Page 97 of The Healing Dragon
Roman doesn’t stop his pacing as he spots me. But a thundering noise outside has us both running for the garden doors. We stop just inside the threshold. The grounds are now empty of people other than those outside the barrier.
Unusual dark clouds hover on the other side of the shield. The clouds rotate and shift from side to side in a way I’ve never seen before, then lightning strikes. The blue glow intensifies to cracking spider webs that spread quickly. This level of magic is beyond my father. Roman and I know that.
“It won’t last,” I say.
“Line up, soldiers!” Roman shouts behind us.
A group of men and women rush past us. They line up side by side, standing as a second shield between the castle and the enemy.
The lighting stops along with the pounding from the duendes and they climb off one another and return to the forest edge. A second later, the shield drops.
It breaks apart into dust particles falling down like sand. As it clears out, we see no other but my father, standing in themiddle of the clearing with a victorious grin on his face. As if it was even possible, he looks far stronger and bigger than I remember him.
My first thought is that he has done it. He managed to uncap his magic with The Red Book. But if he had done that, he wouldn’t be here the moment Brandon left. He would not fear the King if his magic was one that could match his.
The only other answer is that he once again took from my mother. I wonder if she is dead. If he drained her of life once and for all. My heart aches for the last piece left of her. She was always too weak to stand up to him, and I’ve only ever been strong enough to walk away. That all ends today.
My father’s cocky expression is mocking. “I have come for what is mine.” His eyes narrow on me before turning to the crowd. “Your King is not here, so I’ll make the request to you and your people. It’s simple really, my daughter, in exchange for your lives.”
Not a single soldier standing between my father and I flinch at the offer. I close my eyes, expecting the murmurs of fear from the people inside the dining hall to turn into demands of my return. None come.
“You have one chance to hand over my daughter!” My father shouts over the silent crowd.
“And you will hand over the Red Book?” Roman asks in a mocking tone. His previous concern is now masked behind a confident shield of his own making.
My father’s laugh is hollow. “Oh, no.”
“Why do you even want her back?” A soldier shouts from the sidelines. “She isn’t that good of a fighter.”
I’m actually a great fighter despite my lack of magic, but this is not the time to get offended.
“She is not a good maid.” A woman in uniform chips in. “There are always wrinkles in the laundry she does.” She shakes her head in disappointment. “Sad really.”
I’m out of words because not once have I ever done any laundry that was not my own. I look down at my shirt and see no wrinkles.
“She isn’t even a good cook!” Pad shouts from the crowd. “Burns all she touches. One would think she had her magic back.”
The crowd bursts into laughter.
They’re not turning me in to buy us time. They’re distracting him by mocking his request with irrational excuses. I feel tears gather in my eyes and do everything to hold them back.
“I want the traitorous witch back to face her fate,” my father says, breaking through the humor.
The laughter of the crowd dies. Despite the coldness in his words, I don’t shiver. I’m not hurt. I chose my path and for once I feel like I’m standing on the right side.
I turn to Roman with determination. “I can do it.” My best chance is to get close to him. I doubt he means to kill me here. “I will end him and all this will be over. People don’t have to die. With him gone, his army will be easier to destroy.”
“Without magic?” He looks at me like I’m crazy. “We’ll be offering you like dead meat.”
“I am offended you think so little of me.” I fake a pout.
Amy Bee rushes towards us, out of breath. “I hid it so well I almost lost it. Brandon gave me this a while back.” She opens her palm between us and shows us a red round ruby.
I have seen it only once before, but even if my eyes were closed, I would feel it. My magic calls to me like a part of my soul standing outside my body.
“Good old friend,” I whisper.
“This is not how she was supposed to get her magic back,”Roman says with hesitation and forgetting that this was his idea initially.
