Page 42 of Kell


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“In our stories, the dragons of that era banded with the druids and mages to overthrow him. Dragon fire, death spells, and enchanted weapons were all used, but he was resurrected every time. Killing him returned him to his temple. That was why it was eventually used as his cage.”

“Yes. It’s sealed in the underground chamber and only Adara can unbind the wards she added.”

They turned as a piece of rock broke off from the turret at the top of the castle and came crashing to the earth. It broke apart on the cracked cobblestone below and skittered across the ground.

“Was Breggar using magic to hold this place together?” she asked as a pebble rolled toward them.

“No. The magic used here is an affront to Mother Nature. It has caused some seismic activity beneath us. The quakes are small, but this castle has not been maintained for centuries.”

The next quake shook the ground, and a purple light appeared in the courtyard. Kell got up and pulled Alana to her feet, but neither one of them was in any condition to fight the mage.

Allorin stepped from the portal as soon as it was big enough. Violet smoke swirled around his purple robes and Alana wondered if the mage had read one too many books on Merlin. He looked like an ancient sorcerer from a fairy-tale land. His eyes locked on them and blazed with hatred as the dragon claw glowed in his hand. He held the bright artifact up.

“Reverse the spell now, or you both die.”

Alana clutched Kell’s hand. “I don’t understand. Is Adara ignoring us, or is the spell in some sort of stasis?”

Kell shook his head. “That is druid magic, and not a spell I am familiar with. The temples of old never needed to siphon power as they lent theirs to one another when needed.”

Allorin approached them, and the portal behind him closed. “What have you done to the claw? It continues to be diminished, and my spells are deflected by its source.”

Alana held out her hand in a non-threatening manner. “I honestly don’t know. Adara is connected to it, but she doesn’t have the power to deflect your spells. She is dying.”

Allorin stepped back. “I wish to enslave her in her current realm. I wish to keep the druids for my own purposes.”

“The realm is failing. The claw was the only thing that could save her. Allow her to siphon the claw and you will have a chance at enslaving us, but if she dies, we all do.”

Allorin held the claw closer to his face. With the surrounding gray clouds, the glow illuminated the unnatural tone of his skin. It looked like rice paper with dark veins woven through. “Who is diverting my spells?”

Kell’s power flickered. “It’s Cian. He infused the claw with his magic. He sacrificed his immortality, but that gift created the claw. His magic protects the temple.”

Allorin hissed. “How many dragons have to die for the druids before you see them as they are, backstabbing bitches who latched onto your immortality and used you for your gifts? The darks are free. You could have any woman you wanted.”

Kell huffed. “Without the druids, there will be no empowered blood. Even then, it is a pathetic substitute for a mate. She brings light to the darkness. Hope to desolation and life where there is only death. You have lived many lives Allorin, yet you have learned nothing over the centuries. Each incarnation of you was less and less human. You are nothing more than a magical leech that should be returned to the bog in which it spawned.”

Allorin dropped the claw and shoved both hands in front of him. Kell moved Alana to the side before his protection bubble was erected hastily. Still, the force of Allorin’s blast of mage fire, launched him thirty feet in the air and while he attempted to sprout wings to slow his descent, he was hurtled into the stone wall that surrounded the courtyard and the sound of cracking bones echoed through the air. He fell to the ground below in a grotesque heap as rocks showered his body.

Alana screamed as his wings retreated to his back, making a crunching sound. It reminded her of the time she had attempted to make macaroni and dropped the dry noodles on the floor. She had made the same sound when she stepped on the dry pasta.

Her head snapped back to Allorin when he approached her.

“Now that your dragon mate has been castrated, I would like to find a way to sever the spell you cast.”

“I told you the druids will die, and you will lose our magic forever.”

Allorin sniffled as if he had a cold. “It was my original plan to destroy the druids. After my encounter with Jemma, I decided to siphon your powers as I did hers. There are ways to take a druid’s magic. Those spells lie with Geram, but I will find a way to retrieve them.”

“You can’t.”

“Since I am being forced to return to my original plan and decimate you and the dragon race, I will resurrect my own when I release Geram.”

“No!” she gasped as Allorin put his hand around her throat and began to squeeze.

“Tell me how to sever the spell on the claw.”

Her throat closed, and she fought to suck in her next breath. Pinpricks of light formed behind her eyes. She had already had a near-death experience, so she knew what was happening. This time, she had no power or an immortal dragon to call on. This was the end, and her only regret was that she would take the dragons and druids with her. Sacrificing her own life was acceptable, but not her sister’s. Not Kell’s.

The murmur in her mind seemed like an illusion. A swarm of bees buzzing in anger until she realized the dragons were reaching for her. Kell may be hurt, but he had family and he was used to calling in his brethren. She felt the flow of power and recognized it for what it was. The source of dragon magic. Legion.

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