The Coven's Source

Chapter Forty-Nine

The monstrous dragon rumbled like a ravenous storm, a sound that wobbled its throat and vibrated the air about it. Her horns, obviously female by the slight twirled shape and smooth scales, curled about her head, inches from touching her grey snout. Black eyes stared, flecked with embers, and stared with hostility, her lips bared to show her teeth with ash and smoke slipping out with every breath.

I held Brigitte closely, my eye locked with the dragon's. I had never fought one before, only a dead one reanimated by Sorin to rip Toma apart, but I would never had the chance to. Dragons didn't live long in the north where I usually spent my time. Dragons were southern beasts, thriving in the heat, sand and light. Even here, beneath this city, was too mild a climate for her. No wonder she slept so much.

Fire sparked in her jaws and heat rolled over of her in waves, gushing over my skin and dragging sweat to the surface. But after a while, with Toma and Grigore close to me, prepared to defend, and Henning locked in place between us and Aleksander, the dragon finally moved but not to attack.

'I was told of you, female.' She hissed out, her voice crackling like hot gravel as her scales shimmered, flicking up to release wreaths of heat. 'Your song. It's alive. Calling. Telling me of strength I could have.' Fire puffed out of her dangerously. 'I hate it. The girl was just about bearable, but you. You're maddening. But I won't eat you. I know what you'll do to me. Rot me from the inside out. Turn my mind to little more than a rabid beast. I refuse to be turned into that. Mindless. Shameless.'

Gradually I realised who she was. Iskra. The one who Ivana had called and the one who Silvia had asked for help. Suddenly I understood why Brigitte had been so safe for so long.

'She won't be long. We just need the girl.' Toma said gently but warily, not moving an inch. No one dared to. This dragon could destroy us so easily.

'The girl is under my care.' Iskra snapped out with a crackling boom, sparks flying and molten saliva slipping from between her teeth. 'Unless Ivana says otherwise.'

She turned her snout and lowered her body, her scales clinking strangely as she came to observe Ivana.

'But it seems she won't be speaking for long.'

I paled before Toma abruptly took Brigitte from me. 'Go. See if you can help.' He said hurriedly.

I gazed at his fiery eyes only briefly before I rose and hurried, boots skidding against the debris left by Iskra's entrance until I finally reached Ivana.

I was on my knees, touching her bloodied face, calling softly as I observed her wounds hurriedly and quickly realised nothing could be done. Her body was broken, shattered and ripped, blood spilling from endless holes, her left arm was entirely gone and her eyes barely focused on anything.

Aleksander sighed when I looked at him and gestured at him to give me his wards frantically.

'It's useless Lyra. No amount of magic can save her. All I can do is make sure she doesn't feel the pain.'

But I didn't believe that. Hope clawed at me, determination to save her as I looked down at her, saw the bruising surrounding her once vibrant eyes and the blood bubbling from her lips. Not long ago, she had been smiling so beautifully that I felt jealous. A woman who had helped me so many times yet I never fully trusted. She had never been Cara. She had just been Ivana, a magicless woman, a doctor, trying to help protect a Source she didn't know.

'I have endless magic, Aleksander.'

'Endless magic means nothing. Her body will heal wrong with this level of damage. Magic can only do so much, especially on a mortal body.'