. He broke through Levi’s restraints with a twist of his massive body, snapping his head toward me. I froze, caught in the intensity of his gaze, and my breath hitched in my throat.
But then the dragon paused, nostrils flaring as he scented the air. His eyes—glowing with that molten gold—narrowed on me, his head tilting slightly. For a moment, I thought he would attack again, but instead, he drew in a long breath, and the tension in the air shifted.
“I smell dragon magic on you,” he rumbled, his voice like thunder rolling through the forest. He straightened slightly, his wings folding against his sides, though the wariness never left his gaze. “You are tainted with it. Explain.”
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, my hands raised in a gesture of peace. “My name is Ariella,” I began, my voice as steady as I could make it. “A prince of the underworld stole my magic and several others, including dragon magic. Later, all of that magic ended up inside baby dragons—newborns. They gave me my magic back, but… they gave me more than that. Now I have my own magic, and all this other power I never wanted.”
The dragon’s eyes narrowed further, but he didn’t attack. He studied me, his gaze piercing, as if he could see straight through to my soul. “You speak of new dragons?” he asked, a strange note in his voice. “I have been without contact with the outside for many years. Is this true?”
