* * *
It turned out that wishing for death didn’t make it happen.
They hauled Ash off the cliffs and into the house for another round of “feed the parasite and make the Dragon scream.”
While the latest crystal injection surged through his veins, drawing the parasites like sharks to a sinking ship, Rindek used his ability to read and manipulate life essences to trace their progress, and the damage they did.
Demeti stood beside his father, his eyes half-closed as he took his own readings. “They are much larger now.”
Rindek’s mouth straightened. “Not big enough. They are not doing sufficient damage.”
“The new variant will be more effective,” Demeti said. “It is a much more voracious feeder.”
“Yes. We will test them on him tomorrow. I want to see how these grow over the next twenty-four hours.”
Rindek’s younger son, Finn, entered with a portly man on his heels. Ash recognized the Seer. Beads of sweat ran down the man’s face.
Rindek waved a hand in the air and met Ash’s gaze. “Our new friend has an assignment that he is experiencing some difficulties with. I must admit, he is not as powerful as you.” His crimson eyes gleamed. “But much more motivated. I thought his presence during our little session might add impetus to his efforts.”
No doubt. The timelines had not shown Ash if the man’s family was still alive. He had his doubts. The Archmage was not one to waste effort on such things.
Strapped to the metal table, Ash watched as Rindek approached him with an odd-looking gun. It was loaded with a large, pointed dart.
The Archmage held it up for the Dragon shifter to take a good look. The tip gleamed—a rainbow hue of greens and blues.
Ash’s eyes widened. It was made of a crystal shard.
Rindek glowered at it, and it began to glow as he pulled power from the living things around him, infusing it into the dart. Then he released the manacle on Ash’s left wrist.
“Transform your arm,” he ordered.
Ash summoned up a glare. No way he’d cooperate with this.
“Demeti. Give our Cryptid friend a burst, would you?”
The Seer screamed as Demeti poured raw power through him. Just for a moment, but it was enough to leave the man gasping and doubled over.
Ash ground his teeth together. This was the difference between Demeti and his father. The son would have pounded power into Ash in order to make him submit. But Rindek used his cunning brain.
The Archmage knew Ash would endure any amount of personal torture. But he couldn’t stand by and watch another be tormented in his stead.
Ash closed his eyes and concentrated on his arm. It was the only transformation permitted to him, and as the bones and muscles altered, he almost welcomed the pain.
His talons clicked against the metal, and Ash opened his eyes to see his left arm covered in golden scales from shoulder to fingertip. The hand and fingers were now lengthened and thickened with hooked talons gleaming from the tips.
He’d never seen his scales shine like this. The extra crystal dust was enhancing the color.
Rindek had backed away roughly the length of the room. Now he aimed the gun and shot Ash in the shoulder.
Enhanced with a crystalline energy from the dust, the scales would have repelled anything metal. But flushed with pure energy, the crystal tip to the dart penetrated through the scales and deep into tissue beyond.
Ash refused to cry out at the new, piercing pain. But he glowered at the Archmage.
Demeti grinned. “It worked!”
“It will have to be much stronger for a full-sized Dragon,” Rindek mused. “But it is promising, yes.” He turned and paced toward the Seer. “Have you received sufficient motivation, or shall I haul your wife here for a different approach to the problem?”
The Seer looked as though he might faint. “I have tried. I cannot see if your idea will result in the death of the Dragons. Every time, I just get a glimpse of a fortress in the mountains.”
