Page 79 of Kingdom of Spirits
The ground around the giant vibrated harshly, sending more trees and rocks into the air and tumbling.
“What in the…” Titus hissed.
Black earth churned and crawled over Katk’s form. A scream erupted from Katk’s clasped fist. His fingers fell open to show Ophelia, limp and unmoving. The dirt smothered them both—monster and champion—and silence bloomed.
Tahlia fell forward onto the Terror. “Thanks for not killing me, pal.” She patted the deep green of the dragon’s scales once and darkness poured over her senses.
Chapter 33
Marius
Marius’s mind cleared abruptly.
Rider, we were under the suggestion of dark magic.
I know, well, at least I know it now.
Ophelia is dead. The curse is broken. I don’t feel its power around us at all now.
Thank the gods.
Ragewing wheeled around, and there was Tahlia sitting like a young one’s forgotten doll on the back of the Green-flanked Terror. Marius took a deep breath and tried not to panic that Tahlia was riding another dragon, an unbonded one.
He says he will carry her home. Lija is in too much pain to argue, but I feel as if she would approve. Anything to help her rider. The Terror calls Lady Tahlia the Weaver.
You are speaking to him?
Yes, but he speaks even less than most of us dragons. He has been betrayed in the past and is closed off to any bonds.
Because of Ophelia?
That, and I think another instance earlier on in his life. He will not share more than the vague idea of that history.
Well, he won’t need to carry her for long.
“We land at the lower pass!” he called out with his Mistgold voice.
The grassy dip in the mountains appeared shortly thereafter and everyone landed. Marius hurried to the Terror, hands outstretched toward the large green dragon and his head bowed in submission.
“Thank you for carrying my mate,” he said quietly.
The Terror regarded him cooly but lowered his wing and shoulder so Marius could climb up and retrieve Tahlia. She was completely out—eyelids shuttered and body limp. Her chest moved in slow and stuttering breaths as if pain tried to smother her. He swallowed and carried her quickly to the spot where everyone tended to wounds. Bottles of unguents, vials of potion, and tiny bags of healing herbs littered the clover-covered ground.
Limping, Fara walked to where Marius laid Tahlia on the green growth.
“What can we do for her? Let her sleep or try to wake her with herbs?” Marius asked Fara.
“She should sleep. Her body is most likely trying to heal from the internal damage the plague wrought on her organs. I can’t believe she jumped from one dragon to another. I can’t believe she fought Ophelia and won.”
Pride rose in Marius’s chest, the joy warring with the chill of fear in his heart. “She’s a wonder, my Lady of the Skies.”
Fara smiled, then winced, holding her left arm tenderly.
He nodded toward her arm. “Is it broken?”
“I think so.”
“Want me to help you splint it for the rest of the journey?”