Page 130 of Of Blood and Banes
We all bounce our attention back and forth between the two of them, but my gaze settles on Marge at last. “How sure are you?”
She hobbles over to Daeja and prods her side with her staff. Daeja growls at Marge over her shoulder before lowering her side to her. Marge retrieves a flask from one of the bags attached to the rear of Daeja’s saddle.
Flicking the lid off, Marge tips the flask over and looks up at me as the water gushes out of the container onto the gray stone street. “There’s only one way to find out. And we don’t have the luxury of time.”
When I glance over at Cole, he nods, then the two of us walk to Marge. I go first, squeezing the blood from my hand into the flask. As soon as the flow slows, I step back and allow Cole to also drain his blood. A hiss catches my attention, and I find Archie wiping his bloody dagger off on his thigh before sheathing it. Once Cole steps back, Archie joins in, followed by Melaina.
As Sethan drips his blood into the flask, he glances over at the other dragon rider. “Bristol? Care to contribute?”
Bristol joins in. Then Gavin. Marge hands me the morbidly full canister of mixed blood, and I cork it before swirling it to mix the contents.
“So, what? You’re going to just pour it over a wall that nobody can see?” Nolan calls from behind me.
I stop a foot away from the invisible wall and everyone takes a step back to give me space. I fixate on the crimson liquid after I pop off the cork.It has to work. Otherwise, we’ve come all this way for nothing.
“No…” I murmur. Slowly, I pour a small strip of blood along the length of the dagger, before tipping my blade down so it’ll coat the tip. A drop slides off the front of the dagger and drips on the floor. Before more can slip off, I press the blade forward and sink it into the air in front of me with slow caution.
The invisible barrier in front of us wavers. The castle on the other side of the wall ripples like a reflection in a pond being disturbed. A buzzing energy bolts up the dagger and rings in my arm like struck metal, but I grit my teeth and push harder into it.
The barrier fights against me but relents inch by inch until I’ve sunk my dagger hilt-deep through it. With a quick inhale, I slide the dagger down until the red streak runs out. Pulling the blade out, I pour more blood on it and cut until I’ve hit the ground. More blood, then back up until I can’t reach any higher.
“Allow me,”Daeja purrs.
She edges her nose into my heels and when she pushes too hard, it knocks my feet out from under me. I catch myself back on her snout as she lifts me up higher into the air. Straightening myself, I’m perched on the tip of her snout and continue cutting through the barrier. Pour, slice. Pour, slice. Once we finish the top part of the frame, I hop off Daeja’s muzzle and cut down the right side until the blade hits the last half inch. The pressure between the dagger and magical barrier vanishes. Like slicing through a curtain, the glimmering space in between the frame I created falls to the ground.
Panting, I rise and take a step back. The air surrounding the rectangle I sliced still moves with a liquid-like sheen. The shapes and colors behind it swirl like oil in water.
I reach out, stretching my fingertips through the sliced frame, and find…nothing.
Smiling, I take one step. And then another. Until I’m well past the barrier and turn to face everyone else. Daeja bumps Archie’s back with her nose, and he fumbles forward, catching himself on his hands. Half of his body is past the barrier.
Cole steps forward and helps Archie off the ground, prompting more to come through. Then, our entire group steps inside. Daeja is at A’nala’s side like a shadow, slightly leaning into her shoulder as they breach the barrier to this side. A’nala’slips twitch up in a silent growl as she glances down at Daeja, and Daeja snorts playfully at her before she breaks off and walks toward me.
“What’s that dragon’s name?”I ask Daeja as Bristol’s fire dragon is the last to enter.
“Nadja. She’s quite…ornery. Apparently, it’s rude to ask how old she is.”
I chuckle, and before I can even respond, she continues,“And before you ask—no. I didn’t ask the other dragons the same question. Though I’m starting to think the attitude may be hereditary with fire dragons.”
“Just fire dragons, huh?”
Daeja narrows her eyes at me, and as she passes me, she swipes her tail into the side of my thigh, and I take a few steps just to keep myself upright.
Sethan stares up at the castle towering above us with a parted mouth. Overgrown ivy and ferns drape over the elegant stonework in green curtains. Yet, golden accents still glimmer in the sunlight like it’s never been abandoned.
“It worked…” he murmurs, as if he hadn’t quite believed it would.
The rest of the group mirror his wonder, eyes wide and mouths open.
Marge hobbles over to one of the massive stone arches leading into the inner courtyard of the castle. When no one follows, she turns, looking over her shoulder. “Well? What are we waiting for? As Sethan mentioned, we only have enough provisions for ten of us. I imagine those won’t last us too long if we dally.”
For being the slowest walking one here, she sure is fast.
CHAPTER 42
VITALIS
We walk through the courtyard in silence, our soft footsteps echoing about the stone walls. Leafy green ferns burst through the stone floors and walls, threatening to overtake what once was man-made. The sunlight spills through parts of the crumbled walls six stories high, casting beams of dusty light across the floors. Every story of the castle is layered with deliberate curves, arches, and lines that create a picturesque fortress. Every which way I turn is a set of steps leading up to hallways and doors through archways. We pause in the middle of the courtyard, with Sethan and Marge at the front.
