The Dragon's Rogue

Chapter 19

A weapon would take time to create, but I had caught a thread of possibility and the excitement of a new idea firmly wiggled itself into the forefront of my mind. The others had continued talking, after Illaise's bargain, but I blocked them out. What if it was as simple as spreading a toxin through the air as opposed to introducing it to the blood? At the least it would act upon more than one creature at a time. There were so many variables to test. Could the poison even be dispersed through smoke? Or would the acid destroy it the same as exposure to oxygen did? Maybe a simpler solution would be better. I knew for certain that the moonblossom smoke worked now. I could concentrate that and give any warriors a chance to act with their blades. Could I make enough smoke for a hundred creatures? How would I get it to spread far enough?

I blinked when Cillumn nudged me. Everyone was looking at me.

"How long will it take you to prepare?" Illaise asked, from her tone it was apparent this wasn't the first time.

"Twelve hours," I guessed. Exhaustion pulled at me, I hadn't slept for a long while, and the reprieve from my unconscious flight here and subsequent tending was quickly fading. But I couldn't sleep, I dare not wait any longer, not with what was happening to the other Shifters. I wasn't sure how Adda was surviving so long, she certainly hadn't felt the pain required for the degree of mutilation the creatures had faced. But how long would her luck hold? No, I had to hurry, if I could just get back to the workshop and....a flash of memory stalled my thinking. The workshop, the dead medic, and my missing poisons. I opened my mouth to speak, to warn the others that something more than the attack was happening at the aerie...just as four dragons dropped from the sky into the open space we gathered in.

It hit me without warning, the fear. My heart leapt for my throat. Dragons, four dragons, and they were close enough to get to me. First I froze, my lungs screamed for air, but I couldn't convince them to draw a breath. Sweat broke out along my back.

Strong arms circled me, trapping me, holding me firmly, but I didn't recognize arms. In my fear it was a dragon that seized me. I twisted and fought, but my strength was no match for his. Without warning I found myself turned, my head pressed firmly into the hard planes of a very solid, very male chest.

"You are safe," Cillumn's voice whispered above me. I hadn't noticed, when he had found me, that he wore nothing above the waist...nothing below it either. At some point he must have shifted. Even now I could sense that wings protruded from his back. Except, it didn't frighten me the way it once had, and it was far better than the full beasts that had landed in front of me. I took a deep shaky breath. Focus on something else. It was getting darker and there wasn't much for my eyes to latch to, so I trailed my fingers upward, rubbing the hard planes of muscle that formed Cillumn's pectorals. Even his ribs and stomach were all firm lumps. He inhaled a sharp breath and caught my fingers with his.

"They are Lords now, are you under control?" his voice was strained.

My heart still thundered in my ears, I did my best to force it to slow. There were no more dragons, I was breathing, I was safe.

After another deep breath I nodded and allowed him to turn me back around.

"Get him to the medic," the Archon was saying. He stood, among the group that had landed, along with Firestriker and Strale, both whom I recognized. The fourth man I did not, nor did he look well. A long gash and several punctures marred his upper shoulder. The wound bled heavily, but it did not look as though it would be fatal, especially with a Dragon Lord's accelerated healing. Besides, there was another problem...

"Ah," I started, "... that might be an issue."

"What is it Lis?" Cillumn asked.

"The medic is dead, I discovered him while leaving the workshop."