Prologue

PROLOGUE

S he dreamed of flying when she slept. The cold wind cut through the leather armor that shielded her body, creeping down her neck like icy water over rocks. She soared over mountains draped in fog where the dark tips of pine trees jabbed the shadowed sky.

There was no moon. No stars. The only light that touched her face came from the glow of fire coming from the belly of the beast that carried her.

She dreamed of flying, cradled in a smooth, curved claw that wrapped around her body and held her in its grip.

Nêrys.

When she closed her eyes, she heard the thundering voice in her mind and the fire burned her eyelids like a fever dream.

It was a fever dream.

"Take this." A potion touched her lips. "Take it. It will heal…"

The words died away in a rush of pain that twisted her belly and speared into her chest, wrapping iron fingers around her heart as it raced, raced, raced to escape the thread of fire .

She heard it thundering in her ears.

His voice.

Her heart.

She felt the cold licking down her throat.

Then everything went silent, and her heartbeat stopped.