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Chapter no 53

Iron Flame (The Empyreanย Book 2)

Forty minutes later, the four of us are hikingย downย a steep, snow-covered ridgeline to a cave only accessible by foot in the sector our group has been assigned to, and Lucky Me is in the lead, which leaves Cat at my back.

At least Andarnaโ€™s there to protect it should the flier get any stabby ideas about how to get me out of Xadenโ€™s bed.

โ€œThis is not what I had in mind when I said I wanted to fly with you.โ€ย Andarna huffs at the powdery snow, scattering a portion in a shimmering cloud of frozen misery.

โ€œThis is what the mission called for, and you need your strength to fly back,โ€ย I tell her, trudging forward through the knee-high layer of fresh hell and hoping I donโ€™t fall through into any older strata.

The only one who isnโ€™t struggling is Kiralair, Catโ€™s silver-winged gryphon, who walks at Andarnaโ€™s side. Only those two are light enough not to cause an avalanche on the nonexistent path.

โ€œAnything?โ€ย Tairn asks as he flies to the next peak, his voice tense.

โ€œWe havenโ€™t even made it to the cave you selected,โ€ย I respond, spotting the mouth of the cave about twenty yards ahead only because Tairn pointed it out under the camouflage of the snowy outcropping above. The riot left us at the only fully stable section of terrain, an outcropping of rock left bare by the vicious wind.

โ€œI still find this plan lacking,โ€ย he lectures.ย โ€œLeaving you on one peak to explore another for a possible energy signature leaves you in unacceptable danger.โ€

โ€œFrom whom?โ€ย I tug my fur-lined hood closer to ward off the wind when it shifts, stinging the tips of my exposed ears.ย โ€œDo you really think any wyvern couldโ€”โ€

โ€œIโ€™m coming back.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s entirely too easy to rile you.โ€ย I laugh, and the sound echoes off the snow-covered bowl, making us all take pause.

โ€œFor fuckโ€™s sake, Sorrengail,โ€ Cat hisses once itโ€™s clear the snow around us is staying put. โ€œAre you trying to get us buried in an avalanche?โ€

โ€œSorry,โ€ I whisper over my shoulder.

Her eyes widen. โ€œDid you just apologize to me?โ€

โ€œI can admit when Iโ€™m wrong.โ€ I shrug and continue forward.

โ€œIโ€™m fully present and capable of protecting her,โ€ย Andarna snipes at Tairn.

โ€œYou do not yet breathe fire.โ€

โ€œFire would only serve to melt the mountain,โ€ย she reminds him, and I glance back to see her carefully picking her path, her scales reflecting the snow in an almost silvery sheen in places.ย โ€œI still wield teeth and claw should the aristocrat bare her vitriol.โ€

โ€œAre you insinuating that I donโ€™t?โ€ Cat asks.

โ€œDo you even think youโ€™re wrong? Ever?โ€ I ask, pushing forward. โ€œI honestly think you might be worse than a dragon when it comes to confidence.โ€

โ€œArrogance,โ€ย Andarna corrects me.ย โ€œThe flier doesnโ€™t have the skills to back up a word like โ€˜confidence.โ€™โ€

I snort, but bite back the laugh before it can endanger us. Ten more feet and weโ€™ll be at the cave. If Tairn locates a second while weโ€™re retrieving the first, weโ€™ll be ahead of Claw Section, who has already found three to our sectionโ€™s two, according to Tairn.

Dragons are nothing if not competitive. โ€œWhat?โ€ Cat asks.

โ€œAndarna thinks youโ€™re arrogant, not confident,โ€ I tell her. โ€œShe is,โ€ Sloane agrees.

โ€œJust because your brother didnโ€™t like me doesnโ€™t mean you know me,โ€ Cat whispers at Sloane.

โ€œNo.โ€ I turn to face Cat, making her pause in the footsteps Iโ€™ve carved in the ridgeline. โ€œYou want to pick a fight? You come atย me.โ€

Cat cocks her head to the side and studies me. โ€œBecause you feel guilty for her brotherโ€™s death.โ€ Itโ€™s not an accusation or even a dig. Just the truth.

โ€œBecause I promised him Iโ€™d take care of her. So, you can aim all that hatred right here.โ€ I tap my gloved hand to my chest.

โ€œHe was wrong to ask that of you.โ€ Sloane catches up, Visia close behind.

โ€œBecause Imogen would have been a more capable protector?โ€ I ask, only able to hold her too familiar blue gaze for a heartbeat before looking away.

โ€œNo. Because you already carry the weight of protecting Xadenโ€™s life. It was unfair of him to burden you with mine, too.โ€ She huffs a breath into her cupped, gloved hands to warm them.

I blink as my eyes sting from something other than the wind, then turn to continue trudging through the snow toward the cave, whose entrance is nothing but a narrow, icy ledge.ย โ€œIt looks bigger than we thought from the air.โ€ย But still not wide enough for any dragon bigger than Andarna to squeeze into.

โ€œThere was a time my kind dwelled in every mountain of this range,โ€ย Tairn tells me.ย โ€œThat cave is undoubtedly part of the network of chambers that runs throughout this range for a wintering den. This entrance would have been inhospitable to any approach but direct flightโ€”to protect the youngโ€ฆand the adolescent.โ€

โ€œI heard that,โ€ย Andarna quips.

โ€œKiralair says our squad has another box in hand,โ€ Cat tells us as I finally reach the caveโ€™s entrance, stepping out of the wind.

โ€œWeโ€™reย soย winning that pass.โ€ Visia grins, and Cat walks out of the snow and onto the rocky floor of the cave.

โ€œDoes every gryphon haveย lairย in their name?โ€ I ask Cat, hoping the subject change might change the aim of her sharp tongue from Sloane.

โ€œOf course not. Is every rider named Sorrengail?โ€ She folds her arms and bounces back on her heels like sheโ€™s trying to stay warm.

โ€œThat right there is why I donโ€™t like you.โ€ Sloane crosses into the cave. โ€œYouโ€™reโ€”โ€

Visia slips and I lunge forward, catching her hand and tugging her into the cave as snow crumbles where sheโ€™d just been standing.

โ€œYou all right?โ€ I ask, pulling her farther into the cave and scanning her startled face.

โ€œOf course she is. You never seem to have a problem savingย her,โ€ Cat mutters.

โ€œIโ€™m fine.โ€ Visia nods, dropping her hood and revealing the dragonfire burn scar down her hairline. โ€œThatโ€™s going to make it hard to leave.โ€

I shoot Cat a withering look, but sheโ€™s too busy watching her gryphon, Kira, stretch across the hole in the path, then safely squirm her way in to notice.

โ€œReason number two.โ€ Sloane holds up two fingers and walks past Cat into the dark cave. โ€œNeedless to say, there are no mage lights in here.โ€

And Iโ€™ve never been that good at producing them. Anything I wield with lesser magic is going to be swallowed up in this darkness. I rest my hand over my stomach as if that will help the instant rise of nausea from the smell of earth around us. At least itโ€™s missing that damp scent from the interrogation chamber, but itโ€™s close enough to make me pause.

โ€œYou ended the one who kept you prisoner,โ€ย Andarna reminds me, following Kira in, tucking her wings tight to fit through the opening.

โ€œFear isnโ€™t always logical.โ€ย I glance at the other riders. โ€œAny chance either of you is a fire wielder? Because I donโ€™t think you want me wielding in here.โ€ Keeping the energy strung between my hand and the conduit for fifteen feet puts me into a sweat every time, and I can only keep it going for a few seconds.,

โ€œNo signet yet,โ€ Visia responds.

โ€œMe, either,โ€ Sloane answers, peering into the darkness.

โ€œYou brought aย dragon.โ€ Cat gestures wide, motioning toward Andarna. โ€œShe canโ€™t breathe fire yet.โ€ I offer Andarna a smile. โ€œBut she will.โ€ย โ€œRemind her that I can sever her head with one bite,โ€ย Andarna growls,

the sound higher than Tairnโ€™s menacing rumble.

โ€œI will not. What does Tairn tell us?โ€

โ€œWe donโ€™t eat our allies,โ€ย she mumbles, but thereโ€™s a distinct tap of her talons against the rock floor.

โ€œGreat. Why they stuck me with you three, Iโ€™ll never know. Youโ€™d think one of us would have a good mage light down.โ€ Cat removes her bow, then swings her pack from her back and rummages past the full quiver to pull out a small, unlit torch.

โ€œAre you kidding me?โ€ I gawk as she brings a piece of wood no larger than my palm from the bag, shakes her head, and reaches for another. โ€œYou carry one of those around with you?โ€

โ€œObviously.โ€ Cat digs into her bag again. โ€œThe fact that you donโ€™t says that you havenโ€™t been appropriately scared of the dark yet. Shit, I canโ€™t find the fire rune Maren made.โ€

โ€œYou all trade runes?โ€ Visia stares in open shock.

โ€œAnd you call yourselves aย family.ย Of course we share. Whoever can make it, does. Then we all trade so everyone is equally equipped.โ€ Cat shakes her head and stands, muttering a curse. โ€œI canโ€™t find it.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™sโ€ฆbrilliant,โ€ I admit. โ€œWhy didnโ€™t you tell us?โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re used to hoarding power,โ€ she says with a dismissive shrug. โ€œNot sharing it. Now, unless someone has an idea for fireโ€”โ€

โ€œGot it.โ€ I yank off my gloves, then stuff them into one pocket and pull my conduit from the other, beckoning a trickle of my power to rise. It tingles, then burns as it flows down my hand, through my fingers, and into the conduit. The tendrils of energy light our immediate surroundings.

โ€œThatโ€™s so awesome.โ€ Visia smiles. โ€œCan all of you do that?โ€

โ€œNo. It just hums for most of us. Glad to see youโ€™ll have all the lightย you

need.โ€ Sarcasm drips from Catโ€™s voice. โ€œTake it,โ€ I order Sloane.

โ€œIโ€™d rather live.โ€ She puts her hands up.

โ€œIf I thought it was going to kill you, Iโ€™d hand it to Cat.โ€ I hold the conduit out to her.

Cat snorts, but I think there was a note of laughter there.

โ€œGood point.โ€ Sloane takes the conduit, and I concentrate on keeping the energy connected.

โ€œBack up three steps. Good, another two,โ€ I tell her, and my fingers tremble as she does, stretching my signet.

โ€œWow,โ€ Visia whispers.

โ€œStick the torch into the energy, Cat.โ€ โ€œYou think thatโ€™s safe?โ€ she asks.

โ€œI have no clue, but Iโ€™m game to try if you are.โ€ I keep focused on the conduit, on the flow of energy, on the heat I keep checked by controlling the door to Tairnโ€™s power.

Kira clicks her tongue in a series of sounds Iโ€™ve become accustomed to but have no hope of ever understanding.

โ€œFine, Iโ€™ll do it,โ€ Cat mutters, then lowers the torch until it catches fire.

I immediately drop my hand, cutting off the power, and I send a prayer of thanks to Dunne that it worked. Felix is probably going to have my head on a pike tomorrow at lessons. โ€œIโ€™ll take it. Thanks, Sloane.โ€

Sloane hands the conduit back like it might explode.

โ€œDamn,โ€ Cat says, glancing from the torch, to the conduit, to me. โ€œI hate that youโ€™re soโ€ฆโ€

โ€œBadass?โ€ Sloane suggests, smiling in a way that reminds me of her brother.

โ€œPowerful,โ€ Cat admits, looking away before slipping her pack back on, changing hands with the torch instead of passing it off.

โ€œItโ€™s not the power making that possible,โ€ I tell her, channeling into the conduit so it lights up again and marching into the darkness. โ€œItโ€™s the control.โ€

โ€œYeah, well, I kind of loathe that, too,โ€ she mutters, catching up to walk at my side.

โ€œA rare moment of honesty. Iโ€™ll take it.โ€ We move into the cave, which seems to widen with every step we take. โ€œThey paired us because Iโ€™m

supposedly the most powerful rider in the squad,โ€ I tell her, ignoring her muttered response. โ€œBut youโ€™re better at runes. We might not compliment each other, but weย complementย each other.โ€ I smile despite the darkness weโ€™re walking into. โ€œGet it? With an E instead of the I.โ€

Cat looks at me like Iโ€™ve just grown a third arm, and the torch starts to flicker.

Thereโ€™s a breeze.

โ€œAre you telling scribe jokes?โ€ Sloane asks, a couple of steps behind us, Visia at her side.

โ€œJesinia would think itโ€™s funny,โ€ Visia offers like sheโ€™s trying to save me. โ€œJesinia is a scribe,โ€ Sloane notes.

The cave opens up about twenty feet in, a vast tunnel forking to the left. โ€œApparently thereโ€™s a much easier way to get into this cave,โ€ Cat

mutters.

โ€œItโ€™s part of a network that runs through this range,โ€ I explain. โ€œShould we split up?โ€ Visia asks.

โ€œNo!โ€ All three of us respond at the same time.

โ€œWhich way do we go?โ€ Sloane voices the question weโ€™re all wondering.

No one answers.

โ€œAny help?โ€ย I ask Tairn, feeling our bond stretch. Heโ€™s not far but definitely not close, either.

โ€œThereโ€™s an energy signature in that cave. Thatโ€™s all I can tell.โ€

โ€œI vote right. If it doesnโ€™t work, weโ€™ll come back and go left.โ€ I look to the others.

Cat nods, and we head farther in.

โ€œSo do you think youโ€™ll get a second signet?โ€ Visia asks, breaking the silence. โ€œTwo dragons, two signets, right?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t know,โ€ I answer, glancing back at Andarna. I actually figured because she bonded me so young and lost the ability to stop time, the signet of lightning wielding was all that I would be blessed with. But now I wonderโ€ฆย โ€œWill I?โ€

โ€œWhy are you asking me? Signets manifest according to the person wielding.โ€ย Her eyes blink gold, her black scales blending in with the darkness.

โ€œSecond signets only happen when a dragon bonds a rider in the direct familial line as its previous,โ€ Sloane says, misunderstanding Visiaโ€™s question. โ€œBut thereโ€™s an equal chance of it causing madness. From what Thoirt told me, thatโ€™s why Cruth wasnโ€™t punished for bonding Quinn. Sheโ€™s only the great-niece of her previous rider. Her signetโ€™s more powerful but not entirely different.โ€

โ€œThoirt shouldnโ€™t be telling you matters resolved within the Empyrean,โ€ Visia lectures, then does a double take when she glances my way.

Gravity shifts.ย That canโ€™t be right. That would meanโ€” โ€œViolet, are you okay?โ€ Visia asks.

I shake my head but say, โ€œYes.โ€ How do you explain your heart is sinking past the rock floor of the cave? I take a deep breath, flex and unflex my hand as I grip the brightly glowing conduit. Andarna growls to my right, and I quickly assure her, โ€œIโ€™m fine.โ€ But we both know Iโ€™m anything but fineโ€”Iโ€™m also equally certain now isnโ€™t the time to let my mind wander down that path.

โ€œHoly shit, there it is,โ€ Sloane says, forcing me to pay attention as she walks past us to pick up the plain metal chest thatโ€™s locked into an open position by the rune on the front.

โ€œItโ€™sโ€ฆplain,โ€ Visia notes.

โ€œAre you going to counter the summoning rune?โ€ I ask Cat. When she raises one brow, I add, โ€œYouโ€™re better at runes, remember?โ€

โ€œI am.โ€ She nods, a genuine smile curving her mouth for the first time since I met her. โ€œI just wanted to see if youโ€™d say it again.โ€

Kiralairโ€™s wing brushes my shoulder as she walks past us into the darkness, as if Cat needs to be guarded from the unseen.

Cat glances between the three of us with an uncertainโ€”and unhappyโ€” tense set to her mouth, then hands the torch to Visia in what looks like a painful sacrifice.

No, not a sacrifice: a gesture of trust.

She weaves the unlocking rune with a speed I envy, her hands moving quickly, confidently, as Andarna shifts her weight behind me.

โ€œWhatโ€™s wrong?โ€

โ€œThe scent of others grows stronger.โ€

โ€œWyvern?โ€ย Every muscle in my body clenches.

โ€œNo. They smell of stolen magic when you get close enough.โ€ย She lifts her head, taking up three-quarters of the tunnel.ย โ€œThis smells ofโ€ฆdragons.โ€ย โ€œGot it!โ€ Cat says, and I turn at the sound of metal clicking shut. The

chest is closed and latched.

โ€œWeโ€™d better hurry,โ€ I tell them. โ€œAndarna smells other dragons, which means the other sections might be closing in on us.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not losing this pass.โ€ Visia trades Cat, taking the chest and returning the torch. โ€œIt will give me time to fly home and convince my cousins to leave the border if my aunt and uncle wonโ€™t.โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re going to fly into Navarre?โ€ Sloane damn near shouts.

โ€œItโ€™s right on the border. They wonโ€™t even know.โ€ Visia adjusts her grip on the chest and hurries past Andarna. โ€œSo letโ€™s get out of here.โ€

โ€œBold choice to go back to Navarre.โ€ Cat jogs to catch up to Visia, lighting the way. โ€œI respect it.โ€

The effort, the consideration for Visia, thaws a small chunk of my heart toward Cat. Maybe sheโ€™s not horrible to everyoneโ€ฆjust me.

โ€œItโ€™s the only thing to do,โ€ Visia starts as we approach the fork in the tunnel.

A low growl vibrates the very ground beneath our feet, making all four of us halt, and the hair rises on the back of my neck.

โ€œWhat theโ€”โ€ Cat starts.

Another growl makes the pebbles around my feet bounce, and a full-grown orange dragon comes around the corner, its back scraping the top of the cave as it snaps its head our direction, glaring at us through its only remaining eye.

Oh.ย Fuck. Visia shrieks.

โ€œTairn!โ€ย I mentally scream, forcing my body past the shock, the fear, the nauseating hopelessness of our situation. The orb falls from my hand, shattering on the ground at the same moment I reach for the women in front of me, but my hand only grasps the leather of Catโ€™s pack.

I yank her backward with all my strength just as Visia is swatted out of the way by a sharp, jagged claw. Catโ€™s body collides with mine, knocking us both to the ground, and the torch falls from her hand as Visia hits the side of the cave with a cracking sound that sickens my stomach.

The angle, the impactโ€ฆgodsโ€ฆsheโ€™sโ€ฆsheโ€™s dead.

โ€œSilver One?โ€ย Tairnโ€™s voice roars in my head as the dragon blocking our way out focuses his narrowed eye on me and opens his jaw wide.

Fetid breath fills the air a second before he curls his tongue, and his throat glows orange with rising fire.

โ€œSolas found us!โ€

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