A Ride of Peril (A Shade of Vampire #46)(26)

“I know you’d be devastated without me,” he grinned.

“Not really, but I really enjoy kicking your ass once in a while.”

He wrapped me in a bear hug, lifting me off the ground in the process. Then I made my way to Phoenix, who took me in his arms and held me for a good minute in absolute silence.

“I’ll be okay, Phoenix,” I said.

“I know you will. There’s no way we’re not getting out of this alive. Do you hear me?”

We looked at each other and smiled, but I couldn’t shake that ominous feeling lurking in the back of my head. I had to let it out.

“But in case we don’t, in case I don’t, I want you to—”

“Serena, don’t.” He cut me off, his voice low. “Don’t even go there.”

“But, Phoenix, I need to say—”

“No, Serena, you don’t. Let me be perfectly clear. You’re going to sneak into Azazel’s dungeon, you’re going to get Sverik out of there, and then you’ll come back here in one piece. I need you. I need you now more than ever. Don’t even think about not making it back. No.”

I took a deep breath, swallowing hard as Phoenix gripped my shoulders and put on a reassuring smile.

“You are the strongest, most resilient creature I have ever had the fortune to meet,” he added. “On top of that, you are the best sister anyone could ever wish for. I have all the faith in you, Serena. This is nothing for us. Just a crazy snake dude with an army of equally crazy snake dudes. Think of it as real life GASP training.”

I chuckled and cupped his face with my hands.

“Take care of yourself, big brother, and look after them as well. I’ll see you soon.”

He winked in response.

I pulled my satchel over my shoulder, waved goodbye to them all, and walked over to Draven.

“Ready?” he asked, his voice as smooth and calm as ever.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”





Serena





We took three horses to Mount Inon, as time wasn’t on our side. The stallions were purebred athletes, strong and fast, shooting through the jungle like arrows. We reached the volcano just as night unraveled around us in shades of indigo.

Inon welcomed us with limestone arms wide open. He guided us to another plateau on the western side of the mountain, where the other Dearghs had been kind enough to prepare dinner for us. It awaited us on large wooden platters.

After we ate, we followed Inon inside the volcano, into one of the chambers closest to the lava core. Draven took out the translated notes from the swamp witches’ books, while Hansa and I sat in front of him, quietly watching as he prepared for the fire protection spell.

He laid out all the ingredients we’d brought from the mansion, a variety of herbs, seeds, and dried roots. He used a wooden bowl to mix them all together. He looked up at Inon, towering behind us with a curious expression.

“This is the fire protection spell we talked about, courtesy of the swamp witches,” Draven explained. “Do you have the powder I mentioned earlier?”

The Deargh nodded and reached out, revealing a small black leather pouch in his hand. Draven took it and poured its content into the bowl. The dust scattered over the herb mixture like bits of glimmering charcoal.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“Remains of a fallen Deargh.” Draven looked at me. “The volcano only accepts Dearghs. The spell is meant to fool the fire into thinking we are Dearghs, basically.”

He then placed his hands above the bowl, palms facing down, and recited the words that would bring the spell to life. “We are not what we seem. We are spirits in stone bodies. We do not burn, for fire is our crown.”

He clapped his hands twice, and the mixture instantly caught fire, a vibrant green flame that died out almost immediately. It left behind a dark green paste with limestone and crystal particles, reminding me of the mineral cleansing masks that Aida had once brought back from the American mainland.

The more I learned about this spell, the more I appreciated the swamp witches. In the absence of magic flowing through their veins, they’d learned to trick the elements with formulas and chemical combinations, fueled by the power of the word. The concept was extremely fascinating, and I was eager to understand it better.

I made a mental note to figure out a way to read through the swamp witches’ book once we got back.

“I must say, Druid,” Inon said, “you’re either extremely brave or extremely crazy to do this.”

“Do what, exactly? Swim through hot lava or sneak into Azazel’s dungeons?”

A moment passed as the Deargh carefully measured his answer.

Hansa and I glanced at each other.

“Both,” he replied.

“I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge, especially not when we’re so close to defeating Azazel once and for all,” Draven said.

“I know you’re young and motivated now that you have the swamp witches’ spells, but don’t let that go to your head, Druid,” Inon said. “Azazel has seen many centuries come and go before you. He knows how this world works. He knows Eritopia’s weaknesses and strengths, and he knows how to use them against anyone looking to undermine him.”

Draven nodded, his eyes focused on the bowl.