Chapter 21

Ozara

The pungent odor of death and scorched earth filled the air. Even with more than four hundred dragons flying all around her, she could scent it from the land ahead. They’d been flying for about a week at a grueling pace, and this wasn’t a good sign.

Wren, the Craegud pendragon, had gotten permission from the elders’ council the day after she arrived for their toriq to join the war. Their most powerful seer had been predicting an alliance for years and had only awaited her arrival. They still debated the merits of joining the fight, but in the end, most of the shifters voted in favor. It helped that the seer was adamant that this was their only chance of defeating the Kandoran. Waiting for the enemy to turn their attention back to the West would only end in their total defeat.

Thus began their brutal pace to reach Oklahoma as quickly as possible. It required flying over two hundred miles daily, veering around Kandoran territory. They insisted on reaching their destination shortly before sunset today. The Craegud simply explained that an attack must be stopped, or people vital to their cause would be lost.

We’re flying too far south , she said to Wren.

His tail twitched as he sailed ahead of her. The battle we spoke of before is ahead with members of your toriq fighting for their lives. We must save them, or we have no chance of winning the war. Also, Ujala’s son is among them.

Galadon is there, too? Ozara asked. Now she understood why they’d been in such a hurry, though knowing who they needed to save beforehand would have been helpful. She only wondered why the group was so far inside Kandoran territory.

Yes, he is there, and it is vital he survives for many reasons.

Of course, though she was certain he wouldn’t explain why .

Ozara inwardly sighed. Why couldn’t you mention this before?

Some of our members—not me—decided to tell you as little as possible until we arrived.

She tried not to let it get to her. They didn’t know her, and they had been willing to help, so she couldn’t complain. But intervening in this specific battle to save people when previous troubles hadn’t triggered their assistance? She pondered that. Could it be some of the members in charge of protecting the orb? They were certainly vital. Aidan wouldn’t be out there since he had to stay close to the fortress for war planning, and Phoebe was pregnant. She wouldn’t go into enemy territory now. That left Bailey, Conrad, and Danae as the possibilities.

They drew closer to the battle. The stench of burned vegetation and spilled blood grew stronger. In the distance, she spotted dozens of Kandoran swarming around a few red dragons and four people in human form. They were grossly outnumbered.

The scorched area was covered with dead green beasts, perhaps fifty or sixty. Most of the buildings in the area were reduced to their foundations or heaps of rubble, and the streets were pockmarked with craters. Ozara couldn’t comprehend how the small group had managed to kill such a large number, but as they got nearer, she spotted Bailey, Conrad, and Rayna covered in blood and injuries. Most of the shifters appeared no better with horribly disfigured wings. Only Galadon remained in the air, hovering over the others and fighting as many Kandoran as possible from every direction.

He was also injured, though, and wouldn’t last much longer.

Despite traveling at a brutal pace these last few days, energy surged through her. Her friends were in trouble. Most especially, Bailey was down there, slashing her sword, but clearly exhausted and wounded with her long, black hair plastered to her face by sweat and blood. Above all others, Ozara had to do everything she could to protect her. Aidan would never be able to survive losing his mate, and it would destroy everything he’d built with the Taugud. The whole group was important and worth saving, though.

Their lead dragons reached the Kandoran line and clashed with them in the air. Stuck in the middle of the legion, she suppressed a shudder as the fog of evil clogging the air filled her nostrils. As Craegud shifters took on aerial opponents, Ozara dove toward the ground where her people were horribly surrounded. Anger filled her at seeing the condition of them up close.

She wanted to roar at her foes, but it was best to catch them off guard.

Bailey had two dragons snapping at her from each side. The slayer limped as she kept pivoting to keep them both in sight and wound each one who came too close. Ozara took the one to the right, swooping down to clamp the back of his neck between her sharp teeth. She bit down until his spine snapped. The Kandoran slumped beneath her.

Looking up, she found Bailey finishing the other. The slayer jerked out her sword.

“Save Eliam. He’s badly wounded and can’t defend himself anymore. I tried to help him, but there’s so many…” she trailed off as another dragon flew toward her.

Ozara wanted to argue, but the pendragon’s mate had made it an order.

Inhaling deeply, she searched for the shifter’s scent and found him twenty feet behind the slayer. She’d dismissed his unmoving body from the sky, assuming he was dead. He lay on his side, stomach shredded with part of his guts spilling onto the ground. A Kandoran moved to snap at his neck. Eliam lifted an arm and swiped at the dragon’s face with his claws. It was all he could do,buthe barely scratched the beast’s nose.

She leaped toward his attacker.

With ruthless intent, she bit and clawed at the green dragon. That got his attention. He stopped attacking Eliam and twisted his neck around to bite her. She kept out of reach, continuing to shred scales beneath her talons. It was easier with the infected ones. Something about the dark magic weakened a dragon’s natural armor. There was always a price when subverting nature.

Within minutes, she broke through the beast’s body, cracked open the ribs with her claws, and pierced his heart. Her enemy crashed to the ground. She hated these horrid things, what they represented, and the threat they posed to those she loved.

Ozara felt no mercy for them.

Thank you, Eliam said telepathically.

Of course.

He was dying and would need a healer soon if he hoped to survive. She looked up and saw the Craegud had already finished the Kandoran in the air. Luckily, they had outnumbered the enemy at least ten to one. Others tore through the remaining few on the ground.

Ozara’s gaze caught on Galadon, who’d landed at some point. Blood and wounds covered the shifter, but he stood frozen as he looked at a female shifter walking in his direction. She glanced over and spotted Ujala in her dragon form.

The mother and son would finally reunite after more than six centuries apart.