Flamecaster (Shattered Realms, #1)(112)

The sensation was the same. The collar around the dragon’s neck must serve the same purpose—to collect flash and to keep the dragon from fighting back.

Ash touched the dragon’s collar again, sliding his finger between the collar and the dragon’s scales. He could find no opening, no catch. It seemed to be as permanent as his own.

Could a lack of magic be what was making it sick? If so, elemental flash might be the cure. Experimentally, he pressed his palm against the dragon’s head and fed a little flash into it.

Nothing.

He fed it a little more.

The dragon shuddered and opened his eyes. They glowed like amber in the murky hold.

“Does this help?” Ash fed him more flash.

The dragon nudged Ash with its nose, pressing against him like a cat. The message was clear. More, please.

Ash complied. This time, the dragon lashed its tail against the floor.

It seemed to be helping, but Ash doubted he could produce enough flash to make up for what the collar was sucking away. He had to find a way to remove the collar.

Just then, the light trickling through the hatch was blotted out. “Ash! You down there?” It was Lila, her voice oddly shrill.

“Yes. I was just—”

“We’ve got to go. Now. All hell’s broken loose. Bring the dragon and come on.”

Ash could hear other noises. It sounded like fighting.

“I can’t bring the dragon, but maybe if I—”

“Then leave it and come before they—scummer!” Lila swore. She slid through the hatch, pulling the trapdoor closed after her. For a moment, she dangled from it by one hand, then dropped to the floor, crying out in pain when she landed.

“What’s going on?” Ash said. “Is there—”

“Shhh!” Lila looked up at the ceiling. What sounded like a dozen pairs of feet pounded overhead, the sound receding as whoever it was raced toward the bow of the boat.

“They’ll be back,” Lila said.

“Who’s they?”

“It’s those miserable bloodsucking priests,” Lila said. “A whole pack of them. They must have sniffed you out somehow. They’ve killed everyone else on board, as far as I can tell.”

That was when Ash noticed that Lila was favoring her right arm. When he moved the torch closer, he could see that her sleeve and the side of her jacket were sodden with blood.

“You’re hurt,” he said. It was an ironic turnaround from the night he’d first met the Darians, back in the dormitory at Oden’s Ford.

“It’s just a scratch, but thanks for noticing.” Lila squinted into the darkness. “If we could find a way to fasten the hatch down, maybe they won’t find us. Or at least they’ll make a lot of noise trying to get in and draw the blackbirds.”

It’s a rare day, Ash thought, when a person actually wants to attract the attention of the King’s Guard of Arden.

Ash looked around. There was the washtub full of rum, some putrefying dead rabbits, his healer’s kit. A sick dragon. Nothing much to work with.

“If not for this bloody collar, I could at least give them a warm welcome,” Ash muttered.

Lila stared at him. Licked her lips. Looked shifty-eyed and guilty.

“What?”

“I think I can help you with that.” Digging into her carry bag with her good hand, she pulled out a small silver object. “Turn around so I can get at your collar.”

“What’s that?” Ash asked suspiciously, turning around.

He could feel her fumbling at the back of his neck. “It’s a . . . it’s a sort of a key.”

“A key.”

“To open the collar.” Lila was obviously struggling to operate the device with one hand.

“You have a key to open mage collars,” Ash said in a flat, deadly voice.

“Well, it stands to reason that there would be keys,” Lila said brightly. “Otherwise, there would be no way to get them—bloody bones!” Growing impatient, the dragon had nudged Lila’s leg, startling her. She flailed backward, ending up on her butt on the floor, nearly eye to eye with the dragon. The key landed next to her with a soft clank.

“Shhh!” Ash hissed, looking up at the ceiling.

“That—that—it—”

“It’s all right,” Ash whispered, stepping between Lila and the dragon. “It’s not in any condition to hurt you.” He hoped. He scooped up the key and handed it back to Lila. Knelt and took a closer look at her face. Don’t you dare pass out until you’ve unlocked my collar, he thought, but didn’t say it aloud because he didn’t want to give her any ideas.

He turned around so that she could get at the back of his neck. She fumbled with the collar again. Finally, he heard a soft click, and the collar slid forward a little. Ash gripped it on either side, pulled the halves apart, and dropped it onto the floor. Experimentally, he tilted his head one way, then the other. He fingered his amulet. It was like the floodgates burst open, and magic torrented in.

Above their heads, Ash could hear voices, startlingly close. “The scent is stronger right around here.” A cold finger of fear ran down his back when he realized that they were scenting his blood.

He turned to look at Lila, who was by now propped against the wall, eyes glazed with pain.