know how, but you are, and it is vital that you stay safe, no matter what happens in that house. She said that you would understand eventual y, even if it doesn’t make sense now.”
For a moment, just for a moment, Briony considered doing as her great aunt had asked. As Fal on so obviously wanted her to. It gave her an excuse not to be in that roiling mess of violence. Yet what would she be if she stood back while those she cared about were in danger? How would she ever live with herself if they died? Slowly, and so gently that Fal on didn’t fight it, Briony started to unpeel his fingers from her.
“I have to do this, Fal on. There are times when you can’t just stand at the side. Besides,” she added with a smile that was probably a little more eager than she felt,
“I’m missing out on the chance to kick some vampire butt here.”
With Fal on’s grip loosened, Briony turned, grabbing Fal on’s shirt with her free hand and pul ing him to her in a kiss far more passionate than their first. It seemed to surprise him, but Fal on was al too ready to go along with it.
Briony made it last for several seconds, before remembering that she had to get going.
“You know,” Fal on said as she pul ed back, “I think I like it when you’re in this kind of mood.”
Briony smiled. “I don’t have any reasons for that one, like you did, but I think it wil do, don’t you?”
“Definitely. Briony-”
“Don’t say it, Fal on.”
“I was just going to say good luck.”
Briony grinned at that and started back towards the battle, Fal on moving smoothly alongside her, obviously determined to protect her. They didn’t run. Until she knew what was going on where, Briony didn’t dare run out into the middle of it blindly, and Fal on kept pace with her. Stil , she knew they couldn’t take too long. It wouldn’t do any good trying to join in if the battle had ended by the time she got there.
Briony made it to the edge of the trees and saw chaos al around. Jake was there, fighting with one of Pietre’s vampires and winning easily. Kevin appeared briefly in the middle of a melee, his shirt gone completely, and then disappeared once more as he changed forms again. Briony saw a gap, and had started to step out, her sword raised, when Fal on’s fingers clamped down on her wrist.
“Fal on! I thought we had… ”
“Look.” He pointed, and Briony fol owed the line of his finger upwards. For a few seconds, she found it hard to spot much beyond a yel owish blob in the sky above, but gradual y, it grew closer, and Briony was able to make out more. She watched the steady beat of great golden wings, watched the dip and rise of the golden scaled body between them, and recognition dawned. For the space of a breath, despite the fury raging al around her, Briony could only stand and watch in awe as the dragon approached. It was moving quickly. More than that, it was flying straight at them. Straight at the battle.
No, Briony realized, though she couldn’t begin to explain how she knew it with such certainty, not straight at the battle. Straight at her .
Chapter 8
The dragon flew low. Low enough that Briony could make out every nuance of its form, from the individual scales, to the claws that curved like knives on each foot.
Since it was flying directly towards her, those claws appeared more and more menacing. Even so, Briony could only watch, transfixed by the sheer majesty of it. Fal on didn’t seem to be faring much better.
A couple more beats of those great wings, and it was over them, skimming the trees around them with its tail as it flew. Briony kept close to the trunk of the one nearest her, since it offered at least some protection if the creature dove and tried to snatch at them.
It did neither though, climbing away from the trees and wheeling off in a new direction. Briony let out a breath, and then jumped as Fal on touched her arm.
“It’s here.”
“What is? The dragon? You know about it?” Briony
For a moment, just for a moment, Briony considered doing as her great aunt had asked. As Fal on so obviously wanted her to. It gave her an excuse not to be in that roiling mess of violence. Yet what would she be if she stood back while those she cared about were in danger? How would she ever live with herself if they died? Slowly, and so gently that Fal on didn’t fight it, Briony started to unpeel his fingers from her.
“I have to do this, Fal on. There are times when you can’t just stand at the side. Besides,” she added with a smile that was probably a little more eager than she felt,
“I’m missing out on the chance to kick some vampire butt here.”
With Fal on’s grip loosened, Briony turned, grabbing Fal on’s shirt with her free hand and pul ing him to her in a kiss far more passionate than their first. It seemed to surprise him, but Fal on was al too ready to go along with it.
Briony made it last for several seconds, before remembering that she had to get going.
“You know,” Fal on said as she pul ed back, “I think I like it when you’re in this kind of mood.”
Briony smiled. “I don’t have any reasons for that one, like you did, but I think it wil do, don’t you?”
“Definitely. Briony-”
“Don’t say it, Fal on.”
“I was just going to say good luck.”
Briony grinned at that and started back towards the battle, Fal on moving smoothly alongside her, obviously determined to protect her. They didn’t run. Until she knew what was going on where, Briony didn’t dare run out into the middle of it blindly, and Fal on kept pace with her. Stil , she knew they couldn’t take too long. It wouldn’t do any good trying to join in if the battle had ended by the time she got there.
Briony made it to the edge of the trees and saw chaos al around. Jake was there, fighting with one of Pietre’s vampires and winning easily. Kevin appeared briefly in the middle of a melee, his shirt gone completely, and then disappeared once more as he changed forms again. Briony saw a gap, and had started to step out, her sword raised, when Fal on’s fingers clamped down on her wrist.
“Fal on! I thought we had… ”
“Look.” He pointed, and Briony fol owed the line of his finger upwards. For a few seconds, she found it hard to spot much beyond a yel owish blob in the sky above, but gradual y, it grew closer, and Briony was able to make out more. She watched the steady beat of great golden wings, watched the dip and rise of the golden scaled body between them, and recognition dawned. For the space of a breath, despite the fury raging al around her, Briony could only stand and watch in awe as the dragon approached. It was moving quickly. More than that, it was flying straight at them. Straight at the battle.
No, Briony realized, though she couldn’t begin to explain how she knew it with such certainty, not straight at the battle. Straight at her .
Chapter 8
The dragon flew low. Low enough that Briony could make out every nuance of its form, from the individual scales, to the claws that curved like knives on each foot.
Since it was flying directly towards her, those claws appeared more and more menacing. Even so, Briony could only watch, transfixed by the sheer majesty of it. Fal on didn’t seem to be faring much better.
A couple more beats of those great wings, and it was over them, skimming the trees around them with its tail as it flew. Briony kept close to the trunk of the one nearest her, since it offered at least some protection if the creature dove and tried to snatch at them.
It did neither though, climbing away from the trees and wheeling off in a new direction. Briony let out a breath, and then jumped as Fal on touched her arm.
“It’s here.”
“What is? The dragon? You know about it?” Briony
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