Page 50 of Oath of War
With that declaration, Vahin turned back to stare at the sky, and I prayed to the All-Father for my dragon and his broken heart while his mourning song filled my soul.
We left the moment the skies emptied, Vahin exploding from the cave with an urgency that bordered on desperation. He flew with breathtaking speed, his wings slicing through the cold air, and I didn’t dare waste breath on words. Every ounce of strength, every precious second, was focused on returning to Ani’s side.
The flight was torturous, the freezing wind leaving my hands and face burning from the cold, but we didn’t let that keep us from returning to our family. I couldn’t see the ground beneath us, but I didn’t have to—Vahin knew exactly where he was going.
In the end, however, it didn’t matter how fast we flew. The sun was already reaching its zenith, and the trial had been set for the dawn. We were late, and the implications of that froze my heart even more than the icy winds.
As the walls of the capital shimmered on the horizon, I broke the silence. ‘Can you sense her?’
‘Yes,’ Vahin replied, his voice strained.
I felt his fatigue as keenly as my own. The oldest and most powerful bonded dragon on the continent was nearing the limits of his endurance, but he didn’t falter. He didn’t slow. We hurtled over the city walls, heading straight for the arena.
When the sound of cheering reached us, Vahin roared in fury, a primal sound that sent shivers through me.Those fuckers are cheering while she fights for her life?His outrage became my own, fuelling a fire that burned hotter than the freezing air.
Vahin tucked his wings and dived, plummeting towards the arena floor like a thunderbolt. I braced myself, ready to leap from his back and cut down anyone who dared threaten Ani—or anyone who dared revel in her suffering. My disgust at my own people churned in my empty stomach.
We smashed into the arena floor, sand exploding upwards and filling the air with choking dust, but even as the grit stung my eyes, I saw her. Ani. She moved in a deadly dance, weaving between her attackers with lethal grace, staining the sand red with blood.
I cried out when a blade sliced across her chest, but she twisted just enough to avoid a killing blow. Pressing my knees into Vahin’s sides, I urged him to attack her enemies, but before we could move, a wave of power surged through the arena, turning the sand before us to glass, and Vahin froze.
Ani’s name left my lips as I bellowed, seeing just how outnumbered she was. This wasn’t the political charade I’d expected, a face-saving show to give the empress an excuse to join the war. No, that damn woman wanted them dead, no matter the cost. She truly intended to kill the only conduit mage we had left.
And like a fool, I’d let it happen.
I’d examined the situation and calculated the odds like a commander but had underestimated Talena’s hatred. Alaric hadkilled the empress’ mate. For that, she’d thought he had to die, and she didn’t care who died with him.
Another explosion shook the ground as we tried to move forward. The fire and smoke blinded me, and I cursed the fates for my helplessness until I saw Annika through the clearing haze. I punched the air in triumph, only for the feeling to be short-lived as Ani and Ari fell into a swirling black void. The portal vanished, and they were gone.
Vahin roared, his wings snapping open with a thunderclap. The lightning that penned us in stuttered and disappeared, but it didn’t matter. The Black Dragon of Dagome was enraged. He lunged forward, smashing through glass spikes and fae warriors alike, tearing towards where the portal had been.
Panic spread like wildfire. Warriors and spectators scrambled to escape as Vahin’s fury turned the arena into chaos. His scales blazed with blue light, raw primordial magic radiating from him. The air thickened, heavy with power, and cold sweat pooled under my collar. I’d never seen him like this, and I knew there was no controlling him now.
Vahin’s mind was locked onto one thought. Ani.
‘Open the portal!’ he roared, his voice a thunderclap that shook the ground. The mages that had surrounded the portal collapsed to their knees, shaking in terror.
‘Vahin, no,’ I begged, acutely aware that he was preparing to unleash an inferno. ‘Please. Annika wouldn’t want this.’
‘She was bleeding!’ His voice trembled with anguish. ‘My Little Flame was injured, and they sent her beyond my reach! She made me promise, Orm. Even now, the promise I made—’ His roar shook the arena as he dropped to all fours, releasing short bursts of fire. ‘I’ll honour it, but pray your gods have mercy on your kin because if my light is gone from this world, I will turn it into dust.’
I thought the wild magic burning inside me was relentless, but as I felt Vahin’s rage, I knew nothing could withstand the dragon’s fury. But if he lost control and destroyed the city before Ani returned, he would never forgive himself.
Just like I’d done at Roan, I opened myself to Vahin’s fury, allowing it to flood through our bond. I accepted his rage, his hate, his anguish, and gave him my love and unwavering support in return. Together, we sank into the storm of his emotions, the world beyond our connection fading into insignificance. Slowly, the tempest began to subside. Vahin’s control returned, and I allowed myself a moment of relief—until an arrogant voice shattered the fragile peace.
‘Welcome back, Commander,’ Talena drawled, her tone laced with mockery. ‘Unfortunately, you missed the most entertaining part of the trial. The conduit mage fought well—far better than I expected. Imagine my surprise when she managed to open the portal.’ Her voice turned cold, and she gestured dismissively towards the arena floor. ‘But since we don’t anticipate her return, we can end this farce and consider the matter concluded.’
My head snapped towards the balcony where she stood. Even as she held herself with pride, wrapped in her magic like a shield, I caught the tremor in her hands. ‘What do you mean,concluded?’ My voice dropped, each word a warning. ‘Choose your next words wisely, my lady. My dragon is on edge, and so am I.’
Her smirk widened, a venomous expression that ignited my rage anew. ‘Only twice in the history of this trial has the Dark Mother granted her mercy to the penitents. I wouldn’t hold your breath for their return.’ She turned to her attendants, her tone flippant. ‘I think a mourning feast is in order. Shall we?’
Every fibre of my being screamed for vengeance. I wanted to kill her, to rip her into pieces and watch her bleed on the same sand stained with my Nivale’s blood. But Vahin’s rising heatbeneath me reminded me of the fine line we walked. If I gave in to my fury, so would he.
‘No,’ I told him. ‘We can’t kill her yet. Maybe one day, but not now. We need her, and Annikawillreturn. Trust your Little Flame to find her way back to us.’
As if summoned by my plea, a new voice broke through the tension.
‘My lady, trial laws demand we wait for at least two hours before concluding the matter,’ Valaram declared with perfect indifference, though his body radiated tension. I frowned, puzzled by the ambassador. He was clearly acting against the empress.Why?
