I scoffed. Yeah. As inconspicuous as a walking firework.

I was about to begin searching out the safest route in climbing down the mountain when something caught my eye far out to sea. I might have mistaken it for a cloud, except it was moving too swiftly. I walked to the edge of the cliff, straining to make out what it was.

Slowly, it became clear that the cloud wasn’t a solid mass. It was made up of a number of individual bodies… a flock of birds, perhaps.

Large birds.

Very large birds.

I kept trying to convince myself that they must be birds until the flock drew too close for me to continue deluding myself. My jaw dropped as the truth sank in.

A horde of dragons was racing toward The Shade.

Angry dragons.

Very angry dragons.

Chapter 29: Derek

Ibrahim transported us about a hundred feet away from where the black witches were hurrying along the forest path.

One advantage we had was that they didn’t know exactly where we were keeping our humans—at least, I assumed that was why they didn’t just vanish themselves to the Black Heights directly. They’d have to search the island first. But that wouldn’t take long with their abilities if we didn’t throw a wrench in the works fast.

Crouching down behind a thorny thicket, Ibrahim let go of Shadow’s collar, slapping his backside and sending him scampering away. This forest would be no place for a dog in a few moments.

“Now,” I whispered, “leave me and try to find Mona. Send her here along with the other witches to help me head them off.”

I sensed he was about to argue, but he didn’t. He did as I’d requested and left my side.

It was time to start walling them off. Even though it killed me to damage our forest, I stepped out and began pulsing flame after flame until all the trees surrounding us were ablaze. The witches stopped on the path, staring around at the fire encroaching on them. As I stood in the center of the path, Corrine appeared by my side along with seven other witches. But to my disappointment, Mona wasn’t among them.

“Help me keep these flames up,” I said.

Torrents of water began to shoot from the black witches’ palms toward my fire. I created more flames with the help of my comrades. Rhys and his people soon tired of this game, however, as they began aiming curses in our direction.

Although—as I’d almost experienced firsthand—one of these curses alone would be enough to end any one of us, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that at least my plan was working. We just had to keep this up for as long as we could. I shoved aside thoughts of what would happen when we could continue no longer. I couldn’t think that far ahead.

An unexpected blast of fire erupted from my left, breaking through my thoughts. I couldn’t understand how. I’d thought I’d just distanced myself from the other witches. Spinning around toward the source of the flames, I almost had a heart attack.

“Rose?”

Chapter 30: Rose

“Dad, we’ve got a problem.”

My father’s face was contorted with shock, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“What… How…What in hell’s name are you doing out here?”

“Watch.” Feeling the fire once again demanding escape, I spread out my fingertips and aimed them at the wall of flames my father and the witches were creating.

He let out a gasp. “How is it possible?” he whispered.

“I don’t know, but you need to listen to me.”

“Derek, get down!” Corrine screamed.

My father grabbed my arm and leapt with me behind the trunk of a thick tree, narrowly avoiding a curse.

His bright blue eyes flickered in the firelight. I’d never seen my father look so terrified. “You can’t be here,” he said, shaking me. “Return to the mountains!”

“No! Dad, listen to me! The d—”

I couldn’t even finish my sentence as Corrine appeared by my side and, grabbing my arm, vanished me from the spot. To my horror, we appeared again outside the clearing in front of the entrance to the Black Heights.

The witch swore as she stumbled back away from me. She looked from her burnt palm to me. “What is this?”

“I don’t know! All I know is that a horde of dragons is about to reduce this island and everyone on it to ashes.”

As if on cue, a deafening thunder of roars echoed down from the sky. My spine tingled and the hairs on my arms stood on end.

“They’re here for me, Corrine,” I breathed. “And they won’t stop until they’ve found me.”

All the color drained from her face as she hurried toward the entrance of the mountain. “We need to get you inside!”

“No!” I said. “Locking me away will only sentence every single person on this island to certain death. I have to reach them before they begin breathing fire.” I wanted to grip her shoulders and shake her into understanding, but stopped myself as I remembered that my touch would burn her again. “Please, Corrine. I’m the cause of so much trouble for our island as it is…” My voice choked up. “I-I can’t bear to see any of my people suffer more because of me.”

Everything about Corrine’s expression told me that she was battling with herself to refuse my request. I was now beginning to sorely regret going to warn my father at all. I should have expected him to try to protect me, but I’d just wanted to warn him about the threat so that he at least knew what was coming.