Haunting Shadows (Book 2)

Chapter 56

“Where’s Lana?” Casian asked when Andreas reappeared outside.

“Safe.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve done something stupid.”

Andreas fixed his gaze on Casian. “She is going to be furious with me when all this is over, but she will be alive. There is nothing more to it.”

Kalen chose that moment to enter their conversation. “You did not lock her in her room…” he said, incredulity to his tone.

“I did what was necessary.”

“Clearly you don’t want her to forgive you,” Casian stated with the shake of his head.

“There are more important things right now,” Andreas argued, his tone not betraying a single hint of emotion. He tried to fight off the memory of kissing her, mere minutes ago, but was unsuccessful.

Raphael, flanked by Eric, ran up to their group, finally disrupting Andreas’ thoughts. They looked as troubled as one would expect. “Mallory took Izzy inside and she said she’d make sure that she remains safe. Natalia is with them to ensure the same thing. We just need to keep the dragon out here so he can’t reach them,” Raphael said, his voice slightly out of breath.

“All the women as safe them?” Kalen asked, concern etched into his features.

Casian furrowed his eyebrows. “Should we account for Leita? Or am I the only one who believes that she is quite capable of defending herself?”

“She scares me…” Eric commented, his eyebrows raised inward.

Before anyone could say another word, a deep, menacing roar echoed through the sky. Any other preparations they might’ve taken, were now an afterthought. The dragon had returned. They could do no more than stare at the massive beast as he grew closer and closer.

“Andreas, I sincerely hope your powers extend to fighting un-killable creatures….” Kalen commented, his gaze fixed on the approaching dragon.

“That would make two of us,” Andreas replied in a tone that was almost too low for them to hear. He had never been faced with anything remotely close to this caliber. While he had always known that other magical beings besides sorcerers existed in their world, he hadn’t come into contact with any of them until he met Leita. Dragons were completely out of his range of knowledge; it was one of the reasons he wanted Lana away from the fight. Even he had no idea how to beat this enemy.

Fire scorched down to them as the dragon swept by mere inches from their heads. The sorcerers were quick to act, throwing up fire-resistant force-fields before the fire could touch them. Casian was just standing there casually with his arms folded across his chest like this meant nothing to him and Andreas fought the urge to roll his eyes.

The dragons circle away from them, and a figure jumped from its back and landed on the ground before them. Slowly, Andreas started to make out his features. It was a man in what appeared to be his early forties. Andreas’ eyebrows scrunched up as this fact tried to settle in his mind. From what he had learned from Casian, dragon lords were chosen once they reach their physical prime, which typically happens around the ages of twenty four to twenty eight. Why was this man different?

“Aspen,” Raphael commented, his voice cold and deadly. Andreas could almost approve. This must be the dragon lord that Elisa introduced him to. Fury made its way through Andreas. If that was true, then the dragon lord was here for Raphael. Lana and Izzy were in danger because of Raphael. Andreas could barely believe that he could have another reason for wanting to kill the light sorcerer.

A wicked gleam filled the man’s eyes as a crooked, malicious smile formed on his lips. Andreas had to give him credit for trying to appear menacing. The dragon landed behind Aspen, keeping close to his lord.