had never heard before and prayed never to hear again.
A few seconds after that he heard horses and turned to see Lord Elouan riding toward them, leading a well-armed company of elven soldiers. Nearly a hundred, if he were to guess. A much larger force than their small travel group. Even with the extra centaurs they’d brought with them.
“What have you done, woman?” Elouan bellowed at Keeley as soon as they were close enough to hear.
“Don’t blame me for this!” Keeley argued. “You’re the one who had him chained up in there!”
“That thing is not a ‘him.’ It is an ‘it’ and you let it free!”
“I thought it was dead!”
“All of you shut up!” Gemma yelled, her arms raised high, palms out. She closed her eyes, lowered her head, and unleashed a spell that shook the ground. The top of the cave entrance crumbled and stones crashed down until there was no way in or out.
Gemma dropped to one knee and Keeley rushed to her sister’s side. She helped her back up.
“You all right?”
“I’m fine.”
“Here.” Keran handed her a flask. “Drink this. Get your legs back.”
Gemma tipped her head back and took a long drink, but when she was done, her eyes grew wide and the arm not resting against her sister dropped to her side.
Caid and Laila turned to see what had her attention. It was the elves. They’d all unsheathed their weapons.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Laila demanded. Caid now stood on one side of her and Quinn on the other. Their small band of centaurs were arrayed behind them, ready for whatever came next.
What should have the elves concerned, though, was Quinn. He was no longer smiling and laughing. He was no longer delighted by the situation. Some wild animal attacking them was just good-hearted fun. But elves unleashing weapons near their sister . . . ? That was literally a call to war.
“I just realized what a wonderful opportunity this stupid human has given me,” Elouan said. “Sad, though, how devastated your mother will be when she finds out that you, your brothers, and all your human friends were killed by that thing.” He smiled. “It will be such a sorry tale I’ll tell.”
Before Caid could move, Keeley stepped in front of all the centaurs. Right by her side were Gemma and Keran. She had her hammer out and she was so angry, her entire body was shaking. So angry, she couldn’t even speak. So angry, she could do nothing but point her massive hammer at the elven lord.
“Ahhhh, Queen Keeley,” Elouan said with great sarcasm. “You’re as pathetic as your sister said you were, and you deserve what she’s happily planning for you and anyone idiot enough to foll—”
Caid and everyone else stumbled back when Elouan’s blood splattered a good number of them as giant jaws slammed shut around the elf and bit down, cutting off his words and the top half of his body. His horse galloped off with the lord’s legs and waist still attached; the feet in the stirrups. His hands were twitching on the ground.
The top half of Elouan, however, was still screaming as he was swallowed down. A few seconds after that, his sword and shield were spit onto the ground.
Caid raised his gaze to what now stood atop the damaged cave with its black horns on its massive head and long black and red hair blowing in the wind. Its black scales appeared to pulsate because of the glowing red line running between each one. But it was the wings that had them all gaping silently. Those massive black wings that stood spread out from its back.
In that instant, everything changed.
“Kill it!” one of the elves screamed and the bombardment of arrows began. Not just from the elves but the centaurs as well.
The dragon stumbled back a bit, swiping at the projectiles fired at him. A few hit their mark but not enough to take the creature down. Now he just seemed pissed.
He took in a deep breath and Caid lowered his bow.
“Fuck,” he heard Laila gasp because their instincts were warning them. Those instincts all horses had. Even those only half horse.
Caid grabbed Keeley, and his siblings grabbed her kin and they started running. Running as fast and hard as they could.
As he ran, Caid looked over his shoulder. The dragon’s long neck snaked down and it opened its maw. That’s when it released . . .