The Dream Keeper's Dragon

47. They Fell

Jermyn blinked rapidly. His hollow eyes took in the scene with a slow precision. He towered over Aurelie and Shaelyn with the most vacant and unimpressed expression on his face. "What have you gotten me into this time?" he asked, frowning down at her.

"Never mind that," she said, biting her lip. If she were to explain everything, he'd climb back into the soil and flee. "I need you to release me." She thrust herself against the shadow.

The fire burning on the field reflected in his hollow eyes. He was as still as the tree behind him, hypnotized by the horror that she had dragged him into.

"You brought me into a battle with your father? Are you out of your mind?" He snapped out of the trance, fear wrinkling his face. "How do you expect a tree to fight against fire?"

If she heard that phrase once more she would, indeed, lose her mind. Her hands jumped toward her face, but before they could move even an inch, the shadow pressed them back. Aurelie grunted.

"You said I had a favor. You said I could use the seed. I don't recall you giving me any terms," she snapped. "You cannot go back on your word now. You promised me a favor. I saved your life, remember?" she scolded him in hope that her words would create at least a glimmer of guilt. Jermyn had the power to turn the battle. Not against the King per say, but the humans would barely be able to pierce his bark and even if they did, she was not sure that it would harm him much. He almost instantly healed the burns that Marianne had inflicted. What would a little dagger or sword do?

Jermyn hesitated, most certainly calculating his chances, his eyes tracing the field as if counting the soldiers. "Anything else, Dragon, anything, but fighting your father, you are out of your mind," he said.

Aurelie's eyes flared. Jermyn flinched and stepped back. The ground below him ignited, and a wide, fiery circle traced around him.

"I will remember this day, Jermyn. When I am queen and the Dragon King has lost. I will remember. If Daerious dies tonight, the blood of the only creature that can stand you will be on your hands." His eyes widened at the mention of Daerious. "People I know are dying. And if I make it out of this, and you ran," she smirked and sent the wall of fire that surrounded him to rise above his waist. It did not harm him, but they both knew that it could if she wished it to. "I will make sure that the name of every person who died will forever be charred on your bark." Aurelie smiled wider. If he wanted a lost mind, he had just encountered one. "Now free me!" she ordered. The fire crept closer to him. Aurelie did not want to cause him pain. Well, not the physical sort. But, the extent of her magic had to be clear.

His eyes darted to her, wide, alert, and filled with uncertainty. He had expected her to be the same weak, little girl whom he had trapped in his cave. Aurelie straightened her back and challenged his stare. "Release me." She increased the temperature of her fire.

Jermyn nodded, and a branch, sharp as a dagger, extended from his hand. It twisted and drifted to her awkwardly bending with its rise and fall. The branch sailed up against her leg, and as if contracting its muscles, it rose up like an attacking snake. Aurelie gasped, the sharp point of the branch hovering in front of her eye. It jolted. She swept her head out of its way, her heart pounding. The grip on her hands lifted. Jermyn glared down at her, his chin lifted, and his posture stiff, displaying that he too could end her if he pleased.

Aurelie stood, rubbing her wrists, and turned to walk. Gratitude dangled on the tip of her tongue but she suppressed it and walked away toward the battle. Cowards don't deserve gratitude. Shaelyn scrambled from behind the tree and limped behind her. Aurelie increased her pace, knowing that the girl could never keep up. Maybe if she tried, she would faint, and her life would not be wasted.