A Vial of Life

I still didn’t know this island well, but I knew it well enough to be able to sense that the furthest point away from the agricultural area—where I guessed the spell would’ve been concentrated—was the Black Heights. The mountains were all the way on the other side of the island. If I hurried there, I could see if anybody at all was awake and could help…

I was tempted to just get in a boat and try to navigate there myself but, firstly, as much as I had observed Ben during our voyage across the seas, I didn’t know how to work a vessel by myself. And secondly, a second boundary had been put up around the island by the witches to protect The Shade’s inhabitants from the merfolk infestation. And unlike the original boundary, this one didn’t allow people out, unless they had special permission. Derek and Sofia would have that, no doubt, but I certainly didn’t.

And so, as I neared the clearing before the Port, I didn’t head toward the jetty. I took a left turn and continued running through the forest toward the mountains.

On my way, I spotted dozens more vampires and even humans lying asleep in the woods, and even as I passed by the Vale, I couldn’t hear the usual bustle of the town—it sounded eerily quiet, confirming my fears.

Still, I clung on to my thread of hope and didn’t let up my speed until I arrived at the foot of the Black Heights. My eyes traveled around the mountain cabins perched among the rocks. Spotting the burnt-down cabin of Aiden and Kailyn, I shuddered. All seemed quiet—I couldn’t spot anybody walking around up there—though I tried to comfort myself that did not necessarily mean they were all asleep.

Still, my eyes lowered from the cabins and I focused instead on the entrance to the mountain caves—apparently once used as storage chambers, and now carved out into exquisite apartments for the island’s dragon population.

I had not ventured in here since arriving. In fact, I hadn’t had much contact at all with the dragons. They kept to themselves. I realized that if anyone could help me, they would be a good bet. I just had to hope that the sleeping spell hadn’t reached them.

I approached the heavy door carved into the base of the mountain, and, pushing against it, I was relieved that it wasn’t locked. It ground open, allowing me entrance into a lantern-lit tunnel. The moment I stepped inside, a wonderful surge of warmth rushed through me. Although the walls, floors and ceilings were made of stone, it was as though they had some kind of central heating system behind them. They radiated heat that penetrated my skin and eased the aching of my bones—aching that I had gotten so used to by now, I took it for granted.

A heady scent of frankincense and myrrh laced the atmosphere as I traveled along the tunnel until it opened up into a grand entrance hall. The floors were made of shiny black marble, rich velvet drapes covered the walls and a grand chandelier hung in the center of the room, casting soft, orange light. When I took a left, it led to a wide corridor, just as beautifully decorated.

As my gaze traveled along it, there were carved wooden doors on either side—entrances to the various dragons’ apartments, I could only assume. I headed toward the nearest door to me on my right and pressed my ear against it. I sensed movement coming from within. I let out a sigh of relief. Amaya’s spell had not extended as far as I’d feared it might.

I balled my hands into fists and banged against the door. Once, twice, thrice.

Footsteps approached, and the door swung open. My eyes widened at the sheer size of the brown-haired, grey-eyed man standing in front of me. I was sure that I’d seen this dragon shifter before—though I couldn’t recall his name—but up close like this, he was far more formidable. He personified strength and it looked like he could easily crush the bones in my hand if he shook it too tightly.

“I am sorry to disturb you,” I said. My throat felt parched from the heat his bronzed body was exuding. “I need help urgently. The king and queen, and I think Aiden also, have been captured by an enemy. I know where they might be, but please, I need you to help me get off this island—there’s a cluster of rocks just outside the boundary where they’re supposed to have been taken. I’m not sure if they’re still there but… Can you please help?”

The man’s brows furrowed as he tightened his satin robe around him and stepped out into the corridor.

“The king and queen are in danger? We must leave once. Jeriad!” he bellowed, his baritone voice booming off the walls. “Neros! Azaiah!”

More footsteps sounded behind doors nearby, and they swung open. Out stepped three more dragon shifters. One of them, with wavy black hair that licked the sides of his face—Jeriad, I believed his name was—looked even larger and more intimidating than the one who stood in front of me. All were dressed casually, in cotton pants and loose shirts.

“What is it, Ridan?” Jeriad asked, sauntering toward him.

“The king, queen and Aiden are in danger!” I replied for Ridan. “I can explain along the way, but we must hurry out of the boundary! Do you know how we could do that, since the witches put up a second one—?”

“Yes, we know,” Jeriad said, his piercing aquamarine eyes falling on me. “There is an area on the other side of the mountain where there is no beach. Only steep cliffside. Since there is no danger of the merfolk entering from there, I requested that the witches leave that area open so that we dragons could come and go as we please.”

I breathed out.

With that, the four men swept across the entrance hall and entered the tunnel leading toward the exit. I hurried after them as they reached the main door and barged outside into the clearing. As I emerged soon after, they were already starting their magnificent transformation. Their humanoid forms morphed and swelled in size until I was gazing up at four breathtakingly fierce beasts. Jeriad—with gorgeous silver-orange scales—reached a massive hand down for me. I tentatively gripped hold of his huge scaly fingers and stood in his palm. He raised me up onto his back. I positioned my legs either side of his thick neck and I barely had time to gain a hold on his scales before he launched upward into the sky, followed quickly by the others.