The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,99

most important. First, we all filled up on aether, just because my little stunt had all of us a little nervous, and then we headed to the Spire, the place where we'd fought angels off a young dragon.

One after the other, the entire First Legion stepped out onto the grassy area in the valley between the ridges. Immediately, I felt the weight of my wings on my back, and my tail resting on the ground. I couldn't help myself. I stretched them out, realizing that even though I didn't have them in my human body, they still felt stiff from lack of use.

But no one was here. Nothing at all but rocks and plants. The sky above was rolling with dark purple-grey clouds, and a chilled breeze was blowing through, whipping my hair around. All signs of the battle we'd waged on this spot so recently were gone. It almost felt like a ghost town, if there'd been a town.

"Ok," I said, looking at my guys. "Now what?"

"Summon her," Nick suggested.

I nodded. "How? I mean, I know how to call y'all, but only because you're on my skin. I don't really know..." And I finished with a gesture to the openness before us.

Luke chuckled as he moved toward me. "Very important lesson," he said, turning me to face him. "Imagine the seal in your mind. Draw the seal. Then, if you know it, speak the name."

"And if I don't know her name?" I asked. "I mean, she's a dragon! Do they even have names?"

"Then make sure you draw the symbol perfectly." Luke grinned like there was some joke that I was missing.

Probably because I was the artist. I was supposed to be able to draw, and all of my ability depended on it. But I had just one more question, and it was probably a stupid one. "So, how am I supposed to draw this?"

"With aether," Nick said behind me. "On the dirt, in the air, or whatever works. That part doesn't matter. Just draw it the same way you would a rune, and push your desire to see her into it."

"Here goes nothing," I breathed.

Then I lifted my hand and sketched the amazingly organic and irregular shape, putting as much aether into it as I could manage. "C'mon, Dragon," I whispered. "I really need to ask some questions."

That was how long it took before the wind changed direction and the entire world split open. First came a massive yellow foot that ended with claws the size of my body. Then her nose broke through the veil next. The line of this plane washed across her, shimmering as she moved from wherever she'd been before to here.

You, she greeted me, flicking her tail to get it through the veil without trampling on us.

But standing on the ground before a dragon this size was terrifying. I felt like an ant beneath the foot of a human. The dragon was so big that I simply couldn't understand how little the people of this world knew about them. Hiding one would be like trying to tuck a mountain out of sight. In other words, impossible.

But she had her head twisted like she was waiting for me to say something. Probably to tell her why I'd called. "Um, Dragon?" I asked, yelling in the hopes that my voice could reach that high. "I have questions, and you're the only other Muse I know to ask."

The sound that came from her had all of our wings flaring open with the urge to flee, and then she took a step - away. I have answers.

Which did not explain her leaving, at least not until she bent first one leg, then another, and lowered herself carefully to the ground. I still felt the thump of her body through the soles of my boots, but she wasn't done yet. Like some beautiful yellow and black drawing that should've belonged on a Lisa Frank lunch box, she curled her neck around so that her nose almost touched her front knees, and then pulled her tail up to match. One "little" rustle of her wings settled them into place, making the beast look like it was about to take a nap.

Come closer.

This time, the guys all sucked in a breath. Both Sam and Ron stepped back, which made me think that they'd finally heard her. But when she said closer, that wasn't exactly a few steps. It was the length of a football field, maybe more! Well, good thing I