Chained Dragons Evermore

Fallen

Zoe's POV

Sometime later, I woke up to Ryker hovering over me. "Zoe, are you okay?" Ryker asked frantically. "Yeah, I don't know what happened. I got dizzy" I said. "There may have been too much fighting for you. Noah got away after you passed out but we've killed the rest of his guards" said Ryker. My dragon flight cheers with excitement. Conner steps forward. My old flight finally was able to rejoin me on our side and far away from Noah and his guards.

"Zoe saved us," he cheered. "I didn't do it alone. I had Ryker and his flight to help" I said. My old flight cheers, finally happy to be free. "Conner, search the house and make sure none of Noah's dragons remain" said Ryker. Conner walks off. Ryker pulls me aside to speak privately. Lord Garyon joins us. "I didn't see any dragon hunters or druids," I said. "Neither did we," said Garyon. Suddenly, cold air enters the room. My hair stands on end as I turn and see a man walking toward Ryker.

Before I can move, the man pulls out a copper knife and throws it at Ryker, hitting him directly in the heart. "Ryker" I scream. I rush over to Ryker as he falls to the ground. My dragons shoot at the man before he runs off. "I knew something bad was going to happen today," said Ryker weakly. "Ryker, you're going to be fine. This is nothing" I said shakily. Ryker coughs blood as ice-cold fear moves through my body. "I love you, Zoe," said Ryker slowly. "Stay with me. Stay awake" I ordered him to. Ryker's eyes close as his head falls back. I check his pulse but there isn't one. "No. Ryker, you can't be dead" I yelled as tears fell down my face.

I let out a scream that was able to break glass. I held Ryker's body close to my heart. My dragon branding feeling like it shattered my heart. I let out a scream so powerful I thought this was the worst day in existence. My beloved Ryker was just here. "Ryker," I screamed as if it was able to break the sound barrier. My heart was breaking in a billion pieces as I held my mate close. My chained dragon looked like he was asleep in my arms as tears fell down my face. My soul feels like it's been ripped from my body. Pain, as I've never known, encompasses me as I stare down at my dead mate. Ryker couldn't be gone. He just couldn't be. Not like this.

"Now, you die too" said the unknown man. I look up at the druid, but I'm so overcome by Ryker's death I can't seem to move. My legs feel like they're being held down by a ton of bricks. Suddenly, I don't care if I die. The druid points his gun at my heart. "No" yells Conner. Conner, my most trusted soldier, runs at the druid, knocking the gun out of his hand. "Protect our Dragoness," ordered Aiden. Aiden jumps in front of me, using his body as a shield for me.

Conner shifts into his dragon and shoots fire at the druid. The rest of my dragon flight runs at the druid. In a puff of smoke, the druid disappears. Conner shifts back into his human form and rushes over to me. I hug Ryker's limp body to my chest as tears stream down my face. "Dragoness, let me help you up," said Conner softly. "I'll take care of Ryker's body," said Aiden. Conner reaches for me. "I'm not leaving Ryker" I snapped. I held him even tighter. "He's my mate. I can't leave him" I said as my face was stained with tears. My vision was blurry enough.

Conner looks at me with sadness. "Lord Ryker's dead. There's nothing we can do" said Conner softly. It pained me more as he said those words. I wanted to burn everything in a giant blaze just to get him back. "There may be one thing we haven't thought about," said Aiden. I leaned my head over the place Ryker's heart used to beat at. My heart was broken but it was still beating. It was pumping blood. Ryker's heart had a copper knife cut into it. I look at Aiden waiting for him to continue his sentence. "It's dangerous, Dragoness Zoe'' said Aiden.

I knew this warning came with a cost. Aiden knew I was going to do whatever it takes to get him back to me. "What is it?" I snapped. "You need to take Ryker's body to the volcano of the dragon gods" said Aiden. That volcano was known throughout our history. It was the source of our dragon fire. Land of the dragon gods. It's heavily guarded. "Won't they kill her as soon as she enters?" asked Conner. They talk in front of me like I wasn't here. I kept holding Ryker.

Aiden sighs and shakes his head. "They might but they are the ones who would have made Zoe and Ryker true mates" said Aiden. "Which means they may bring Ryker back to me" I said, cutting in as I kept my eyes on Ryker's face. I needed his blue story eyes to look back up at me. "Zoe, you can't possibly be considering this? With Ryker dead, you're even more important to our flights" said Conner. With him saying dead I needed Ryker back before I could lead them.

Fear and dread sit in my stomach. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "Conner, We can't defeat the druids without Ryker" I said. I couldn't live without my mate. I won't have any fight in me with Ryker gone. "We need him" I said as tears well on Ryker's face. "Then I support you, Dragoness," said Conner. I knew none of them wanted me to leave but I had no choice. Ryker and me together may be the only way of defeating the Druids. Nobody knew about this.