Sisters By Chance - The Dawn (Book Two)

The Dragon

Raven's POV

It took time, but eventually, Mo showed up with Amelia and Carla in tow. Carla downed her drink and managed to put the glass on the windowsill outside as she passed it. I saw them search for me in the dull light and burst out with loud laughter as they headed my way. Mo suddenly tumbled over the woman still on the ground. She had fallen asleep where her so-called friends had prompted her against the post before leaving.

Ian caught her before she landed on the cobbles with a high-pitched squeak. Mo was panting and scrambling to get up from the ground and away from his arms. I'm amazed at how good she is at acting indifferent toward him. I guess that's what happens when you practice it for a lifetime.

'That was too close. You better not let me fall again!' Mo spat at him.

'I'm sorry, mistress.' Ian grumbled as he slowly removed his hands from her. There was a slight linger in his motions. But only noticeable if you know who they were to each other. She brushed off her clothes from invisible dust and turned to me, ignoring Ian.

'Where did you go off to? We couldn't find you!'

'I needed some air!' I said, dismissing the conversation. I wasn't in the mood to disclose what had happened here.

'Mooo? Are we still going to the mountain?' One of the girls whined from behind her. 'You promised to show us!'

'Of course, we're still going. Come along everyone this way!' She sang as she took me by my hand and walked off.

*

*

*

The charred mountain stood as a black wall before us, reaching for the sky. Torches burned on each side of the road leading to the massive arch creating a gaping hole inside the darkness. The inside is glowing like a crater of a volcano. Or the mouth of a dragon with its jaws stretched to accommodate its dinner - us.

We stood hidden in the darkness waiting for the right moment.

Since the whole ordeal with the wizard and the extensive stroll, I had finally snapped out of my lost state. I'm still tired. But I need to keep my head in the game to return home. Alive.

I have become more and more excited. It's like each step toward this place is one step less. Or like I'm expecting a gift at the end. Something about this mountain is pulling me toward it. I can't wait to walk inside and get this over with. Things I'll do when I return...

'What are we waiting for again?' I sighed as I treaded with my feet on the spot. I'm anxious to get moving.

'You didn't listen before?' Grunted the bear. I happily shook my head, well aware it'd piss him off.

'It's your funeral,' He shrugged with a smirk in the darkness. I stuck out my tongue at him, making Doggie chuckle.

'Fine. I'll improvise when the time comes!' I tell him while leaning back against the wall. Amelia and Carla sit on the ground, slumbering against each other's shoulders. Harry has Tina wrapped in his arms. But Ian is off doing something, and Mo is nervously biting her knuckles, literally.

I desperately try to remember what they had said back at Stellas' place but am unsuccessful.

Unwilling to give the bear the satisfaction of me asking again - I keep quiet and wait. It might come to me.

Ian suddenly reappears and puts a hand on the bear's shoulder, telling him it's time. He gives Mo a quick kiss before telling us all to stay put. I watch them as they walk away towards the burning hole with straight backs and high heads.

They disappear into the glow, and it all becomes still once more. However, we don't have to wait long. Two men walk out and disappear into the night.

'Now what?' I whisper as I turn to the others.

'Now,' Mo breathes. 'We free the dragons!'

Her words are a mere whisper. But they sent shivers down my spine - tingles of anticipation. I danced on my toes and silently clapped my hands in a happy dance while I chanted quietly. 'Yay! Dragons! Dragons! Dragons!' Making the rest shake their heads at me.

We move swiftly and enter the mountain very unceremoniously. Ian great us quickly by telling us to move to the side, out of sight. The entrance is a small room holding a single wooden door. It's pulsating like a fire, radiating heat as a warning. He pulls Mo in for another quick kiss before she turns to us with blushing cheeks.

'We need to unlock it and get inside.' Mo tells us. 'You all know the words, don't you? I'll do the spell.' We answer her with silent nods. I pull up my wand and twirl it between my fingers. The wood is so familiar against my skin. Magic is something I know.

'Your glad you didn't make chopsticks out of it, aren't you?' I wink at Harry. He rolls his eyes. But I see him smirk back at me, letting me know I am right in my assumption.

We then all looked to Mo, who nodded and raised her wand. Her pinky was stretched out, like when a lady drinks tea. The sight made me giggle until I saw her flowing movements, making my own impulsive motions seem rough and unsophisticated. She mumbled under her breath, and when finished, we all answered her with the password: Potestas ad auroram as we pointed our wands towards the door. It creaked and wailed as it shuddered. Yet it didn't open. So we tried again. Mo quickly abandoned the mumbling. Soon she was chanting the spell repeatedly as we answered her with the password. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as the door vibrated on its hinges until it finally slid open. A thick white fog crashes against the floor, rolling toward our feet. My toes curled back in my shoes as if they tried to crawl into my feet and hide from the cold. It's as if we have unleashed a blizzard resting inside the depth of the mountain.

We all gasp from the cold, and my brain shortcircuit.

'f**k that's cold!' I shrieked before the bear threw his hands over my mouth from behind and hissed in my ear.

'Are you trying to get us killed?'

I lick the inside of his hand. He jerked back with a disgusted yelp, making me turn and snicker at him before lifting a finger to my mouth and whispering at him to shut up. I expect him to give me a wicked glare, but he seems amused where he stands and dries his hands on his pants.

I think I like him.

'This is the fire mountain. Is it not?' Harry breathed behind us, pulling my attention from Mr. Caramel. His face is in a deep scowl as he looks between us.

'It is.' We told him, making him grumble as the doorway cleared from some of the heavy mist.

'Then why is it a f*****g icebox?'

The ground under us is frostbitten and cracks as we step onto it, like we're walking on a frozen lake, and the ice is about to break under our feet. I almost expect to go through and die sinking to the bottom. But nothing happened as we sneaked ourselves further in.

Inside is a corridor to the right and one to the left. Each whit fourteen locked doors in each direction. Outside, torches are burning with magic blue fire - throwing light onto its surroundings but no warmth.

'How do you keep creatures born from fire subdued?' I ask him over my shoulder. 'You take the fire from them!'

Harry nodded his head before throwing orders around in a hushed tone. He and Tina are to stay by the door, guarding it. Ian is to follow Mo and Carla to the left. Mr. Caramel, Amelia, and I will free the prisoners to the right. We nod in confirmation and go to work without further delay.

My thoughts go to the air mountain as we close up on the first door. I wonder if it's a dark pile of stone, trapping the angels inside it and keeping them from the sun and moon. Somewhere inside my mind, I have got a strong notion that I heard Mo talk about others heading that way. Angels are easy to capture, unlike dragons. But they are rare. Nothing you stumble upon.

Amelia is getting started by the first door. So I turn to work on the next, but there's a sudden pull to my right. Something in my gut tells me to keep walking, to choose another door.

'I'll start at the end,' I tell Amelia before heading down with careful steps. Heavy steps behind me let me know Mr. Caramel is following me.

'Scared I'll have us all killed?' I grumble without looking at him.

'No,' He tells me without further explanation, making me smile.

'Here to have my back then?'

'If you'd need it.'

'Thanks,' I tell him as I look over my shoulder and smile. He looks at me and even smiles back. I wave at him to stay with a trembling hand when he raises his eyebrows in a silent question.

'Guard the entrance. Let me know if anyone is coming!'

He nods and turns his attention back to the opening behind us, but he stands put.

My lips curl into a smile despite the cold air gripping me. We may not be the best of friends. But he's a good one. I can feel it. And he's a sight for soar eyes if nothing else.

My breath comes out in short huffs, and my nose is runny from the freezing air. My teeth rattle, and my hands shake hard as I reach the end of the corridor. The door is white from the cold. I wouldn't be surprised if it's frozen shut.

The witches have some seriously f****d up humor. The door has bars, enabling the prisoner to look out, only to be met by an empty corridor. A sick and twisted joke indeed. The pull is strong from here - something tells me this is right- This is the door I have to open.

I stand on the tip of my toes to look inside and am met with complete darkness and nothing else. There is no light inside the cell. I can't estimate its size, shape, or content. All I see is blackness. The pull is so strong it has become a suction of need inside my belly. My body tingles as if I have ants running under my skin. My voice is barely a whisper, and my breath is a white mist pouring from my mouth.

'Are you in there?'

My voice cracks like ice, and my words are slurry due to the excessive rattling of my teeth. f**k, I wish I was a wolf now. I could have used the built-in radiator. I gulped cold air as two glowing eyes woke me from my pondering. But they are gone in the blink of an eye. And when I look again - there is only darkness.

My fingers are stiff as I grip the bars. The cold metal is painful against my frozen skin. My head is yelling at my body to; open the door and be done with it. But my stomach and heart are carrying an unhealthy curiosity stopping me from taking action. I feel paralyzed as if I have to know something. I just don't know what. Yet.

'Hello?' I whispered as my fingers vibrated convulsively around the bars.

'You've come to gloat?' A man hissed while the glowing eyes reappeared right before me. His voice is a dark threat. Yet I don't feel scared.

'I'm here to free you!' I murmur, mesmerized by the cold blue eyes.

Warm fingers suddenly touched mine, and I felt his hot breath fan over my skin as he came closer.

'Why?'

'I'm returning a favor!' I told him without thinking. His features appear as he leans toward me, making the blue flames dance over his dark beard and high cheekbones. His deep-set eyes twinkle as he raises a dark eyebrow.

'I don't think we've met before. I would have remembered...'

His dark voice has softened despite holding power. He tilts his head down at me, making some of his long hair falls before his face as he studies me.

'My debt is not to you, good looking. It's to the witches who put you here.'

'They must have really pissed you off to let me out?' He smirked darkly, making my legs weak.

'They wanted me dead, tried to kill me even. I'm just returning the favor!' I whisper through my rattling teeth. The man's evil smirk turned into a massive grin as he brushed his lips over my fingers, still wrapped around the iron bars. The heat from his lips flowed over my skin, warming my fingers before he kissed them lightly. My heart leaped in my chest. This small gesture had a simmering heat radiate throughout my body - running through my veins like lava.

'Let me out of here, beautiful. And I swear I'll avenge you.' He whispers, his voice filled with danger. Soft lips caress against my skin as he holds my gaze. I feel the roughness of his beard tickle my fingers as he speaks. 'I'll burn this town to the ground. I'll turn their homes to ashes and them to dust!' His words are a promise, and a sudden realization hit me hard: It was him - the one Aurora Fay saw in her vision. A shiver rounded down my spine from the sheer power of his vow. I smiled and reached for his chin with my fingertips through the tiny hatch, making his eyes shine brighter in the darkness.

'Thank you!'