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“Evanna!” Lachlan yelled from behind me, and I turned to see the fleet of Dragons already mounted, waiting for me. “We have to go!”
When my attention returned to my aunt, I found the warriors running forwards, throwing their spears at Azazel to delay his approach.
“There is no more time,” Amma concluded, grim shadows obscuring her face. “Go through the Eye of the World and search for the Harbinger of Justice. Give him this.He’ll know what to do.”
Her hands gripped mine tightly, closing them after she placed something between them.
“You can save our people, Evie, our world, but you can’t do it alone. You needhim, whether you like it or not… Find him.”
I had never seen my aunt scared until that moment, yet as her blue eyes shone with honor and determination, I knew she wasn’t scared for herself. Whirling around, she rushed to where her spear was anchored and pulled it out, glancing at me one last time.
“Your parents would be so proud of you, Skyborne Princess.”
With a slight bow of her head, she turned and ran with all her might. A battle roar escaped her as she jumped, using the boulders and the side of the cliff to lunge herself through the air towards the four-headed beast. Her spear flew the next second, hurling straight for Azazel, and viciously piercing one of his eyes.
The attack stopped Azazel, causing him to rear back. His screeches of pain split the air, yet I could see nothing but Amma’s body plummeting into the abyss below. Tears of pain and rage spilled from my eyes as I turned around, running for Luna.
“Fly, fly, fly!” I ordered the fleet and jumped onto my Dragon’s wing when it lowered—she’d been hovering above the ground, ready to take off.
Letting her swing me onto her back, I straddled her neck and pulled her up by the scales.
Our people flew out of there, taking advantage of the window my aunt had given us to disappear from Azazel’s sight. One by one the Dragons camouflaged, vanishing in the open sky and hiding our people.
I flew around with Luna, heading straight for the four-headed monster. He was tumbling in the air, still unable to regain his bearings, but his fire breath had reached Amma’s warriors, ending their lives.
A whine came from my Dragon as we approached the raging beast, but I stroked her neck soothingly. “It’s okay, girl. We can do this… For my aunt. For everyone we have lost.”
I could tell the moment her loyalty overcame her fear, because she lowered her head and flew faster, angling her large horns forwards. We flew straight into the monster’s side, her horns piercing the underside of his scales and drawing blood as we crashed. The hit sent him against the mountain, but we swiftly swerved around, leaving.
When I looked back, I found an avalanche of rocks falling onto him while he gripped the cliff with his claws—all heads roared. The spears thrown into him by the warriors had stabbed him deeper with the crash, yet I wasn’t stupid. That wouldn’t kill him, but it would hurt him enough to hinder Raithian’s plans and give us time to regroup.
My aunt’s sacrifice hadn’t been for nothing.
More tears stung my eyes, but that time I didn’t stop them. Instead, my gaze dropped to my hand as I opened it, finally seeing what my Amma had entrusted me with before leaving.
The memory faded while I stared at the ring shaped like a Dragon in my palm, and taking a deep breath, I slipped the chain under my sweater again. Wiping the treacherous teardrops that left me, I glanced at the horizon, feeling both Vyper and Draco come to my side. When I glanced back, they both lowered their heads, sensing the darkness that had filtered through me, my sadness.
I let them rub their faces against my form, trying to console me, and stroked their foreheads, grateful I had them with me. Dragons could sense human emotions. It was unknown how yet, but they somehow created a connection with the person who took them in—or raised them in my case—which allowed them to bond to us so deeply that it was like we shared a heart. All thoughts in a single mind.
So many times I’d wished the bond was two-sided. That I could feel them, understand them the same way they understood us, but it was not conceivable for anyone to create that kind of connection with a Dragon. It was naturally impossible. Only Dragons wielded such power.
“I’m fine. Go back to your posts. I’ll be back later.”
Seeing them nod, I began to climb the rocky trail that led to the top, while they rested against the hill. Their forms instantly mimicked the terrain, looking like black stone and becoming one with the mountain.
Reaching the bridge, I held the walkway railing for dear life, while the wild breeze rustled my hair. Grumbling, I pulled the strange knitted hat from my back pocket and pulled it onto my head. The climate in this place was the strangest I had felt. One day it was hot as Dragon fire, the next the mist appeared, wrapping the land in cold. I had to use all the layers to cover myself today.
My heart pumped harder in my chest while I focused on the path ahead of me. The death beasts rolled over the red bridge to my right at unimaginable speeds, while people walked casually next to me. How could they just walk so close to those things without being scared one could hit them?
Make no mistake, I wasn’t a coward, but this world was so different from my own. Standing there, I couldn’t understand why it was called the Mirror World. I had never seen anything like it. In my land, we used iron for weapons and shields, making armor to protect our horses, Dragon, and body. Here, it was used to create things like this red bridge, ships, and the evil machinery people got into and rolled around inside of all the time.
The death beasts.
Taking a calming breath, I straightened, strengthening my resolve. I rode creatures as tall as this bridge, for Dragon’s sake! Fire breathing creatures. I wasn’t scared of this.
Gripping the railing, I pulled myself along—very slowly—until I reached the other side. I was sick and tired of having to do this day after day. I needed to end this search, and go back home at once. My people needed me, and here I was, chasing after a disgrace to our kingdom.
Gathering with the group of people waiting for a light to tell them when to cross the road, I ignored their sly glances at my appearance, feeling the ring on my chest begin to get warm. If there was one thing I’d learned quickly while in this strange land, it was to do as other people did. Following the masses kept me safe, out of sight, and out of trouble until I accomplished what I came here to do.
