Chapter 22: The Seal Breaks

Dragon Reach lay four hours north of Emberhall by road, and forty minutes by Skyfold.

Grant carried James and Felix.

Harry rode a wave of his own, a long blue arc cutting across the low hills.

"Odds that we get there in time," James said, over the wind, "are fifty percent."

"That is not a comfort," said Grant.

"It's not meant to be. It's math."

The Reach was a black plain of broken rock under a gray sky.

At its center stood a ring of nine standing stones, each as tall as a house.

Chains of old gold bound them together.

Four of the stones leaned crooked.

One lay on its side, cracked down the middle.

Around them, sixteen men stood in a circle with iron bars, hammers and a wagon of tools.

Matthew stood in front of the fallen stone in his gold chain.

Bella stood a pace behind him, with her fan closed.

"Stop," James called, landing in the dust.

Matthew turned.

His face was gray with ash and triumph.

"Nephew," he said. "I wondered when you would arrive. We were beginning to think you were napping."

"I was. What are you doing?"

"Taking what is mine."

"You're opening a dragon."

"I am opening the Phoenix vault," Matthew said.

His voice cracked a little.

"Your father kept it behind that seal and called it a prison. I have heard the truth. It holds the fortune of a hundred kings."

"It holds a ruin dragon."

"Lies. Phoenix lies."

"Father," said Bella.

"Be silent, girl."

"Father, the stone is bleeding."

It was.

A thin red seam ran down the face of the fallen slab, and glowing liquid beaded along it.

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