“I knew you could do it, my pet. I had faith in you. You did marvelously.”
“No.” Layla shook her head.
Dralazar slid his hand behind Layla’s neck and pulled her into him. “ Focus your anger where it belongs,” he whispered before jerking her forward. He roughly pressed his lips against hers, his fingers tightening around the back of her neck. Dralazar felt Layla’s tension melting beneath him. “Come,” he said. “There is still much to do.”
Layla trailed behind him like a puppy following an abusive master. Dralazar smiled inwardly. He had a large list of skills; breaking people down and building them back up was one of them. And the beautiful part—they never realized what was happening until they became completely dependent. It was a slower process than he would have liked, but once it started it never failed.
Later that evening after putting his newest pet to bed, Dralazar paced around his throne room. It had been nearly two weeks since the battle. Since then there had been no sign of Kiora or the villagers. He had allowed the Hounds to wander freely, and the Dragons were searching for her too. The Fallen Ones had also been looking for holes, trying to find where they were hiding. So far everyone had come up empty handed. He didn’t like the feeling . . . like he had forgotten something.
Dralazar sat down, turning his wounded hand in front of him, questioning Eleana’s motives. Opening the old magic? How could she be so stupid? He glanced down grimly at the oozing puncture wounds. Performing magic with only one hand weakened his attacks. He tried again to summon fire with his wounded hand, but the best he could do was a sputter of flame before it died out.
Granted, Eleana’s tactics had been effective. Her little magic trick with Emane’s armband hindered his ability to take the valley. But still, effective or not—why would she risk it? Eleana knew what he would do. Dralazar knew the prophecy as well as Eleana. If he were defeated this time, he would be destroyed. Opening the gate would give him access to more powerful magic, more warriors. It might even be enough change to alter the course of fate itself, create a new ending to his otherwise cursed battle against good.
He wanted to give in to the hope fluttering in the back of his mind. The hope that whispered: perhaps Eleana did not realize what he would do if she opened the old magic. But he couldn’t listen—he knew better. Eleana had always removed herself from the fighting out of sheer guilt. But this time she had stepped in. Something had changed. Dralazar sat twirling the large silver ring around and around his finger before standing and marching to his basin.
“Show me the opening of the gate,” he commanded.
He watched himself pulling back the old magic and dissolving the gate. The storm raged around him, screaming at him, but he was alone. The picture started to fade. “No, continue,” Dralazar said. The picture refocused itself on the gate until he had vanished from view. A minute later Eleana dropped her bubble. She had been there the whole time, watching him. In his weakened state she could have stopped him easily. But she didn’t; she had just stood there and watched. Like she wanted him to open it.
Anger and unease twisted his stomach. She had wanted the gate open. Leaning over the basin, his hands braced on the table, he yelled at the images. “Why? Why does she want the gate open?”
The water in the basin tried to answer the question. It turned to a scene in the castle. Eleana was talking to Drustan while Kiora bustled around the room. Dralazar bristled at the sight of Drustan. That traitor had switched sides just when he needed him most.
“She is remarkable, Eleana. I have never seen a Solus like her,” said Drustan.
“Nor have I. It begs a few questions.” Eleana sighed.
Drustan’s head snapped back to look at Eleana, an old hope springing forward. “You don’t think that she is . . .…”
Eleana searched his eyes. “Time will tell. Although, as you know, things will be changing one way or the other.”
He nodded gravely, but a spark of excitement ran through him. “The old magic.”
“Yes.”
Drustan’s eyes found Kiora again. “I didn’t think I would see it in my lifetime. That would be remarkable if it were true.” His eyes sparkled with possibility. “If the gate could be opened, it would mean