The Dragon Legion Collection(82)

To his surprise, she took a turn just before they entered the garden. The wind that was Aura guided him to the sloping path beneath the garden. It was a barren slope, and the path was hard and dry. There was a single tree, though, its leaves silvery green. Aura led him to it, for some reason, and he saw the breeze that was her rustle the leaves. He turned over the tree and headed back up to the garden, certain she was showing off.

Then there was the garden itself. The shadows were already drawing long in the shelter of the garden and the space was filled with velvety green darkness. He could discern that there was a well-tended orchard below them, and that the boughs of the trees were heavy with golden fruit. He heard the sleepy hum of bees and the trickle of water, he smelled rich soil and herbs like lavender, and knew that this garden must be an earthly paradise.

Aura hastened ahead of him, because the firestorm’s heat dimmed to a glow and the wind that had driven him so far faded to a breeze. There was a sparkle on the ground between the trees, then Aura in her human form appeared. She turned and opened her arms to him in welcome, her smile and her gesture making his heart pound.

Thad flew toward her, the firestorm feeding his desire to a higher pitch with every beat of his wings. He heard her heart and felt his own match its pace, a sensation that nearly overwhelmed him with the conviction that their partnership was right. He was over the trees, preparing to land, when another dragon erupted from the shadows of the orchard below.

The dragon was of deepest green, and he had nine heads, each of which was breathing fire at Thad. His eyes could have been burning coals and his talons were as sharp as knives. There was something of a snake in his agility and form, and Thad knew instinctively that he was ancient.

The other dragon had surprise on his side. He had latched a talon on to Thad’s tail before the Pyr could respond.

Ladon, Thad realized. This must be Ladon, the guardian of the golden apples, and another myth come to life. Even as they locked claws to grapple for supremacy, Thad knew he couldn’t injure his opponent. Thad managed to shake his tail free, but Ladon’s teeth left bleeding holes in his flesh. He tried to hold his slithering opponent at bay, but Ladon showed no such restraint. The fire he breathed was burning Thad’s scales, and he bit again, sinking his teeth into Thad’s shoulder.

“Ladon!” Aura cried. “He is a friend!”

“Only nymphs can enter the garden!” Ladon cried with one head. At least that one stopped breathing fire for a moment. “I let no others pass, by order of Hera herself.”

“But I brought him here!” Aura argued. “He is my guest!”

“Never trust a nymph!” Ladon twisted and bit, biting deeply into Thad’s wing with another head. The blood flowed from Thad’s wounds, and he knew that this dragon would willingly kill him.

It was one thing to fight to the death. It was another to let an opponent win a battle for the sake of honor. It was still a third to let a dragon of any kind interfere with the firestorm.

Thad roared with fury and began to fight in earnest.

* * *

Aura had never seen dragons fight, and she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to again.

She had feared that Thad would be easily beaten. Ladon had taken him by surprise and seemed likely to overwhelm her dragon. The smell of burning scales was terrible and it was worse to see Thad’s blood flowing. She worried that Thad was tired from their flight and that even a robust dragon could be defeated.

Had she put him in danger? She felt foolish for wanting to test him and responsible for his injuries. At the same time, she knew she could never fight Ladon and win. Ladon had to be tricked for a nymph to survive an encounter with him.

Just when Aura feared the worst, Thad’s manner changed. He spun and turned on Ladon with a roar of fury that put the ancient dragon to shame. To her delight, Aura realized that Thad had been holding back. He breathed a torrent of fire at the other dragon that was fearsome in both volume and intensity.

Oh, there was much to be admired about a man—or dragon—who used his power with discretion. Aura thought twice about her scheme, but stealthily stole a single golden apple anyway. The tree made a cry of pain, just as she had anticipated it would—they were terrible snitches, these trees—but Ladon didn’t hear the sound.

He was too busy crying out in pain himself. Ladon fell back from Thad’s plume of fire, but Thad flew right after him. He seized the green dragon and spun him around, striking one head then locking claws with him again. They spun through the air, their tales locked and their teeth flashing as they bit at each other. Aura hid the apple in her tunic just as Thad flung Ladon at the ground. The other dragon crashed through one of Hera’s trees, breaking a number of branches, then hit the ground so hard that it trembled. Thad pursued him in furious flight, teeth bared and talons outstretched.

“Don’t kill him!” Aura cried. “Hera will curse you!”

Thad hovered in the air above Ladon, seething. Aura was glad he’d listened to her, but uncertain as to what he would do.

Ladon seized the moment and took advantage of Thad’s momentary hesitation. The other dragon twisted around, then leapt into the air once more. He breathed fire as he launched himself at Thad. Aura lost track of them both in the blazes of fire.

To her dismay, Ladon seemed determined to kill Thad. If Thad was defeated now, it would be her fault! She couldn’t just stand by and watch, and she couldn’t let Thad be burned when he couldn’t fully defend himself. She changed to a breeze and blew into one of Ladon’s mouths in a gust of wind, extinguishing the fire he breathed before it reached Thad.