Page 48 of A Court of Darkness and Dragons

Jax’s voice cut across the stillness. “Uh… yeah, about that—” He pointed upward. “They’re coming back.”

The black specks on the horizon swelled with terrifying speed, the shapes of dragons unfolding against the pale light.

Zander’s voice snapped across the outpost, all command and no hesitation. “Mount up! Take to the skies now!”

Kaelith’s roar split the air before my boots even left the ground, the rush of wind from her wings scattering dust and dead leaves as I swung into the saddle. Around us, Thrall Squad leaped to their dragons, the still air of the outpost shattering under the thunder of wings.

Chapter

Seventeen

The moment Kaelith’s wings cut through the upper air currents, the sound of battle slammed into me—screams, roars, the crack of magic meeting magic.

Above the outpost, the riders Zander had ordered to remain airborne were already locked in deadly combat with the Blood Fae. Bolts of dark energy tore across the sky like jagged lightning, slamming into shields of fire, stone, and wind conjured by our riders.

A blue Palisade dragon, massive and plated in armor-like scales, smashed into a black dragon mid-dive, the force of the impact sending both spinning. The fae rider clung like a burr, slashing with a curved blade until the Palisade twisted sharply, dislodging him into open air. His scream was cut short as his own mount rolled beneath and caught him again.

Another Blood Fae, riding a smaller black Swift, hurled a spear of shadow through the air, the projectile spinning toward one of our Strikers. A flash of molten silver from Lola intercepted it mid-flight, shattering the weapon into harmless ash.

Kaelith’s growl rumbled up through my legs, her muscles bunching in preparation. Hold on, she warned, folding her wings tight before we dropped into a steep dive.

We tore past Hein and Zander on our left, both of them wreathed in the deep, molten glow of Dark Fire as they drove a black dragon back with a barrage of fire bursts.

The sky was chaos, dragons banking, twisting, snapping at each other with jaws strong enough to shatter bone. Spells flared in blinding arcs, igniting the clouds in unnatural colors. A Clubtail’s tail smashed into a Blood Fae mount, sending the creature reeling, while another rider summoned a wall of stone in midair, forcing two enemy dragons to break formation.

Every heartbeat was survival and strike, survival and strike, and Kaelith and I angled hard toward the thickest knot of enemy fliers, ready to tear into them before they could overwhelm our own.

The surrounding battle was chaos incarnate, dragons wheeling and snapping, magic tearing the sky into jagged pieces of light and shadow. I barely had time to register the Blood Fae rider in front of me before he hurled a massive fireball straight at my head.

Kaelith banked hard, but there was no way to dodge at this range—heat scorched my skin⁠—

And then, impossibly, it froze.

The ball of flame hung suspended in midair, heat shimmering off it but unmoving, like it had been plucked from the flow of time itself. My breath caught, my eyes snapping to the source⁠—

Severeth.

She hovered astride a black dragon twice Kaelith’s size, her silver-marked eyes fixed on me with that same infuriating, knowing smile. She lifted a graceful hand, dismissing the Blood Fae rider who’d been attacking me. He immediately veered away, his mount folding into a sharp dive that carried him out of the fight.

Her fingers moved then—quick, precise, familiar. The Order’s secret hand language. I didn’t have to think to read it.

It’s time for you to take your place at my side.

I scowled. You mean at Veralin’s side.

Her smirk widened, the black dragon beneath her angling closer. For now. But with your power added to mine, we could overthrow your grandfather and rule together.

My grip on Kaelith’s reins tightened as my other hand moved vigorously. Are you lonely now that you’ve lost your apprentice?

Her laugh was low, amused. Hardly. Inderia was a means to an end. Giving her immortality in exchange for the continent was a fair trade. And I am always on the lookout for a talented woman with Inderia’s skills.

I didn’t realize she had that much magic, I messaged, my movements dripping with sarcasm.

She didn’t, Severeth replied easily, her eyes glinting. But she could manipulate men unlike any woman I’ve ever seen. Only Zander seemed immune to her charms. I had hoped to pit her against Veralin.

You’re sick, I snapped.

Her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, razor-sharp glare. And you are dead if you don’t take my offer.