37

They came three days later.

Relentless torrrents of rain battered the castle's worn stone walls, quiet only in comparison to the occasional peal of thunder that rolled across the city. When the messenger came to tell them, his hair was rain-slicked, clothes soaked through. Every breath was a shuddering search for air.

War ships. On the horizon.

As soon as the messenger left, Ainsley reached for Gael's hands. The two stood in the sleeping quarters they had called home for the last few days, in front of the tall, arched window that displayed a view of the ghost streets beyond.

Gael took her by the shoulders and pulled her in close, burying her face in her neck. Ainsley felt her breaths ruffle her hair.

"Mirali?" She asked, voice low. "Mavis?"

"Safe. They left the city a while ago."

Ainsley nodded and wrapped her arms around Gael's waist, listening to the way her heart thumped when she rested her head on her collarbone.

"We need to go."

Ainsley nodded again. "I know."

Even so, they lingered there for several moments longer, listening to the rolling crashes of thunder, burying their hands in each other's clothes and hair. Ainsley, who was not religious by any means, prayed to the long-dead titans of victory and conquest and love.

—

The armada consisted of eight towering battleships, decked in metal armour and boasting cannons that would belch fire and smoke as soon as they came in range of the city. Ainsley stood atop the castle walls, with Gael on one side and Luca and Nathe and the captain of the guard on the other. In the courtyard below, soldiers prepared, chain mail glinting dully in the sheets of rain. The air hummed with apprehension. The electricity from the flashes of lightning that lit up the undersides of the clouds seemed to have stayed caught in the air, buzzing and making Ainsley's hair stand on end.

Worse than the fleet of ships were the shapes that swirled in the sky above them, faroff smudges that stirred the dense clouds with their rolling wingbeats and whisking, serpentine tails. Ainsley counted at least thirty dragons, all bigger than any she had encountered before. Her mouth was dry, and squeezing Gael's hand didn't stop the trembling.

No matter the result, what happened here would change everything.

The city could never stand in the way of such a force. If Ainsley couldn't end it here, the rest of Fortra would fall.

The dragons came first as the ships advanced, blurred figures in the rain, wingbeats rustling over the constant hum of water against stone. Then they were shrieking overhead, brushing against church spires and sending the tallest buildings crashing to the ground under their weight. The wet stone rumbled beneath them and the captain ushered them off of the wall. Around them, soldiers were mounting horses and then rushing off, hoofbeats clattering against the courtyard stone as they hurried dutifully to face their foe.

It wasn't fair. Humans shouldn't have had to fight dragons.

Nathe had retrieved a pistol from his belt. He turned to Gael, pulled her into his arms, and let her hold on to him for a moment, fingers clutching desperately at his jacket. Ainsley's heart ached at the sight of her rain-wet expression, water dripping off of Gael's lashes as she released him. The pirate gave Ainsley a nod and a warm handshake, and she clutched at his arm.

"Thank you, Nathe. For everything."

"We'll see you on the other side, princess."

She drew Luca in for a hug, then let the two follow the captain after the soldiers, who had disappeared into the misty city streets.

Now it was only her and Gael, alone in the trembling walls of the courtyard. The ships were obscured now by the towering buildings, but she felt it when the first cannon opened fire. The sky seemed to split open, trailing blazing flames in its wake. The boom rivalled the thunder, leaving a ringing in Ainsley's ears. A pair of wings rose out of the tangle of buildings off to the west, followed by a roar and a rippling line of fire.

The city was falling apart before their very eyes.

"Ainsley?"

Ainsley was ripped from the horror that had frozen her in place.

"I know. Let me see."

She rubbed her hands together and fell to her knees on the ground, then placed her palms down on it. The stone was cold and wet beneath her hands, and she felt the vibrations of explosions and battles through her fingertips. The rain drew her hair in streaks down her face.

When she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, she hit the wall again.

It was more real and palpable than any physical barricade. Behind it surged the dragons, their minds pushing against it in waves, utterly inaccessible. She pressed against the wall, pressed herself until her skull ached and her eyes burned, but the wall that cut her off stood fast and resolute.

The wall behind them exploded in a burst of spraying rubble and white hot boulders, shattering her concentration. Gael leapt for her, pulling them both close to the ground as burning debris and falling chunks of fire showered over them. The roar of the cannonball left her dazed and reeling, scrabbling at the stone for purchase with her fingers, warm blood twining between her fingers and dissolving into the streams of water that rushed between the cracks.

"Ainsley! Are you alright?" Gael's voice was a shout that barely pierced the ringing in her ears. Ainsley lurched to her knees, grabbing at Gael's shoulders, searching for injury.

But Gael was alright—at least, no worse off than Ainsley was.

"I can't do it!" She exclaimed, voice cracking and wavering like the peals of thunder. Lightning flashed, glowing off of Gael's rain-wet face. "I can't! They're too far out of my reach, I'll never reach them again—"

"Ainsley!" Gael snatched at her hands, drawing her close. Her grip was hurried and rough, but her expression was softer than Ainsley had seen before. She blinked, hysteria ebbing away slowly under Gael's touch even as the ground rumbled and somewhere, a dragon screamed. To the west, a cannonball plunged into the city, sending a cloud of debris into the sky with a resonating boom.

"Think. What can we do?"

The overwhelming feeling of all is lost, all is lost rose in her throat again, choking her, but this time, she forced it down and swallowed past the burning lump in her throat.

"We have to cut off the head," she finally replied. She lurched to her feet, dragging Gael along with her, and stared out towards the sea. Her mind flew. "I need to get to my father."

Then she shook loose from Gael's grip and raced across the courtyard. Gael caught up just as another shake rattled the earth and Ainsley stumbled, the two of them falling into each other's arms and catching themselves. Gael gave her a light shake.

"Ainsley! Tell me what we're doing."

She grabbed at Gael sleeve, then at her face, brushing aside a dark, wet curl with her thumb. Their gazed locked.

"You don't have to come with me, Gael."

"I know. But I do want to."

Ainsley smiled, choked, and placed her other hand on the side of Gael's face.

"I love you, Gael."

Gael was smiling now, too, tears glinting on her damp lashes.

"Don't say that yet, Ainsley. Let's save that for after. Please."

Ainsley laughed. "Okay. Now come with me."

Gael followed her back up the winding, slippery staircase up to the wall of the castle. From here, the destruction of the city was laid out before them. Smoke billowed in the sky and the rain did nothing to put out the fires that kicked across homes and market booths. The ships had drawn close to shore, sails tucked away and anchors dropped.

"Which one will he be on?"

Ainsley nodded at the nearest ship. "That one. He likes to be up close and personal with the damage he causes." She shivered and rubbed her hands together. "I know how we can get there, too."

The dragons came and went in cycles. They skimmed above the city, letting loose bolts of flame, then retreated back over the water when arrows were fired up at their underbellies. All they needed to do was wait.

A dragon swept in above the rooftops, jaws open to reveal a glowing orange throat and massive, chipped teeth. Ainsley dropped her stance, adjusting her footing on the precarious, wet masonry.

"Get ready to jump!" She called over the beating of the leathery wings.

The massive beast passed overhead in a surging maelstrom of air. Ainsley leapt, scrabbling at the rain-slick claws and scales and digging her fingers in for purchase. The castle wall skidded away beneath her and suddenly, she was dangling in the air, clutching desperately at the talons on one huge foot. The beast didn't even notice the weight as it swept down low, so close the rooftops nearly came up to meet her boots. When she finally managed a glance to her side against the blinding rain and wind, Gael had made the leap as well, clutching to another dangerously-clawed foot.

Then the ground swept away, replaced by rolling waves that lunges upwards and sent salty spray flying into her face and hair. With one beat of its wings, the dragon pushed itself upward, until finally, the ship was right below.

"Jump!" Ainsley screamed, voice caught and torn apart by the wind. She dropped like a stone. The ship tilted, and for a horrible moment, it looked as though she would plunge directly into the foam-capped waves. Then the deck came rushing up to meet her and she curled up, hitting the hard surface with a roll that still managed to knock all the breath clean from her lungs. Wheezing, she struggled to her feet. Gael was standing up, knees wobbling, looking nauseated. But she was here. They both were.

Ainsley gave Gael a wobbly smile, reaching out to steady her.

Gael's mouth dropped open, and Ainsley turned just in time to see a rushing, scaly mass. Talons closed around her shoulders. Gael's hands found hers, but only for a moment—then she was torn violently away as the dragon leapt back into the air with a single powerful wingbeat, Ainsley clutched in its grip.

we're so close to the end, guys! i hope you're as excited as i am!! as always please leave your thoughts and opinions below, i love hearing from you! <3