Ash Princess (The Deviant Future #6) - Eve Langlais Page 0,81

on to another kingdom for fresher pickings? Or was it simply a lack of thriving here above ground?

Whatever the reason, it made his journey less dangerous. But still long.

It took him days to make it to the summit of the volcano, the rock hot enough to make his feet blister through his boots—and heal so they could blister again. But he kept going. The pack at his back heavy but necessary to his plan.

At the top of the volcano, he was blinded by ash and smoke. The heat of it singed his skin, dried every bit of moisture he had. He ducked under an outcropping where he had some cover and rested, waiting for night. He counted off the explosions as they happened. Two to seven minutes apart. Each barrel full of the waste the countess had bragged about. Highly flammable and the root of all of Diamond’s problems.

He was in the right spot.

The explosions finally stopped late afternoon by his estimation. The volcano began to calm, and the ash-filled air lightened. Once night fell and he could see the stars, he rose from his hiding spot, stretching his limbs, inhaling deep to reset his olfactory senses. He trudged right to the edge of the volcano and peeked down.

Then reeled away quickly. He proved more cautious in his next glance, lying on his belly and carefully easing far enough to see over the edge.

He’d found some of the missing dragons.

Dozens of the flying creatures were highlighted by the molten glow that bubbled at the bottom. The lake of lava had to be half a mile across. Although it did seem to have a few islands, all being used as perches, every inch covered in dragons. Except for one massive beast lording it over the largest rocky outcropping in the middle of the lake.

Could it be the drake they’d set free?

It didn’t matter.

Cam couldn’t let them see him. He’d taken one of the cloaking devices, which camouflaged his presence. Still, he hurried past lest they smell him and decide he’d make a good snack.

The rim was draped in shadows, making his other senses key. He realized it was much quieter now. The earlier clanking of metals parts a subtle hum in the background.

The machine that transported the barrels of waste stopped at nightfall. Was it run on solar? Or just employees who didn’t like to work at night? Didn’t matter. It shut off at night, which meant it could be stopped. And if it stopped, the ash would, too.

Spending more time than he should watching the hypnotic display of diving dragons, he almost ran into the object of his search. He placed his hand on the metal rail. A machine built to deliver deadly cargo.

He was going to stop it. Setting his heavy backpack down finally proved a relief. He rummaged through it, pulling forth the grenades he’d found in a weapons locker. The excitement he and Gorri shared upon finding that treasure trove could only be expressed in a reverent, “Holy shit.”

Seeing the grenades had given him the idea.

He shoved the grenades in the straps of his vest, the only thing he wore other than pants and boots. Hoisting himself onto the metal track, he stood and used it as a path down the steep far side of the mountain. Partway, he came across a barrel held by a simple C-clamp, halted on its journey to the edge where it would eventually fall into the lava along with its contents.

He moved lower still and noted the squat building at the base of the conveyor. Lights glowed in the windows. The workers stopped for the night.

He unhooked the barrel and let it roll down the track. It smashed hard enough into the next that they bumped off and to the side.

Did the workers hear their doom in that rattle inside?

He unhooked the crossbow from his back and lit the tip of the quarrel already wrapped in a rag. The flaming bolt hit the barrel, and it exploded, splattering the building. Another flaming missile and everything was on fire, including the depot with the stacks of flammable barrels.

He hiked back up the second rail, and at each halted barrel, he planted grenades then ran a string through their triggers. He did that all the way to the top of the track, creating a thorough path of destruction that would halt Ruby’s evil. At least for awhile.

At the top, he held the string, knowing he’d have to sprint once he yanked it because