Page 21 of All Out of Flux
I threw my head up, gazing at nothing, eyes wide in terrified understanding. Tiamat had lied right to my face. Bakunawa had never vacated the premises. That was him in there, struggling for dominance against Bahamut. Two dragons were clawing for control over my body, over my soul.
Was this a trial? Did they want to test my limits, how many dragons I could safely carry?
“They’re ripping me apart from the inside. Max. Help me.”
He reached for my face, his hand trembling. “I don’t know what to do. Leon, please. Tell me what to do.”
I’d never seen him so scared. I’d never heard him stutter like that. Tears spilled down my cheeks. I opened my mouth toscream, jaw straining to push anything out — my voice, my bile, the dragons themselves.
Could it work? By some twisted law of contractual magic, couldn’t there be some way to force these monsters out of my body? Vomit them into this reality if I had to, tear open my own skin. I clutched at my chest, fingernails digging into my flesh. Ripping myself apart would be worth it, if only it meant an end to the pain.
Then all at once the pain vanished, quickly as it had come. I sprawled flat on my back, relishing the sharp, solid cold of asphalt. I was alive. The dragons had gone dormant. But for how long?
I blinked hard, my vision regaining focus. Stars far above, tree branches rustling in the breeze, and Max’s worried face.
“Leon? Talk to me. What can I do?”
I rubbed at my face. “I think it’s over. For now, at least. Fuck. The Quartz Spider. Max, we could still be in danger.”
He helped me sit up, shaking his head. “He’s gone. Disappeared just as soon as you Emanated. You must have scared him off, but I gotta be honest. You scared me more.”
I wrapped my arms around him, held him tight. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that I was scared, too.
10
MAX
Ichewed on my bottom lip as Leon tore into another croissant, sucking down huge gulps of caramel macchiato in between bites. I didn’t think I’d ever be so scared for him, at least not since that time Divina had tried to drown him. He wasn’t even strong enough to make it to my car on his own, after dealing with the Quartz Spider.
This was only the second time I’d had to carry him in my arms. I really didn’t ever want for there to be a third.
And still he chomped away, lost in a feeding frenzy. He needed the calories and sugar. Johnny stood nearby, tutting and shaking his head, both the big brother and the father figure. The pastries at Unholy Grounds weren’t always the freshest, but bless Johnny Slivers for always being so happy to provide.
“Now,” Roscoe said, nodding as he perused a stack of books. “Tell me in your own words what happened.”
Leon dragged the back of his hand across his mouth, glancing around sheepishly, like he’d only just remembered his manners. He took a beat to swallow, eyes searching the table as he tried to put the pieces of the story together.
“I tried to summon the third dragon’s magic. At first I thought it hurt more because he was especially powerful. Something like that. But then I realized the pain was different.” He patted at his stomach, grimacing. “It came from here. Like the worst indigestion ever, like my insides were twisting around themselves, tying into knots.”
I shook my head. The pain in his voice, in his eyes — I never wanted that to happen again.
“Super painful, you guys,” Leon continued. “It was fucking agony. Dragon agony, even.”
Johnny narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you say it.”
Leon straightened his back, emboldened by being told that he shouldn’t. “Dragony.”
Johnny and Roscoe groaned. I banged my fist on the table.
“Because it was both dragons at once this time,” I grumbled. “They betrayed him. Both dragons hiding inside him, both trying to punch their way out.”
My hand tightened around the handle of my mug — something strong and hot and black. I knew I could use a stiff drink, but I knew I could use a clear head even more. We’d driven here straight from the parking lot near Habibi because I didn’t know where else to go. I didn’t know what else to do.
I hated feeling so helpless, especially when it came to keeping Leon safe. I’d royally fucked up in that area, but what else was I supposed to do?
Leon pursed his lips, eyebrows furrowed like he was more worried for me than he was for himself. Sweet of him. Too sweet.
“Well, I don’t know if I would blame Bakunawa for this. And I promise it’s not just, like, nationalistic pride or whatever. He went dormant inside me after he saved us from all that water, remember? He couldn’t have known that Tiamat had promised me to another dragon. If anything, it was Bahamut who should have known better.”
