No one spoke. No one moved. Death was in this place, and I commanded it. The horrible gurgles coming out of the dying lord were the only sounds as everyone else inched away from him. And then those ended as the magic cut through his flesh. Lord Briarwood’s lifeless body fell to the floor as his head left his neck.
“Does anyone else feel that I am makingunwisedecisions?” I asked, ignoring the fresh blood coming from the recently deceased lord’s body.
The six remaining lords and the human servant all shook their heads. Fear scented the air, and inside of me, the beast purred.
“Good.” I fanned my gown out around me, stepping down the dais as I gestured to the mutilated corpses littering the floor. “Let this be a lesson for all of you. Anyone who comes between me and what I want will perish. There are no choices. No second chances. Move aside, my lords, becauseIam queen, and no one will take the throne from me.”
The Understatement of the Century
XANDER
Abrisk wind blew against my wings, and chilly rain hinting at snow pelted my scales. Each drop sizzled as it landed on my too-hot flesh, sending wisps of steam into the night air. Clouds obstructed my vision as thunder roared. A bolt of lightning lit up the sky, but I didn’t need its light. My vision was powerful enough on its own. Each tree, each drop of rain, each black vine that had no place in Ithenmyr, was perfectly visible through my dragon’s vision.
Right now, flying was the only thing I needed. Flapping my wings and soaring through the night meant that I didn’t have to pay attention to the anger and frustration roiling through my veins like an untamed tempest. It wasn’t Aileana’s fault. She was amazing. Perfect, actually. She was exactly what I needed. Confident and fierce and powerful. Maturing had only been good for her, and every day, she showed why the gods had chosen her to be the High Lady of Life.
I was the problem. I couldn’t seem to do anything right these days. We spent hours earlier catching up with the others at Nonna’s. Laughter had filled the cottage, and there had been countless smiles on everyone’s faces as they exchanged stories over warm food and hot drinks. There had been so many moments where happiness should have cracked this shell of sadness and anger that had formed around my heart, but nothing did.
I just kept replaying the moment when Saena’s blue dragon soared out of the temple.
Where had I gone wrong with my little sister? She had been my responsibility, and I had failed her in the worst ways. A knot had taken up permanent residence in my stomach, and with every report we heard of the evil queen sitting on Ithenmyr’s throne, it tightened.
Hours of listening to happy stories and laughter, mixed with Daegal and Maiela’s reminiscing about their shared childhoods, had darkened my mood. The twins reminded me of the sister I lost, until eventually, it became too much to handle. The dragon was restless beneath my skin and fire ran through my veins.
When everyone else went to bed, I left to fly. Aileana offered to come with me, but I declined.
I needed some time alone. Time to think. To mourn. And perhaps most importantly, to figure out what to do next. How did one heal from a twice-broken heart?
The day I stumbled across Saena’s bloody, broken body in Drahan, I thought my life had ended. Seeing her like that, broken and bloody and dead—or at least, I thought she was dead—had nearly destroyed me. I had fled the Southern Kingdom and returned to Ithenmyr without any care for my own safety. I’d been close to destroying myself when Nonna had found and healed me.
Then, after years of living in darkness, Aileana had come into my life. Like a goddess wielding daggers, Aileana had argued her way into my heart. With every witty word, every snarky exchange, I fell more in love with her. She had pulled me out of the darkness.
Now my bonded mate had Matured. Aileana was stronger than ever. Maturation made her harder to kill, and her body had grown into its full power. Not only that, but we possessed the five pieces of the map. I should have been celebrating. These were good things. Great things, even. Aileana had even agreed to marry me, for the gods’ sake.
But my heart was in a strange place. Overwhelming love for Aileana filled me, and yet I was broken-hearted over my sister. I hadn’t known it was possible to be overcome by two separate, all-consuming emotions like this.
After our village had burned, I took responsibility for Saena. Too much, perhaps. Her actions felt personal now. Flying at night was one of the few balms for the near-constant pain in my chest. I had been doing it a lot since I learned about my sister. The clouds hid my form, for the most part. Perhaps I wasn’t being as careful as I used to be. Why would I bother? The people of Ithenmyr knew the dragons weren’t dead. Saena was certainly not trying to hide. On the contrary, everyone knew a dragon occupied Ithenmyr’s throne.
I roared, and bright red flames burst from my mouth. They tasted like smoke and ash and gave me a moment of satisfaction.
I did it again and again until it numbed the pain to a soft ache.
Rain fell on my scales, sizzling upon impact, and I lit up the sky until I was so tired, I could barely flap my wings. But being tired was better than wallowing in pain and guilt, so I would take it.
Only then did I return to the small clearing near Nonna’s cottage.
* * *
I toucheddown on the moss, a resoundingthudechoing through the serene stillness of the forest. This was my favorite time of the night. It was late enough that most animals were sleeping, but early enough that the darkness was coming to an end. My sharp talons dug into the frozen ground, stabilizing my large form as my expansive wings unfurled, keeping me steady. Above me, the full moon cast a soft glow on the dark forest, its silvery light dancing among the branches and leaves. The rain had slowed to a gentle patter, leaving behind a peaceful tranquility.
Taking a breath, I pulled on the dragon. My bones broke and remade themselves as the beast returned beneath my skin, and I shifted back into my two-legged form. Cold air ran down my front as the wind brushed up against my bare flesh, but it did nothing to ease the fire running through my veins.
A branch cracked nearby. I tensed, balling my hands into fists. My heart thudded wildly against my ribs, and I prepared to fight. Extending my senses, I listened to the forest. Night insects sang; a deer was asleep somewhere to my right, but in front of me… I sensed something large. It was nearby, but I wouldn’t run. Not when I was so close to Nonna’s. I would never lead a threat to the witch who was, for all intents and purposes, my grandmother.
Getting ready to fight, I widened my stance. A leaf crunched, and my heart thumped. There was only one being approaching. That was good. They would be no match for me.
Through the trees, a familiar form appeared. I exhaled, loosening my fists.
“Get dressed, Xan.” A bag sailed through the air, nearly smacking me in the face before I grabbed it. Daegal stepped out from between the trees, his dark skin blending in with the night. He crossed his arms beneath his thick black cloak, and he stared at me. “We have to talk.”