A Dragon's Treasure

25. The Fortress Ring

CASSIAN

There were no stops or breaks on Cassian's journey back home to the Whitlock Manor. Nothing else was on his mind. Silencing all thoughts and worries. He refused to jump to any conclusions until he saw the manor with his own eyes. Lord Cassian Alwyn was just a body, a vessel to carry him across the ocean, with Harry and Kostas in his claws. Cassian had finally had it. Everything had been trying to get between Cassian and Luke, sometimes even life and death, but Cassian refuse to let distance be a problem anymore. He needed to see Luke. Yesterday.

Just avoiding the tips of trees, Cassian couldn't land sooner. He could see it from miles away. The manor on its own was already impressive in height and stature, but Cassian's heart dropped. Just as Kostas said, sapphire concealed the entire house. The Fortress Ring activated. It had been inside the house this whole time and somehow Cassian missed it. A horrible feeling curdled his stomach, and the acids hit the back of his throat. Cassian wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to Luke when he was gone.

If he didn't keep going, Cassian would breakdown. Cassian dropped Kostas and Harry off on the front lawn before transforming back but kept his wings to avoid slowing down. Sweeping across the driveway, Cassian landed at the front doorstep. He touched the crystal imprisoning the house. The amount of magic pulsating from it made Cassian's scales raise.

"Harry could break it," Kostas said, getting up to only sit back down. His shaky legs buckled beneath him, so he just raised his voice. "But the crystal just healed itself! I don't know what will happen if you go in there."

"It doesn't matter," Cassian said.

Cassian slammed his fist against the crystal, the magic permeating through the air and sweeping his hair back. Cracks appeared beneath the surface, splintering inside all the blue like broken glass. Cassian watched it all almost immediately fade away. Clenching his fist, Cassian slung at the wall again, again, and again. Splinters of crystals flew past his face, sometimes cutting his cheeks. Cassian took the pain and recycled it into enough adrenaline to keep swinging. He could dent a crater into the side, but the hole stayed shallow like he was digging a hole at the same time someone was filling it.

Cassian cursed but didn't stop. Knuckles split and bones could be broken, Cassian still tried punching through. Luke was right there. Right there. It was maddening.

"Cassian," Kostas called out, "It's no use—Whoa! Harry!"

Harry shook the earth hard enough to cause the crystals on top to break. The glittering gems rained down around them as the Sasquatch ran full force through the hole Cassian put in the side. If someone was lurking in the forest, they'd think they just heard a car crash. He smashed through. The smallest flicker of hope put the strength back in Cassian's body. Maybe they could do this.

"Wait! Wait! What if you don't come out?" Kostas shouted. "What should I do?"

"I don't know," Cassian admitted. Stealing his nerves, Cassian locked his jaw and dug through his pocket. He tossed Kostas the Magic Mirror and said, "So, I guess we have to make it out." Cassian followed Harry inside, stumbling over the crystal already regenerating. He nearly slipped across the crystalized floor, but something caught his foot. Growing at an alarming rate, the crystal was already clawing up Cassian's ankle.

Harry's groan made Cassian look up. Half of Harry's body was already encased in sapphire. If Cassian didn't know better, it looked like an ice cave. "Harry! It'll be alright!" He called to the creature that might not even understand him and forced his foot out of the hold, tearing the crystal asunder. Flying into the air, Cassian grabbed Harry's arm and tried prying him off the floor. He wouldn't budge. They both knew that. Harry's beady black eyes looked up. He shook his head, a low sad whine rumbling from his throat.