Page 44 of Kingdom of Ashes & Bone
The people around me muttered and skipped nervously away as Zariah’s massive form crawled out of the haze, his eyes taking in Zion’s situation with a scoff.
We had plenty of warning it was going to fall. You are slow.
My mouth parted to deliver a biting retort. Now wasn’t the time for insults! But Zion huffed, a sound that could have been mistaken for a laugh. Otherwise, he didn’t defend himself.
Zariah carefully grasped the top chunks in his claws and shifted them slightly, pushing them to the side to take the weight off Zion without accidentally crushing anyone nearby. In quick succession he had five pieces off, only to reveal a massive section of the dome bigger than him. That was what truly had Zion pinned.
“Oh no.” I didn’t see how Zariah could lift it. Not in this lifetime. Not in a thousand lifetimes. Tears streamed down my cheeks, leaving clean tracks where the ash ran down my face.
“Over here! We need to free the dragon! Then it can help us!”
I craned around to look over my shoulder. The portly man from before gestured toward me, his face blackened by ash and grime. What looked like an apron was tied around his waist, but it was impossible to tell what quarter he was from based on his clothes.
We were all mud boys and girls, now.
“My children! They’re gone! Where are my babies?” screamed another woman, her hands raw and bloody from digging through the rubble.
“Free the dragon and then both of them can help us!” the baker argued. People around him nodded, and swarmed Zion and Zariah. They all lined up to grip a piece of the massive dome, and more came running. Soon, nearly fifty people were lined up to try and help.
Tell them to leave a space in the middle for me, and you give the countdown,Zariah ordered.
I passed the message along and the crowd parted, allowing Zariah into the middle to grasp the main part of the slab in his claws. The massive dragon looked odd standing on his hind legs, his wings folded against his back like a cape. It was surreal to see him standing side by side with people from the kingdom from all walks of life.
“Ok,” I began, trying to sound strong. “On three. One … two … three!”
Everyone pushed and grunted. The muscles in Zariah’s back strained and flexed, and slowly, ever so slowly, the massive stone lifted.
Keep going! If we get it high enough he can roll out!
Zion’s gaze fluttered up to me.I can’t roll out,he argued.
Zariah growled, and the stone faltered.Goddamnit, now! We can’t hold it for long!
I didn’t understand what the issue was; all Zariah had to do was roll. Even if he was injured, surely he could summon the strength for this!
I can’t,he stubbornly insisted.
Zariah bellowed and dropped the slab, the human help scattering as it fell back on Zion with a heavy thump. Zion roared in pain as it slammed into his back, and I’d never felt more helpless than I had in that moment.
Was what his problem? Can’t—
“THERE IS ANOTHER DRAGON! HIDE!”
My heart dropped into my chest. The last thing we needed was for the queen to recover and shift, destroying whatever meager crumbs were left of this kingdom. Zariah growled and leaped over his fallen brother and most of the crowd, landing with a large thump that shook the ground. His dragon ears were slicked back against his skull as he growled, waiting.
But it wasn’t the queen who stepped out of the haze.
It was afourthdragon.
ChapterThirteen
Massive and black, it was easily twice as big as Zion and Zariah. From the tip of his ears scales to his wings and claws, the dragon seemed a shadow of death. All was dark except for his eyes, which glowed silver. And his fangs, which were pristine and white.
He roared in challenge.Give me my mate!
Ok. That wasn’t exactly what I thought it would say. Though to be honest, I hadn’t expected it to speak at all! Zariah’s head tilted to the side, mirroring the confusion we all felt.
She is here! I smell her!The black dragon threw his head in the air, looking wildly left and right.I heard her distress call across the desert! What have you done to her?!
