Meera would have been relieved if the dragons had given up the chase, but the sound of wings flapping told her otherwise.

"The dragons are still behind us," Meera said.

Kalrina snapped her head in the direction of the city. "Are you sure?"

"I have a skill that lets me hear over vast distances," Meera lied. She didn't want to tell the witch about the Gem of Echoes, which she would no doubt try to steal the first chance she got.

"If they're here, why aren't they lighting the forest on fire?" Kalrina surveyed the foliage above.

Meera shrugged. "It's their home, and we're practically blind in the darkness, and I'm sure they can see in the dark, and we can't. They just need to wait for us to make a mistake and…" Meera traced a line across her throat.

"We can't sit here and wait for them to find us," Kalrina protested, getting to her feet.

Meera closed her eyes and concentrated. The flapping of the wings signaled they were getting closer and fast. "Form a disc, and we'll fly out of here."

"Why don't you fly us?" Kalrina protested, and although it was hard to see, Meera could swear she saw the witch pout like a little kid.

"Because I'm going to send them chasing a diversion like last time."

"Oh, that horse thing," Kalrina's eyes widened, and her lips curled up into a smile.

Meera gritted her teeth. "His name is Onyx, and he died because of your fucking scientist and your goal to steal Darthin's powers."

"Okay, okay, no need to take it personally," Kalrina remarked, making Meera want to knock her teeth out.

"Make your disc and get flying." Meera successfully resisted the urge to add some swear words that would've resulted in a right beating if her mother had heard.

Kalrina waved a hand and created a disc with two chairs. She smiled. "No reason we can't make our escape with some comfort."

Meera said nothing and summoned Onyx. Her horse friend appeared with a neigh.

"Shh!" Meera put a finger to her lips. "There are dragons overhead, and can you dim your light as well, please."

Onyx complied, and his light dimmed to the point that it was a very faint blueish outline. Meera doubted the dragons could see him through the thick canopy of leaves overhead.

"This is truly fascinating," Kalrina said. "You've somehow managed to get a horse spirit under your control and taught it to speak."

"It?" Onyx frowned, or it looked like he was frowning if horses could frown. "Meera, who is this?"

"Onyx, this is…the wicked witch who is responsible for your predicament and torture."

Onyx gasped. "This is Kalrina…You…” He plodded the ground with his hooves as if getting ready to run her over.

Meera got in between the two of them. "Onyx, this isn't the time. There are five dragons overhead."

"Meera, she—" Onyx started, but she cut him off.

"I know what she did, and don't worry, once I don't need her, I'll slug a hole through her gut for you."

"You know I'm right here," Kalrina said. "And digging a hole through me doesn't give me much confidence in this partnership."

Meera turned on her. "We're not partners. You get me to this Cosmarian, and we're through. You go your way, and I will go mine."

"Sounds like a partnership to me," the witch chimed.

"How about I bite your nose off for good measure?" Onyx threatened, again taking a step forward, and Meera had to push him back.

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He could phase through Meera and follow through on his threat if he wanted to, but she knew Onyx. He wasn't mean and probably more scared of her than he was showing it.

"Listen, horsey, I could vaporize you like this." The witch snapped her fingers, showing the ice that Meera had seen when she had returned from the cave. "So, do as your master says."

Onyx huffed and shuffled on his hooves. "There was a time I would've been scared of you, but how will you hurt me now?"

Meera turned to the sorceress. "That is a good point. He's a spirit. You can't hurt him unless you have a divine weapon. Trust me, when I was in the Cave of Wraiths, only my chakrams worked, nothing else. If he wanted to, he could trample you to death. So, stop with your annoying shit if you want to save your nose."

Kalrina stared at Onyx a moment longer before giving Meera a nod. She turned to her equine friend. "Onyx, I need you, please. Once we're done, I'll let you take a shot at her. But for now, I need you to distract the dragons so we can escape. Just like last time."

Onyx gave a nod. "Anything for you, Meera."

With that, he took Meera's direction and ran off in the opposite direction while his whole form lit up with his Light of the Dead skill. It was like watching a streak of light racing through the forest. She turned from Onyx, jumped onto Kalrina's disc, and settled into a chair.

They flew off towards the north, but it was slow going. She saw Onyx shining brightly through the trees as he galloped away from them. Through the foliage above, she saw the dragons notice Onyx, and a couple of them turned his way. Then, a dragon spoke in their guttural tongue. No matter how much Meera thought it was a language, it still sounded like gurgling rocks to her.

The two dragonlings that had turned towards Onyx stopped and returned to the group. Their heads snapped down to the ground again, and they resumed the search.

"What the… They're not supposed to do that?" Meera muttered.

"This day just keeps on getting better and better," Kalrina mused. "You might as well call back your horse. They didn't take the bait."

Meera recalled Onyx, and his tattoo returned to her hand. Kalrina noticed, but she didn't comment on it. She had more dire things to worry about, like how one of the dragons—one with reddish scales—had flown ahead of the group.

Oh no…

It crashed into the trees directly ahead of them. Its roar made the trees shake, and Meera's mirror chair shook so violently that it was a miracle it didn't shatter. Kalrina muttered a curse and made a sharp right turn, but they had only gone so far that another dragonling dropped in their path. Then, one behind them and another to their right. They were surrounded.

One dragon still had yet to land, and Meera dreaded facing the Charred Scale Dragon. It hovered in the air above them. The wind instantly became chilly, and she broke into a cold sweat.

There was something off about its size. It seemed smaller than what it should be. She used Identify.

[Sootscale Dragonling – Level ???]

Meera was almost relieved...almost. "Where is Tigris?" She whispered.

"He must be close, or maybe he returned to the city, not wanting to waste time with two puny humans."

"What's his level?" Meera asked.

"561…Why do I get the feeling? We've escaped from him before."

The Sootscale Dragonling looked a little bigger than the dragon Meera had killed earlier, but aside from the size, it was an exact match. He flapped his wings twice before it fell. Kalrina jerked her disc backwards to avoid being crushed.

It put them too close to a red-scale dragonling who chomped at them. Kalrina jerked them to the side, where another dragonling jumped for them. They avoided its teeth narrowly. The dragons laughed, shaking their whole forms. It was a game for them, and Meera couldn't help but feel a little miffed at being the mouse the cat played with.

"Enough!" The Sootscale Dragonling barked without turning towards them.

The other dragonlings stopped, and Meera quickly used Identify on them. Unsurprisingly, she couldn't see their levels either. In a way, it was good that she couldn't see their levels. It would only add to her anxiety.

The Sootscale Dragonling whipped its tail around, smashing trees in half and making a clearing. Meera and the witch formed a shield to avoid the rain of splinters. A few logs smashed into their shields, but their shields held.

"You are mine, human." The gray-scaled dragonling turned its head towards Meera. "I am Kaxus Silentshadow, and you butchered my sister. There is a blood feud between us. Only one of us will walk out of here."

The gears turned in Meera's head. I might actually be able to walk out of here. She stepped forward, but the witch clamped a hand on her forearm.

"Whatever you are about to do, make sure you've thought it through," Kalrina warned in a careful tone, which was nary above a whisper.

"So, if we beat you, we're free to go?" Meera asked the dragon. "None of your friends will try to eat us when our backs are turned."

"On my honor," Kaxus drawled. "And unlike you deceiving humans, we keep our word."

The other dragons didn't like this. They spoke hurriedly in their language, but Kaxus's roar silenced them. They all stepped back, giving them enough space to fight.

"Let me ask again, if the two of us defeat you, are we free to go?" Meera asked.

Kalrina raised an eyebrow. "Both of us?"

"You can bring a dozen more of your kind, and it will still not save you from my wrath." Kaxus spat a fireball at a nearby tree, lighting up the night. "Begin the Fire Lock."

Each of the four remaining dragons shot their flames at four trees around them, forming a boundary. All had different colored flames—red, blue, and even green. Flames roared on trees as shadows danced all around them.

"If you haven't defeated me by the time the fires burn the trees to cinders, your time in this world will end. My friends will be free to descend into the bleeding circle."

A couple of the others chuckled and licked their lips. Some even had forked tongues like the Drake she had fought earlier.

"Okay, that's just not fair," Kalrina protested.

Kaxus looked to the heavens. "Zilni, bear witness. Your brother will avenge you."