Verath the Red (Dragonwall Series #3)

Chapter 17 - Attack on Squall's End

Celenore

Claire was with her army again. They settled on an island, a rocky outcropping, more or less. Nearly one hundred dragons clotted the rock faces in the dark pre-dawn. Wrath gave a mighty roar. Opening his maw and snapping at the air. The sound echoed out over the water in all directions, but there was no one close enough to hear it. Not yet, anyway.

"How far to Squall's End?" she asked.

"Less than an hour east, my lord." Wrath's voice was rich, but there was something beneath it. A measure of condescension that made her want to rip his head from his neck. Wrath despised her. He only worked with her as the better of two poor options. But she would outwit him in the end. She would be the one standing victorious when the dust settled.

She gazed out over the hoard of beasts, hiding her distaste. "Let us go, then. And remember what we discussed. If they surrender the fort, we cease destruction of the city."

"And if they do not?"

"Then you burn the city to the ground."

Wrath was silent for several moments. "Surely you do not believe those abominations would surrender."

She hesitated. "For their people, they might. If they do, we will honor the bargain. Am I clear?"

"We are clear."

She was thrown forward in her harness. Wrath crouched and shot into the sky. The ground disappeared beneath her, and they were above the sea again. Victory was a sweet scent in her nostrils, she need only open her mouth and take a bite. Soon...

Claire opened her eyes, coughing, chest heaving. She blinked, gathering her thoughts. The ground stretched beneath her, hard against her back. She took a handful of dirt in her fist, convincing herself that what she felt right now, in this moment, was real. Above her, the stars were growing dimmer in the pale blue of pre-dawn.

Everything felt fuzzy. Disjointed. Like a dream within a dream.

A dark shadow fell over her.

"She's unwell." It was Koldis, answering someone. "Get me some water and something to eat. Hurry."

"Koldis?" She tried to sit up. He knelt down and put his hand on her back, helping her. "I'm fine," she croaked, wincing. A dull headache pounded against her skull. "Really, I'm fine."

"You don't look it. You pushed yourself too hard yesterday. Your magic is taking a toll." He glanced up, accepting a waterskin and a chunk of bread, handing both to her. "Here. Drink, eat."

She shoved both away. "No, I..." She wiped her palms on her pants and massaged her temples. Jovari crouched down beside Koldis, studying her. It took a split second for the realization to set in.

Her eyes went wide and she gasped. "Oh my gods! I...I saw him!" Her thoughts solidified. Less than an hour east, my lord. The thought clanged against her skull. "It...it's happening. The attack. It wasn't just a bad dream. It's..." Her breaths turned into rapid pulls.

"What's she talking about?" Jovari kept his voice low. Many of the others in their group were only just rising.

"She believes she saw an attack on Squall's End."

"What?" Jovari looked between them. "How? When?"

"We need to go to Squall's End," she said, a hint of desperation in her voice. " Right now. We need to help them. To help Reyr." She tried to stand.

Koldis pushed her back into a sitting position. "Hold on, Claire. Take a deep breath. We don't have proof that this is really happening. Do we? Besides, Squall's End is at least a day's flight from here. And that's if we make good time."