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But the humans do open fire on me.
On me! Another human!
Luckily, I’m able to stop the bullets as I release myself and drop to the ground. It’s bizarre in the extreme, projecting a shining red shield out in front of myself that stops bullets.
“You’re really still using those?” I shout. “They don’t work against the dragons, obviously. Give it up.”
But a whole contingent of troops is determined to prove me wrong as they advance against me, their guns significantly larger than standard issue, and the bullets firing in a continuous stream.
A roar overhead shows that Azar isn’t keen on testing how many bullets my shield can withstand. This time when he swoops in a circle, he doesn’t restrain himself, roasting the approaching troops into fricassee in front of me.
“I said stop,” I shout.
I’ve either gotten much louder, or I somehow dragon-projected with that shout. However it happened, it’s gotten the attention of literally everyone, and they’re finally listening. The volleys of bullets stop.
“Elizabeth!” The voice is familiar—Gideon’s running toward me. He’s wearing army fatigues, and clearly he’s a figure of some importance among them.
“It looks like selling out your best friend came with some perks,” I snap.
His expression falls. “I never sold you out. I never would.”
“Ice spears.” I can’t help shaking my head. “Kill him and I die too.”
“Let me through.” Gideon kept walking when the generals and commanders around him stopped, and now he’s only a few paces away. He slams his fist into the red shield, grimacing a bit at the reverb when it blocks his entry.
“I have no idea how to let just one person through. If I drop it, they’ll shoot me again.” Shouting loudly enough to talk through the shield is annoying, but I’m not about to let them butcher me. It might give them the edge they need to take out Azar. I may want him to talk to them before massacring all the humans who are clearly here to attack, but I won’t ever betray him. Not really.
“Stand down,” Gideon orders.
Shockingly, the people around him listen, dropping their guns.
“Let me in so we can talk.” He bangs the shield again, this time without even flinching, probably because he was prepared. We can do most anything if we’re prepared for it.
I’ve learned that after a lifetime of training for fights, and I suppose Gideon has learned the same lesson.
“Liz, let me in.” His eyes are sad, and that’s what gets me. Gideon was the person I trusted most in the world—other than probably my parents. The dragons have taken that from me. Perhaps not intentionally, but my parents are gone to me. My siblings are constantly in danger.
And Gideon, my best friend, my supporter, my would-be lover one day. . .he’s gone too.
But do I really trust him so little that I won’t even release my shield? “We need to talk,” I say. “I can get the dragons to stop attacking, but only if you tell the humans to stand down with the ice-spears. We’re so close to getting the heart. It’s here, in Iceland.”
“Let me in,” Gideon says. “And then we’ll talk.” He motions to the commanders standing a dozen paces behind, and he raises his voice so they can hear. “They want to negotiate a de-escalation. They may have found what they need. All the dragons may be leaving soon.”
The white-haired man with the most medals on his coat nods.
“Do you have the authority to make agreements?” I ask.
“I’ve been named acting leader, because of the intelligence I provided.”
“Because you betrayed them,” I say.
He shrugs.
He’s being honest in his role, at least. I drop the shield.
Azar roars from up above and dives toward us.
Every soldier whose guard had gone down lifts their weapon, and a dozen ice-spears pivot to aim for him.
