Page 122 of Dream Reaper

And without him, they didn’t stand a chance.

CHAPTER 29

AVA

Ava stumbled over the mangled remnants of the entryway to the keep, her heart in the back of her throat as she chased after Jerrid.

She had to help. She could let Dragon use her again, and maybe the three of them—together—could stand a chance against this nightmare monster.

Especially now that Prince Haryk was here.

But as she slipped over the damp moss, Ava’s stomach twisted into a knot. The air pressed against her, hot and thick and smelling of something rotten. The particles crackled as unseen forces prickled over her exposed skin.

Oh, how it stung! She flinched, a dull roar filling her ears as she skidded around the tower and came around the building to look out over a small clearing.

A massive whirlwind of black smoke spiraled up into the sky. The monster’s laughter rolled over her, and she almost swore she could feel its fingers against her skin, even though she was nowhere near the heart of the storm yet.

Dragon flung himself toward the storm, spewing fire and smoke, but the shadow flung him backward, his claws digging into the ground as he skidded away.

She couldn’t even see Prince Haryk. Was he lost somewhere in the middle of that storm?

“Dragon!” she yelled, sliding down the small embankment and dashing toward him.

His sinewy neck twisted, eyes narrowing as she approached. “Get back to the castle!”

“You need my help!” She stopped beside him, Dragon positioning his body between her and the swirling, enraged mass of magical energy and malevolence.

“No! I need you to get out of here!” Dragon roared.

He shoved his snout against her hip and pushed her hard, driving her backward. Her boots skidded over the damp moss and torn-up earth. She ground her teeth together and put both hands on his massive forehead as she shoved him back.

He snarled and shook his head, glaring at her through his slitted eyes. “Get…out…of…here!”

She dropped to her knees and caught his angular jaw in her hands. “No. You need my help. Dragon, are you listening to me? Can you shift both of us at the same time? If we fight together, with Prince Haryk’s help⁠—”

“No.” Dragon shook his head violently, but his eyes glittered. “At least, I can’t shift you both completely…”

What did that mean?

Ava bit her lip. “But you can shift us partially? Is that what you are saying? Well, that’s better than nothing!”

His nostrils fluttered as he inhaled deeply. “Jerrid doesn’t like this plan.”

“When does he ever like our plans? But they usually work, don’t they?” She patted the top of his snout. “Ignore him and do it.”

Dragon’s eyes glittered more brightly, but then he dipped his head, shuddering as his body began to contract and change shape. When he stopped, Jerrid stood before her in dragon-scale trousers with arm guards. He lifted his head, his hair tangled and spilling over his shoulders. Dark circles hugged his eyes.

“Don’t do this,” he rasped in his own voice.

She reached out and laid a hand on his armored forearm, forcing a smile that didn’t go to her eyes. “Trust me.”

His tongue snaked over his lower lip, a resigned slump tugging his shoulders downward. “It’s not like you’re giving me any choice. When you and Dragon team up, I can’t stop you, and you both know it.”

Her stiff smile slipped, suddenly sheepish. “Sometimes we need help to realize what is best for us. Now I’m ready. We need to act before the shadow kills the prince!”

She closed her eyes and imagined her mind opening to let Dragon have access. He slipped between the cracks in her thoughts with little effort, his familiar presence warm inside her head.

She allowed him access to her limbs, shivering as the change took hold of her. Her legs grew stronger, her hands bigger—and clawed. She rolled her shoulders as scales rippled up to her shoulder blades, encasing them in dragon-scale plating. Her skin itched and burned until the scales fell into place.