Chapter 21

The Expanse, The Gullington, Scotland, United Kingdom

A faint crack appeared on the surface of the egg. It was a hairline fracture that quickly spread, webbing out across the shimmering scales. The crowd drew in a collective breath, their sounds merging with the crackling energy that now filled the air. Gen's heart hammered in her chest, every fear, every doubt silenced by the overwhelming awe of the moment.

The egg trembled. The cracks widened. Fragments of shell began to fall away. Light, pure and radiant, spilled from the openings, bathing Gen in a glow that felt as though it emanated from the very heart of the Earth. Her dragon was coming, breaking free from his prison of a shell—about to take his first breath. This would be his initial sight of the real world through his own eyes.

Gen, standing alone yet surrounded by a host of witnesses, found herself on the precipice of the unknown. Her life was intertwined with that of a creature of legend. As the egg continued to crack, revealing glimpses of the being within, she realized that this was not just the hatching of a dragon but the birth of a new chapter in her own story. It was a chapter filled with adventures and challenges, with bonds that would transcend time.

Her dragon was coming. And with his arrival, everything would change.

When the massive dragon egg started to fall away from the being within, Gen backed up, so as not to be crushed by the casing. She saw a wing. A horn. A deep purple that reflected the outside of the shell.

No one said a word. No one made a sound. Gen simply stared, unblinking as the majestic beast freed himself from his confines.

Like with all creatures in this world, we arrive alone — forging our own path and she simply knew that there was no breaking her dragon free. He must do that on his own.

When the last of the shell had fallen to the ground, the dragon was revealed and then not really. His form could be seen, but he was hunched over, exactly as he'd been in the shell. With his head down and his wings folded into his body, he looked so small to Gen. But still, he was over ten feet tall, all bundled up.

Holding her breath, Gen took a step forward. The dragon stirred, like waking from a long dream. For a moment, Gen thought that more of his shell was breaking away because a loud crack rang through the air. But all of the shell lay around the dragon. And the sound was from a bolt of lightning that shot through the sky as clouds moved in, blanketing the sky in darkness.

In a matter of seconds, like it was a solar eclipse, the Expanse was covered in darkness. It was the strangest thing that Gen had ever experienced, to have the heavens turn black in a matter of seconds and storm clouds brew overhead. The foreboding essence of that stirred all around her as the crowd tensed with an energy that was palpable. Gen, in the darkness, could make out the worried expressions of those around her as they looked up to the darkened sky. But she wasn't sure how she could see so well or why her hearing had suddenly heightened or why everything about her was abruptly intensified.

And then, the dragon brought his massive head up and looked straight into her eyes and Gen knew. She looked into the golden eyes of the magical creature before her, and she saw things she never thought possible. Gen saw the dawning of the planets when Mama Jamba created the solar system. She saw the spark of time when Papa Creola started the clocks. She saw history through the ages. Gen felt the chi of the dragon and she knew that it was not just connected to her anymore, but it was a part of her. And she also knew who her dragon was.

Standing back, Gen took in the full appearance of the violet dragon before her. His wingspan was simply incredible as he extended his reach, shaking them out for the first time. He was the size of a small cottage, and his wings made him well over twenty yards wide. But he was also slender and had a grace about him as he folded the appendages back into his body and brought down his head to peer deep into Gen's eyes.

"I've known you for all of your life," the dragon spoke, both in her head, like so many times before. But he also spoke out loud, his voice echoing across the plains, making all lean forward with intense curiosity. "Are you my one true rider? Do you know me? If so, then you must know my name. If you do, then I will forever be bonded to you, our lives will be one for as long as we both shall live."

Gen brought her hands to her mouth, as if in prayer. Her eyes filled with tears. She wasn't on the verge of crying because of fears that she wouldn't know his name. She was overflowing with emotion because she knew it and it was beyond anything she could have imagined. She never asked for this. Never thought it was possible. And yet, she'd been awarded a destiny unimaginable.

"I know your name and it is the same as your title," she said bowing slightly to her dragon. "You are the ruler over all dragons. The very first to spawn. The last to hatch. And the most powerful one which will ever exist. You, my dragon, are known as Emperor."

And then in unison, everyone around Gen dropped down to one knee. Every rider. Every dragon. Everyone, including Mother Nature and Father Time. They all bowed to the dragon that was meant to rule over the world—Genevieve Beaufont's dragon—Emperor.