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Wind whipping thanks to my wings, I angle myself toward Tori and Kendall, capturing them in my clawed hands. Then I swoop upward, breathing hellfire as I go. Below me, bright flames cascade to the ground like water, burning everything they touch to ash.
Chapter 11
Tori
Legion Razginath’s dragon is a thing of nightmares. He is bigger than any creature I’ve ever seen with black, spiky scales that look sharp enough to slice flesh to the bone. Not that he needs those particular weapons, considering the lava-like flames he conjures on a simple exhale. My shock at being snatched into his claws and lifted off my feet is surpassed by the sight of the bodies in our yard burning to ash.
The wind burns my cheeks, my tears turning to ice against my skin as Kendall and I are lifted away from the charred vampires still screaming even as they burn alive—and from the remains of the only life I ever knew.
I assume Legion intends to find a suitable hiding spot outside the city. To my horror, he heads straight for the city center. I realize with agonizing clarity where he’s headed just as the arch comes into view.
He dives sharply, ripping a scream from my throat.
Still, he doesn’t stop. If anything, he speeds faster.
The fact that he manages to glide along so close to the ground in order to fly through the portal still in dragon form is kind of impressive—if it wasn’t also terrifying. There aren’t many things that truly scare me, but watching the pavement race by mere inches below my face leaves me dizzy and trembling. The portal guards are nothing more than a blur as we zoom past them, one of them waving a hand in greeting to the dragon.
The moment we’re on the other side, he lurches to a stop and sets Kendall and me on our feet. The whole thing happens so fast, I lose my balance and fall to my knees, bracing my palms on the floor. Kendall does the same.
At the sound of voices, I look up to see a guard approaching. Legion snorts at him which is apparently all the communication necessary because the guard waves us onward. Legion nudges Kendall and me both to our feet.
I manage to stand and, pulling Kendall along with me, we make our way out of a large atrium and through a set of doors that Legion’s dragon only barely fits through.
Once we’re outside, Legion’s wings beat furiously, lifting him off the ground. Just like before, he grabs Kendall and me in his powerful claws and then angles upward.
Our entrance into hell lasts all of thirty seconds before we’re once again airborne. As the ground drops away, we soar high into Tartarus’ night sky so quickly that I’m positive I’ve left my stomach behind.
Doing my best not to throw up, I study the landscape below me, fully expecting a hellscape complete with eternal fire and tortured souls. Instead, a city is sprawled around a castle on a hill, their twinkling lights almost peaceful and serene. Beyond the city limits, a thick forest spreads far and wide with a narrow ribbon of a road that cuts through it.
As far as I can see, there’s nothing burning and no souls screaming out from eternal torture. In fact, it’s peaceful. And so much more beautiful than I imagined it would be.
Soon, the forest below gives way to a mountain—the first of several in a long, unending ridgeline. At the top of the first peak, a gothic castle looms out of the rock, looking as if it were carved into the mountain itself. Halfway down the cliffside, a large waterfall sprays mist into the air where the rushing water freefalls before disappearing into a layer of clouds.
It looks like something right out of a dark fairy tale.
Legion aims straight for a grassy courtyard nestled between the castle entrance and a high stone wall that surrounds the estate. Between the view and the adrenaline, my energy is zapped. By the time he finally sets us down—much more gently this time thankfully—my knees are so weak I can barely stand. Next to me, Kendall is sucking in deep breaths.
“You okay?” I ask Kendall.
“Yeah. You?”
“I might vomit,” I admit, and she laughs then winces, clutching her own stomach.
“Ugh. Do not make me laugh right now,” she groans.
Drawing in deep breaths, I look around to get my bearings. Behind me, a stone wall encircles the courtyard where we stand, broken up by a wrought-iron gate fashioned in the shape of a dragon with wings spread wide. The large lock holding it closed is both a sign of protection and a prison sentence, so I turn away from it and stare up at the castle before me.
It’s at least four stories high with slate gray stone walls and a black roof complete with spires, turrets, and a widows’ walk. From this angle, I can’t see the sheer drop I glimpsed from above, but I know it’s there, making this the only way in or out.
“Wow,” Kendall breathes, staring up at it. “This is where he lives?”
I cock my head, assessing. “A bit cliché if you ask me. Like he’s overcompensating for something.”
She shoots me a look.
I smirk.
When I look back at the castle, my gaze is drawn to the backdrop of the night sky. In the darkness, more stars than I’ve ever seen on Earth wink back at me. Two moons hang heavy almost directly above us. The sight of them feels like a weird sort of double-vision mind trick that sends another wave of dizziness through me.
