Dragon War: Reclaiming the Fire, #6

By Alicia Wolfe

Jade finally has her fire back . . . but with a twist. The long-awaited finale to the Reclaiming the Fire series!

The flame that burns is dark, not bright, and it signals that she is now bound to the Shadow. Somehow she must throw off this binding or she will become a servant of evil. But how can she when the Golden Sword of Akulos has been weakened and can no longer restore her?

Other servants of evil, meanwhile, are coming closer and closer to opening a portal that will bring their Master to Earth, which will mean the destruction of all life as we know it. Even as Jade struggles with the darkness inside herself, she must team with Davril Stormguard and find a way to stop the designs of the Enemy . . . or all is lost.

Dragon War is the sixth and final volume of an exciting new urban fantasy series for fans of Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews. Each volume is a full-size standalone novel.

Scroll up and grab your copy of the grand finale today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alicia Wolfe
• Release date: Jul 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223342298

Book preview

DRAGON WAR

Reclaiming the Fire #6

by Alicia Wolfe

Copyright 2019

All rights reserved

Cover image used with permission

Chapter 1

Their gazes tracked me as I passed. I tried to pretend not to notice, but their eyes never left me, and I began to sweat.

They’re staring at me, I said out of the corner of my mouth.

Davril Stormguard strode at my side down the halls of the Palace. They’re not watching you, he said. They’re watching the sword.

The Golden Sword of Akulos hung at my hip. Davril and I had just brought it back from a lost pyramid in Egypt and were about to present it to the Queen. But the Fae coming and going from the halls of the Palace, or standing at attention in the alcoves, as with the many guards, weren’t watching the sacred blade. Their eyes followed me.

And I thought I knew why. Black fire, I thought. Why did it have to be black fire?

Lord Greenleaf had received us through the magical portal, and he led the way before us, all the way to the doors of the Throne Room. There guards admitted us through the grand entranceway and we strode inside. Sunlight beamed in through the glorious prism of the crystal dome overhead, falling on the long crystal staircase that led up to the sparkling, diamond-like throne where Queen Calista perched, waiting for us.

Between the doors and the staircase sprawled an enchanted forest full of magical beings. Two deer seemingly made of light stopped chewing the grass and stared at us as we passed. Then, as one, they bolted, disappearing into the shadows.

I glanced to Davril. He was trying to conceal a frown. He knows, I thought. He knows but doesn’t want to alarm me.

Too late.

Greenleaf, Her Majesty’s Grand Vizier, led us through the paths of the forest, to the staircase, and then up those many crystal steps to the dais. Power throbbed around me, through me, as it always did here in the heart of the Fae’s empire-in-exile. This was their center, and it reverberated with their grace. Theirs was a blessed people, literally hallowed by the gods of the Light, and that sacred charm, or whatever it was, reverberated most strongly here.

Usually I loved it. Usually it made me feel giddy and light-headed. I wasn’t Fae, but I couldn’t get enough of their magic.

Now, though …

I put a hand to my head and staggered on the crystal stairs.

Davril steadied me. Jade, are you all right?

Sure. Just … fine.

You’re sweating.

Am I? I reached up, touched my cheek, and drew away a drop of perspiration.

Around me the magical reverberations that usually delighted me seemed to echo strangely, almost hostilely, like a dog accustomed to licking the hands and face of its human growling instead, or at least going stiff and drawing its ears back. This is not good, I thought. Not good at all.

Come, Greenleaf said.

With a sigh, I allowed him to lead us the rest of the way, and in moments we stood on the dais.

You are well met, said Queen Calista. Sunlight sparkled on the diamond circlet she wore in her beautifully arranged blond hair. We bowed. You may rise. As soon as we did, her gaze fixed on the golden sword. Is that … it?

Davril gestured to the Queen. I’ll let you have the honor, Jade.

Why, thank you, I said, only half teasing. It really was an honor, even if we hadn’t been entirely successful.

I removed the sword from the scabbard, placed it across my palms like an offering, which it was, really, and stepped toward the throne. The Queen started to smile, but then a look of concern crossed her face. Her gaze strayed from the sword to me, and the happiness in her features faded, replaced by something else.

At the same time, a feeling of deep unease washed over me, followed by a sensation of unsteadiness—sickness. I wanted to vomit.

Staggering back, I handed the sword distractedly to Davril and stumbled off, one hand going to my mouth. I sucked in deep breaths. Get it together, Jade McClaren, I told myself sternly.

But I couldn’t. Tears burned my eyes, and my chest hitched.

Shit shit shit.

With all the effort I could muster, I drew in a deep breath, wiped my eyes and turned to face them. All three stared at me. The Golden Sword of Akulos drooped forgotten in Davril’s hand.

Jade … he said and started toward me.

I waved him off. Trying to smile, I indicated the blade and the Queen. Go on, I said. Hand it over already.

He stared at me for a long moment, then seemed to go through his own internal pep talk. At last he nodded and approached the throne. The Queen leaned forward to receive the blade, then held it up to the sunlight pouring down from above. It should have looked like some scene out of a movie, but to me everything was veiled and misty. Gray somehow.

The Queen didn’t seem in the mood anymore, either. She lowered the sword and her gaze returned to me.

Tell me, she said softly. What happened?

I tried to speak but instead I started to feel like I was going to puke again.

Mercifully, Davril took over. We found the pyramid, just like we’d planned, infiltrated it and stole the vial of poison from a mummy—the Herald of the Jackal himself.

A Herald! muttered Greenleaf, and made a religious gesture. I never would have imagined it!

Say on, said Calista. She spoke to Davril, but her troubled eyes rested on me.

Tannen saw us enter the pyramid and followed us, Davril said. He was able to steal the vial from us and use it—partially—on the sword. Davril smiled, but it was clear to me that this took some effort. Jade’s quick thinking prevented him from completely depowering the sword with the poison in the vial.

But he still hurt it, I said. I mean, if a sword can get hurt, or whatever.

The Queen closed her eyes and seemed to be communing with the weapon she still held. When she opened them, she said, Yes. We will have to study the blade and consult the texts. There may yet be a way to renew it.

We’d better pray that we can, Greenleaf said.

We all knew that only the Golden Sword could defeat the enemy of the Fae, the dreaded Lord Vorkoth, also known as the Shadow or the Lord of Shadows. The Fae had fled the Fae Lands to escape him, but they must return to free their people still trapped there. They couldn’t do that until they had a way to destroy him, though.

That way was the Sword. Or at least it had been. Until Tannen, one of the many sons of Vorkoth, had partially poisoned the sacred weapon.

And Tannen? Queen Calista said. What became of him?

Jade killed him, Davril said. The mission would have been forfeit ten times over without her. He said this for a reason, I knew, and I was all too aware what that was. He was reminding them how useful … and loyal … I was.

Because what came next was going to suck.

Just how bad was it going to be, though? I felt tears start to build behind my eyes again and forced them down. You’re a Fae Knight, I told myself. Even if it is honorary. Fae Knights don’t cry. Not on the job, anyway. The question was how much longer I was going to have that job. Once again I felt the strange off-note of the almost musical magic swirling around this place.

That’s not the whole story, though, is it? Queen Calista said.

A long moment of silence passed. A cloud obliterated the sun overhead, plunging us all into gloom.

Davril—brave, handsome, lovely Davril—visibly composed himself. No.

Greenleaf and Calista traded a look, then returned their attention to him. To us.

Tell us, Greenleaf said, but his voice was gentle.

Well, as you know, Jade is, or was, a dragon shifter, Davril said. Only a half-shifter, but still a shifter. She could fly and breathe fire. Until the villain Vincent Walsh stole that fire, preventing her from shifting. He also slew her father and grandmother.

We know the story, Calista said, but she didn’t say it meanly. Jade came to New York to find Walsh and retrieve her fire. That’s when she learned to burgle. She meant to steal the ring containing her fire and retrieve it.

Exactly, said Davril. Well, yesterday, she did retrieve the ring. Unfortunately, it was depowered, and Walsh had lost his own fire due to his fight with Tannen. The only way to repower the ring and draw Jade’s hidden essence from it was to awaken it with dragonfire. He grimaced. We found that with Tannen.

Understanding dawned on the faces of Greenleaf and Calista.

A spawn of Vorkoth, Calista breathed. Tainted with his evil. Bound by unholy rites to the dark gods.

Greenleaf passed a hand across his face. Jade, I’m so sorry. You have been infected by an evil beyond your ken.

Davril went to me and squeezed my shoulder. To the others, he said, She is brave and loyal. Remember that.

The room had begun spinning around me. Their faces blurred and became streaks.

I don’t … I said. I don’t think …

Davril caught me before I fell. He swept me up in his powerful arms, and I stared up into his noble face gratefully. I tried to resist the sickness building in me. It wasn’t just in me, though. That discordant note at the edges of my perception was growing louder. More jangling, more awful.

I was hurting this place, I realized. I was a cancer upon it.

Greenleaf approached. He laid a palm on my forehead, closed his eyes, and said a few words under his breath. Swiftly I began to feel better. It would only be temporary, though, I knew.

You can set me down, I told Davril.

Are you sure?

Not at all. Yeah.

Reluctantly, he did, and I wobbled on my feet, then straightened. Fearing her reaction, I turned back to the Queen. I wasn’t sure what I expected to see there—fear, alarm, hate—but instead I noted moisture glimmering in her emerald green eyes. The sight of her pain, her emotion, caused my chest to hitch again, and I had to look away.

Jade, the Queen said slowly, I hope you know how much we value you. How much we love you, and honor you.

But, I said. There was always a but.

She didn’t deny it. But … until this is resolved … I don’t see how you can stay here.

I nodded shakily. As a Fae Knight, I’d been rooming at the Palace for months—that is, when I wasn’t hanging out with my witch sister Ruby. But that clearly wasn’t possible right now. I would sicken, and bring sickness.

She can stay with me, Davril said.

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I didn’t miss the Oh, my looks on the faces of Greenleaf and Calista.

Davril cleared his throat. There is plenty of room at my castle. We’ll find a room for her.

I resisted a sigh. If I’d been hoping he would reveal our new intimacy to the Queen, I was sorely mistaken.

A new thought hit me. Davril was imbued with the same grace as the rest of the Fae Lords. If my … taint … was poison to the rest of them, wouldn’t it be poison to him, too? I tried not to think about that.

Thanks, I told him. But what about Vorkoth? What about Nevos? What can we be doing about them?

We’ll analyze the sword, Calista said. That’s all we can do for now. Thank you for your valiant service. Jade, I’m going to send Mother Lora to you at Castle Stormguard. Lora, I knew, was the High Priestess of the Order of Sere. Maybe she can find some way of removing this shadow from you. I would not have you cast out. Know that in my heart you are not.

Now I did start to cry. Damn it, I thought. Get it together, dragon girl!

Shakily, I nodded.

Queen Calista dismissed us, and Davril escorted me back through the Palace to the hangar of the Order of the Shield. There we found his glorious flying car, Lady Kay, and he flew me away from the Palace and through the skies toward his castle. I glanced back, just once, to see the many brilliant white spires of the Palace, and I prayed that someday I would be able to return.

Chromecat followed us as we went. I realized I didn’t need her anymore, really. I could fly on my own now. She could fly faster, though. And she sure did have style. But I could fly on my own. For the thousandth time in the last few hours, a surge of mingled hope, joy and despair welled up inside me, washed over me and consumed me. I could fly! But I could also spew black flame, which meant darkness lived inside me now. Evil.

How are you doing? Davril’s voice jerked me out of my musings.

I tried to put on a smile. Oh, peachy.

He didn’t answer, but I could see the sadness on his face. The worry. He flew me to Castle Stormguard and through the gates. His knights rejoiced to see him again, and I got the impression that word had gone out about our quest, at least in some small part. They didn’t know the details, but they knew their lord had just put himself in danger on their behalf, and they were grateful to see him alive.

The goodwill extended to me, too.

Lady Jade! more than one cried, and several clapped me on the back. I tried to smile but found it hard.

The Stable Master took charge of Lady Kay and Chromecat, and the butler escorted us inside the keep, leaving the activity of the yard behind. He and Davril went over some housekeeping stuff for a few minutes, and I stared at the ancient paintings that lined the walls, then the statues. As before, everything seemed just a touch gloomy, just a touch uncared-for. It wanted a woman’s touch. A good woman, though. Not an evil one.

My fingers twitched at my side. A kingdom for a cigarette. I would kill for a smoke! Why had Ruby made me quit?

Davril returned. Just finished making dinner preparations. We’ll have a feast tonight, to celebrate.

Celebrate?

We located the fabled Golden Sword. Everyone knows of it. It’s a sacred item of our people. Few suspected it was here, on Earth, but now word’s going out, and the whole Fae community is abuzz. It would be like if your people found the Ark of the Covenant after all this time.

I nodded dully. Everything felt dull, gray, veiled.

Sure, I said. Sounds great.

He took my hand and led me up the richly carpeted stairs, down a hall, then a high cross-hall. He’s taking me to his bedroom. Normally this would have made my heart leap into gear and my glands start to pump, but not at the moment. Davril’s hand was firm and hot in mine, though, and I took solace in the confident, loving look on his face. He hadn’t given up on me. Maybe there was hope yet.

We reached his room and he ushered me inside, then closed the door behind us.

Lights! he said, and the candles and candelabras blazed into life, throwing romantic illumination across the stone floor and walls, softened by luxurious couches, chairs, paintings, sculptures, and of course, that huge four-poster bed.

Jade, Davril said softly, drawing me toward him so that our fronts pressed against each other. As if against my will, my blood finally started to speed up, if not exactly race, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. Don’t be so downcast, my love.

My love! I blinked back tears at the word. It was what I’d wanted—this was what I’d wanted—for so, so long.

He still held one of my hands. His free hand rose and traced my cheekbone, then the tip of my ear, sending thrills throughout my body, then ran through my hair. Finally it came to rest on my back, gently pressing me against him. Half-consciously, my own free hand rose and lay against his hard stomach, delighting in the feel of his solidity.

You’re still a Fae Knight, and an honored one, he said. A revered one, one that will go down in our stories forever.

Yeah. If Vorkoth doesn’t …

He didn’t let me finish. Forever, he said firmly, but kindly. His blazing blue eyes captured my attention, tried to swallow me. The tenderness in his face made me want to melt and weep at the same time. My core started to heat up. My fingers pressed harder into his abs and ran up to his chest.

You have a place here, he said, his face coming closer to mine. With me.

Don’t you care that … that I’m … ?

His eyes twinkled. "Your fire can be whatever color it wants, Jade. Just