Me and My Shadow - Katie MacAlister [114]
Kostya waited until the dragon had moved off before answering. “Well enough to do what needs to be done.”
“Good. I have to find Dr. Kostich.”
I pulled his sword over to his hand, then moved off as he clawed his way to his feet, listing heavily against the wall, leaving a long smear of blood on the gold and green wallpaper as he finally pushed himself upright.
The expression on Baltic’s face as he caught sight of Kostya was one of sheer delight. He roared something in Zilant, kicking aside a bit of debris as he ran for him, his body changing into the form of a white dragon.
Kostya yelled, leaping to the side and shifting into dragon form, as well, his sword dancing in his hand as Baltic descended.
Gabriel had killed a second of Baltic’s men, and was now battling the third, who had ceased searching for me when Gabriel descended upon him, eyes blazing, sword flashing. I averted my eyes from the sight of the corpse, knowing they would have destroyed us without a single thought, and searched through the rubble for any signs of Kostich.
I found him as Gabriel and Kostya battled furiously.
“Dr. Kostich, can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
He lifted his head as I pulled a piece of wall off him, his face battered and bloody, pain dulling his eyes. “Can you move, or are you badly injured?”
“Not badly. I shielded myself with a cushion, but I believe my arm is broken.” He winced when I pulled a piece of twisted metal and wood off his left side.
I grimaced. “It looks like it.”
“Wrap it for me,” he said, gritting his teeth.
I looked again at the bloody, torn mass of his arm.“I do not have the healing abilities of the silver dragons—”
“I know that. Just bind the damned thing so I can move.”
I will do my utmost to forget the five minutes that followed. I certainly hope Dr. Kostich does, as well, although he didn’t say a single word as I ripped off the bottom half of my embroidered tunic, using it and some of the wood to fashion a crude splint.
He was pale and shaking, sweat beading his brow despite the cold air pouring in around us, by the time I was done. I didn’t feel much better, but I managed to get him to his feet, the battle still raging around us as I propped him up against the stairs, well out of the way of the battle. “My apprentices,” he croaked, his body shaking with shock. “I need them to channel for me.”
“Master, we are here,” Jack said from behind us. He emerged from the shadows, half-dragging, half-carrying Tully out of the passage leading to the kitchen. There was blood on her hair and face, and she looked dazed and confused, as if she was only partially conscious.
“You are injured,” Kostich said, momentarily closing his eyes.
“Tully hurt her head, and I am cut up by flying glass, but I am able to serve you.”
“Get her to safety, then return to me,” Kostich ordered, his voice a pale imitation of its normal self.
“Go below, to the basement,” I told Jack. “The lair is down there. Take her there and Kaawa will tend to her.”
Tully roused herself enough to protest. “Take her to the kitchen, then,” I said, pointing. “She can recover there.”
Another crash shook the room, but this time it was from the impact of a heavy dragon body being slammed into the wall.
Baltic screamed for his man to get me, and headed toward our spot on the stairs. Gabriel, fighting to keep the dragon as far from me as possible, likewise screamed. “May! Go to the Dreaming!”
I stared at Gabriel for a minute, then nodded and shadowed.
Baltic stopped his charge, laughing as he faded from sight. He’d gone into the shadow world, fully believing he’d find me there.
Clever, clever Gabriel.
Dr. Kostich got to his feet with Jack’s help. “Did he just . . . ?” He gestured to the spot where Baltic had disappeared.
“Yes,” Jack said grimly, one arm around the archimage’s waist. “Can you walk, sir?”
“This is unprecedented,” Kostich muttered as I hurried, unseen and silent, up the stairs. With everyone down in the lair, attention was