He fought to regain his footing while dodging Ti’s jaws, but his brother anticipated his move. Sharp teeth sunk into his rear leg, and he roared as pain lanced through it. He snapped at Ti’s head, trying to gouge his eye or get a grip around his neck, but Ti kept just enough distance between them to avoid his counter-attack. Finally, Bal managed to hook a talon into Ti’s soft underside and pulled sharply. Flesh tore, and gouts of blood splashed his face, but his brother retaliated by biting down harder. Bal roared again. His leg grew numb. If he didn’t shake Ti off now, he would be hobbling on three legs and lose his advantage.
That’s when he heard Eva’s urgent shouts. He found her standing on a cliff face, with Thorsson behind her. Even in the heat of battle, amidst the smell of blood and smoke, he picked up her scent and inhaled deeply, letting it settle into his being.
“Don’t let Ti beat you!” she screamed. “Please, you can do this!”
Her pleas propelled him into action. Bal snared Ti’s wing in his mouth and pulled. His brother screamed in surprised pain and released his leg. Bal rolled onto his feet and turned to ram his shoulder into Ti’s side. He went down, hissing loudly. Bal locked his jaws around his brother’s throat and sank his talons into his belly. Ti roared and fought wildly, but Bal hung on, shaking his head to get a better grip.
Roars turned to terrified screams as Ti thrashed beneath him. His breathing became labored as his air was slowly cut off. Finally, with a loud groan that shook them both, Ti slumped to the ground. His eyes rolled back into their sockets, and he fought for air.
Bal released him and raised his head to the darkened sky. Opening his mouth, he roared in triumph, reclaiming his authority over his family’s lands.
He looked at Ti, but the urge to kill him wasn’t there. For as much trouble his brother had caused, Bal didn’t want to destroy him. As far as he knew, he and his brothers were the only dragon shifters left, and to kill Ti, no matter how justified, didn’t sit well with him. He climbed off, but growled a warning when Ti finally raised his head to look at him. Don’t fight me again. Ti lowered his head and curled into a tight ball, tucking his head beneath his wings. He had surrendered to Bal’s superiority.
“Bal.”
Her voice cut through his thoughts. She approached him slowly, but stopped when Thorsson commanded her. She hadn’t run away—knowing who he was, seeing his true appearance, she had stayed. He walked towards her, stepping as lightly as he could, until she stood directly beneath him. She stretched her arms towards him, and with an exultation that filled his heart to bursting, he kneeled in front of her and lowered his head.
Her hands smoothed over his snout. “Are you all right?”
He huffed gently, but its strength still made her stumble. Eva walked back and kissed his nose. “What about Ti? Is he…?”
He shook his head.
“I get it. He is your brother, after all.” She waved at Thorsson. “It’s okay! He’s not going to hurt you.”
Thorsson remained where he was. “I can see everything quite clearly from over here.”
Bal laughed, enjoying its gruff sound, and loving his human female even more. He closed his eyes, and in his mind, saw Balthazar standing in front of him, his shoulder fully healed, his body whole.
He shifted until he stood on two legs once again. His left leg throbbed with pain, and when he looked, blood oozed from where Ti bit him.
“Balthazar.” Eva threw herself into his open arms and he held tight, not wanting to let go of her. He kissed her face until she turned her lips up to his. He drank of her sweetness until he felt giddy.
“You’re back to your old self again.”
“No. I’m better than my old self. Your strength allowed me to believe.”
“In what?”
“Hope.”
EPILOGUE
Balthazar stared at the stars. They twinkled like diamonds. A shooting star arced above. It was a good sign. Silence now reigned over Lysuhóll, and he hoped it stayed that way for a long time.
He drew the blanket tighter around him, but not to ward off the chill. He had enough dragon heat to keep him warm for several hours. What lingered in his mind was the thought of dying without any way of protecting himself. If Lancelot had decided not to help him, if his dragon scale had not been found…
He shook his head. Doubts were rare for a dragon, but he had had his share, and it scared him. By all accounts, he should be torn to shreds and lying in a pool of blood on that battlefield. Except that the fierce determination and wit of two humans—and one in particular—had outmaneuvered Ti’s plans.
He glanced back where everyone waited in the Jeeps. Ti had accepted his defeat less than graciously, but with Lancelot as witness, he had no choice but concede and leave Iceland once and for all. Lancelot sat with their brother and kept watch.