Lights Out (Book 2 of the "Living Nightmare" series)

Chapter 5

Nostra quietly approached Azura. "Lady Azura, I need to tell you something, but you can't tell Ser Patrick."

Azura  glanced up worriedly. "What is it?"

"I know exactly where Hilda went."

"You do?"

"She wanted to go after Hogsworth. I find their tale a love story in disguise, so I let her."

Azura's mouth dropped open. "You--are you sure that was a good idea?"

<>

Waver glanced around. "We should be there soon. Her house isn't far off."

Alexis put a hand out. "Did you guys hear that noise? It sounded like wings."

Spinner opened his mouth but Waver suddenly slammed into him. "Get out of the way!"

Seconds later, a figure crashed through the trees overhead, landing right where Spinner has been standing. The figure had a purplish-white skin, white eyes, and dragon wings that unfolded when it stood.

Echo grinned. "Guys! It's a man-dragon. I read some of them protect parts of the end and I'm positive Lance had some."

To her surprise, it bowed to her.

"Why do you think that thing is here?" Spinner asked. "We're a whole dimension away from the End."

The beast spoke, Echo understanding every word. "I am here to help. The man to whom I am bound is in grave danger."

Waver blinked rapidly. "What did he say?"

"He said he's here to help." Echo translated. "He...oh no, Lance! Hell knight must have done something terrible to him after I fell!"

He nodded. "Kralos also already has Zeganirn."

Echo grabbed her head in her hands and sunk to the ground. "No, no, no, no! Why does this have to happen?!" She held back tears. "Every time I finally find someone I belong with, after I finally find my family, something happens to rip them away from me! Why?"

Alexis leaned down and gently put a hand on the Enderkin's shoulder. "Hey, it's not over yet. Kralos still doesn't have the rest of the Ender Watchers, so we can still do something."

"Like what? I can't seem to do anything!"

Alexis suddenly grabbed both of Echo's shoulders and shook her. "Don't you dare start doubting yourself, Echo! I mean, you're descended from some of the most powerful people in End History!"

"But—"

"Did Gwendolyn give up when she struggled in her first year as the Arch-Enchantress? No! Did Lance quit his painstaking research into the power of the End Crystals? No! Did Ceris surrender to the Nether when they invaded? Absolutely not!" Alexis shook her again. "So snap out of it!"

Echo sat silent and the man-dragon crouched next to her, saying, "Echo, 'Wisdom is like a book; you learn it. Bravery is like a muscle; you exercise it. And love is like a fire; you have to ignite it'. Your father said that to me once. Gwendolyn always believed 'Powerful traits are similar to good library books without a catalog. You have to search for them'."

Echo looked up. "What did my mother say?"

"'We will fight gods if we have to'."

She was silent for another moment before climbing to her feet, turning to the man-dragon. "Head south-east. The Ender Watchers should be in a cave down there. Tell them that I'm okay and I'll catch up with them soon."