The Dragon Legion Collection(25)

The other boy was unconscious on the ground, but Katina was relieved to find that he was breathing. He looked to be exhausted, and there was a burn mark on his chest. “I hope so,” she said to Lysander. She picked Theo up in her arms and was shocked by how light he was, like an empty shell of a boy. It was easy to carry him toward Alexander and Pelias.

Alexander, in contrast, didn’t move at all, and Katina wasn’t even sure he was breathing. “Do you think you can help your father?” she asked. “I don’t know if I can, but we have to try. Maybe you can tell me what to do.”

Lysander led her toward her fallen husband but stopped abruptly to stare. “There’s another silver thread!”

“Where?” Katina asked.

Her son pointed. She saw then that Pelias was breathing slowly and deeply. Lysander traced a path in the air that led from Pelias to the wounds in Alexander’s chest.

As she watched, the anguish passed out of Alexander’s expression.

Before her eyes, his bleeding stopped and his wounds began to close.

Katina was incredulous. What was this silver thread and how did it work?

She went to Alexander’s side and fell to her knees beside him. The truth was indisputable—he looked much healthier. Pelias, meanwhile, looked worse. She looked between the two warriors, astonished by her realization.

“The silver thread came from Pelias?” she asked her son, who nodded.

Another Pyr.

Pelias’ eyelids fluttered and he tried to smile at the sight of Lysander. “Your father will train you now.”

Lysander sank to his knees beside the warrior. “But what was the silver thread, Pelias?”

“Dragonsmoke.” The old warrior licked his lips and swallowed. “We can use it to steal life force from another.”

“Or to give it,” Katina guessed, understanding what Pelias had done.

“Why didn’t you fight him in dragon form?” Lysander asked.

Pelias smiled wanly. “I learned young to hide my powers,” he said. “And now, I cannot do shift when distressed.” He looked at Lysander. “Shift often so you can do so when you must. Much may ride upon it.”

“I will, Pelias.”

The older man nodded satisfaction. His breathing became more labored and Katina didn’t think he looked well at all. He flicked her a look that was filled with understanding, his gaze lingering on Theo. He nodded slightly as if to reassure her. “I needed to see Alexander return,” he whispered. “I knew he would, but I wanted to see it.

“What can I do to help you?” she asked, sinking to her knees beside him and setting Theo down gently. “Water? I have no salve for burns with me...”

“There is nothing to be done for me, Katina. You, with your healer’s eyes, know the truth as well as I do.”

“I am no healer.”

“But you will be. You should be.”

Katina averted her gaze. “You know.”

“I have seen more than most in my days on this earth,” he said quietly. “Tell him. Embrace what you are, and together, you will change the world.”

Katina took his hand in hers and squeezed his fingers, wishing she could heal him.

Pelias shook his head, as if he guessed her thoughts. “I will give all I have to Alexander, without regret.” Katina’s heart clenched at the sight of his burns. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I’m an old soldier with a past but no future.”

“You’d rather die in battle,” Katina guessed.

“And so I shall, but I will make every last breath count.” Pelias nodded, the gesture clearly causing him pain. He moved a finger toward Lysander in summons, then indicated something broken on the ground.

“The scale he broke,” Lysander said, picking up one piece.

Katina saw that it was the same color as Alexander’s scales.

Pelias nodded. “Find all the shards and keep them safe.”

“Until when?”

“You will know.”

Lysander quickly did as he was bidden. He crouched beside Pelias and assembled the broken pieces, scanning the ground to hunt for every last bit of the scale. When he’d found them all, he looked at the older man.

Pelias watched him with pride. “Good. It is done.”

Katina watched as Pelias took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly and steadily. She could feel the force of his will, even though she couldn’t see the dragonsmoke. She took his hand, knowing there was more than one way to share energy.

Pelias breathed steadily and Katina saw Alexander begin to stir in his sleep. Beside her, Lysander watched the older man with wide eyes. There was a faint shimmer of blue around Pelias, a glow that brightened steadily and grew to make an uninterrupted outline of his supine figure. When the glow enclosed him totally, he exhaled with one last great breath.


The blue light faded.

Pelias didn’t inhale again.

Katina fought her tears. She reached out and smoothed the strain from the older man’s features, then murmured a prayer. Lysander looked between her and Pelias, his expression stricken.

“It was a noble gift Pelias gave,” Katina managed to say. “An honorable sacrifice.”

Before she could say more, Alexander cleared his throat. Katina watched in amazement as he opened his eyes. He managed to brace himself on his elbows, seeming disoriented. His gaze danced to Katina and lit with joy. He looked at Theo and appeared to be cautiously relieved. When he saw Lysander, his delight was clear.