Read Online Blood of the Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 2) by Harmony Raines - Free Book Online

found surrounded by such death and ruin.
    “Probably not,” said Connor, hauling more masonry out of the way. “Remember, when we came in, we saw an image of the building that wasn’t real.”
    Serena turned to look at Tara who was still face down in the dirt. “I guess that means she’s still alive.”
    “She’d better be,” said a breathless Zoah, appearing for the first time looking dirty and sweaty with his efforts.
    “Why, Zoah? What does she have on you?” Serena asked. “Why hadn’t you already rescued Charlotte?”
    “I couldn’t find her,” he said, avoiding the question. “The more pressing dilemma we have is that if Tara is dead, we won’t be able to pass through the ward.”
    Serena’s face registered her shock. “I hadn’t thought about that. What is she dies? Won’t it just die with her?”
    “Do you want to take that chance?” asked Zoah.
    “It’s tempting,” said Serena.
    “No, we should help her.” Charlotte pushed herself away from Serena, dragging her bruised body towards Tara. “She’s tried to be kind to me while I’ve been here.”
    “But she’s the reason we are all here in the first place,” Serena insisted, still not buying Tara’s reasons for helping Samuel.
    “I don’t know why she worked with Samuel. But it wasn’t to take his plans to fruition. She stalled him when he wanted to hurt me.” Charlotte dropped her gaze.
    “Oh, Charlotte, I’m so sorry you had to get caught up in all this.”
    “It’s not your fault. She said my fate was bound up in it all too, not just yours.” Charlotte began to get up, while Connor and Zoah moved more rubble until they could squeeze through. “Come on, we have to get her to wake up.”
    Serena followed Charlotte over to where Tara lay, and between them they sat her up. Wiping her face, making sure her nose was clear, and then Serena searched for her pulse. It was weak, but even, she would probably make it, but they needed her to wake up quickly.
    “You need to get as far back as you can, but not too close to the rubble. We don’t know what’s going to happen.” Connor motioned for them to move.
    “What do you mean, what’s going to happen?” Serena asked.
    “The only way we’re getting out of here is through this wall. The church roof is falling in, it’s too dangerous that way.”
    “How are you going to get through the ... oh!” Serena realised what they were going to do. “Charlotte, help me with Tara. We need to get right back out of the way.”
    “What’s going on? How are they going to knock the wall down without a hammer of some kind?”
    “You’ll see. Just don’t be afraid.”
    “You mean, they’re going to change, into dragons, right here?”
    “Help me shield Tara. I guess we’d better try to save her.”
    They used their bodies to cover Tara, and Serena placed her arm over Charlotte, trying to protect her too. Tilting her head up she saw Zoah change into his other self, and was surprised how much smaller he was than Connor. The hues of his scales were tinged with blue, she had expected all dragons to be the same fiery red. But his smaller stature took nothing away from his fearsome presence. And the whole building shook as he rammed into the wall with his body.
    Bits of masonry fell down, but there seemed no damage to the wall itself. Serena could feel Charlotte trembling as the building shook again, and then suddenly a blast of cold air hit them, and it became easier to breathe. Yet any happiness was short lived, the building began to crumble around them.
    Connor grabbed Charlotte and hauled her to her feet, he shoved her towards Zoah who had changed quickly back, and was pulling bricks away. Serena watched him help Charlotte out, and even in the dim light, with fear hanging over them, she couldn't miss the way he touched her arm, gently, and with something bordering on reverence.
    “Her fate is bound to ours too.” Oh no, that was not going to happen, not while she had a say in her