Page 98 of Forged in Fire
But Kieran’s eyes are telling me no. I’m certain of it. Even as he channels his shadows toward the huge dais, I sense his resistance.
“I will not!” I scream, muscles and sinews in my arms screaming as I strain against the bonds.
Through the mate bond, Riven’s voice echoes in my mind with crystal clarity:‘Iris!’
My name rings in my head, and I know it’s real. This connection between us, forged in desperation and sealed with recognition—it’s stronger than any binding spell the Syndicate can create.
‘I’m coming!’
His determination floods through the bond, giving me strength I didn’t know I possessed.
Before I can make sense of what’s happening, there’s another explosion.
Stone and mortar rain down as a towering figure surges through the breach—half-shifted, scales gleaming bronze along massive arms, claws extended like weapons. He advances upon Vex with a pronounced limp that doesn’t seem to slow him down at all.
Vex spins to face the newcomer, his carefully controlled demeanor cracking. “Malakai Steele.”
“Roland.” The name rolls off Malakai’s tongue like he finds the taste of it repulsive. “Still hiding behind masks, I see.”
The two men face each other across the ritual space—powerful adversaries from different eras of dragon politics. Vex represents the Syndicate’s calculated extremism, while Malakai embodies the old ways, when disputes were settled with claw and flame.
“This is Circle territory now,” Malakai declares, his voice carrying the authority of someone who remembers when dragons ruled openly. “Your little resurrection project ends here.”
“The ritual is nearly complete,” Vex snarls back. “You’re too late to stop what we’ve started.”
The ancient magic pulses stronger between them, responding to their combined power. Behind Malakai, Circle operatives pour through the breach, while Syndicate forces rally around Vex.
I’m caught in the middle of a war that’s about to tear this mountain apart.
“Step away, Vex. You’ll never be strong enough to leash the power you’re about to release.” Malakai’s voice carries across thecommotion of battle. His eyes are fixed on the ritual circle, on the energy building toward critical mass.
And it dawns on me with crystal clarity… He wants control of the awakening for himself.
I shudder at the thought of such power in the hands of someone so evil. But then again, the Syndicate isn’t much better.
“Hold them back!” Vex orders his men, who are already doing all they can to fight off the horde of scaled beasts pouring into the chamber. Fire blasts through the air.
The chamber shudders as competing forces spiral toward instability. Ancient power responding to bloodline recognition with growing energy. Circle attacks disrupting Syndicate control systems. The ritual itself feeding power into protections that were never meant to be breached by force.
Malakai’s eyes widen as he sees the power spiraling beyond anyone’s control. The ancient magic is building too fast, feeding on the battle and bloodshed around us. Whatever the Syndicate planned, it’s gone completely off the rails.
“Fools!” he roars, spinning to face the Syndicate guards. “You don’t understand what you’re unleashing!”
He charges toward the stone dais where the Sleeping King lies, his massive frame moving with surprising speed. His bronze scales gleam as dragon fire wreathes his claws.
But three steps from the ritual circle, he stops dead.
Not because he wants to. Because he can’t move forward.
Ancient wards flare to life around the king—protections older than dragon memory. The air shimmers with defensive magic that recognizes Malakai as a threat and responds accordingly.
“What—?” Malakai strains against the invisible barrier, his face contorting with effort and rage. Beams of light begin to pour from the dais, shooting into the room.
One of the cascading energy surges catches Malakai directly.
The Circle leader’s scream cuts through combat noise as raw magic—older and more lethal than anything modern dragons command—burns through every cell in his body. One minute, he’s there… and the next, he’s not.
And I realize with growing horror that none of us might survive what’s coming. Not when someone so ancient and powerful could be so helpless against it.
