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“Not anymore,” Paimon said. “I might not have my full power back, but the crystals helped. After all, they were four in total.”
My brow furrowed. “So you sent Conri here to find the crystals, so you could get some of your power back.”
“Exactly.” Paimon smiled. “You’re a smart girl. Just like your mother was.”
I stilled. “You knew my mother?”
“Oh, yes. I sent Conri here to retrieve the crystals for me, but that wasn’t all I ordered him to do. I told him to protect you.” His wicked smile was back. “I’m not finished with the introductions. Here’s the last one: You’re Raika, half-wolf, half-demon, and my dear daughter.”
My throat went dry, the blood left my face.
No, no. I hadn’t heard him right. I shook my head and took a large step back. A wolf pushed his nose against my leg, forcing me to stay in place.
A wave of magic rushed through us and suddenly all hell broke loose. I stood there like a rag doll while my friends advanced on the wolves, and the wolves struck back. Lavinia grabbed my arm and pulled me with her.
Then I woke up from my stupor.
I wouldn’t dwell on this insane fact right now; there was no time for that. We had to get out of here.
Lavinia disappeared from my side, using her super speed to rush to Killian, who fought with the three men holding him back. She shot blue bolts at them, making them lose their hold.
Evelyn and Almae fought with magic, and they had the wolves down or limping before even getting to them. Ash had his sword out and hacked at the wolves. Roman shifted and lunged at the wolf coming for him.
I turned and saw Paimon smiling at me, like this was all going according to his plan.
Then the ground shook.
Paimon’s eyes widened for a second.
“It’s the dragon!” Evelyn shouted. “The crystals are gone and there’s nothing holding him back now.”
The ground shook harder and the gap widened, swallowing the pavement around it. We all stepped back before it swallowed us too.
The fight seemed to pause as the ground exploded, raining dirt and cement everywhere, and the dragon burst free.
My insides liquefied at the sight before me. A dark green, almost black, gigantic dragon stood where the main square had been. He turned his big head at us and roared, showing off his hundreds of sharp teeth the size of my forearms, the guttural sound hurting my ears. He opened his wings—I had to duck before the giant thing hit my head—and then he took off toward the dark sky.
I stared at it, completely entrance and stunned.
There really had been a dragon underneath our feet this whole time.
I thought the dragon would fly away, but no, he was enraged and probably wanted revenge. He made a beautiful arc in the sky and flew toward us. His throat turned orange.
Oh, shit.
“Run!” I cried.
The dragon opened his big mouth, blowing fire at us. I felt the heat licking at my back as I ran from the center of the square. The dragon swooped up, but not before leaving a thick path of fire in his wake.
Wolves howled from within the fire. They clambered out, their bodies covered in flames. Horror washed through me as they fell face-first on the ground, their bodies writhing.
Nortrix was one of them.
“He’s coming back!” someone yelled.
This time everyone ran.
In his human form, Roman appeared by my side and took my hand in his. “This way.”
