Page 103 of Cast By Flames (Dragon's Breath)
Bailey rose to her feet and began clapping, startling everyone around them. Aidan looked up at her in confusion since she hadn’t shown any enthusiasm until now. What was she doing? And what possessed her to draw attention to herself when she usually hated it?
“We all know this war would already be lost without the sorcerers,” she shouted, loud enough that most of the shiftersand nearby pure dragons could have heard her. “They built the shield, fortified our weapons, made fireproof potions for our human fighters, and will continue to provide all types of support, including healers and range fighters we’ll desperately need to win this war.”
Bailey paused and drew a breath.
A Straegud shifter with magical powers moved closer to her, letting her know he would boost her voice. Aidan was surprisedbutdidn’t stop the male as he lifted his hands and released a spell that blanketed the slayer’s throat and chest in soft light.
“It will only last for a few minutes,” he murmured.
She shivered before speaking again. “Everyone sitting in these stands, along with those who’ve already moved to the front line, deserves credit. Let’s not shortchange a single person who has volunteered to be here. If we hope to make this alliance successful, we can’t let our biases continue to rule us. Starting today, we are one force. We are united in the belief that we all deserve to live and everyone on this side of the line matters.”
She had a point. Aidan stood and began clapping his hands while looking across the stadium. Others followed, and before long, everyone was cheering. It felt good and right. The sorcerers had been the backbone of this operation and would continue to make a huge difference. Aidan was ashamed his mate had to remind him of that.
After a few minutes, everyone settled back into their seats, and silence returned.
“Well said, Bailey,” Colonel Melvin shouted, his gaze falling on her momentarily with gratitude. “There’s a saying weused before dragons arrived, ‘united we stand, divided we fall,’ and I think it applies now more than ever.”
Aidan studied his mate, noting her shaking hands. Bailey could face a dozen dragons without showing a hint of fear, but he understood the courage it took to speak before an audience of thousands. She’d been doing it for the greater good, and he was proud of her.
He put an arm around her shoulders. “I think I love you even more now.”
“It had to be said.” She leaned against his shoulder, uncaring of the people watching. “I’m tired of everyone focusing on our differences instead of our similarities. The world would be dull if we all looked and acted the same.”
“Agreed,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
She looked up at him. “Maybe after this war, I’ll ask Javier if he can design a potion that curbs a slayer's urges, so we only kill when necessary. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that with the right motivation and magic, there are no limits.”
“That’s an excellent idea, though I’ll always want you regardless.”
His mate never ceased to amaze him.
“In conclusion,” Colonel Melvin continued to speak, “let’s not only fight beside each other butforeach other. Let’s prove that with support and solidarity with our neighbors, EVIL WILL NOT TRIUMPH!”
He lifted his fist in the air, and everyone in human form followed. The dragons roared and flared their wings. Aidan’s enhanced senses were bombarded with the energy around him. No matter the race or faction, everyone felt the same motivationand unity. It was time to get moving and face the Kandoran as one.
***
Sunset crept close upon them. After leaving the stadium, they’d stopped to eat an early dinner and gather their weaponry before flying across the border. The shield wall had tingled against their skin as they crossed, but it didn’t hurt them. Aidan could only make out the slightest shimmer when they reached it.
He’d dropped Bailey off at the front, where the slayers stood as the vanguard up and down the front line. Though he had complete faith in her skills, it was still difficult to leave her there without wrapping her in an embrace that lasted until the enemy appeared on the horizon. She’d paired with her former partner from the coalition, Brody. Aidan had ensured the young man knew he better watch her back and keep her safe.
He hated that he couldn’t be the one to do that, but he needed to lead the dragons in the air. It was a consolation that every slayer would have a partner. They’d work together to finish the Kandoran who survived their falls and kill as many of the infected humans who came from the West as possible. The ground troops would surge forward to help as well once the shifters were in the air.
Far up in the sky, he spotted a gray plane. It was flying far higher than any dragon could reach so they could spy on the enemies’ progress. Even the Kandoran sorcerers’ magic couldn’t seem to reach that altitude to stop them. If Allison’s prediction proved correct, the war would begin in the next ten minutes.
All the shifters were in a line that ran from the Taugud border's northern point in Oklahoma City to the southern end at the Red River. His toriq could only provide three hundred and seventy-five warriors for the front since they had the smallest population, with the rest remaining behind to defend the fortress or rotate forward as needed. Aidan was grateful there were another seven hundred and twenty-five from the Straegud and Craegud combined to fill the ranks. He and the other pendragons agreed to keep their shifters together since they had the same coloring, making it less confusing during the battles, but they each took a different section to defend.
The Faegud to the south in Texas would be supplemented by the pure dragon toriqan from the Ghastanan, Takaran, Bogaran, Jarkan, Dagowan, and Zagoran, who’d provided volunteers to fight with them. Their total warriors came to over two thousand, not counting those they left to defend their Jakhals in case the shield fell. About fifteen hundred humans in that area also volunteered to fight.
To the north, from central Oklahoma City to midway into Kansas, was another fighting force. The Shadowan and Vataran, whose territories lay along that line, comprised the primary army. Warriors from the Pradowan, Nazaran, and Gorkan, along with the Tarogan from the east and refugee volunteers from the Thamaran, added to their dragon ranks for a total of almost two thousand. Approximately eight hundred humans had banded together to fight with them between northern Oklahoma and portions of Kansas.
Technically, his stretch of the line had the fewest dragons defending it, but the Taugud border had considerably more human fighters, sorcerers, and modern weaponry to make upthe difference. The coalition was providing some artillery and air support to the northern and southern ends of the line, though.
The black armor he wore chafed him. It wasn’t something shifters had ever used before, but they were severely outnumbered even with their considerable planning and combined resources. Every advantage, no matter how small, made a difference.
They’d taken some of the considerable zaphiriam ore mined during Nanoq’s reign and used it to make armor for their necks and chests where dragons were most vulnerable. There wasn’t time to design anything that could go across their entire bodies and fit around their wings, but at least the two pieces they had would give them some much-needed protection to their vital areas.
The armor had just been finished the day before, and only the lead warriors received it. He might not have considered the idea, but the Straegud had brought theirs, which they’d developed after the Kandoran threat began.
