Flight of Dragons(46)

In moments, Lancelot was gone. In his place stood a—dragon.

“I never believed I would ever see this in my lifetime,” Thorsson said. He had a big, childish grin on his face.

The ground trembled beneath her feet. Lancelot walked across the vast expanse in a circle and stretched a pair of enormous leathery wings to either side. His feet left deep furrows in the grass, and his tail swung back and forth, as if he was trying to get used to it. Scales the color of a pre-dawn sky glittered in the late morning sun, and his majestic head was held high when he opened his mouth and emitted a roar so loud she had to cover her ears.

If Eva refused to believe Lancelot’s initial transformation was real, then what she witnessed now shattered all of her doubts.

Balthazar kept clear of his brother, but when she caught a glimpse of his face, she swore her heart was in her throat. The joy on his face while watching his brother was the first truly happy expression she had seen on him.

Lancelot had turned so that he faced them, his emerald eyes intent. As she watched him, Eva wondered if he recognized them. “He knows who we are, right?” she asked Thorsson.

A moment’s silence. “I’m not sure.”

“What the fuck do you mean you’re not sure?” She looked at Lancelot again, who now had his gaze fixed on Balthazar. “Didn’t you think it would be important to know that?”

“I never believed I would see one of the Anda brothers in their true form.”

She heard a shout and moved closer to the cliff. Balthazar waved his arms above his head. He hadn’t put his T-shirt back on, and his skin gleamed with sweat. Lancelot lowered his head until his nose bumped his brother’s chest.

“I know I’m seeing this,” she said out loud. “But it still feels like a dream.”

“I’m standing beside you,” Thorsson said.

“I know but—”

He punched her arm hard. “Hey!” she yelled. “That hurt.”

“Then you’re not dreaming.” Thorsson knelt and crawled to the edge. “Something’s happening.”

She joined him and saw that Lancelot had backed away from Balthazar. Balthazar had his hands in his pockets, and as she watched, Lancelot leaned his massive head back and opened his mouth.

“What are they doing?” she shouted.

Wind whistled overhead, sudden and hot. Something was wrong.

“Get down!” Thorsson grabbed her and dragged her back, but not before she saw Lancelot release a column of fire over Balthazar.

“No!” she screamed, fighting Thorsson’s iron grip. “He killed Balthazar! Let go of me!” She fought like a madwoman, but he wouldn’t let go. Flames danced above their heads, the heat almost unbearable. They had to run away, but the security guard didn’t relinquish his grip. “Hold still!” he shouted in her ear.

“We’ll be burned alive!” Her struggles were useless. The fire slowly dissipated, and smoke rose in fine tendrils to disappear into the blue sky.

Eva couldn’t catch her breath, and she pulled the mask off her head. She coughed as the cold air burned her lungs and fought to keep her body relaxed. In the next instant, she was on her feet and looking over the cliff. The dragon was gone—in its place stood Lancelot, his skin flushed red and completely naked. And beside him stood Balthazar, grinning from ear to ear.

Eva’s relief at seeing Balthazar alive caught up to her, and she drifted into blackness.



***



“Balthazar, it’s okay—she’s waking up,” he heard Lancelot say.

He watched anxiously as Eva breathed deep and finally opened her to eyes. “Thank Odin,” he whispered. He grabbed her hands and kissed them. “Are you all right?”

“Pretty sure.” She sat up slowly and looked around. “What happened?”

“You fainted.”

“What? I never faint.” Her expression changed to unrestrained fear as she clutched his arms, and he winced when she squeezed hard. “I thought you were dead!” She threw her arms around his neck. “My God, I thought you were burned to ash,” she said. He heard her crying softly, and wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to his chest.

“Miss Haraldsdóttir seems to be quite fine,” Thorsson said, and Balthazar glanced back at him and Lancelot. “Could you give us a few moments, guys?”

“Sure. We’ll be in the kitchen.” Lancelot clapped Thorsson on the shoulder as they left the room.

“You didn’t think I’d let my little brother get the best of me?” he whispered into her ear.

“I didn’t know what to think.” She raised her head. Her eyes were dark and terrified. “It was hard enough wrapping my mind around the fact that dragons do exist, but then he breathed fire on you and—”