Cold Blooded: 102: Drag On Drag Off

“No, there has to be something we can do,” Victoria said, shaking her head and pacing the courtyard.

“You’ve done it,” Alaric said, gently taking Victoria’s hand. “I cannot begin to thank you for restoring life to our dragonkin. But this,” he said motioning around toward the people now running to their posts in preparation for battle. “This is ours to deal with. For now, I think it’s best you and your friends learn what you came here to learn and get back to your own time.”

“Alaric…”

“Victoria, you are of my blood. I will not see you harmed here, please,” he begged, clenching her shoulders tightly as he gazed deeply into her eyes. She heard the sincerity of his words but she could also see the fear in his eyes. Nevertheless, Victoria nodded and Alaric smiled before releasing his grip. “I’ll have Elias assist you with whatever you need.”

Alaric turned and hurried toward one of the towers near the front wall and Elias motioned for Victoria to rejoin him in the coffer house. “Elias, there must be a way we can…”

“You heard Alaric, Victoria. And likewise, I too am concerned for your well-being. This war is not yours to fight. The outcome has already been written. We are your past; your history. However this day goes, it was meant to be. For now, we should gather knowledge and get you home.”

“Then, let me at least hatch another dragon. At any rate, I can try to restore the brood.” Elias glanced between Derrick and Rowan and with a sigh, nodded his head.

Victoria wasted no time, moving toward the nest of eggs in the corner of the room, she selected one and repeated the earlier process. “She turns the sky as black as pitch with choking clouds of smoke. She chars the earth as dark as coal in the breath of a single stroke. She reduces mountains, hills and valleys to rivers of molten rock. She scorches the summer sun with fire soaring like a hawk. She roars a deafening sonic cry with the voice of a thunderstorm. She sings like an angel, raining fire from above like an angry locust swarm. Ebonwrath.”

And just as before, the egg hatched and out of it, a small black dragon emerged. It hopped up onto Victoria’s arm and she beamed at the tiny creature. “A male,” Elias grinned. “You’ve done well, Victoria. The two new dragons can undoubtedly ensure the preservation of their species. So now then, let’s get you home.”

“Yes, so…about that…” Victoria turned to face Derrick and he shrugged. “We were kind of sucked through a portal in a mirror to this time, completely accidental.”

“Wait, are you saying you’ve no idea how we’re to return home?” Rowan asked in absolute shock.

“Kinda. Yes. I have no clue how to get us back through space and time. The mirror shattered with the completion of the spell and we were just here,” Victoria replied, motioning with her hands.

“And what spell did you use?” Rowan continued.

“One from an old spellbook I’d collected,” Derrick answered.

“You used a spell that was not in one of your family’s grimoires?” Rowan’s British lilt grew deeper as he looked between Victoria and Derrick. “That’s absurd! Non-familial magic is incredibly unstable which likely explains why I became ensnared as well.”

“Oh. Hmm. Well, that would also explain why it didn’t seem to work right away,” Victoria said, nervously rubbing her neck. “I had no idea I was only capable of using magics known to my family. How did I not know? And how do you know for that matter, Rowan?”

“I’ve lived quite a few lives, Little Witch, I know a great deal about the supernatural.” He looked over at Derrick, a nonverbal communication passing between them that clearly expressed his disappointment with Derrick’s decision. “We need to correct this else we’ll all be lost to this time.”

“Well, there is a way but…it’s not advisable.”

“Victoria, no,” Derrick said, already knowing where she was heading. “If what you said about the seals is factual, using blood magic again will likely result in the final one breaking.”

“Ok, well I’m open to suggestions. We don’t have a spell of our own to get us home without it.”

Screams filtered into the tiny room from outside, freezing everyone inside. Without hesitation, Victoria rushed out, followed by Derrick, Rowan and Elias. Villagers were running frantically as a roaring cry sounded just over the west wall. The air grew thicker as a thunderous growl erupted and the large beast from before took to the sky, blotting out the sun and casting a shadow briefly over the fortress. “Was that…” Victoria started, but was quickly interrupted with a reply.

“Nasros, yeah,” Elias said, “And it looks as if he’s heading for the mountain path.”

“You mean the only exit out of this village,” Rowan said.

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

A loud crash exploded behind them and the group turned and watched as part of the southern wall came tumbling down. “They made it much earlier than anticipated.” Elias ran off toward the main hall in search of Alaric.

Derrick pulled Victoria toward him, away from the disaster area and the trio held vigil from near a guard tower, watching as villagers worked together to re-secure their defenses. “We need to help them,” Victoria said.

“No, we need to figure a way out of here before it’s too late,” Derrick replied.

“Time spells are finicky, Luv. And before you know it, we will have become permanent fixtures in this era,” Rowan added. “You have it within you to create a spell that will work. How do you suppose the entries in your family’s grimoires came to be?”

“Focus, Victoria. You can do this,” Derrick said, taking her hand. “Remember our lessons, what we’ve talked about.”

“Ok. I’ll need some ingredients to replicate the initial spell; items of earth, water, wind and fire, sweet grass and wonder petal.”

Working quickly, Derrick and Rowan harvested the necessary ingredients while Victoria worked to create a spell that would hopefully, transport them back to their timeline. They watched anxiously over her shoulder as she placed the herbs around the borrowed cauldron and spoke a few words of enchantment over the bubbling brew.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before speaking the final words of the spell: “From past to present.”

When her eyes opened, she as well as Derrick and Rowan were still very much in the past. Frustratingly, she shook her head. “This isn’t going to work.”

“It will, Victoria, try again,” Derrick encouraged but deep down he too had his doubts.

Without hesitation, Victoria picked up the compass beside the pyre and once more began the spell. As she did, she accidentally nicked her hand on a sharp edge of the kettle. Her blood spilled inside the pot creating an instant reaction. The room began to spin as a dark mist rose around them. “Uh oh…”

In a rush of movement, Victoria, Derrick and Rowan were sucked into the spell’s developing whirlwind and whisked away into the formed portal. “Here we go again!” Derrick said, feeling his hand rip away from Victoria’s as they were forceable pulled through space and time while everything around them became exceedingly darker.

“Bloody Christ, Victoria, someone really needs to introduce you to the world of private jets,” Rowan groaned as they all crash landed through the portal back into the present. “Traveling with you needs to come with a warning.”

“Well, at least it’s never dull,” Victoria retorted.