That would certainly explain why the Dragon being treated was bleeding from every orifice. “Can they save him?” I asked.
Kiko grimaced. “I think so. The healer has to get to them fast. The blasted things were bred to decimate the Dragon Legion. And they almost wiped them out.”
My stomach churned. Where was Havoc?
Kiko interpreted my expression and almost looked contrite. “If he’d been hit, he’d be here. There were just a few that got it, from what I heard.” She leaned close to me. “These guys are delish.”
No. They were covered in blood and had spent the early morning hours risking their lives for—what? We still didn’t have Isobel. Those kids were still just as gone as they’d been hours ago.
Was Havoc okay? He must be. Kiko was right—he’d be here already if he needed a healer.
Or would he? The Dragon was fiercely independent and accustomed to doing his own healing. My worry intensified as I glanced over to the cluster of captured and battered mercenaries. Had all this been worth it? Maybe Isobel’s lackeys had the information we needed. But maybe not.
The gate lit up. I’d been watching for Havoc all morning, but so far, there was no sign of him. According to Cara, his Deranger had kept the superior numbers of the mercenaries from overwhelming our smaller forces. Had he decided to leave Fang with me, and take off after the battle ended?
It wasn’t Havoc coming through. A rather frantic-looking Centaur burst into the meadow, and a chill traveled through my core.
Kiko balanced her tray on one arm and wrapped her free hand around mine. “Something’s wrong.”
Not far from me, Cara was working on a Dragon, and the Centaur headed over there. I handed my tray to a Sabre yakking with three of his buddies, and went there, too.
When I arrived, he’d already finished talking, and Cara’s expression stopped me cold. She locked it down in a hurry, but there was no mistaking what I’d seen.
Rage.
She paced the Centaur as they headed for the gate, but I grabbed Cara’s arm.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I have to go, Riley. Isobel has attacked the school at the Richin colony. She kidnapped Centaur children and some older students. In the process, she’s darted Triss with something that might kill her.”
Children?Marcus’s mother.My heart twisted, and when Cara went to turn away, I grabbed her arm.
I’d been there once already, after all.
As I pumped emotion into that secret inner place, another set of hands attached themselves to my arm. As the white noise took us, I heard a startled squeak.
Snap.
* * *
We arrived in a blaze of golden light.
My butt hit something much harder than meadow grasses. By the multitude of little sure-to-leave-bruises protrusions, cobblestone was likely.
And wet, too. It wasn’t raining now, but the clouds overhead swirled as though they were thinking of causing further trouble. Or maybe it was just my head that was spinning. I couldn’t be sure.
“Awesome!” Kiko let me go and picked herself up from her faceplant, looking a bit disheveled but with her eyes gleaming with excitement. “That was incredible!”
I managed to focus enough to determine that we were outside the Centaur school. Unfairly, Cara had landed crouched on her feet.
When I released her, she straightened and scolded me. “Riley, I thank you for the quick trip, but you have to stop acting on a whim.” She touched my arm—sending a pulse of pure energy that cleared my head—before she turned away and jogged to the front doors.
I wanted to follow, but my legs weren’t cooperating. I managed to turn toward Kiko, who now examined a scrape on her elbow. She did, however, grin at me.
“Serves you right for hitching a ride.” My legs shook as I rose. I needed more crystal dust if I was going to be doing all this Jumping. I felt a bit more off than usual for my post-Jump malaise—more achy and chilled, like I was developing a fever.
At least my hands were still human. Fang spun a little circle beneath my hair, drawing attention to the fact my head itched. When I reached up to rub it, I touched something rough and hard as bone above my ear. Startled, I raised my other hand—it was above the other one, too. Horns—only about an inch of them, but definitely there.
