Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) by Christopher Mitchell (ebook reader for surface pro txt) 📕

Tendrils of smoke were still rising from where Frostback had burned the soldiers, and the fire seemed to be growing. The forest was dry, she thought, starting to worry that they might have caused a conflagration that would devour half the forest. Flames started to appear at the tops of the trees, then some leapt the distance to other trees, and the fire continued to grow.

‘Do you see that?’ Aila said, squinting at the smoke and flames.

As Frostback and Kelsey turned to look, a large mass of fire began to lift up from the forest. It formed into a ball of white hot flames, then shot through the air towards them.

Kelsey cried out as Aila stared, then Frostback gathered the two women into her forelimbs and turned, her back taking the full force of the fireball. The dragon groaned in pain as the flames enveloped her. Inside the tight embrace of her claws, Aila gasped for breath, the heat overwhelming as it washed round them.

The ground began to rumble, and a crack opened up in the wide ledge, splitting it in two. Frostback tried to step away, but half of her was dragged down by the collapsing ledge. The rumbling increased into a full earthquake, and the roof of the cave fell in, sending a cloud of dust over them as the flames died away.

‘Arete’s back!’ cried Kelsey, still wrapped in Frostback’s right forelimb.

Another fireball lifted from the forest, while around them on the broken ledge, the hill itself seemed to be crumbling and sliding down into the trees.

‘Fly!’ shouted Aila as the second fireball was launched towards them.

Frostback looked panicked, her red eyes wide and staring. Smoke was rising from her scaled back, and blisters had appeared on her wings. She seemed to understand what Aila had said, and cleared the hillside, her damaged wings beating. The fireball struck the entrance to the lair in a mighty explosion that sent rocks bursting up into the sky. Frostback was struck by a splintered boulder, and she hung in the air for a moment, then slowly began to ascend, leaving the shattered hillside below them. A third fireball raced towards them, but Frostback flung herself out of its way, then soared upwards, ignoring the pain from her wounds. She turned south, and flew.

* * *

Frostback landed an hour later. She chose a clearing in the forest next to a stream, and almost collapsed as soon as her limbs touched the ground. She opened her talons, and Aila and Kelsey fell out, winded and slightly crushed. Aila rolled onto her knees on the grass, powering her self-healing. The nausea and pain faded, then she glanced at Kelsey, who was groaning on the ground, her arms round her chest.

Aila hurried over. Next to Kelsey, Frostback was sprawling across the clearing, panting, her eyes half-closed.

‘Kelsey,’ said Aila; ‘do you have any of the salve left? Kelsey, listen to me.’

The Holdfast woman opened her eyes. ‘My ribs,’ she gasped.

‘The salve, Kelsey; where is it?’

Kelsey patted a pocket, and Aila thrust her hand in and retrieved the small vial. Barely a quarter was left.

‘Open your mouth,’ she said.

Kelsey did so, and Aila poured in a thimbleful. Kelsey choked and writhed on the grass for a moment, then her eyes opened wide, and she sat bolt upright.

‘Pyre’s arse,’ she cried. ‘I feel amazing.’

Aila glanced at the remainder of the salve, then handed it to Kelsey. ‘You give it to her.’

Kelsey nodded, took the salve, and ran to Frostback.

‘Second time today,’ she said, pouring the last of the contents into the dragon’s mouth. Frostback shuddered, then her wounds began to fade. Kelsey threw the empty vial into the river and sat back down on the grass.

‘That was close,’ she said.

‘Too close,’ said Aila. ‘We’re not invincible, despite what you said before. They can still use powers on us.’

‘Perhaps we were a little hasty in our evaluation of the situation,’ said the dragon. ‘That lesson has now been learnt, and it takes nothing away from what Kelsey did for me before.’

‘You saved us this time,’ said Aila. ‘I thought we were going to be roasted alive.’

The dragon glanced at Aila in expectation.

The demigod sighed. ‘Thank you, Frostback.’

‘I was honoured to repay some of the debt I owe you. Now, I feel that Kelsey and I are on a more equal footing.’ She tilted her head. ‘Equal footing with an insect; whatever would my father say if he heard me utter such words?’

‘Maybe we should find out,’ said Kelsey.

The dragon turned to her.

‘It’s just a thought,’ Kelsey went on. ‘Maybe we could go to the Catacombs. My aunt might be there; you could dangle her over a pool of lava again.’

‘I don’t know,’ said Frostback. ‘It is unlikely that I would be welcomed if I returned, and the Ascendant might be tracking us.’

‘Are you still willing to listen to my advice?’ said Aila.

‘I am, demigod.’

‘If Sable is there, then she could reach out to Corthie with her powers, and she might be willing to help us.’

‘It may be unwise to trust her,’ said Frostback.

‘What option do we have?’ said Aila. ‘If that Ascendant is chasing us, then we need help. And maybe, you know, you might be able to repair your relationship with your father.’

Frostback glanced away. ‘No, I cannot. He disowned me, and sent me into exile. I would be ashamed to beg him to take me back.’

‘But is that what you want?’ said Kelsey. ‘Do you want him to be your father again?’

The dragon closed her eyes. ‘Yes. I miss my family. My elder sister is also in the Catacombs, and I even miss the three little ones – my half-brothers and half-sister, despite the fact that they have replaced me in my father’s affections.’ She remained silent for a moment, then opened her eyes again. ‘I shall think about it. For now, the salve has made me