Sinister Magic: An Urban Fantasy Dragon Series (Death Before Dragons #1) - Lindsay Buroker Page 0,68

ready,” Dimitri said. “I can throw it that far now, but I could use some cover.”

I pulled out Fezzik. “Are they behind the playhouse or in it, Sindari?”

Normally, I wouldn’t fire rounds in the middle of a residential neighborhood, but since they’d already thrown an explosive, it hardly seemed to matter. Besides, if someone else called the police, it would probably get rid of the dark elves.

In it, Sindari said. One is standing on the right side of it and pointing his crossbow in our direction.

I jogged over to one of the boarded-up windows that faced toward the playhouse. I found a gap large enough for Fezzik’s barrel and fired. As far as my eyes could tell, I was firing at the playhouse and empty air, but a grunt of pain reached my ears, so I’d at least grazed one of them.

For a few seconds, only I was firing, as the dark elves took cover. Shards of the wood from the playhouse flew all over the patio. Then crossbows fired from inside and behind the structure, quarrels zipping across the yard to thud into the window boards. One skidded through the same gap as I was using, and I jerked back as the fletching grazed my knuckles.

Were those quarrels poison-tipped? I had to be more careful.

Dimitri leaned out and grunted as he heaved the gas canister. I resumed firing, not wanting the dark elves to notice him—or it. Sirens wailed as distant police cars sped into the neighborhood.

Whatever magic Dimitri had applied to the five-gallon can helped it sail farther than anyone should have been able to throw it. Fire danced on the end of the fuse. The can landed with enough velocity to crash through the roof of the playhouse.

Two seconds after the can disappeared inside the playhouse, it exploded. Flames shot in all directions as the walls of the structure blew outward.

I sprinted for the carriage house door, pushing Dimitri ahead of me. “Go, go!”

We rushed out, turning toward the trail Sindari had promised. I fired back over my shoulder in the general direction of the explosion, hoping to get lucky—and hoping I didn’t run out of ammo I might yet need that night.

Sindari started after us, but he paused, silver head rotating around. Then he raced toward the burning playhouse. He only made it halfway across the yard before springing at something.

The dark elf that he hit was still invisible to me, but from Sindari’s movements, I could tell he’d slammed into the chest of his target. He bit down with a snarl, shook something in his powerful teeth, then jerked away as something slashed into his side.

“Does he need our help?” Dimitri stumbled—he was also glancing back.

“No.” I pushed him through the tall grass, dew dampening our pants as we ran. “He’s buying time for us.”

I didn’t point out that I would have gone back to help if Dimitri weren’t there. I owed it to him to get him to safety. He’d already gotten in far more trouble than he’d bargained for when he offered me a ride.

A roar rang out over the sounds of battle and the wailing of the approaching sirens.

You’re a wonderful companion, Sindari.

It is good that you recognize this truth as self-evident.

As we clambered over a wood fence and came out on the promised trail, which turned out to be a well-maintained dirt road, the police pulled into the driveway of the vacant house. Their lights flashed off the walls of the neighboring houses and cars in the streets. Hopefully, all the activity—and light—would make the dark elves flee.

Dimitri and I ran down the dirt road, passed through a gate, and came to a spot where it crossed a paved street. We turned onto it, and I pulled out my phone for the map. I was fairly certain we’d been on the popular Tolt Pipeline Trail, but the streets back here were a maze.

“It’s a circuitous route back to your van,” I reported, “but maybe that’s for the best.”

“So the police and dark elves are gone by the time we get there?”

“Yes.” I envisioned returning to a tape-covered crime scene and hoped we would be able to slip away.

The sound of claws on the pavement came from behind, and I turned as Sindari trotted up. He was limping, and when I reached to pet him, my hand came away wet with blood.

“Poor boy.” Even though he would repair quickly once he returned to his own realm, that didn’t keep him from feeling