29

I have never been so proud of Serylla, and I've never felt less worthy of her than when she looks down at the defeated king and gives him those words of mercy.

I hate him. I'd sooner bite off his head than allow him a chance to change. But with that option taken from me, I will have to endure his existence.

"We'll have to imprison him somewhere," I say.

Hinarax arches his neck proudly. "I know just the place."

I dip my head in assent. "Then we should leave immediately. I want him out of Elekstan. The remainder of his forces will be more likely to yield once he is gone."

"Now wait a goddamn second, dragon," says the burly man Serylla hugged. "Our Princess—our Queen —has had a hell of a day, and before you take her anywhere else, she'll be eating a good, hearty meal."

"God yes," exclaims Serylla. "Please cook me something, Myron! I've been half-starved for weeks."

"You're a cook?" I ask the man .

He looks up at me, swallowing nervously. I suppose he's never been this close to a dragon. But his voice is strong when he replies, "Yes, I'm a cook."

"Very well. I shall bring you with us to Ouroskelle. You will cook for my Queen, and for the women there."

The man's jaw drops, but Serylla hurries to say, "He's joking, Myron. Of course he's joking, aren't you, Kyreagan?"

She glares at me intently until I chuff out smoke and say grudgingly, "Of course. It was a joke."

Serylla keeps an eye on me as she uncorks the vial Aeris gave her and downs the contents. "How am I supposed to know if it worked?"

"You could test it," says Rahzien abruptly. "Cut off my head, see if hers falls off too. That's your preferred form of execution, isn't it, Spider? How appropriate that your mother died the same way."

"He's baiting you," says Meridian coolly. "Ignore him. In fact, does anyone have a gag? I have one, but it's a ball gag and it's my favorite, so I'd rather not waste it on the likes of him."

A couple of the servants produce strips of cloth for gagging Rahzien, a process which Serylla watches with satisfaction before the servants hustle her off to be fed. Meridian is escorted inside to rest until he can be tended by a healer. Odrash, Kehanal, and Aeris enter the palace as well, to assist with the final sweep of all the rooms to root out any remaining Vohrainian soldiers.

Meanwhile, Hinarax and I withdraw to the edge of the courtyard opposite the prisoners, where we can speak without being overheard.

"Thank you for bringing the clan," I say quietly. "Your arrival was perfectly timed."

"That was no accident," he replies. "We reached the area last night and went to the rebels' caves first, where I spoke to Norril. He said a plan was in the works for disabling many of the Vohrainians' guns, and that we must wait for the next morning before attacking, to give the soldiers time to switch to the new ammunition."

"How did the clan fare in our absence? As Serylla and I were flying over the city, I noticed many of our brothers seemed to falter in flight, and their fire streams were thinner than usual."

"That's why I couldn't return sooner," Hinarax replies. "When I arrived on Ouroskelle, I found the clan suffering the lingering effects of the poison. A hunting party had gone to the Middenwold Isles shortly after you and I left, and they brought back plenty of prey for everyone. All the dragons consumed the meat. When they began to sicken, Thelise tested some of their blood and discovered it was magically toxic, full of a poison designed to be lethal for dragonkind. Because we were part human, we didn't die."

"She saved us," I murmur. "If Thelise hadn't enchanted us like she did, we'd have been wiped out entirely."

"Ironic, isn't it?" Hinarax replies. "It's enough to make one believe in Fate, I swear. Most of the dragons were able to shift into human form and avoid the worst of the symptoms, but when they had to switch back to dragon form, they became very ill. When I arrived, many of them were weak from lack of food. The women did their best to care for each dragon, but sometimes it was beyond their ability. So I had to spend time finding enough food for everyone and seeing them through the last of the sickness. As soon as enough of us were able to travel, we came to help."

"What of Ashvelon?" I ask. "I haven't seen him among the others. Did he stay behind?"

"He and Thelise came with us, but she said she had a ‘separate mission,' something along the coast. I have no idea what she meant by that. But they promised to join us as soon as they can. "

"Perhaps we'll meet them on the way back. As soon as Serylla is ready, I intend to take Rahzien elsewhere. You said you had a location in mind?"

Hinarax chuckles. "The Ashmount."

"The Ashmount… of course! It's perfect."

"I know."

I chuckle. "And your little trick—teaching Rahzien's bird that message and sending him back with false information—that was brilliant. It put him off his guard."

"Gave us the benefit of surprise." Hinarax flares his wings. "I wish I could have seen his face when we burst out of the sky!"

"I saw it. He was as astonished as if he'd sprouted a tail himself."

"Glorious." Hinarax swivels his head around to look at Rahzien, who kneels on the cobblestones in chains, with the gag in his mouth. "Strange, isn't it, that we helped him conquer this place, and then helped to free it from his rule?"

"Beyond strange," I admit. "And it's all because of the women we took. I thought we would change them, yet they have changed us, in more ways than we can even understand. The entire course of our future and theirs has been altered."

Hinarax hums his agreement, deep in his throat.

"And you?" I eye him sidelong. "You and the rogue?"

He tosses his head, glances away. "Our story is unfolding."

"Fair enough." I hesitate, then add gruffly, "I wish you joy with him. I think you're a match."

"Perhaps we are." He looks far more serious than usual. "Time will tell."

I arch my wings and toss my head. "While I take Rahzien to his new home, perhaps you could remain with Meridian and oversee the clan while we help Elekstan drive out their conquerors, as we promised?"

Hinarax's eyes glow brighter. "If my prince trusts me with such a great task. "

"You've been by my side for all of this. I would trust you with anything. Well… perhaps not anything , but most things. Some things… a few things…"

He laughs. "I'll take it."

I want to ask him about Varex. My brother's absence is notable, and it worries me. He wasn't himself when I left Ouroskelle. But there's a strange dread in my heart when I start to speak of him, a reluctance to know the truth. If something is wrong with Varex, I'm not sure I can bear to hear it now. I'll wait until Serylla and I are back on Ouroskelle, until we've seen our eggs. Then I can seek out my brother and make sure he's well.

"What shall we do with the other Vohrainians?" Hinarax asks. "Burn them?"

"Perhaps." I survey the shivering, bloodied group of soldiers in the courtyard. "Or perhaps carry them over the border and drop them into Vohrain. Not from too high, of course."

"Fly low and drop them." Hinarax nods. "Understood."

I'm glad I didn't suggest burning the prisoners alive, because an hour later, two Elekstan healers show up, claiming they have orders from the Princess to heal the captives. They are rather reluctant purveyors of her mercy, and they claim they can't regenerate the hands or arms lost to exploding weapons. But they staunch the wounds and seal the residual limbs with smooth skin.

Shortly afterward, Serylla emerges from the palace wearing the same white dress and silver crown, with two satchels slung around her body. She walks up to me and pats my shoulder, a sign that she wants to climb on my back. Without a word passing between us, I understand that she is done with all of this. She's weary, she's emotionally exhausted, and it's time for me to take her home.

I say a brief farewell to Hinarax and Meridian, with the assurance that I'll return tomorrow or the next day. With Serylla on my back and Rahzien in my claws, I soar away from the palace. The stormclouds above the Capital are growing darker and heavier, and I want to be gone from here before the winds rise and the rain falls. My first priority is Serylla, and my second is our common enemy. I need to put Rahzien somewhere he can't do harm, and then I need to take my life-mate to our cave, where she can rest and recover from her ordeal.

We're nearing the coastline when I spot Ashvelon's bulk and his serpentine neck in the distance. I swerve in his direction, and within seconds I can make out Thelise, clinging to his back.

They change directions and fly alongside us.

"Are you alright?" Thelise calls to Serylla.

"I will be," she answers.

"Catch!" Thelise flings a small object through the air. By the shift of Serylla's body astride my neck, I assume she caught it.

"What's in this?" she yells back to Thelise.

"I figured you could use a drink. Where are you headed with him ?" She points to Rahzien. "Going to drop him in the sea?"

"We can't," Serylla replies. "My life is bound to his."

"Oh fuck." Thelise cups a hand over her mouth, then says, "We'll come with you. I need to hear this."