Page 103 of Jay's Silence
“Fuck this,” I screamed, forcing everyone’s attention back on me.
I took a swig of liquor and spit it out, lighting the stream on fire with Tyson’s magic. Was it completely unnecessary? Yes. But did it look cool as hell? Also, yes.
As the final bits of liquor left my mouth, I pulled every bit of elemental power I could harness at once into my chest. Maybe if I just made a big enough explosion, it would force my magic back into existence. “DUCK!”
Og hit the floor, but Lux did the opposite. Using his air magic, he leapt toward the ceiling, and his wings snapped out of his back. My blast exploded, hitting the gunmen and sending Lux on a crash course with the ceiling. Although I prayed my mate corrected his trajectory, the gunmen were my priority. Two of them were still on their feet despite my blast. Smoking shields came off their gold-bangled wrists. Three shots went off. Lux screamed, and a shower of blood dropped like rain.
“Not the dragons!” Drukpa screamed as two more shots fired.
Two rounds ripped through Tenzin, and he screamed in pain. A thick line of dark blood dribbled down his mostly shirtless back. Caoimhe wailed, though her gaze still focused on nothing.
I had no magic. I couldn’t even fix my fucking nose, much less bullet holes. My anger boiled into rage. I charged the closest gunman. I wasn’t the world’s best martial artist, but I struck out with a basic sidekick and nailed the guy's still-smoking rifle, so it hit him hard in the temple.
Another round went off from a gunman still on the ground.
The sound of roaring dragons filled the air, and glass rained down on us, along with a massive chandelier. Fire streaked above, announcing Tyson’s entrance. Drukpa screamed as the glass light fixture fell directly toward his head, only to have oneof his minions rush him from the side and send him sprawling. The chandelier crashed exactly where he’d been standing.
Another gun fired.
“Ogden!” I screamed. “Cover Tenzin.”
I had no idea if the warlock heard me, but I rolled toward another gunman. With my right hand, I gripped nothing, and with my left, I channeled fire into a dense mass, pulling a sword out of thin air. A mad grin would have split my face if my nose wasn’t throbbing like a son of a bitch.
I had value. I could make a fucking fire sword!
I paused, waiting for the tingle of my magic. But nothing appeared.
What the fuck do you want, curse?
Maybe we need to reassess our definition of value.
I screamed, and my blade of Tyson’s fire danced with blue flames as if I could prove myself wrong with my sheer power of will. The flickering flames reflected off the pupils of the two gunmen in front of me. I swung my sword toward the tips of their rifles, only the fire went right through them without melting anything.
I moaned. “Really?”
Both men re-aimed their guns directly at me. The world slowed down. This was how I died: angry at the people trying to help me while I tried to save someone who never should have needed saving.
It’s better than dying by a random spider, right?
Another dragon’s roar split the air, and Rehan dropped from the sky, crushing both gunmen under one massive, clawed foot. A minion sent streaks of hot white electricity at Rehan’s legs. Rehan’s dragon head simply lowered, and he bit the minion in half. The guy’s legs fell out of one side of Rehan’s mouth while his shoulders and vacant gaze hit the herringbone floor with a wet squelch. Blood dripped out of Rehan’s maw as he looked forhis next target. Rifles fell to the floor. I looked pointedly at the bracelets and rings covering the remaining magic user's hands. They almost tore their arms off, shedding them before falling to their knees with their hands up.
The few remaining gunmen released their weapons. Rehan shifted into his scale-covered human form and kicked guns and jewelry toward the far wall. A rush of water flooded each rifle, popping out seams and destroying springs.
No longer faced with a dragon, one of the gunmen decided to be brave. He dove for his rifle again, only to find his head encased in a bubble of water. The rest of the minions cowered.
With Rehan now in control, I turned my attention to the main fight, only to find Og standing face-to-face with Drukpa while Lux flanked him. Blood ran down Lux’s missing leg from a bullet hole clean through his thigh muscle.
Maybe they aren’t hopeless. Flanking is a good tactic.
If Lux wasn’t bleeding out.
Og darted forward with a fist of claws and earth magic and swung. Drukpa dropped to the ground before Og’s punch could land. The warlock spun with his own momentum while Drukpa crossed his legs as if the violence around him didn’t exist. Every piece of jewelry he wore glowed, creating a muddy swirl of colors permeating the room. My limbs grew heavy. I blinked too slowly for the heat of battle. Og and Lux both shook before Lux’s single leg gave out, and he fell to the floor.
I pulled Tyson’s fire into my hands and shot a fireball toward Drukpa, but the elemental magic died in the wave of muddy energy washing through us.
“I will end this,” Drukpa said, his voice booming through the heavy air.
Hot flames engulfed Drukpa from above, followed by a bellowing dragon roar. Tyson, with his wings tucked into his sides, streaked down from the heavens. For a moment, I thoughthe’d eat Drukpa, just like Rehan had his minions. But like us, Drukpa’s magic sank into my fire prince. His eyes glazed, and his extended claws softened.