RIDE

5

Aria opened her pack and shoved in a fresh set of flight leathers. She had started packing late last night, but… Well, she'd gotten tired and told herself she'd wake up early to finish. And now her mother was scolding her from the hallway.

"Aria Zephyr, we're walking out the door and if you're not there when we take off—" Queen Joyen's voice already began fading at the end of her sentence, probably halfway down the stairs by now. She could already picture her mother's normally glowing skin turning red, her blonde hair pulled into a tight braid swishing behind her as she descended angrily down the stairs. Aria wanted to take offense at the juvenile way her mother spoke to her when she was frustrated, but at this moment, she knew the tone was probably warranted.

Aria threw her pack over her shoulder, weighed down by her toiletries, a single set of clothes for the following day, and the latest novel she was reading—some shifter romance she'd found at the city market a few weeks ago and promptly hidden deep in the stacks on her desk. Gods forbid one of the staff saw it in her collection and started spreading rumors.

Prior to the border wall installation, shifters and fae were sometimes romantically involved. Not often, because prejudices still ran hot. And because fae and shifters couldn't reproduce, it was seen as a waste of potential fertility. Still, it wasn't unheard of.

Now, it was frankly taboo, mostly because of the intense restrictions on traveling through each realm's borders if you weren't a citizen. Seeing a shifter was rare in Allar, let alone seeing one you wanted to seduce. The odds of them being an enemy were much higher. But damn , she was really enjoying this book. Enough so that it was worth the extra pack weight.

Aria slammed the door behind her and ran to catch up to her parents and the two lead guards that would be traveling with them for added protection. She revealed her wings as she stumbled down the stairs, readying herself to take off as soon as she passed through the gates if needed. Luckily, she found them all standing there, heads turning as she rushed up to the group.

"Sorry, so sorry," she blathered, "I didn't get much sleep, so—"

"The weather looks ideal for the flight," her father, King Arach, cut her off with a scowl, his long, red waves braided elaborately down his back in preparation for being airborne. His pale skin seemed iridescent in the early dawn light. "We should be able to take a straight shot northwest and still make it by sunset, which is when the meeting is set to start."

Everyone nodded in acknowledgement. Just as Aria was catching her breath, the first guard, Clem, took flight. Her parents followed right behind him. Clem's short, dark hair and brown leathers rapidly shrunk as he made quick work of the takeoff. The other guard, Hyla—a tall and muscular Zephyrian woman—gestured to Aria to get moving. Apparently Hyla was bringing up the rear.

Aria summoned a gust of wind to help her get off the ground and into the sky, aligning herself behind the draft of her mother. It was the most efficient way to fly as a group: the strongest flyer at the lead—or a guard to scout for danger, in this case—followed by the rest of the group who could benefit from the draft created by the others to take some stress off of their wings and keep up their endurance for the long flight ahead.

The fae were strong flyers, but their wings were meant to provide an advantage during battle or fleeing a danger, not really made to be airborne for long spans of time or distance. Ideally, they could have made the trek over a few days, but it was risky for the fae royalty to be gone from the protection of the castle for extended periods of time. So, instead, they settled on doing single-day flights to minimize exposure.

Aria settled into the rhythm set by those ahead of her and adjusted her pack that was situated between her wings into a more comfortable position. They passed over the Zephyr citadel square where quite a few fae were gathered in groups enjoying the pleasant early morning weather. Some even waved as they passed overhead, recognizing the royal family from below. Aria waved back with a smile, as she was taught to do from the minute she was born, the reaction instinctive now.

The birth of the first heir to the Joined Allarian throne had brought celebration after celebration to their kingdom. Nearly every year, they threw her a birthday party at the castle, something she'd dreaded every single time because of the endless ogling and sniveling from other fae nobility.

She'd finally thrown a fit during her tenth birthday and told her parents she refused to come out of her room unless everyone left the grounds. They wisely didn't try again after that. The corner of Aria's mouth kicked up at the memory.

As they followed the river northwest toward the Solstice Sanctum, the homes of the city residents began to spread further apart until the only scenery that laid ahead of them was a vast expanse of fields, broken up by the occasional village that usually only consisted of a few humble one-room homes and sometimes a shop or a fountain in their central gathering space.

The number and size of these smaller settlements had grown significantly in the century following the Joining, with many families moving closer to their rulers, believing it safer to live near the authority that could offer them protection, should they need it.

Many Erdanean fae had just moved directly to the citadel, but without the infrastructure to support the influx of people, it became crowded and overpopulated. So those who arrived and couldn't find places to live began moving their families out to the little communities that were eager to welcome additional faces and the resources they brought with them.

The sun had reached its peak by the time Aria's father called back to them that it was time to take a break as they neared one of those settlements ahead. Thank the gods , Aria thought, her bladder close to bursting.

"Welcome to my home village!" Clem bellowed from ahead of her as they landed, beaming with endearing pride. He ran a hand through his windblown hair, the brown sprigs shooting in every direction. "I figured this would be a good place to stop since it's about halfway. My family lives just ahead, and they already know to expect us."

Eager to rest her wings and relieve herself, Aria was thrilled that within a few short minutes, a modest cottage greeted them with tufts of moss and flowers lining the two front windows. It was no castle, but it was beautifully quaint, she thought.

Clem opened the door to two fae, one embroidering at a table and the other attending to something in a pot over the fire.

"My boy!" the one at the fire chirped in delight, clasping her hands together and dropping her spoon into whatever she was stirring, unable to greet Clem fast enough. She bolted straight into his open arms. "Oh, it's so good to see you in one piece. It's been too long!" she gushed.

"Good to see you, Ma," Clem said, releasing her to look at her face before glancing in the direction of the other fae, a wide smile spread across his face. "What, is my own parent too good for a hug?"

The tall, masculine-featured fae with blonde hair and Clem's same freckles set their embroidery down and rose to greet their son, returning his smile.

"Had to finish my stitch," they said, embracing Clem in a tight squeeze. "We were so thrilled to get your letter. I hope you all have time for some soup and bread," they said, gesturing to the pot now threatening to boil over from being left unattended.

"Oh!" Clem's mother rushed back to the pot, frantically grabbing another spoon from the hearth to search for the one she'd dropped into the bubbling liquid.

Clem laughed, unphased, ushering the group into the small seating area as they all vanished their wings to fit through the narrow threshold. "Your Majesties, I'm pleased to introduce you to my parents, Grenna from Erdane, and Biv from Zephyr."

Grenna, frazzled, offered a quick curtsy, "Apologies for the informal greeting, Your Majesties—Biv, a little help here!"

Biv brought in a breeze from the open windows, streaming it over the pot to help lower the temperature of the liquid which was now spilling over the top.

Queen Joyen let out an earnest laugh, "Do not apologize, we are grateful for your hospitality."

"Please, please sit!" Biv gestured to the table and pulled out a chair for the queen. Grenna began ladling the soup into carved wooden bowls and passing them around to her guests.

"I'm sorry, it's not much—" Biv started .

"Please," Joyen stopped them with a kind smile. "It's delightful. Just what we needed to sustain us on our flight."

Biv's head lowered humbly before casting a forlorn look at Clem. "We're just grateful to see our boy." It was obvious Clem's parents were incredibly proud that he had risen to assume one of just two lead guard seats on the Royal Assembly, the elite group of advisors to the king and queen.

As the small talk subsided and spoons scraped against empty bowls, the king announced their departure. "We thoroughly appreciate the meal. You've raised a good boy," he added softly. Grenna and Biv both beamed at the compliment.

It was more kindness than Aria had seen from him in a while. Both Joyen and Arach's postures and tones were vastly different than they'd been this morning, their royal facades firmly in place. Watching them for nearly three decades must have been the reason she'd been able to put on her own mask the previous night with the protestors.

The group made their way out the door, offering Clem a moment of privacy to say goodbye. As Aria stepped through the threshold, she heard Grenna whisper something about shifters.

"You're safe," Clem assured them. "We've got a guard station not far from here, don't worry." Aria bent down to check the contents of her pack, stalling at the door.

Biv's voice was low, but she could make out the end of their sentence, "—the Unifiers, won't the shifters want to retaliate?"

"You have nothing to worry about. I promise," he said before wrapping them both in a hug. With a guard's grueling schedule, it wasn't often he got to come back home. She could feel the pain in his voice that he had to leave them.

Aria glanced at Hyla, who watched the farewell with longing in her face. Her dark skin creased along her forehead. "How long has it been since you've seen your family?" Aria asked the guard, who quickly shook the emotion from her face.

"Too long," Hyla muttered softly, adjusting her pack. Aria's heart sank at the candid admission. Maybe she would talk to her parents about allowing them more leave.

"Ready?" Clem asked, finally joining the rest of the group out front. Steadying himself with a sigh, Clem launched into the air, everyone else following suit. He didn't look back.

***

"Who am I carrying?" Luka said with a tired snarl as he approached the three members of the Legion Council gathered near the entrance of the Academy. Like everyone else, Luka had been dreading this day. And on top of that, he'd gotten no sleep, so he was keen on getting to the Solstice Sanctum as soon as possible in the hopes he'd have time to rest before the scheduled meeting.

Unfortunately for him, his mother was not sympathetic. Shara Glacius, Head General of the Legion Council—and Luka's mother—snapped her head in his direction with her signature look that reminded him to watch his tone. "You'll ride with General Brune. General Falden is with me."

General Dariel Brune was a wolf shifter, General Acasia Falden a panther. They were both incredibly powerful in their animal forms, but it was much faster for them to ride on the backs of the dragons than run along below them. Especially now that General Brune was getting older and slower—though no one dared to remind him of that fact.

"Great. Hop on, General," Luka directed at the bald man to his right, his lightly graying beard trimmed short against his wrinkled brown skin. Dariel had a reputation for being a bit strange, but Luka had known him his entire life. The wolf and his husband had become like grandparents to Luka over the years. It was nice to have that presence in his life considering he'd lost his father at such a young age. Any other time, he would have been happy to see General Brune. But right now, there was no hiding the loathing he felt toward the day's agenda.

Luka walked away from the group, making space for him to shift into his dragon form. He was the largest, by far, of all the dragons, apparently taking after his father who had struck fear in even the most powerful shifters in Denover.

And every time Luka shifted, he wished he could have experienced a full-grown flight alongside his father. Just once. The sight of the two of them together in the skies would have been enough to cower all of Wren.

He shook off the thought as his wings and tail sprouted, a line of thorns replacing the hair along his head and stretching down the entirety of his long neck. He morphed and stretched to full size with black scales covering his body like a second skin. The Fulgara family scales always ranged from gray to black, while most other families typically wore shades of brown and green, aside from his mother's family that donned white. It was one of the Fulgaras' defining characteristics, granting them camouflage against thunderous skies.

His mother shifted quickly after him, her silver scales catching the morning sun and reflecting the light around them. Once purely white like the rest of her family, she seemed to grow darker every time he saw her.

The power of the bond between his father and mother had altered their magic until she bore scales more closely resembling a Fulgara. Over time, his father's black scales would probably have dulled to a shade of gray. Blending of magic was rare, saved only for those with the strongest connections, and it always looked different for each of the bonds. At least for shifters, sometimes it was shown externally—like his parents' scales—or internally, with a change in the manifestation of powers. With the Fulgaras being the only dragons with any special powers, Luka wasn't sure if the change in his mother meant she was able to channel lightning like he could.

He hoped they never had to find out.

Luka lowered himself to the ground for General Brune to place a makeshift riding saddle on his back. The leather grated against the grain of his scales as the general slid it into place and he groaned a little at the discomfort. He didn't carry riders often, so he never got used to the feeling of the harness.

"Sorry, kid. I haven't done this since last year," Dariel apologized with a series of soft pats to Luka's side. He adjusted the straps before buckling it into place. "Better?" Luka huffed affirmatively.

Generals Brune and Falden hoisted themselves into riding position, securing straps around their hands and thighs, and the dragons took off. Luka's mother led the way to the Sanctum, General Falden's bouncy dark auburn curls flowing behind her.

It was hard not to appreciate the view of the terrain as they passed the northernmost lands of the Wolf Province and made their way over the Mere Mountains. Someone must have been playing a joke when they named them, because the expansive mountain range stretched along the entire eastern and southern sides of the Dragon Province, separating it from the rest of Denover and Allar.

In fact, they were tall enough that only the dragons were able to fly over the mountains. Fae were unable to reach the altitude required to clear the peaks. And trekking the mountains on foot was treacherous, even for shifters. It offered the Dragon Province added security and solace, but also cut them off from the rest of Denover—for better or worse—which is why dragons were much more solitary than most other shifters, who tended to move everywhere in packs.

Spending much of his life growing up in the Academy walls around others, Luka had picked up the pack mentality, which played a critical role in leading his Legion squadron effectively. And now his squad had become more like a family, which he was incredibly grateful for, considering his blood family was basically just his mother now.

"Hey, big guy," General Brune kicked Luka in the side, jarring him out of his reflections. "You're dropping awfully close to the peaks!"

Shit , Luka panicked and righted himself, bringing them level with his mother flying ahead. Snap out of it, he growled to himself .

Luka glanced back at the man on his back and offered a low grumble in apology. General Brune apparently understood and patted his scaly neck in forgiveness. For all his quirks, at least the man was kind.

The sun had not even reached its full height when they flew over the center of the Dragon Province. His family's castle neared below, just a small dot visible from where they flew. He almost wished they had planned a stop as he admired a few dragons flying low through the fortress training fields. Best to push through , he thought, craving the idea of a nap. That possibility was enough fuel to keep him going.

Before long, the dragons passed the heavily-guarded Sanctum River crossing point, stationed at the intersection of the three territories, and neared the blindingly white expanse of the Solstice Sanctum. They dropped slowly out of the sky to land outside the front entrance, the shiny silver gates that gleamed in the afternoon sun barring their entrance. Once Generals Falden and Brune had dismounted and removed the harnesses, the dragons shifted back to their mortal forms.

By that time, the gates had opened and one of the seers ushered them through and collected their weapons. As soon as they walked through the gates, Luka immediately felt his magic levels deplete. The worst part about this entire experience. Not only was he not allowed to use his magic, he actually couldn't, even if he tried. Mallium made sure of that.

"On Sanctum grounds, magic is prohibited by anyone but the seers. Your powers will be gone," his mother had reminded him ahead of his first trip to the gathering. "It's a… strange feeling. So be prepared."

Strange didn't cover it. It wasn't painful, necessarily, but he could only equate it to feeling like having your skin peeled away. Like losing an important part of yourself, leaving the rest of you terribly empty and exposed.

While losing magic during a stay at the Sanctum was a nuisance, it was also the only reason both shifters and fae felt safe journeying to meet there each year. Mallium's way of protecting his most dedicated acolytes from being threatened and forced to have visions for people against their will, meanwhile ensuring no violence broke out among guests—like the fae and shifter leaders who were forced to meet once a year.

Losing his magic was the final straw to his exhaustion. But to Luka's delight, they were shown to their rooms with enough time for him to get some much-needed rest. Thank the gods , he thought as he crashed into the small bed. He would need whatever respite he could manage for the evening ahead.