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Chapter 1

The clink of blade against blade snapped me out of my deep sleep, and I sat straight up. Then I looked around with blurry eyes and tried to figure out where I was.

The sofa under me was familiar, and images of bare sapphire skin beneath my fingertips warmed my body as my heart pounded in my chest.

This was Skye’s living room, and I’d marked her as one of my lovers on this couch. I must have fallen asleep here after I’d talked with her mother after dinner, and I blinked a few times as I realized the sun now peeked in through the crimson curtains over the window.

So, the sword fighting I heard was likely Skye and her brother, Rocco, having another of their duels. On one hand, I was glad they weren’t having any real duels considering Rocco’s surprise appearance at his sister’s front door. On the other hand, I really wanted to get some sleep.

“Oh, good, you’re awake!” Trina’s chipper voice pierced through the remaining haze of my sleep.

“Mostly,” I muttered as I turned to see the dryad in the doorway of the living room. “What’s going on?”

“We started making breakfast, but everyone else is outside,” her sister Polina said.

“Skye and Rocco have been playing some sword game for hours,” the other dryad sister Marina added with a smirk.

The emerald-skinned sisters wore slim golden robes that drifted to their slender calves and highlighted their dark-green tresses. My dry mouth quickly began to water at the sight of them, but then the smell of their morning endeavors wafted from the kitchen to the living room where I’d taken my impromptu sleep, and my stomach rumbled.

“I’ve never known you three to cook much,” I said with a grin.

“You’ve only tested some of our skills, Lord Evan,” Polina snickered and stuck out her tongue.

A few of their skills began to reappear in my memory when Miraya waltzed down the stairs with each of her spirit sisters on her elbows. Her nearly transparent robe was wrapped around her curvaceous figure, and her white hair fell over her shoulders and spilled down to her lower back. The spirit of the Sword of Hatra had a dazzling smile on her ethereal face as she chatted with Juniper and Aine, and I stood up to walk with them into the dining room.

Juniper was the gorgeous redheaded spirit of the Sword of Youth, and her green eyes seemed brighter every day she spent with her sisters. Aine was the spirit of Nike’s sword, the Sword of Light, and her flaxen hair was twisted back into several braids that twirled around her head as she laughed.

“My lord, I hope you slept well on the sofa,” Miraya giggled. “Though I think many of us were disappointed you didn’t make it upstairs.”

“I barely remember falling asleep,” I admitted as my cheeks warmed. “I would have preferred to be with you.”

“Skye would have woken you very early,” Juniper pointed out. “She and Rocco could hardly wait to go practice this morning. Perhaps it’s better you were able to get more rest. I believe we have a difficult journey ahead.”

“We might,” I said with a grimace. “I have a feeling it won’t be quite as easy to find the right woman for the bond once we leave Rahma.”

I’d spent the past couple weeks looking for fellow Nobles of the Sword, so I could bond with a female who carried the bloodline ability. We used the Redimi Vincio ceremony, a blood-binding ritual that allowed me to access the noble’s power and use it to close the Breach, which had to be done before the demons escaped the underworld. I’d tried once before to close it, but even with my powerful wife’s bond, I soon realized I’d need more power behind the spell. After a few conversations with a god, I discovered I needed the power boost from performing the Redimi Vincio ceremony with multiple powerful Nobles of the Sword. This was the only way to save Rahma and everything else that would be affected by the Breach.

“Are you worried your diplomatic skills won’t be able to win everyone over?” Alyona teased as she walked in the back door with Laika close behind her.

My wife was the princess of Rahma, as well as a ridiculously skilled priestess. Her stark-white hair flowed nearly to her trim waist with black forelocks that framed her porcelain face. Her hand drifted down to her nearly flat belly, and a surge of pride rushed through my bones as I imagined our son growing in her womb.

“At least they’re improving,” I scoffed playfully before I hurried across the room, effortlessly lifted her up above my head, and kissed her belly. “And by the time this little guy is born, I’ll be able to teach him everything I know.”

“Put me down,” Alyona giggled as she kicked her feet.

“That idea is only slightly terrifying, my lord,” Laika laughed and laced her fingers through Alyona’s. “Your battle skills are great. Just focus on those.”

The wolf Demi-Human’s furry gray ears twitched with amusement as she watched me with her steely eyes. Her gray hair was twisted back into a long braid that grazed the top of her tight leather pants, and her ever-present broadsword was strapped to her back. She was built like a warrior, which made sense for the leader of the Blue Tree Guild. She’d led a group of soldiers into countless missions and battles until she’d decided to go with Alyona and me on our adventures.

My quick-witted response was cut off as Skye, Isabella, Rocco, and Nike strode in through the back door.

“See, I totally could have won the duel,” Skye said as she shouldered her brother with a grin.

Skye was half-naiad, half-Nepin, and the newest Noble of the Sword. Her chestnut hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her chocolate-turquoise eyes glittered with excitement. She wore a white robe that stopped mid-thigh to reveal her sculpted legs and tapered perfectly to her narrow figure, and her sapphire skin glistened with sweat as she tucked the Sword of Youth into the root scabbard the dryads had made for her.

“Yeah, right!” Rocco laughed and nudged her back. “I would’ve had you!”

Rocco was a Nakken, and he’d shown up only two days ago to announce he and Skye shared the same father, which meant they also shared the bloodline ability to become the Noble of the Sword of Youth. At first, he was an ass, but since he’d gotten to know Skye, he’d proven himself to be a decent person who had just been lost and maybe a little brainwashed by their uncle.

It turned out their father’s brother believed Skye couldn’t be a worthy Noble of the Sword because she was a woman, and he’d sent Rocco to challenge her for the sword. I’d taken her place in the duel as a fellow Noble of the Sword, and I’d spared Rocco’s life, so Skye could spend time with him.

“Gods, that food smells good!” Skye declared as she looked around the dining room. “Is it ready? I’m starving!”

“I think your early-morning duel could be the reason for your hunger,” Isabella said with a smile, and her bright-blue eyes glittered with amusement as she watched Skye’s reaction to her statement. “You’ve been practicing for nearly two hours already.”

Isabella was a Nepin as well, though she shared all the features of the fairy-like race. Her sapphire skin was dappled with gold, silver, and black tattoos in the customary Nepin patterns, and her silver wings were tucked against her back, though I could picture the opalescent glimmer they had when she stood in the sunlight.

“Really?” Skye’s eyes widened in surprise. “It didn’t feel like it.”

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” I chuckled. “I’m glad you’re enjoying the time with your brother.”

“Me, too,” Rocco said as he looked down at his feet. “I’m very lucky to get to share this time with you before you leave.”

“Don’t worry,” Skye assured him. “I’ll still keep in touch with you. And with my mother. Where is she, anyway?”

“Ah, she said she wanted to prepare for your departure,” Alyona said with a grimace. “I’m not sure what she meant.”

“Oh, gods, she’s packing,” Skye groaned. “I’ll be right back.”

She rushed upstairs, and the rest of us looked at each other in amusement before we sat down at the table. A few minutes later, the dryads began to serve what looked like a salad with more green leaves than I’d ever put on my plate in my life, though a few pieces of some warm meat and fried egg were sprinkled among the greenery.

“Enjoy!” Polina squeaked as she passed out forks.

I took an apprehensive bite of the breakfast salad and was pleasantly surprised at the variety of flavors that exploded on my tongue. The leaves were not the typical plain lettuce I was expecting. Instead, they were almost nutty in their flavor, and they were filled with some kind of sweet liquid that trickled across my taste buds as I chewed.

“Wow,” I murmured before I took another bite.

“The dragon approves,” Trina said with a grin.

“You should cook more often,” I replied and winked.

The dryads giggled, and everyone ate the delicious breakfast in near-silence until Skye and her mother made their way downstairs. I noticed Skye didn’t carry any sort of luggage, but I avoided commenting on it when I noticed Carmen’s flushed face.

The older Nepin woman somehow managed to have a pink tint to her indigo skin as she followed her daughter into the dining room and sat down with silent grace. She picked up her fork and dove into the salad without a word, and we all looked around as though waiting for someone else to speak.

“Lovely breakfast,” Alyona finally said as she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” Marina replied with a wide smile. “We’re glad you liked it, milady.”

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Rocco said in a soft voice. “I appreciate the meal. I was rather hungry after my sister tried to win our battle this morning.”

“Tried!” Skye scoffed and pointed her fork at him. “I definitely had you.”

“You wish!” he laughed. “I hope you’ll be coming back to visit, so I can keep testing your skills. I have a feeling they’ll continue to grow on your journey.”

“Oh, we’ll be training her a lot, too,” Laika chimed in with a wink. “She’ll be ready to take you on before you know it.”

“So, you’d better get ready,” Skye said as she stuck out her tongue at her brother.

Rocco laughed, and Skye’s mother watched their exchange with a mixture of emotions on her face. I knew Carmen was apprehensive about Skye going with us, but after she’d revealed her warrior past, I knew the older Nepin would support her daughter.

Carmen tucked her silvery hair behind her ear as she looked over and saw me watching her, and she offered a grim smile before she nodded and turned to Skye.

“I’m sure you’re well on your way to becoming a formidable opponent,” she said carefully. “You’re already a warrior, as far as I can see.”

“That means a lot, Mother.” Skye’s brown and turquoise eyes filled with tears. “I’ll come see you as often as I can.”

“And I can help her send messages any time we’re gone for a while,” I offered. “We have some magical ways to do it.”

“I would appreciate that, Lord Evan,” Carmen replied and looked down at her half-empty bowl. “It will be odd not having Skye here all the time.”

“I could come visit sometimes,” Rocco said suddenly.

We all turned to stare at the Nakken in surprise.

“You would… do that?” Carmen asked with wide eyes. “For me?”

“Yes,” Rocco confirmed, and he lifted his chin as he stared the Nepin woman in the eyes. “You’re much more than Rafael told me, and I’ll be setting the record straight when I return to the lake, but you’re also my sister’s mother, and you matter to her, so you matter to me. If you’d like, I’ll be happy to come by every week or so and check in on you.”

“Thank you, Rocco!” Skye gushed as she jumped up and hugged him. “That would mean so much to me!”

“Anything for my… family,” he said in a soft, halting voice.

Carmen smiled and nodded her agreement to the Nakken’s offer, and I felt better about having Rocco come to see her regularly, especially since I had no way of knowing when Skye would be able to come back to visit.

“Then it’s settled,” I declared with a grin. “We need to leave soon, Skye. Are you taking anything?”

“Just a couple things,” she said. “I’ll be right back!”

The naiad-Nepin took off upstairs, and I heard a few bangs and crashes before she returned with a small satchel wrapped around her body.

“Okay,” I chuckled. “Let’s get going.”

Skye ran to her mother, and the two embraced as they talked to each other in soft voices. I could have listened in with my enhanced dragon hearing, but I had no desire to intrude on their mother-daughter moment. The rest of us said goodbye to Rocco, and then we each had our turn with Carmen as Skye moved onto her brother.

Even though they’d only met a couple days ago, Skye and Rocco had already formed a tight bond. I grew up as an only child, but I compared it to the brotherhood I shared with Nike, and I could almost relate.

Lord Nikolaus was a fellow Noble of the Sword, and when we’d first met, he challenged me to a fight. I was surprised at the time, but now I understood him better, and I knew he just wanted to see if I was a warrior like him. We’d become fast friends, and now he was my brother-in-arms as we battled to close the Breach.

I glanced over at him, and the raven-haired noble seemed to be thinking the same thing I was because he flashed me a smile. It would be difficult to separate us for a long period of time, and we weren’t even related by blood.

After a few minutes, Skye wiped a stray tear from her cheek and waved to her family before she headed for the front door. We stepped out behind her, and Alyona quietly began to open the portal that would take us back to Hatra.

“Wait!” Skye grabbed my arm. “What about Isabella’s parents? She can’t leave without saying goodbye!”

“I went to their house last night,” Isabella assured her with a smile. “I told them we were leaving early this morning.”

“Okay,” the naiad-Nepin sighed with relief. “Now we can go.”

“Good,” I chuckled. “Let’s go.”

Alyona finished the portal, and after one last wave goodbye, our group stepped through the magical doorway that led us back to my home city of Hatra. The city was buzzing with movement, though the citizens who walked by us offered bows and curtsies before they continued with their business. I was thrilled to see Hatra had continued to thrive, even as we went on our missions outside the city walls.

I strode toward the Lunar Palace, and I couldn’t help but smile as I saw Skye from the corner of my eye. Her mouth was wide-open while she tried to soak in everything going on around us. Not only were our buildings more ornate than the cabin-style buildings of Yrosa, but we had more than just one race of people within the city. Yrosa was made up of only Nepins, and Skye had been the only exception as a half-naiad.

Here, we had Demi-Humans of many kinds, Mesics, Asurans, and who knew what else in every corner of the city. We’d become a melting pot of sorts, and I loved seeing the variety of people who’d made Hatra their home.

As we walked inside the palace, a grin stretched across my face. Julia, Emma, Valerra, Aaliyah, Rebecca, Ravi, and Naomi were seated around the great hall, and their conversation immediately ceased when they saw us walk in.

“Lord Evan!” Ravi squealed as she jumped up and ran over to give me a hug.

The phoenix’s fiery orange hair filled my nose with the aroma of a campfire as she wrapped her slender arms around me, and her blue eyes glimmered with unshed tears when she looked up at me and smiled.

“Why are you crying?” I whispered before I leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’m just so happy to see you and finally meet Skye,” Ravi murmured. “I sensed her join us, so it’s kind of like I know her already, but it’s not the same.”

“I totally understand,” Skye said with a smile. “I’ve been dying to meet the rest of you!”

“And we have been waiting for you.” My dragon mate, Valerra, sauntered forward to introduce herself. Her wild red hair had been tamed into a bun, and a ruby-studded golden hair clip adorned the top of her head. She was stunning in a bright-red dress that draped the tops of her feet, and she greeted Skye with a warmth that was reserved for my lovers. The lady dragon was typically more likely to welcome someone with a column of fire than a hug, but she loved her sisters of the heart.

“I’ve been so excited to meet you!” Aaliyah purred as she gripped Skye’s hand.

Aaliyah was a lion Demi-Human and a fierce warrior who wasn’t afraid to hunt someone down and tear them to shreds when necessary. Her long golden hair was pleated down her back to her waist, and her golden eyes were alight with excitement.

“Me, too,” Rebecca agreed with a grin.

My muscular bear Demi-Human lover wrapped Skye up in a warm hug, and her chestnut eyes focused on the naiad-Nepin with apparent love. Her chestnut hair had been twisted into a braid like Aaliyah’s, and I smiled at their growing connection to each other.

“How did the mission go?” Laika asked Naomi.

I’d nearly forgotten about the Blue Tree Guild’s rescue mission into the jungle, which had continued longer than anyone thought it would. A handful of people had gone missing, but even after being rescued, they hadn’t been able to tell anyone what had happened to them. In fact, they’d fallen into some kind of coma and hadn’t been able to tell anyone anything.

“Ah, we haven’t had much success,” the lizard Demi-Human admitted, and her forked tongue flickered out of her mouth in a gesture of annoyance.

Naomi was also a mage, and even though she’d taught herself most of what she knew, she’d already become powerful in her own right. Her magenta hair was cut into a blunt bob at her jaw, and matching cherry-colored scales decorated her skin from her throat down to the skin beneath her black robes. Her beautiful face was marked with a scar from her forehead to her cheekbone, but she’d already dealt justice to the man who’d given it to her.

“What’s wrong?” Alyona asked.

“None of our memory spells seem to be working,” Julia said with a frown. “The whole group is still comatose.”

“And we’ve tried at least a dozen different spells,” Naomi added.

“Where are they now?” I asked.

“They’re on the airship with Pyotr,” Ravi explained. “We decided to take a break and wait for you to return.”

“Plus, we all wanted to meet Skye,” Emma added and winked at me.

My adopted mother, Julia, and my Aunt Emma turned to each other and laughed as though they shared an inside joke. The two seemed to be getting along well, and I was happy to see my family from both worlds had meshed together well. My aunt had been a maternal figure for me on Earth for many years, while Julia adopted me as her son within a few months of my arrival on Inati. She and my adoptive father Ruslan taught me more about myself and my magic than I could have ever figured out on my own, and I was eternally grateful to be a part of their family.

“Wait, where’s Pops?” I asked as I realized Ruslan wasn’t with them.

“Ah, he’s in the fields,” Julia replied, and her frown deepened. “Afra said they were having some issues with a few of the crops, so he went to check it out.”

“Nike and I can go help him out,” I said. “I think I can help.”

“Not the dryads?” my mother asked with raised eyebrows.

“I’ve learned a few tricks I’d like to try,” I chuckled. “Besides, I think a few of my ladies could use a tour of the palace. I’ll have to get Azra and Raisa back to Hatra soon for some additions.”

The Leyte architects had been crucial in designing and rebuilding Hatra, and I was sorry to see them leave once their projects had been completed. They’d gone onto a few other projects around Rahma, but I fully intended to ask them to return and make rooms for my newest women.

“Great idea, my love,” Alyona agreed. “Come, ladies, let’s go get some ideas for new rooms.”

As my lovers trailed after my wife, Nike and I turned to walk out of the Lunar Palace and head for the fields. I waved to several people as we walked toward the edge of the city, and I felt a sense of pride as I watched everyone working hard at their jobs.

Metal workers pounded out weapons and utensils, bakers gathered ingredients, and other tradesmen and women hustled and bustled around us. The best part wasn’t how productive they were, but rather the fact that everyone wore a smile as they did it. They weren’t mindless worker bees buzzing through their daily routine. They were people who genuinely enjoyed what they did and contributed to Hatra.

“There he is!” Ruslan called out as we approached the edge of the field. “My son and Lord Nikolaus have returned!”

“Hey, Pops,” I chuckled and scooped the fox Demi-Human into a hug.

A few people had commented on a dragon having a fox for a dad and a human for a mom, but no one questioned an adoption that was blessed by a goddess, so we hadn’t had too much to worry about.

“Lord Evan, it’s good to see you,” Afra said as she joined us with a smile, and the young fox Demi-Human tucked a stray blue hair behind her ear. “I hope your travels have been successful.”

Afra was in charge of the fields and crops in Hatra, and despite her age, she was fantastic at managing the main part of our food supply.

“So far, so good,” I replied and looked past her. “What’s going on over here?”

“Not much, unfortunately,” she answered as her smile faded. “These lilymelons aren’t doing a thing.”

Afra led us over to the area she and Ruslan had been studying and pointed to a flat section of dirt. It didn’t look like any plants had sprouted from the ground, and I couldn’t tell what exactly I was looking at.

“What are they supposed to do?” I asked.

“Well, grow, for starters,” Afra sighed. “I planted them when I planted those ramplestalks, but as you can see, these have done nothing. The ramplestalks are nearly a foot tall already.”

“Ah.” I glanced over at a series of small red sticks that stuck out a few feet away and then back to the flat dirt in front of us. “Have you tried growing anything else here?”

“No,” she said and shook her head. “I plan where everything’s going to grow months in advance. I don’t have anything in season to try right now.”

“What was planted here before?” I asked.

“Um, let me see,” Afra murmured as she consulted a small journal and flipped through the pages. “Aha, it was orange mulvens.”

“Of course!” Ruslan rubbed his temples and rolled his eyes. “They must have made the soil too acidic.”

“It would take months to clean the soil back up,” Afra sighed. “I suppose we’ll have to cordon off the area until it has cleansed itself.”

“Now, hold on,” I cut in with my hand raised. “If I can purify a valley from death and destruction, I think I can get rid of some acid.”

“This does seem much easier than what you did before,” Nike agreed with a half-smile.

“That sounds like a story I’d like to hear,” Ruslan chuckled and then waved his hand. “Well, go on. Do your thing.”

“Alright,” I said and cracked my knuckles dramatically. “Here we go.”

I squatted next to the acidic soil and pressed my fingers just under the surface. Then I closed my eyes and concentrated on the ground beneath my fingertips. The roots of every plant in the fields sang their happiness at our presence, and I had to focus on just the area I needed to heal.

The soil where the lilymelons were planted felt cold, and the seeds seemed to curl up inside their shells as I searched for the source of the acid. I soon found the deep-red acid pool about a foot below the topsoil, and I sent a wave of healing magic through the dirt to clean it out.

My glittering magic burst through the soil and surrounded the acid like antibodies destroying a virus. A few minutes later, the acid had dissipated, and lilymelon seeds seemed to creep out of their shells as though coming out of hiding. Then they sang with joy as I used my nature magic to encourage them to grow.

“Oh!” Afra gasped, and I opened my eyes to see bright-green vines burst from the soil. “Look at them go!”

I grinned as I rose to my feet and looked at the blooming lilymelons. The small pink melons had already begun to form along the thick green vine, and it seemed my healing and nature magic worked well together here, too. It was a lot easier than cleansing the entire valley in the Mihireti Mountains, but it had been almost as fulfilling to do something I knew would benefit my people here in Hatra.

“Will that work?” I asked Afra.

“Yes!” She grinned. “Thank you, my lord.”

“You’re very welcome,” I said with a wink. “Let me know if you need anything at all, Afra.”

She smiled and waved as Nike, Ruslan, and I headed back toward the palace.

“Alright, now I have to know what in the world you did before,” Ruslan chuckled. “Were you healing fields in Yrosa?”

“No, I did dig up part of their garden, though,” I laughed before I recounted the story of recovering the Sword of Youth. “She was excited when I brought her back to Skye. Of course, Skye barely had the sword before her half-brother showed up to challenge her for it.”

“She didn’t know she had a brother?” Ruslan gasped and covered his mouth. “How could that be?”

“It turned out her dad had an affair with a naiad,” I explained. “Skye is half naiad and half-Nepin, and her brother is a Nakken.”

“Incredible,” he exhaled. “So, you met her brother also? Did he take the sword?”

“No, Lord Evan found out he could take her place in the challenge,” Nike said, and a grin tugged at his lips. “Rocco was ready to fight a novice woman and instead had to face a skilled dragon. It was rather epic.”

“So, you won the challenge and killed her brother?” Ruslan asked with a grimace.

“No, I didn’t kill him,” I said. “It didn’t feel right. And I’m glad I didn’t, since they worked things out and became close before we left.”

“But now, she’s the Noble of the Sword?” My father’s scarlet eyebrows were nearly to his hairline. “A woman?”

“Yeah,” I said with a shrug. “Is that really such a big deal? Rodion was surprised, too.”

“Well, it’s not completely unheard of,” Ruslan hedged and looked toward the palace before he stopped. “It’s just… it hasn’t worked out well in the past.”

“So, there have been other women Nobles of the Sword?” I pressed.

“Yes,” he sighed. “The last one was a disaster for everyone. This was a few hundred years ago, before the Breach, and she was a bit of a, um, unique person.”

“That’s a nice way to say she was crazy,” Nike said. “Why was she crazy?”

“She had her own harem made of men,” Ruslan explained. “Not to say women can’t have several lovers, but she made it a contest. A man who wanted to join her in the bedroom had to defeat one of her other lovers in a duel to the death, so she had men dying to become or remain a member of her harem just for her entertainment. It was rumored she drank the blood of the fallen men at the celebratory dinners, but I never saw that for myself.”

“That’s a bit odd,” I admitted. “Especially the vampire part, but there have been some wild things that happen among the nobles in this realm and on Earth. There’s a ton of history told about kings cutting off lovers’ heads and stuff. Why was she any crazier than that?”

“I think the crazy part came up because she’d never acted like that before she began fighting battles as the Noble of the Sword,” he answered. “She’d been a prim noble whose brother was killed in battle, and by bloodline, she’d taken the sword in his place. Then she learned to fight, took on a few missions, and had her palace built with the coliseum in the middle for her lovers’ battles.”

“Power can twist the mind,” Nike said.

“Indeed.” Ruslan nodded his head. “But alas, that was not in Rahma, so I haven’t heard much about it since the Breach.”

“Hopefully, she’s not the Noble of the Sword anymore,” I muttered. “We have several places outside of Rahma to go.”

“Do you know where you’re headed to next?” my father asked.

“No, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” I said as I took a sniff of the air. “It smells like someone already started on lunch.”

“This is rather early for lunch,” he observed.

“You haven’t seen my pregnant wife’s appetite much yet,” I snickered. “My son is apparently almost as hungry as I am.”

“Oh, boy,” Ruslan laughed.

We continued toward the palace and walked inside to find my mother, aunt, and lovers had already found their places at the table, and Alyona rubbed her growing belly as she and Laika recounted the story of how we’d first met.

“…and when I saw him, I knew he was exactly what we needed,” my wife finished as we walked in. “I’m sure you understand that feeling.”

“Oddly enough, I do,” Skye said with a smile.

We sat down with them, and within a few minutes, Forsythe and his staff began to bring out platters of meat and bread. He set a steaming bowl of brown liquid in front of the princess, and she grinned at him before she dipped her spoon into the bowl, sipped the soup, and sighed.

“Perfect,” she breathed.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Ah, a special soup,” Alyona said without looking up at me.

“What’s in it?” Now, my curiosity was piqued, even as her cheeks flushed pink.

“Steak…” she sighed until I raised my eyebrows. “And pickles.”

“Pickles?” Polina scrunched up her nose, while her sisters pretended to gag.

“That sounds horrible,” Aaliyah said as she stifled a laugh.

“Why would you want that?” Miraya asked with a curled lip.

“I can’t help it!” Alyona groaned. “This child has begged me for this combination for three days!”

“So, pregnancy cravings are a real thing?” I asked.

“Yes!” my wife growled. “And your son has some weird ones. At least this one, I could stomach.”

“Ah, your mother craved everything sweet when you were in her womb,” Julia murmured with a smile. “She wanted chocolate and pastries every day. It was a miracle she didn’t turn into a cake by the time she gave birth.”

“Oh, Evan’s mom always wanted weird shit when she was pregnant with him,” Emma cackled. “Baked potatoes with cottage cheese or pizza with ketchup on it.”

“So, what you’re saying is my son is going to be just like me?” I puffed out my chest with pride, and they all burst into laughter.

We continued to laugh and joke around for nearly an hour, and I watched as Skye grew more and more comfortable with my parents and my aunt. I got the feeling she was happy to be around people who felt relatively normal compared to her Jerry Springer extended family she’d discovered. I may have been adopted, but so far, I didn’t have any surprise siblings coming to fight me or secret swords that kept me awake at night.

“This is so nice,” Julia said once the conversation had died down. “I enjoy having everyone here together.”

“I do, too,” I agreed. “I wish it could be longer, but we have to find the next sword soon. The sooner we find them all, the sooner everyone will be safe.”

“I’ll get the map,” Valerra offered.

She rushed out of the room and returned a minute later with the map we’d created using a spell that recalled a memory I’d found in my Videnia. It was a memory that wasn’t actually mine, but one of my ancestors’ who had tried to find all the Noble Swords several generations ago. We’d used it to find Skye, and now, we’d use it to find the next place where one of the Noble Swords was supposed to be.

“This looks to be the closest one to Rahma,” Nike said as he studied the map of Inati and pointed to a place south of us. “It’s a city called Copacia in Ecral.”

“Has anyone been there?” I asked. “Maybe we can get an idea of what to expect.”

“I briefly came close to that border when our tribe was moving,” Ravi said. “But we never entered Ecral. We wouldn’t have been under King Rodion’s protection there.”

I looked around the table, but everyone shook their heads no. This would be my first time to leave Rahma as well, and I looked forward to the new adventure for all of us.

“Sounds like we’re going to a whole new world,” I joked in my best impression of the song.

“If only you could take a magic carpet,” Emma snickered.

“Ah, someone finally understands his jokes,” Laika giggled.

Before I could respond, one of the guards burst in the front door and scurried into the dining hall.

“My lord, Elders of Hatra!” he announced and stood in a salute.

“Uh, yes?” I asked when he didn’t say anything else.

“You have a visitor at the gate,” he said.

“Well, who is it?” I wondered.

Hatra had become known as a sort of safe haven for people around Rahma who wanted to find a new place to live, and we’d welcomed hundreds of people from all over the place. I was surprised the guards were being this cautious about one person showing up, but maybe it was because of the Mahigan army that had attacked only a few days ago.

“We don’t know,” the guard admitted. “He said he’ll only speak to the dragon lord.”

“Interesting,” I said. “Okay, I’ll go check it out.”

“Do you think you should go alone, my lord?” Nike asked as he rose from the table with me.

“What can one guy do?” I chuckled. “But if you’re curious, you and Ruslan can come. Then, if he’s just looking for a place to go, my father can direct him.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Ruslan agreed.

The three of us followed the guard out of the Lunar Palace toward the city gate, and I saw five more guards with their swords drawn as they surrounded a man.

He looked no older than thirty with black hair and bright-green eyes. His skin was tan as though he spent every day in the sun, and when he looked up and met my gaze, a warm calmness came over me. He felt familiar, though I couldn’t figure out where I could have met him before. Nothing about him raised my suspicions, and I decided he was probably just another person looking for a home for himself. For once, I didn’t feel like I was about to enter into some random battle with yet another enemy who wanted to destroy the country or me or whatever other targets I’d defended over the last year.

I picked up my jaunty pace to welcome him, even as I heard Ruslan and Nike grunt behind me.

“Hey, I’m Lord Evan,” I said as I held my arm out to greet him.

The man gripped my forearm, but still, nothing jumped out at me as threatening or fishy about the guy. He just seemed normal.

“Callan,” he introduced himself with a cautious smile as he met my gaze. “You are the dragon lord.”

He had a slight accent that reminded me of Australia back on Earth, and I wondered where he was from.

“That’s me,” I confirmed. “What can I do for you, Callan?”

“I heard Hatra was a safe place to go,” he said.

Before I could ask what he meant, he lifted the sleeve of his tunic to reveal lime-green scales along his forearm.

Chapter 2

My mouth went dry as I stared at the neon-green scales that adorned Callan’s arm. I knew what I was looking at, but I could hardly believe it, and I couldn’t seem to find the words to say.

“Are those…” Nike trailed off.

“Dragon scales,” Ruslan breathed.

“Holy shit!” I finally sucked in a breath and looked up at the man’s face. “You’re a dragon?”

“Am I safe here?” Callan asked as his green eyes darted around at the guards.

“Bro, I’m a dragon, and I’m the lord of Hatra,” I said. “My guards don’t care if you’re a dragon, too. They just wanted to make sure you weren’t here to kill me.”

“I see,” he sighed with relief as I motioned for the guards to lower their weapons.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” I grinned. “How did you find Hatra? How did you hear about me? Everyone said all the other dragons were dead, but here you are! This is incredible! Come on, let’s go back to the palace. I have so much I want to know!”

“My lord, perhaps we should investigate a bit further before we--” Ruslan started.

“Nonsense, Pops,” I cut him off with a wave of my hand. “I knew he wasn’t trouble when I saw him, but now, I know he’s just like me.”

“Well, not just like you, my lord,” Nike pointed out.

Okay, there really couldn’t be too many human-turned-dragons that disappeared from another universe and landed on Inati, so that was fair.

“Ah, right,” I said with a sly smile. “But anyway, I can tell Callan is alright. Let’s just go talk to him.”

“If you insist,” Ruslan grumbled.

I could tell my father wasn’t thrilled with my enthusiasm toward Callan, but I’d been right about Olivier, and I knew I was right about Callan. He didn’t mean us any harm, or he would’ve attacked in his dragon form. What would be the point in showing up as a small human when he could come as a dragon and lay waste to the whole city?

My spidey-senses weren’t tingling in the slightest, and I felt good about bringing Callan back to the palace. Besides, I had about a million questions for him, so maybe getting some answers would make Ruslan feel better.

I reined in my desire to ask everything as we walked toward the Lunar Palace since I figured my wife would want to be part of the conversation as well. Not to mention, Emma and I were the only ones who hadn’t grown up here, and the others might be able to pick up on anything weird we might miss.

The moment we walked in the door, I steered Callan to the great hall and offered him one of the plump couches near the fireplace. Ruslan and Nike stood on either side of the couch, and I knew they were both still wary, but they didn’t say anything when the green dragon sat on the cushion.

“I’ll be right back,” I said before I rushed to the bottom of the stairs. “Come downstairs, please!”

I heard the hushed whispers of my women’s curious questions before they scuttled down the steps with Julia and Emma in tow.

“What’s going on, my lord?” Alyona asked as she glanced over to see the back of Callan’s head. “Who is that?”

“His name is Callan,” I whispered with obvious excitement. “He’s--”

“A dragon,” Valerra finished in a breathless gasp, and her mouth fell agape. “I can smell him from here. He’s… real. He’s here.”

“Yeah!” I nodded. “And I’m going to ask him all the things we want to know, but I figured you all should be here for that.”

“Shouldn’t he be tied up or something?” Laika asked as her furry gray ears twitched nervously.

“He isn’t a prisoner,” I said with a frown. “He came here because he heard it was safe for dragons.”

“Well, where’s he been this whole time then?” the wolf Demi-Human pressed. “I’ve traveled through most of Rahma, but we’ve never come across another dragon.”

“You didn’t know about Eskandar,” I reminded her.

Laika pursed her lips but didn’t argue, and I left it at that before I motioned for them to follow me into the great hall.

“Princess!” Callan immediately jumped to his feet before he bowed in front of Alyona. “I’m humbled to meet you, Your Highness. I had no idea you would be here.”

“Thank you,” my wife said. “And you are Callan, a dragon.”

“Yes,” he confirmed with a nod as he rose to stand in front of her. “It seems most of my-- ah, our kind has been hidden away since the Sage killed so many of us.”

“What brought you to Hatra?” I asked and motioned for everyone to sit down.

“When my home was destroyed, I had to find somewhere else to go,” Callan said as he wrung his hands in his lap. “I quietly visited a few cities, but I couldn’t find any more dragons. Then I heard whispers of dragon mates in Hatra, and I knew this was where I had to go.”

Valerra stiffened, and I knew she was worried about our egg, which was currently hidden away in a vault that only dragons could access. Ravi and Miraya took her hands and squeezed them to soothe her while I continued to ask my questions.

“Where was your home that got destroyed?” I wondered.

“I lived in a cave near Juntralago,” the green dragon said. “The town has been deserted for quite some time, so it was perfect for me until something or someone tore it apart.”

“What do you mean?” Nike furrowed his brow.

“I awoke to the ground shaking beneath me,” Callan explained with a shudder. “I thought it was an earthquake until a radiating heat washed over my cave, and it felt like the sun had landed in the middle of Juntralago. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

“What did you do?” Trina asked, and I realized the dryads were enthralled by Callan’s story as they leaned forward and barely even blinked.

“I flew away,” he sighed. “I know it’s not the bravest of reactions, but I’m fine to admit I am a very timid dragon. My survival instincts have kept me alive for a long time, so I tend to flee before I fight.”

“Who all knew where you were?” I cocked my head to the side as I considered who could have burned up the abandoned village.

“No one,” Callan replied firmly. “I, ah, haven’t had friends in a while.”

“That’s terrible,” Polina said with a grimace. “I couldn’t live that way.”

“Yeah, who would listen to you talk all the time?” Marina teased.

“If no one knew you lived there, why would someone attack a deserted town?” I asked.

“I have no idea,” the green dragon said. “It’s been fine for the last two decades I’ve been there.”

“Then we need to figure out who attacked,” I decided.

“What?” Callan gasped and stared at me as though I’d just decided to fly to the moons. “The Sage wants all of us dead, so why in the world would you want to go there?”

“Because it doesn’t make sense,” I said. “The Sage is dead.”

“He is?” Callan’s bright-green eyes widened in shock as he leaned back against the couch with a heavy sigh.

“Oh, yeah,” I confirmed and looked at my dragon lover. “Valerra was happy to take care of him.”

“I cut off his head,” Valerra said with a note of pride in her voice as she leveled her gaze on Callan. “It was wonderful.”

“How were you able to defeat his magic?” he asked.

“I took care of that part,” I said. “Once I knocked him out, we trapped him and brought him back here. Valerra handled the rest.”

“And he’s definitely dead?” Callan asked and chewed his bottom lip. “I heard he was a necromancer, too.”

“Oh, yeah, dead, burned to ash, the works,” I replied with a smile. “He’s definitely not the one who attacked Juntralago, which is why we need to find out who else would have the balls to go after a dragon again now.”

“I can see why you’re concerned,” he said. “But if the Sage is dead, then you don’t need to put yourself at risk on my account. As long as I’m safe here in Hatra, I’m happy. No need to worry about the damage done to a deserted town.”

“You’re welcome to stay here,” I confirmed. “However, I’m not happy knowing someone else is out there threatening one of my own. And you shouldn’t be, either. What if he goes after someone else? Or if there are more dragons we don’t know about? He could harm any of them, and we would have no idea. Or he could know about us here.”

“Ah, you’re worried about your children,” Callan sighed. “I can understand that, my lord.”

“My children?” I repeated as my mouth dropped open.

I hadn’t mentioned the egg or Alyona’s pregnancy since Callan had arrived, and my paternal instincts began to warm my chest with the need to protect them at all costs.

“I didn’t mean to rattle you,” Callan said and put his hands up in surrender. “No need to roast me alive, Lord Evan. I can smell the eggs within the castle, and your mate is practically oozing draconic hormones. If it was meant to be a secret, I do apologize for, ah, bursting the bubble, as they say.”

“Not necessarily a secret, but I didn’t expect you to sniff them out,” I chuckled with relief. “I just have to keep them safe. I’m sure you get that.”

“I understand,” the green dragon mumbled. “My own family was lost to the Sage a couple centuries ago. I wouldn’t want that to happen to yours, so I’ll help you however I can.”

“Good.” I nodded. “I’ll need to know everything about Juntralago to be able to figure this out.”

“What if the attacker is still there?” he asked suddenly.

“Then we’ll take care of him,” I said in a low voice.

The idea of ripping a dragon hunter limb from limb was quite refreshing compared to the gut-wrenching feeling I’d had thinking about someone coming to Hatra to hurt my family. I was more than ready to handle that part of the job.

“Wait,” Alyona interjected as I started to rise from the couch. “You said you’d been hiding in Juntralago for the past two decades. Where were you before that?”

“In the open desert for a while,” Callan answered. “Before that, I tried to live in a jungle near the eastern border, but the Breach smelled too awful.”

“How did you survive the Sage?” Valerra asked.

“I was barely a hatchling when he started his rampage,” the green dragon said with a grimace. “I don’t remember much about the attack on my family. I just remember waking up in the drache temple. They told me what had happened, and they raised me until I was old enough to fend for myself.”

Everyone seemed satisfied with Callan’s explanation, and I could feel the tension begin to decrease as my family began to accept the green dragon, but I had about a thousand more questions once he mentioned the drache.

I’d learned a few sparse bits of information about the race of people who’d trained dragons for centuries or more. I’d met one of them who worked for the Green Glass Sect, but he hadn’t lived long enough for me to ask everything I wanted to know. They’d remained quite secretive as far as I could tell in the history books I’d skimmed through, and I wanted to know exactly what Callan knew from first-hand experience.

Unfortunately, it seemed we had another problem to solve right now, and I mentally battled with the desire to ask more and the need to find out who attacked his hideout.

Before I could decide, Nike had already rolled out a map of Rahma.

“Where exactly is Juntralago?” the noble asked.

“Here,” Callan said as he pointed to an area west of Hatra. “It’s mostly desert around here until you get closer to the coast, but I stayed where it was warm and dry. Most people don’t visit the desert on vacation, so I could stay hidden pretty easily.”

“That’s part of why we hid there, too,” Ravi agreed. “Plus, it’s easy to move around and hide in the dunes.”

“True,” Callan said with a nod. “Before I found my cave by the village, I could dig out dunes and hide there for a few weeks at a time.”

“And still someone managed to find you,” I mused as I rubbed my chin in thought. “I get the feeling that person had to be looking for you, which means somehow, he or she had some information about how to find you. I say we find this guy and take him alive.”

“Why not just kill him?” Callan asked and chewed on his lip again. “If he’s trying to kill us, we should get him first.”

“I understand how you feel,” I soothed him. “But if he figured out where you were, we need to know how and who else knows. After dealing with the Green Glass Sect, I don’t take threats against our kind lightly.”

“Yeah, we thought it was mainly one guy, but he had tons of followers,” Marina said.

“And they all tried to kill us a few times,” Laika muttered. “We always had to watch our backs when we went after the Sage or his people.”

“Were they anything like Odalis’ people?” Isabella asked.

The Nepin hadn’t joined us until after we’d killed the Sage, but she’d been a part of handling the burglary group that tried to tear apart her home city of Yrosa.

“Worse,” I grumbled. “Odalis’ thieves wanted money, but Olivier’s people were blind followers of his weird beliefs. They were like a cult, and he somehow had them convinced that releasing the demons from the Breach would be the best thing for Inati.”

“He seemed to think the demons would be indebted to him,” Alyona said as Callan’s eyes widened. “If he set them free, he thought they would obey his will.”

“So, he wanted to let those things out in our world?” Callan gasped.

“Yeah, I think that’s why he wanted all the dragons gone,” I answered. “He knew we would be formidable opponents for his people and the demons, so he tried to get rid of us first.”

“Do you think whoever came to Juntralago is trying to open the Breach, too?” he asked. “They want to create their own demon minions?”

“I’m not sure,” I said. “It’s entirely possible, I suppose. We just need to go find out for ourselves, but I think we should keep the group small at first.”

“Like a scouting mission,” Nike agreed. “I think you’re right.”

“I’d like to go,” Skye volunteered. “I can get some real experience, and it sounds like we may just be looking for clues about who was there, right?”

“We might,” I hedged. “We might also find the attacker, so you have to be ready for that.”

“I am,” the newest Noble of the Sword said with a firm nod.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ruslan give her a slightly impressed look, and I wondered how easy it would be for Skye to overcome the idea that women couldn’t be Nobles of the Sword. My father wasn’t a sexist by any means, but it seemed the collective experience on Inati was based on the one crazy woman. I was curious if any other female Nobles of the Sword had existed and decided to look in the archives when I had some free time.

“Alyona, Laika, and Ravi, you should also join us,” I decided. “The rest of you need to stay here and keep an eye out in case the attacker comes here instead.”

“We can also check on the comatose patients with the Blue Tree Guild,” Naomi said. “Maybe the attack and their illness are related somehow.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” Julia chimed in with a curious look on her face. “I think that would be a good idea. Those poor people have suffered long enough.”

“I wish we could find the right spell,” Miraya murmured. “Maybe I can try to find their spiritual seas.”

“And stay behind?” I asked. “You can do that?”

“I am connected and bonded to you, my lord,” the sword spirit said with a smile. “If you ever have need of me, I can always be summoned to your side, no matter the distance.”

“Oh… awesome.” I grinned. “Okay, then, yeah, feel free to look into the patients more.”

“Back to the patients’ spiritual seas, if they haven’t cultivated, that could be dangerous,” Ruslan said with a frown. “Perhaps a touch of your healing would be better instead.”

“Yeah, let’s do the less dangerous option,” I agreed. “Let me know if you all figure out anything. We’ll update you when we get back from Juntralago.”

“I’m not leaving the palace,” Valerra declared as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Not with another dragon-hunting lunatic on the loose.”

“I would never ask you to,” I assured her. “You should stay here and keep our eggs safe.”

“And I’ll stay with them, too,” Emma finally spoke up.

My aunt had remained oddly quiet as she watched Callan carefully interact with us, but now, she was quick to make sure I knew she’d be at Valerra’s side.

“Eggs?” Callan’s eyes bugged out again. “As in, more than one?”

“Don’t ask too many questions,” Nike advised him when Valerra’s nostrils flared in anger. “You’ll find out what Lord Evan and his mate want you to find out.”

“Uh, of c-course,” the green dragon stammered and looked down at his hands.

“We’ll meet back here by the end of the day,” Julia said as she motioned for the others to follow her. “Hopefully, we’ll all return with good news.”

My parents led some of my lovers out of the palace toward the Blue Tree Guild airship that currently housed the comatose group they’d rescued from the forest. No one knew what had happened to them, but it seemed my family was determined to find out.

“We should portal to Juntralago,” I said once they were gone. “The last thing we want to do when looking for a dragon hunter is fly in as dragons.”

“You can portal?” Callan blinked rapidly and couldn’t seem to wrap his head around everything we could do.

“Alyona is the best priestess in Rahma, if not on all of Inati,” I bragged on my wife. “She can do anything she sets her mind to.”

“Oh, stop,” Alyona giggled, and her cheeks flushed the color of a carnation.

“Are you sure we should do this?” Callan asked as he watched our exchange. “It could have been anyone that did it. Maybe it was an accident?”

“Do you really think it was?” I arched a doubtful eyebrow at the green dragon.

“No,” he said with a sigh. “And everyone who spoke of the dragon lord did so with great respect for your skills. I don’t think they all know about your war with the Sage, but many tales of your battles have spread like wildfire across Rahma. I suppose I need to relax and let you handle things.”

“Exactly,” I agreed and smiled. “And you have more than just a dragon lord on your side. The princess, the leader of the Blue Tree Guild, two more Nobles of the Sword, and a phoenix will have your back, too. We’ll make sure this guy doesn’t go after any other dragons.”

“I trust you,” Callan finally said.

“Good, then let’s open the portal and check it out,” I decided with a nod to Alyona.

My wife murmured the words of her portal spell, and the familiar crackle of her pure white magic ripped across the air as it began to form the magical doorway to Juntralago. I could make out the desert landscape through the portal before Callan took a deep breath and walked with me to his former home.

I had flashbacks to old western movies as I looked around the abandoned town of Juntralago. What remained of the buildings were only a few pieces of lumber that looked like they could tip over at any moment, and the rest seemed like they’d been demolished by a tornado or a nuke. I half-expected a tumbleweed to blow across the road as we stood there in shocked silence.

“I haven’t seen a town look so dead since the miasma first started,” Laika murmured.

“I’ve heard about the miasma,” Skye breathed and soaked in the ghost town around us. “We learned about how it destroyed entire cities in days, if not hours.”

“It destroyed Hatra,” I said. “We rebuilt it over the past year, but it was almost this bad when I got there.”

“Is the miasma what caused this?” Ravi asked as she walked over to a rotted building and ran her fingers along the flimsy wood. “It doesn’t smell the same.”

“I’m not sure,” Callan replied. “Juntralago was like this when I found it. No one lived here, and it didn’t smell like anything I recognized. No people, no animals, nothing. It just felt… dead.”

“You’d recognize the smell of miasma,” I said with a grimace. “It smells fucking disgusting.”

“Like death and rotting flesh,” Nike agreed. “Even humans can pick it out.”

“Sounds gross,” Skye said and stuck out her tongue. “I’m glad we can’t smell it here now.”

“Oh, like the Breach.” Callan wrinkled up his nose in disgust. “Yeah, it didn’t smell like that. I wanted to get as far away from that stench as I possibly could.”

“Understandable,” Ravi said with a nod before she looked around. “I don’t see many places to hide out here, though.”

“Yeah, not in the town,” the green dragon agreed. “The buildings were at least mostly standing when I got here, but it felt weird to go in them. I found the cave when I was on the verge of looking for somewhere else to hide. It’s just on the south edge of town, so we can walk to it easily.”

Callan led us down the main road, and we searched the sparse landscape for any signs of whoever had attacked. There weren’t tons of hiding places in the dilapidated buildings, and even without using my echolocation, I could sense no one else was in the ghost town. A shudder trickled down my spine as I imagined all the ways a bustling village could become this skeletonized.

Maybe this wasn’t the first time someone had attacked here.

“Seems pretty dead,” Nike observed as he kicked a pile of sand. “Not even any animals. What did you eat when you were hiding here?”

“I had to leave the area to hunt,” Callan said. “I usually walked a few miles to the beach and fished. I could save a few salted fish in a bucket for a week or so before I was forced to go back for more.”

“So, you don’t even hunt in your dragon form?” I asked in surprise.

“It’s too risky.” The green dragon shook his head sadly. “If anyone saw me, they could tell the Sage, so I stayed in this puny form. The first time I shifted in many years was when I escaped the attack. As soon as I was far enough away, I switched back to legs, so I could find somewhere else to go.”

“Wow, I’m sorry you’ve had to live like this,” I said with a frown. “I wonder how many more of our kind are still hiding from Olivier and have no idea he’s dead.”

“Our ability to communicate with other dragon families isn’t what it once was,” Callan sighed. “We used to be able to spread our news quickly, which was how some of us were able to avoid being attacked, but I think the ability to send those messages must have disappeared as we failed to use them.”

“Send messages…” I mused as I wondered if I had the solution to this problem. “I don’t think we’ve all lost it. In fact, I think I use that ability pretty regularly.”

Since I’d learned to cultivate my spiritual sea, I’d also learned how to conjure a magical messenger dragon that I could send anywhere with any message. I’d even been able to send him to Earth before I brought Emma here, so I could let her know I was alright. The messenger dragon had to be what Callan was talking about.

“Your messenger?” Alyona asked with wide eyes. “That would make perfect sense!”

“Can you make one now?” Callan wondered. “I’ll know it if I see it. It’s just been so long since I did.”

I nodded as I called my messenger dragon to my palm. The small kaleidoscope-colored creature appeared in my hand in a matter of seconds, and he preened himself as he awaited my instructions.

“Does this look familiar?” I asked Callan.

“By the gods, that’s it!” he gasped and covered his mouth. “You have the ability!”

“Then I’ll send a message to all the surviving dragons right now,” I decided as I turned to my little beast. “Find all the dragons who are still alive and tell them they can come to Hatra and be safe. The Sage is dead.”

My messenger dragon dipped its head, turned away from me, and flew into the sky. Then it burst into several more as it flew higher and higher, and I couldn’t count how many silvery messengers zoomed away in every direction.

My jaw dropped as I tried to keep track of the little dragons, and a jolt of excitement whipped down my spine. It seemed Olivier hadn’t been able to do as much damage as we’d thought.

“Wow,” Alyona exhaled. “That had to be at least ten different messengers.”

“That means at least ten more dragons who survived Olivier’s wrath,” I said with a grin. “This is great!”

“Hopefully, they will all listen and go to Hatra,” Laika agreed. “We can make sure everyone is safe there, especially if we find out someone else is hunting them.”

“Well, here’s where I was when I was attacked,” Callan said as he gestured to an underground cave about twenty yards ahead of us.

I studied the ground between the town and the cave, and my stomach tightened into a knot. Black scorch marks burst out from a nearly-perfect circle just outside the cave entrance and radiated toward the cave. I wasn’t exactly a professional, but it seemed the blast pattern indicated whatever fiery heat had entered the cave had come from something that hadn’t been aimed for the town of Juntralago.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” I whispered to Nike as he studied the same black streaks across the flat sand.

“Someone wanted to hit the cave,” he murmured. “This wasn’t random.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I said before I turned to Callan. “This wasn’t about Juntralago. It looks like your cave was the target. Someone wanted to clear you out.”

“I don’t understand.” The green dragon frowned as he knelt down and touched the scorch marks. “I’ve never harmed anyone, and I’ve stayed to myself for years. I haven’t even tried to find a mate, despite my instincts. Why would someone come after me? And how did they know I was here?”

“Those are the types of questions I’d like to ask the person who attacked,” I said as I placed a hand on his shoulder. “We need to find out why they wanted to take you out.”

“Look out!” Skye suddenly shouted.

We all ducked in unison as something flew over our heads and crashed into the cave in front of us, and the green liquid that burst across the sand looked like something out of a sci-fi film as it melted everything it touched.

“It seems whoever it was isn’t done trying,” I muttered.

Then I unsheathed the Sword of Hatra from my belt and turned around to face my newest opponent.

Chapter 3

A hooded figure in a black robe stood before us with a tall staff in hand, and the staff looked like it was made of solid gold with a bright yellow jewel on top. The jewel glowed as the figure’s gloved hand squeezed the staff, and then another orb of lime-green goo burst from the staff and flew toward us.

“Get down!” I called out as we all jumped out of the orb’s path.

The magical ball of ooze smacked into the wall of the cave behind us, and I stood and narrowed my eyes on the magical being.

“You can’t protect him from me!” the hooded figure warned in a voice that reminded me of a snake.

The jewel glowed again, but this time, I threw up a fiery barrier to protect us from the oozing orb. It slapped against the fire shield and threatened to melt my defensive maneuver, but my power was stronger.

After a few seconds, my fire overtook the ooze, and it dripped down onto the sand in front of my shield.

“He’s a sorcerer!” Alyona yelled.

“He’s a dead man,” I growled and began to transform.

My arms and legs thickened and extended as the black scales on my forearms traveled along the rest of my body like a rock-hard coat, and I felt my wings push through my back, while my spikes grew from my spine. Within seconds, I’d become my most natural and terrifying form, and I was ready to destroy the sorcerer.

I flapped my wings and zoomed across the sand toward the sorcerer. He lifted his staff, and the jewel glowed so bright it nearly blinded me, but I opened my maw and released a plume of flames onto the robed figure.

So much for taking him in alive.

But the fire seemed to hit an invisible wall, and the flames crawled up the transparent barrier and licked the air above the sorcerer.

“You aren’t the only one with defensive magic,” the sorcerer cackled.

Then he spun the staff around his head in a wide loop, and the air around me began to spin until I felt like I was trapped inside a tornado. As I spun in circles, I tried to figure out a way to throw him off-balance and get myself out of the never-ending loop.

I settled on earthquake magic.

As I called on my earthquake ability, the ground under the sorcerer’s feet began to tremble, and his grip on the staff loosened. I sensed the air around me begin to slow its pace as jagged cracks ripped across the ground and rattled the sorcerer. He stumbled back and forth as he tried to regain his footing, but the earthquake was stronger than he’d anticipated.

The sorcerer tumbled toward one of the cracks, and I flew out of the fading magical funnel and dipped down to grasp him with my talons. Just as his robe was within my reach, he swung the staff wildly and cracked it against my claw.

“Shit!” I cursed as the blow sent tremors through my body.

What the fuck was that thing made of?

I flew over him and looked back in time to see the sorcerer roll just to the side of the crevice and escape certain death. On one hand, I was glad I hadn’t accidentally killed him, but on the other hand, I wanted him to pay dearly for attacking my family.

The sorcerer crawled to his feet and pointed the staff in my direction, and a bolt of lightning erupted from the glowing jewel and zipped toward me. As the electricity crashed into my side, my impenetrable scales seemed to absorb the blow. I felt a pinprick like getting a static shock, and I grinned as the sorcerer’s body tensed with frustration.

“If I can’t hurt you, I’m sure I can hurt them!” The sorcerer jabbed his staff at the rest of my group, who stood together at the mouth of the cave.

As he spoke, a torrent of black birds exploded from the yellow jewel and flew toward my companions in a cacophony of squawks and shrieks. In the blink of an eye, Skye and Nike surged forward with their Noble Swords in hand, and they swiped and sliced at the onslaught of birds that threatened to poke out their eyeballs with shiny black beaks.

Ravi quickly shifted into her phoenix form and flew among the black birds as she dropped sparks of fire magic from her tail. The birds that weren’t sliced in half caught fire and plummeted to the sand like stones.

“You won’t touch them!” I thundered as I rocketed toward the sorcerer with my maw open for an attack.

“The staff!” Alyona shouted to me. “He needs the staff!”

I quickly changed my attack from roasting the sorcerer on the spot to reaching for his golden staff, but as I wrapped my claws around the rod, the bastard clenched his fist even tighter to try to keep me from taking it.

Without another spell, though, he didn’t stand a fucking chance, and I ripped the staff from the sorcerer’s grasp and threw it across the sand toward my wife.

“No!” the sorcerer screamed and tried to chase after the staff as Alyona picked it up.

I planted my foreleg in the center of his back and shoved him face first into the sand. He sputtered and twisted beneath me, but his human strength was nothing compared to mine, especially in my dragon form.

“Let’s get him tied up,” I said as Skye and Nike finished off the last of the birds.

“I’m on it,” Alyona replied with a flick of her fingers.

Her binding spell wrapped around the sorcerer, and I moved my leg to let her magic lift him into the air a few inches above the desert floor. Then I landed on the ground and shifted back to my human form to stand in front of our captive, and when I pushed his hood away from his face, I was surprised to see a young human.

He couldn’t have been any older than I was, and his boyish features made him appear a little younger. He had a strong jawline and golden-blond hair that was pulled back into a man bun behind his head. He could have been a model, but instead, he was here trying to magically melt one of my kind.

“What’s your name?” I asked the young sorcerer.

“Just kill me,” he spat out as he thrashed against Alyona’s bindings. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”

“While that is tempting, I’m not going to kill you just yet,” I chuckled. “I have a few other things in mind. First, I want your name.”

“Why?” he scoffed. “You’ll just turn me into ashes anyway.”

“Because I’m a polite dragon.” I smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Though that won’t last for much longer if you can’t answer my easiest question.”

“Dolion,” the young man muttered. “My name is Dolion.”

“Good,” I said with a sarcastic smile. “Now, Dolion, about the other things I want--"

“I don’t have any gold, either,” the sorcerer grumbled. “That’s what dragons like, right? Gold and treasure?”

“We do like gold and treasure,” I admitted with a snicker. “But again, you’re off the mark. I want information.”

“Oh, no way.” Dolion shook his head fiercely before he glared at me with defiance in his gray-blue eyes. “I’m not talking to you about anything.”

“You shouldn’t talk to a dragon lord that way,” Skye hissed as she gripped the Sword of Youth and took a step closer to the prisoner. “He could kill you in a second if he wanted to.”

“Well, I already told him to kill me,” he sneered. “So, what good would that do?”

“I could always destroy your staff,” Alyona said with feigned innocence as she twirled the golden rod between her fingers. “I’m sure you could find another.”

“No!” the sorcerer bellowed before he took a shaky breath. “Please.”

“What’s so special about your magic stick?” I glanced over at my wife, whose lips curled with amusement.

“He’s a sorcerer, not a mage,” she explained. “He has to have the staff to wield magic. He can’t access his powers without it. Sorcerers need a totem, and they usually receive them when they begin their magical lessons.”

“And I’ve had my staff since I was a boy,” Dolion pleaded. “You don’t have to destroy it. I’ll tell you why I’m here.”

“Then get to talking,” I growled as Alyona slipped the staff into her spatial storage.

“Listen, I was just doing a job,” he said as he cast his eyes downward. “It didn’t look like anyone lived here, so it didn’t seem like a big deal when the guy told me to demolish that cave. I had no idea anyone lived in it until a big ass dragon came flying out!”

“You nearly killed me!” Callan cried out and clenched his fists in frustration. “I lived in that cave!”

“I thought they were all dead!” the sorcerer insisted. “When I saw you come back with your buddies, I thought you were here to kill me so I wouldn’t tell anyone the dragons were alive!”

“It’s old news, buddy,” I said. “Plenty of people have heard a few of us survived the dragon slaughter. If you hadn’t tried to kill my friend here, we wouldn’t have come back to find you.”

“We’re getting nowhere here,” Alyona cut in with a frown. “You said someone told you to demolish the cave. Who was it?”

“I don’t know.” Dolion shrugged. “He was just a guy with a purse of gold coins. He gave me half the bag and said I’d get the other half once the cave was burnt to the ground. I told him Juntralago was already deserted, so I didn’t see the point in destroying a random cave here, but he just said fewer witnesses would make my job easier.”

“What did he look like?” I demanded. “I want to know everything you remember about him.”

“Ah, just a human guy,” he said as he pursed his lips in thought. “Maybe about forty, brown hair, tan skin. He was normal-looking. Well, except for the ink on his arm.”

“A tattoo?” I pressed. “Of what?”

“It looked like a sword or something,” the sorcerer said. “Nothing special to me, but it was all the way down his forearm.”

“I don’t recognize that marking,” Laika murmured.

“Me, either,” Nike said as he narrowed his silver eyes on the prisoner. “Is that all you can remember?”

“That’s it,” Dolion replied with another careless shrug. “So, can I go now?”

“Not a chance,” I snorted. “You’re coming with us.”

“Where are you taking me?” he demanded. “I don’t have to go with you!”

“I’m the future king of Rahma,” I hissed as I yanked his robes to pull his face closer to mine. “And if I say you’re coming with us, that’s exactly what you’re doing.”

The young sorcerer trembled in my grasp before he blinked a few times and looked away, so I released his robes and turned my back to him to face my companions.

“No one has built a jail in Hatra yet, right?” Nike asked under his breath.

“No, and I don’t trust him in the slightest,” I murmured. “We need to lock him in a cell on the airship. That’s the best way to keep him from hurting anyone else.”

“I can think of a few other ideas,” Ravi said as she curled her lip.

“Just throw him in the ocean,” Callan grumbled. “Maybe he can swim.”

I chuckled at the green dragon’s first show of aggression since I’d met him, but I shook my head.

“No, we need to keep him alive until we find out who hired him,” I replied. “I do like your style, though.”

“I’ll let Pyotr know we’re coming,” Laika said. “We have multiple open cells on board, and he can be held there until you decide what you want to do with him.”

“Plus, there are guards in the prison at all times, so we’ll know if anyone tries to break him out,” Ravi added.

“Perfect,” I agreed before I turned to Alyona. “Will the portal affect your binding spell?”

“No,” she answered and shook her head. “It will be fine. It’s not like the time spell.”

“Good, let’s go,” I said.

A few seconds later, we all stepped through the portal into the courtyard in front of the Lunar Palace, and Ruslan walked out the front door and took a long, hard look at our captive.

“Who is this?” he asked with both curiosity and annoyance in his voice.

“This is Dolion,” I answered and smirked. “He thought it would be a good idea to attack us again when we came back to Juntralago to investigate his first attack.”

“Ah, so not a scholar,” Ruslan chuckled. “I suppose this means our new friend Callan was being truthful.”

“It does,” I confirmed. “And I’d like to offer him somewhere to stay here in Hatra as long as he’d like. Can you help him?”

“Of course,” my father said as he looked at Callan. “I’m sorry I doubted you. We’ve been tricked before, and I vowed to be more careful about who we allow inside our city.”

“I understand, Elder Ruslan,” the green dragon replied with a subtle bow. “I am most grateful for your help and your caution. I’ll do my best to help protect Hatra from her enemies.”

Ruslan grinned, and he guided Callan out to the city to show him around and find him a place to live.

“I get the feeling your father is a careful man,” Skye observed.

“He is,” I agreed. “We had a traitor in Hatra before, and Ruslan doesn’t like being fooled.”

“I think Callan will be a wonderful addition to the city,” Alyona said with a smile. “He seems much better than Olivier.”

“Yeah.” I nodded and grinned. “Plus, if he ever tried anything this close to the eggs, Valerra would tear him to shreds.”

“Good point,” Nike laughed.

We made our way down the road until we were just inside the city walls of Hatra. The Blue Tree Guild’s airship was only a short walk from the gate, and we got a few curious looks as we tugged along the floating prisoner and walked up the ramp to the airship.

It still blew my mind when I looked at the airborne vessel, which basically looked like a boat that floated among the clouds instead of water. It was even more amazing to think about how the enormous airship contained dozens of smaller airships that could go out on other missions when the main one was docked. I’d seen a few of them back when Laika had first brought the guild to Hatra, but I’d take my own wings over a ship any day.

As we walked on board, the soldiers of the Blue Tree Guild stepped aside for Laika to enter without question, and she offered each of them a nod and continued past them inside the large ship.

“What the hell is this place?” Dolion demanded. “You can’t keep me here!”

“We can, and we will,” I growled. “Now, shut up and be glad I’m not burning you alive.”

The young sorcerer audibly gulped as we hauled him deeper into the airship, and Laika led us along the winding hallways until we reached a large room with thick metal bars that divided at least a dozen cells. A guard stood at each corner of the room, as well as at the door we’d just entered and the door on the other end of the room.

The security here was definitely tight.

A few of the cells housed some grumbling captives, but most were empty, so I chose a cell far away from the other prisoners for our newest resident. I didn’t want to give him anyone to talk to besides me, just in case he decided to share more information about the man with the sword tattoo.

“We have a new prisoner in cell fifteen,” Laika declared as she shoved Dolion inside and slammed the door shut. “If he says anything, I need to know immediately.”

“Of course, Guild Leader,” one of the guards confirmed with a nod.

“Where is Pyotr?” she asked.

“I believe he’s in the infirmary,” the guard said.

“Probably where the rest of our people are, too,” I murmured. “We can go see how the memory spell is working out.”

Laika breezed through the back door and led us down another hallway and up two sets of stairs before we ended up in front of a large white door. She gently knocked as she opened the door, and we filed into the infirmary behind her.

Pyotr hovered over Julia, Miraya, and Naomi as they tried to heal the people they’d rescued from the forest. The spirit’s face dripped heavily with sweat from her efforts, but she held tightly to Naomi and my mother’s hands. The dryads, Aaliyah, Rebecca, and Isabella stood near the wall, and they all wore matching looks of worry and concern.

It seemed the spells had yet to work.

“Ugh!” Miraya grunted as she stopped trying to heal them. “I can’t do it!”

“There has to be a way,” Pyotr murmured.

The older wolf Demi-Human had many of the same features as his granddaughter, but where Laika’s bronze skin was smooth and supple, his was wrinkled and weathered with age. He pushed the thick mane of gray hair back from his forehead with a sigh as he stared at the five comatose victims, and then he shook his head.

“We’ll find it,” I assured him. “Sometimes, it just takes time.”

“They may not have time,” Pyotr muttered. “We have no idea what’s going on in their current state.”

“Their vital signs are all within normal range,” a woman said.

I looked over to see a rabbit Demi-Human peeking out from behind a medicine cabinet in the corner. She wore the apparently universal white uniform of a medical professional, though on Earth, you’d be hard-pressed to find a doctor with those long, white ears.

“Ah, Sirona, I was hoping you’d be here,” Laika said with a smile. “You’ve been checking up on them?”

“I haven’t left the infirmary since they arrived,” Sirona admitted. “I rarely see patients in such a state, but also I rarely find a situation I cannot solve with a few of my home-made remedies. In this case, such options have been quite unsuccessful.”

“But they seem to be in good health, other than the whole coma thing?” I asked. “And it’s not like the geas comas we’ve seen before?”

“Yes,” the rabbit Demi-Human confirmed. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They simply appear to be sleeping with normal mental activity, as though they are merely dreaming.”

“I could give it a shot,” I said. “I’ve healed all kinds of stuff. Maybe I could heal whatever this is.”

“I think it’s worth trying,” Sirona agreed. “Dragons are known for having powerful abilities, and if you can heal, it must be a rather impressive level of healing magic.”

“Okay, let me see what I can do,” I said as I focused on the five patients.

I opened my mouth to release a wave of the glittery healing magic over them, but as soon as the dust settled on the patients, a shiver passed through my body. It was as though I’d reached out and touched a deep, dark abyss. The feeling was cold and black, and I found myself taking a step back from the hospital beds.

“What is it?” the princess asked as she placed a concerned hand on my shoulder.

“It didn’t work.” I cleared my crackly throat and continued my attempt at an explanation. “It’s like I tried to heal a big group of nothing.”

“So strange,” Alyona murmured. “Perhaps there’s something in the archives that could help us figure out what to do for them.”

“Maybe the right spell,” Julia agreed. “That’s a fantastic idea. I’d love to join you.”

“I think we could all use a little break from fighting sorcerers,” I chuckled. “More eyes could help.”

“The more, the merrier!” Trina said as she hopped away from the wall. “Let’s get out of here.”

The dryad skipped out the door, and her sisters shook their heads with amusement.

“She has no idea how to get out of here,” Marina giggled.

Then Trina’s head popped back into the doorway with a slight blush to her cheeks. “Maybe I should wait for Laika to lead the way.”

“That’s probably for the best,” I said with a grin.

Laika smiled and led us out of the infirmary to the ramp out of the airship, and as we walked into the sunshine, I had to blink a few times to let my eyes adjust from being inside the dark vessel. I didn’t realize until now that it had no windows, which was probably good for the prison factor.

We updated Julia and my lovers about Dolion and his sword tattoo boss, but they didn’t recognize the tattoo description, either. It seemed our mystery murder-for-hire plot was going to remain unsolved for a while longer.

Once we reached the entrance to the archives, we followed the grand white marble staircase down to the hidden library below the city of Hatra. When I’d first found it-- well, stumbled across it, really-- it led to my meeting Miraya and finding the Sword of Hatra. Now, it had become a regular place for my family to go when we needed to find an answer.

In this case, we needed to figure out how to wake up the Sleeping Beauties in the airship’s infirmary. After they’d gone missing in the jungle, a few of my lovers had joined the Blue Tree Guild to rescue them. The rescue was relatively easy, but even upon their return, the group hadn’t woken from their slumbers.

I obviously suspected something or someone magical was involved, but I wasn’t familiar enough with Inati to understand everything that happened here. For all I knew, some mysterious plant had put them to sleep with pixie dust. It seemed nothing could be considered impossible once I’d arrived in Rahma.

“Some of us should check the medical wing,” Alyona declared as we stood in front of the dozens of aisles that spread out before us. “It could be magical or medical, but we need to search everything.”

“I’ll search medical,” Julia volunteered.

“We’ll go with her,” Polina said and motioned to her sisters.

“I think I’ll be more helpful with medical, too,” I admitted. “With my medical training on Earth, I know a few things.”

Before I’d arrived on Inati, I’d been studying to be an EMT, and even though I’d basically been studying magic since I got here, it didn’t quite match up to years of studying and training in the medical field on Earth.

“Okay, just call out if you find something,” Alyona said with a wave before she and the others trotted off toward the wing of magical texts.

My mother, the dryads, and I made our way toward the medical books, and I grabbed the first one I saw.

Herbal Remedies.

Well, Sirona had already said she’d tried a few of her own, but it couldn’t hurt to take some notes. I summoned a piece of paper and a quill, which the archives provided on the shelf behind me. Then I began to jot down remedies for anything that matched our victims’ symptoms.

I glanced over to see Julia and the dryads had taken the same approach, and soon, several sheets were filled with ideas for how to resolve the comas.

A few hours later, we could have made our own book from our notes, and I realized my stomach was growling loud enough to get my mother’s attention.

“Perhaps we should take a break for dinner,” she suggested with a smile.

“Probably,” I agreed as another growl echoed down the aisle.

“I’m sure Forsythe already has something prepared,” Julia said. “Let’s go round everyone up.”

We walked down the long stretch of aisles to Alyona and the others, and Nike looked up with an expression of hope that made me stifle a laugh.

“Are you ready for dinner?” I asked.

“Yes!” My fellow noble jumped up and sent a stack of books skittering across the marble floor.

Most of my women giggled at Nike’s outburst, but Alyona, Laika, and Naomi were enthralled with another text they had spread out between them.

“Hey, let’s go get dinner,” I said as I put a gentle hand on my wife’s shoulder.

“Oh!” Alyona jumped and whirled around in surprise. “Um, we’re just going to keep looking. I think we’re on the right track.”

“You aren’t hungry?” I asked with an arched eyebrow.

My wife had developed the ravenous appetite of a dragon as part of her pregnancy with our child, so I was surprised she wasn’t the one dragging all of us above ground for dinner.

“I’ll be okay,” she hedged and looked back down at her book. “I just really want to find some answers. Then we’ll be up there.”

Laika and Naomi nodded their agreement, and I hesitated for a moment.

“Alright,” I agreed. “Here’s the notes we’ve made so far.”

I handed her the stack of pages from the medical texts before I turned around and led the others up the staircase. The sun had almost dropped below the horizon, and the faint outlines of the three moons of Inati were visible in the darkening sky.

We had to have been in the archives for several hours, though it hadn’t felt that long with the progress we’d made.

As we trudged through the city toward the Lunar Palace, I thought my stomach might cave in on itself if I didn’t get to some food in the next five minutes. The aroma of one of Forsythe’s amazing dinners wafted into my nose, and I nearly stumbled over my own feet as I sped toward the front door and into the palace.

By the time we all sat down at the table, the kitchen staff had already begun to bring in platters of thick, juicy steaks. I could smell the peppery seasoning before the trays were even on the table, and I stabbed my fork into the closest one to set it on my plate.

“Couldn’t even wait for us?” Emma teased as she and Valerra strode into the dining hall.

“I haven’t taken a bite yet,” I shot back with a grin. “And now you’re here, so I will.”

While my aunt laughed at my antics, I skipped the knife and used my fork to bring the whole steak to my mouth for a bite. The warm, crimson juices of a perfectly cooked steak dripped down my chin, and I groaned as I relished the powerful flavors of the tender meat.

It was heavenly.

When the side dishes had made their appearance, I’d already finished my first steak, so I added some potatoes and roasted carrots to my plate along with a second steak.

I took my time to savor the rest of my dinner, and after a while, I realized Alyona, Laika, and Naomi still hadn’t made their way to the table. I frowned at the idea of my wife and lovers skipping dinner, especially one as delicious as this one, and I turned around in my chair to find Forsythe.

The deer Demi-Human was a phenomenal chef, and I’d long ago decided he was the best in all of Rahma, if not the best on Inati.

Forsythe made his appearance a few seconds later to assess our satisfaction with his meal, but before he could ask if we enjoyed it, I beat him to the punch.

“The steak was fantastic,” I declared. “Can you find something for me to take enough for three more people?”

“Of course, my lord,” Forsythe said with a low bow.

He disappeared into the kitchen and returned after a few minutes with three small knapsacks. I could smell the peppery steak and veggies even through the material, and if I hadn’t already eaten enough for three people, I’d be tempted to eat these, too.

“Thank you,” I said as I rose from the table and turned to face the rest of my group. “I’m taking these back to the archives since they’re obviously not taking a break from the books just yet.”

“Good idea,” Julia replied. “I get the feeling those three might be planning to stay all night if they don’t get their answers.”

“Me, too,” I agreed. “I’ll be back later. You all get some rest for now.”

I grabbed the knapsacks and headed out the door back toward the archives. I walked along the street among the dwindling numbers of citizens returning home for the night, and I offered a few hellos and waves as I made my way to my lovers with their food in hand.

As I skipped down the steps into the archives, I could hear their whispered excitement while they flipped through pages, and I cleared my throat to announce my arrival.

“Oh, Lord Evan!” Naomi gasped as the trio turned to face me. “You brought some food?”

“Yeah, you need to eat,” I said firmly. “Even if it’s down here.”

“Thank you!” Alyona gushed and took one of the knapsacks.

As she opened the bag, the scent of the food seemed to kick her hunger into gear, and she tore through the steak and potatoes like a vulture. Laika and Naomi groaned and hummed through their meals, and I sat down on the floor next to my women as they devoured their dinners.

“That was kind of you,” Laika remarked as she wiped a trickle of steak juice from her lips.

“Very,” Naomi agreed once she swallowed her last bite of steak.

“We should certainly reward Lord Evan for his kindness,” Alyona said in a husky voice.

The trio of women all stared at me with hooded eyes, and I realized my kindness was indeed about to pay off.

Before I knew it, Alyona was ripping off my boots while Laika tore my tunic over my head. Then Naomi straddled my thighs and pressed her warm lips to mine, and a groan escaped my mouth as she ground her hips against me. Alyona and Laika took turns stroking my arousal through my pants while I made out with Naomi, and I reached out with both hands to begin removing their clothes.

Alyona’s belt was untied with a quick flick of my fingers, but Laika’s belt and tunic proved to be more difficult without looking.

“Let me help,” Naomi murmured as she turned to the side and grabbed the wolf Demi-Human’s belt.

Alyona leaned in to kiss me while Naomi undressed Laika, and my wife’s gentle tongue poked between my lips and let in a gust of her warm breath. A shiver raced down my spine, and I grabbed the princess’ robes and yanked them from her shoulders.

“Fuuuuck,” I groaned.

Once she was naked, I could finally see the tiniest bump that had grown between her hips and bellybutton, and I was mesmerized by that small bulge in her belly for a moment before Alyona was against me once more. Her round breasts had already grown fuller, and I gently teased her nipple with one hand while I pulled Naomi’s robe off with the other.

Within seconds, I was the only one with my pants still on, but Laika quickly resolved that issue. My bare ass touched on the cool marble floor just as Naomi and Laika dropped to their hands and knees.

“I have been dreaming of a taste of you, my lord.” The wolf Demi-Human was the first to take my cock in her mouth, and I pulled Alyona with me as I laid on my back with a groan.

“Speaking of taste,” I growled, and then I grabbed my wife by the waist and lifted her until she straddled my head. Her pussy sat mere inches from my face and glistened with her desire.

And I was happy to oblige.

I dragged my tongue along her inner thighs as she shivered above me, and just as I started to delve between her plump lips, Naomi joined Laika in pleasuring me.

“Oh, gods!” Alyona gasped as I plunged my tongue inside her.

I licked and sucked her dripping mound while Naomi and Laika alternated between licking my shaft and kissing each other. Alyona quivered above me as I continued to taste every inch of her sweet flower until I felt her body tense. Then I slipped a finger inside her while I flicked her clit with my tongue.

“Mmmm, she’s close,” Naomi murmured as she released my cock and crawled over near my head.

The lizard mage took one of Alyona’s breasts in her mouth as she got closer and closer to her orgasm, and I slid another finger inside her and pumped my hand faster as I continued to suckle on her throbbing clit. Then I sensed her tunnel swell as her pussy walls tightened around my fingers.

“My lord!” Alyona moaned as a tidal wave of her sweet juices poured over my fingers and onto my tongue.

I didn’t stop sucking her clit as her body thrashed over me, and she gasped for air when her climax finally slowed enough for her to catch her breath.

“Delicious,” I murmured, and I gently licked the cream from her throbbing lips as she shuddered and sighed.

Then Laika deep-throated my cock, and a spasm of pleasure rippled through my body as she sucked and licked my shaft. I grabbed Alyona’s still-trembling thighs as my own climax neared, and then the wolf Demi-Human took my sack in her hand, massaged my balls, and lowered her head until her lips had reached the base of my dick.

“Fuck, yes!” I bellowed as my cock released a hot load of my dragon seed down Laika’s throat.

“Mmmmm.” The wolf warrior slid up and down my shaft as my body jolted with waves of pleasure and filled her mouth with my seed.

“Oh, please, fill me next, my lord!” Naomi begged as she leaned over and let her tits graze my face.

“Ride me,” I ordered her.

Laika released my cock as the lizard Demi-Human climbed on top of me. Alyona shimmied off my face, and I pulled Laika over to fill her spot. My wolf lover was already sopping wet, and I grabbed her hips to bring her warm pussy close enough to taste her.

“Ohhhh, Evannnnn,” Laika groaned as I licked each of her pink lips with slow, lazy strokes. “I love your tongue!”

“And I love your pussy,” I murmured before I took her swollen nub between my tongue and my teeth.

Alyona took Naomi’s place at Laika’s side and began to knead and lick the wolf’s firm breasts. I looked up to see Laika’s nipple in my wife’s mouth as Naomi slid my cock into her warm tunnel, and my body quivered with excitement.

“Ooooh, it feels like you’re splitting me in half, my lord,” Naomi mewled as her ass met my pelvis.

Then I felt the lizard mage pound her hips against mine, and my shaft throbbed inside her while I tongue-fucked Laika. Their moans echoed around the archives, and for a brief second, I wondered if my ancestor ghosts that always seemed to pop up were enjoying the show.

I soon realized I didn’t give a shit, and I pulled Laika’s pussy even closer to me so I could thrust my tongue into her warm canal.

“Oh!” the wolf warrior gasped as my tongue slipped inside her. “Gods, Lord Evan!”

I flattened my tongue and ran it between her dripping lips before I shoved two fingers inside her hot flower. Then I glanced up as Alyona moved up to kiss Laika, and I watched their tongues intertwine as I pleasured Laika’s pussy.

Before long, Laika’s breathing came in harder and faster gasps, and then her pussy walls tightened around my fingers. Her thighs quivered on either side of my head before she released a moan and a torrent of her sweet juices. It washed over me like a downpour, and I lapped up every drop as she shuddered and jerked with waves of ecstasy.

Her release seemed to send Naomi into overdrive, and she bounced harder and faster along my cock. My toes began to tingle as our bodies crashed together until she took in a sharp breath and rocked her hips back and forth.

“M-My loooord!” Naomi moaned as her pussy gripped my cock. “I-I-I’m cumminggggg!”

She vibrated with her orgasm while her sweet cream poured over my shaft until we were both soaked with her desire. I could feel her warm juices on my skin, and it pushed me over the edge.

Before her climax was even finished, I released my own hot load into her waiting womb. My seed filled her tunnel until our juices both pooled between us, and the lizard Demi-Human slowed to a satisfied stop.

“Oh, we aren’t done yet,” I growled with a sly grin.

Naomi giggled as she and Laika climbed off me, and I whirled around to grab Alyona and laid her on her back. She spread her thighs to expose her plump, wet lips, and my cock grew harder with hunger.

As I slid inside my wife, she looked between Naomi and Laika and licked her lips.

“Who wants to let me have a taste of my husband’s seed?” Alyona asked with a wink.

“If it pleases you, my lady,” Naomi sighed as she straddled the priestess’ face.

Then Alyona began to suck and drink my cream from the sorceress’ gushing pussy.

I spent the next hour filling my women with my sperm until we were all drenched in sweat and juices, and then I finally laid back on the cool marble and folded my arms under my head.

“I’ll bring you dinner every night,” I sighed.

“Then you enjoyed our appreciation?” Naomi giggled.

“Very much,” I said with a yawn. “Now, can we get back to the palace and get some shut-eye?”

“We’re very close to a solution,” Alyona murmured. “I think we can find it soon. Do you mind waiting?”

“Go ahead.” I closed my eyes as my women got dressed and resumed their work.

Within minutes, my head was filled with dreams of my naked lovers and their many ways of pleasuring me, and I went in and out of my hazy sleep amidst the shuffles of pages turning and quills scribbling before I heard one of my women shriek.

Chapter 4

My bleary eyes shot open as I sat upright on the ground.

“What is it?” I asked while I tried to assess the situation.

All three women were crowded around a sheet of paper with at least eight different books spread out among them.

“I think we’ve got it!” Alyona squealed.

“Awesome,” I said as I yawned and started to lay back down. “We’ll take it over first thing in the morning.”

“We should try it now,” the princess insisted. “Those people deserve our help as soon as possible!”

I was torn between the desire to sleep the whole night and the need to please my wife. Whatever I decided, there was something else to consider.

“It’s the middle of the night,” I pointed out. “I doubt Pyotr would be thrilled if we showed up right now and wanted to go to the infirmary.”

“My grandfather is a night owl,” Laika said with a grin. “I can almost guarantee he’s still awake right now.”

“And even if he isn’t, Laika can get us in the airship without him,” Naomi added.

“Okay, okay, you’re all wanting to go now,” I muttered. “I get it. Just let me put my clothes on.”

“Yay!” The trio grinned and waited just long enough for me to slip my boots back on before they tugged me out of the archives.

Then we rushed across the dark city toward the airship, and it was almost creepy to see how deserted Hatra became in the middle of the night.

“So, what exactly did you find?” I asked as we traipsed through the town like bandits.

“We had to combine a few different elements,” Alyona explained. “And your medical notes were quite helpful in establishing which parts of the spell needed to be empowered.”

“Once we realized where the original spells had been weak, we just needed to figure out which ones would strengthen the one we chose,” Naomi continued. “It’s more than a sleeping or memory recovery spell, so we had to combine a few things to make it work.”

“Sounds like you figured it out,” I said with a nod. “Do you need any ingredients?”

“Nothing Sirona won’t have already,” Laika answered easily. “She has quite the supply in the infirmary.”

“Okay, let’s wake up some comatose people.” I saw the airship come into view, and Laika took the lead.

The guild members who guarded the ramp allowed us to pass, and the wolf Demi-Human guided us straight to the infirmary. I was surprised to see Pyotr walk out the door just as we rounded the corner, and he appeared equally shocked.

“What are you doing here so late?” he asked as he blinked at us rapidly. “I was just about to go to my chambers for the night.”

“We may have found the solution,” Laika said. “We couldn’t wait to try it. You can still go to bed if you’d like.”

“I’m not missing out on that,” Pyotr scoffed. “Come on in.”

He stepped back into the medical ward, and my women hurried over to the medical cabinet to gather their supplies. Then we watched with mild fascination as they poured various-colored liquids into a bowl and mashed up a few plants to add to the mixture.

A few minutes later, Naomi wiped some of the reddish-brown paste onto each of the sleeping victims’ foreheads, and a chill ran down my spine. With each swipe of the paste, their eyes opened, though they continued to stare without seeing. It looked like something out of a horror movie as they laid on the beds with their wide-open, unblinking eyes.

Laika walked over to join Pyotr and me near the door, and she crossed her arms over her chest as we waited for the two magical women to begin.

“Here we go,” Alyona breathed as she took Naomi’s hand. “Spring of life and mountains free, awaken from your deepest sleep. Autumn fires and rivers gold, remember what your stories hold.”

They repeated the incantation two more times, and then the room fell silent.

Suddenly, a gust of wind whooshed through the room and rattled the bottles on the shelves, and the beds that held the comatose people shook until they nearly lifted from the floor.

Then all five people sat straight up in their beds and stared straight ahead as they spoke in unison.

“By the end of the second scourge, he will rise,” the people intoned. “Before the last moon is in the sky, you will bow before the Demon King!”

The boom of thunder filled the room as the people fell back onto their beds, and we all stared in complete silence.

“What the fuck?” I finally said.

“What’s going on?” one of the women asked as she rubbed her eyes and tried to sit up. “Gods, my head is pounding.”

“Oh, my gods, you’re okay?” Laika rushed past Alyona and Naomi, who stood stock still in the middle of the room. “Go get Sirona!”

Pyotr nodded soundlessly before he scurried out of the room to grab Sirona. He returned only a few seconds later, and I realized the rabbit Demi-Human must have taken up residence in the room next to the infirmary to keep a close eye on her patients.

“How did you wake them up?” Sirona gasped as she grabbed her tools from a table and began to check each of the recently awakened people.

“It was a spell we put together,” Alyona mumbled.

“Well, it worked,” the rabbit Demi-Human replied with a smile. “They’re all out of the comas. Great job.”

“We didn’t expect for them to do that… other thing,” Naomi said in a quiet voice.

“I don’t think anyone expected that,” I pointed out. “But now, we can ask them what it was about.”

“What are you talking about?” the woman who woke first asked. “Ask us about what?”

“Let me assess you first,” Sirona said in a stern tone. “Do you remember your name?”

“Yeah, Violet,” the woman replied without hesitation. “Why wouldn’t I know my own name?”

“Because you’ve been unconscious for at least the past five days,” the rabbit Demi-Human explained. “I don’t know how long before that you were in the jungle.”

“The jungle,” the man on the other side of the room murmured. “We went to the jungle to research a new insect.”

“Did you find it?” I asked.

“I-I… don’t remember,” he said with a frown as he turned to face his colleagues. “Do any of you remember if we found it?”

“No.” Violet shook her head then grimaced. “I remember getting out our map to plot our suspected locations, and then… nothing.”

“You don’t remember being rescued or brought back here?” Pyotr asked.

“I don’t even know where here is,” Violet said with a smirk. “My memory consists of jungle, map, and waking up just now.”

“What about the thing you all said?” Naomi wondered. “About bowing to the Demon King?”

“Who is the Demon King?” the man asked with wide eyes.

“You said that,” I answered carefully. “You all woke up and said we would bow before the Demon King before the last moon is in the sky.”

“What does that even mean?” one of the other men chimed in. “What’s the last moon?”

“I have no idea,” I muttered. “But I’m sure planning to find out.”

“What do you make of all this, my lord?” Pyotr asked in a low voice as Sirona continued her examinations. “The Demon King? Rising with the second scourge?”

“I have a feeling we’ve met this Demon King already,” I mused.

I remembered the shadowy figure with glowing orange eyes who had appeared in my dreams and in a projection before one of the Redimi Vincio ceremonies. He had to be the reason we couldn’t close the Breach before, and if he was as powerful as he seemed, it made sense I needed the power of the twelve Noble Swords to close his gate to our world.

“That would make sense,” Alyona said.

The princess seemed to have snapped out of her numb reaction to the effects of her spell, and she twirled a raven-colored lock of hair around her finger in thought.

“So, this Demon King is the creepy guy who popped into our heads at the ceremony?” Laika muttered. “He was great.”

“Yeah, I think so,” I said. “And he did something to these people that made them pass along his weird message. Does anyone know about a scourge or the last moon?”

Everyone shook their heads no, and I was at a complete loss.

If we didn’t know what the scourges or the last moon were, how would we know when we had to finish bonding with the Noble Swords?

“Maybe we should try just the memory part of the spell again,” Naomi suggested. “If they can remember more, it might help us figure out what knocked them out in the first place.”

“Yeah, just explain it to them first,” I said. “I don’t want them to be any more freaked out than they already are.”

Alyona and Naomi nodded before they headed toward the bed to tell the patients what they were about to do.

“Do you think it will work?” Laika wondered.

“It might.” I shrugged. “It woke them up, and they remembered their weird message, I guess. Maybe they’ll remember something else with another dose of magic.”

“And if they don’t?” Pyotr asked with an arched eyebrow.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” I said as I pursed my lips.

The Demon King’s victims seemed to be in relatively high spirits, though they were almost as frustrated about not remembering their bug results as they were about being magically put into a coma. They were open to the idea of doing the memory spell again so they would know if they found the insect, while I was intent on finding out what had put them under in the first place.

After a few minutes of explanation and discussion, Alyona and Naomi wiped a new layer of the reddish-brown paste on the researchers’ foreheads and started the spell from the middle.

We all waited for the gust of wind and rumble of thunder, but nothing happened. All five of the patients looked around with curiosity, while my two magical women grunted in frustration.

They repeated the spell twice with the same results, or lack thereof. It seemed the spell wouldn’t work to restore the rest of the scientists’ memories, and right now, we didn’t have any other solutions to try.

“Why isn’t it working?” Alyona groaned. “It’s like we’re just reading from a book! No magic is activating at all!”

“Listen, let’s just give them some time to rest,” I said in a gentle voice. “They’re awake now, so that’s progress. We can come back with new ideas later.”

“Yeah, thank you for waking us up,” Violet agreed. “Even if we don’t remember the trip yet, I’m sure you’ll find a way for that to happen, too.”

“I suppose,” the princess sighed. “You’re most welcome, of course. I just wish we could fix all of it.”

“And we will,” I assured her. “But you need some rest, and I’m sure they do, too.”

“And food,” one of the men pointed out.

“That, too,” I chuckled. “Come on, we can go back to the palace and let everyone know what we’ve found out.”

“Alright,” Alyona said with another heavy sigh. “Let’s go.”

She trudged out of the room with Laika by her side, and I waved goodbye to the patients before I followed Pyotr and Naomi out into the hallway. We followed the winding path back to the ramp, and I was surprised to see the three moons were still in the sky.

It had felt like we’d been in the airship for hours, but I was glad to have the chance to rest before we took on the next steps.

As we made our way to the Lunar Palace, Alyona and Naomi quietly discussed how they could add to their memory spell, while Laika and I walked behind them in silence.

Even if the two magical women were upset about the results, I was happy to at least be able to put a name to the enemy we faced within the Breach. Demon King was a pretty generic name for now, but I’d take it.

We crept in the front door, but it seemed our efforts to be quiet were fruitless.

“It’s about time!” Trina gasped.

“We’ve been worried sick!” Marina added with a pout.

The dryads jumped up from their spot on the sofa and rushed over to hug each of us. The rest of my lovers quickly joined them, and Nike, Julia, Ruslan, and Emma weren’t far behind.

“Where did you go?” Ruslan demanded in a fatherly voice. “You said you’d be in the archives, but you weren’t there when we came to find you.”

“Well, we were there,” I explained. “Then they found a way to break the sleeping spell, so we went to the airship to try it out. I didn’t think to leave a note or anything. I’m sorry.”

“Accepted,” my father replied with a smirk. “Did it work?”

“Yeah,” I said as I ran my fingers through my hair. “But it was… weird.”

I relayed the message from the Demon King, and Ravi and Skye shuddered at the words.

“I’ve never heard of a Demon King before,” Julia said with a frown.

“Sounds creepy as hell,” Emma muttered, and Valerra nodded her agreement.

“What does it mean?” the naiad-Nepin asked. “The second scourge? The last moon?”

“We haven’t exactly figured that out yet,” I murmured. “I want to find out, but we really need to find the next Noble of the Sword. I don’t know which to choose.”

“Understanding the enemy is an important part of any battle,” Nike said as he furrowed his brow.

“But Aeron said we shouldn’t get distracted from our goal, which is to close the Breach,” Aaliyah pointed out as her golden tail twitched behind her.

“Well, if we don’t know what we’re fighting at the Breach, how can we close it?” Ravi sighed.

“We’ll do whatever you think is right, my lord,” Rebecca said firmly.

“I don’t know what’s right,” I muttered. “The most logical idea is to split up, but I don’t want to put anyone at risk. I saw what that jungle did to those people.”

“Well, it didn’t do anything to us when we were there,” Polina said and shrugged. “Maybe it’s because they were human.”

“Maybe,” I hedged. “Or maybe the Demon King wanted to use them for his creepy message.”

“He could have used all of us for that,” Trina insisted.

“I suppose that’s true,” I murmured. “So, you three want to go check out the jungle, while the rest of us head to Copacia?”

“We can handle it,” Marina declared.

“I can go with them,” Naomi offered. “I’ve read so much magical information today, I can put it to better use there.”

“And I can send some of the guild members with them,” Laika said. “Then they won’t be alone.”

“That sounds a little better,” I agreed. “But no humans. If that’s what the Demon King needed to put those researchers in that coma spell, we don’t want to send anyone there who could be put in danger.”

“That’s easy enough,” the wolf warrior said as she touched her leather gorget.

The gorget was the means of communication between members of the Blue Tree Guild, and Laika could use it to gather any members of her guild she wanted to send on the mission.

“At least ten of your people,” I told her.

Laika nodded and passed along the message to find the right people for the job, while I looked at the tired eyes around me.

“Okay, Pyotr is rounding up the soldiers,” the wolf Demi-Human announced. “When do you want to leave?”

“In the morning,” I decided. “We can’t show up in Copacia this late, and everyone looks exhausted. Let’s sleep whatever hours of the night are left and head out first thing tomorrow.”

“Got it,” she said as she consulted her gorget again.

“Now, off to bed,” I ordered everyone.

After a few grumbles from my wife, we all headed upstairs to rest up for the next part of our mission. I wasn’t a huge fan of the plan to split up and send four of my lovers into the jungle when we had no idea what had caused the researchers’ coma episodes, but they could defend themselves much better than a group of scientists. Between Naomi’s magical abilities and the dryads’ nature magic and guild training, they had a lot going for them already.

I curled up in bed next to Alyona, and the princess began to snore before I’d even closed my eyes. I knew she was tired from both the pregnancy and the eventful day we’d had, and she needed the rest more than anyone else.

I fell asleep a few minutes later, but rest didn’t come as easily.

Fire was all around me, though I knew better than to be scared of the flames. I tried to search for a way out, but whatever this room was, it was completely engulfed by the fire. The ceiling, floor, and every wall burned, but nothing collapsed, and no ashes floated in the air.

Then, suddenly, I wasn’t alone.

I whirled around to face the shadowy figure that had haunted me for weeks, but his features remained indistinct even as the flames illuminated the room. His amorphous black form stood about six inches taller than me, but I recognized the glowing orange eyes immediately.

I reached for the Sword of Healing only to find it wasn’t on my belt, and then his voice slithered through my mind again like a poisonous snake through the grass.

Your blade is useless here, Dragon Lord.

The nebulous Demon King seemed to solidify by several degrees, and a gash of a mouth gaped open below his lava-colored eyes as a grin stretched across his face.

“And your fire won’t harm me,” I retorted. “So, what do you want?”

Suddenly, the flames around us swirled and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke before a new scene took its place.

I could see the Demon King on a huge black throne on top of the Mihireti Mountains. Hundreds of skeletons surrounded his seat and covered the side of the mountain at his feet. Wildfires burned in the distance behind him, and I whirled around to see fires burned in every direction. Rahma was barely more than ash, and a hot fire seared in my chest.

“You want to burn the world?” I demanded. “Why would you kill everyone? Then who would you rule over?”

The shadowy figure lowered his head to look me in the eyes and gestured to the moving scene around us.

I caught a glimpse of his pinpoint pupils as he glared at me with pure rage and hatred, but my attention was caught by the demons that flew over the dead bodies of my people. They cawed and screeched with glee as they picked apart the few remaining bits of flesh from the bones, and I growled with the instinct to tear them all to shreds.

“Don’t you already do that in the underworld?” I pointed out as my voice dripped with sarcasm. “Just stay there.”

The Demon King roared with rage, and the flames of the wildfires rose higher until I couldn’t even see the horizon anymore.

“Whatever you’re after, you won’t get it here,” I hissed. “I’m going to close the Breach, and you can stay in the underworld with your minions unless I tear you limb from limb first.”

I have an offer for you.

“I’m not interested,” I spat out.

The Demon King’s shadowy edges seemed to glitch as he flicked an amorphous hand, and the scenery changed again. Now, we were inside the Lunar Palace, and my throat tightened as screams of agony filled my ears. I couldn’t see who it was, but I could feel the pain in my soul, and I knew it was one of my lovers who wailed in pain.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” I snarled. “You won’t go anywhere near my family!”

He offered a malicious grin, and his gaping mouth was like a yawning black abyss. Then he flicked his wrist again, and the palace disappeared and was quickly replaced by his throne again. This time, a large shadow loomed overhead, and I looked up to see a set of shiny black scales.

I recognized my dragon form instantly, but the image made my stomach twist. This version of myself was filled with hate. I could see it in the way my normally bright-purple eyes were cold and bitter as the familiar maw opened, and a column of flames burst out and scorched an entire row of skeletons.

The other me roared and flew further down the mountain to a village that had so far avoided the wildfires. Then he activated stone magic and lifted the stone buildings from the ground. They flew several feet in the air before he released them, and the screams of the villagers made me cringe.

“Are these my options?” I challenged him. “Become another one of your destructive minions or watch my family suffer? I’ll stick with my current plan of doing everything I can to keep you in hell where you belong.”

The scene of our team destruction disappeared as the fire returned, and the walls began to shake with the Demon King’s fury. His orange eyes burned as bright as molten magma, and his cavernous mouth released a bone-shaking yell that made me grit my teeth as I kept my eyes on him.

“You should’ve known better than to make me such a ridiculous offer,” I growled with a furrowed brow. “I would never in a million years help you destroy my home or my people!”

The Demon King bellowed with rage before he reached out with black, spindly fingers made of shadow and hate.

I closed my eyes and forced my body to wake from the nightmare, and when I opened my eyes again, I was back in my chambers at the Lunar Palace and drenched in sweat. My body shook uncontrollably, and I wrapped my arms around my chest to try to calm myself down.

“My love, what’s wrong?” Alyona asked in a sleepy voice before she sat up and rubbed her eyes. “You’re shaking. Are you alright?”

“I had a dream,” I said. “I think it was a dream, anyway. It was weird.”

“Tell me about it,” she ordered me.

“Well, I was in this fiery room with the Demon King,” I explained. “He showed me how he would kill everyone I love if I didn’t agree to be his side-kick. I think it was a dream, but he went after me when I said no.”

“I don’t think it was a regular dream,” Alyona said as she shook her head. “We’ve already seen how the Demon King can project himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if he forced himself into your dream world.”

“Gods, is there anything this creep can’t do?” I muttered. “I just want to have a decent night’s sleep for once.”

“I’m worried his power is growing.” The princess trembled and snuggled closer to me. “If he can project himself into your dreams, he is at least more powerful than we initially thought.”

“All the more reason to keep getting the Noble Swords’ power,” I said. “I won’t let this dream thing distract me from finishing what we started. It’s obviously too important. We can’t slow down now.”

“No, we can’t,” she agreed. “It’s far too dangerous to take any extra time. It seems the gods were right in directing you to stay on the path.”

“Then that’s exactly what we’ll do,” I murmured as I turned toward the window.

The first rays of dawn peeked in between the curtains, and while I was slightly disappointed it was already morning, I knew there was no way I’d be able to go back to sleep after that nightmarish encounter anyway.

We rose from the bed and got dressed in silence, and I figured Alyona was thinking about the dream just as much as I was. I mentally chastised myself for not asking about the scourge or the last moon, but in my defense, I’d been a little busy watching him threaten my family and offer me a job to give me any time to think.

The right-hand man thing really had my gears turning. The Demon King must have figured out I was a formidable opponent to try to get me on his side. Like that old phrase on Earth, “If you can’t beat them, join them.”

But joining him would never be an option.

By the time we made it downstairs, the rest of our group was waiting in the great hall. The dryads had dressed in true warrior fashion with brown leathers and green tunics, though Naomi still wore her signature black robes. They looked ready for anything, and I hoped my rejection of the Demon King’s offer didn’t put them in any additional danger on their mission.

“We need to get going soon, my lord,” Nike said with a grim smile. “We need to look around Copacia before we enter an unknown city.”

“Agreed.” I nodded my head and turned to the dryads and Naomi. “Be careful, please. Don’t take any extra risks. Just see what you can see and get the hell out of the jungle.”

“We’ll be safe,” Polina promised.

“Yeah, don’t worry about us,” Marina added and smiled with confidence.

“Too late for that,” I said.

I kissed each of them before they joined the Blue Tree Guild members outside and headed for the jungle. Then I turned to the rest of my companions and nodded to Alyona.

“You need to be careful, too,” Emma said as she pursed her lips. “We’d like all of you to come back in one piece.”

“I will be,” I replied and hugged my aunt and then my parents. “See you soon.”

With that, Alyona’s portal opened to reveal a landscape of thick trees. I looked at her curiously, but she shrugged her shoulders. We had no idea what we were about to walk into.

So, of course, we walked through the portal.

The foliage was dense in the apparent forest, and the ground beneath our feet was nearly black from the coverage overhead. I heard the sounds of animals as they scurried away from our sudden appearance, and I looked up to see a quartet of brown-and-yellow birds perched on a branch above us.

The birds peered at us with suspicion before they took off and disappeared into the forest.

“So, where’s the city?” Nike asked as we looked around us.

The trees that surrounded us seemed to cover the area in every direction. I couldn’t even tell where the sun was, and I only knew it was out because it wasn’t pitch-black. All the animals had scampered out of sight, and I wondered if it was because we were new, or because they weren’t used to seeing people in the forest.

“I guess we just have to find it,” I said and took a slow step forward.

The ground was soft and moist, so I was able to move without making much sound. I wasn’t sure we needed to be sneaky, but something told me if the city of Copacia was hidden this well, they probably wouldn’t approve of surprise visitors.

As we continued silently through the forest, I noticed the trees weren’t as typical as I’d first thought. The trunks were narrower at the base than toward the branches, and the branches themselves were thick and long enough to connect with the other trees. It was almost like the branches grew like roots and joined together overhead rather than underground.

“These trees are weird,” Skye observed in a soft voice as she studied the foliage as well. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I haven’t explored much of the world or anything, but I’ve read a lot of books, and these don’t look familiar at all.”

“No, I’ve never seen them, either,” Laika agreed. “And I’ve been all over the place. Something is odd about this place.”

“Maybe they’re magically enhanced,” I suggested as I reached out to touch one of the slender trunks.

Instead of the typical connection to nature I normally felt, I felt a rush of power as I made contact with the bark. It was almost like a jolt of electricity but without the pain, and I pulled my hand back in surprise and stared at the tree. Whatever was going on here, it seemed like we had to expect the unexpected.

“How far away from the city did you create the portal?” Ravi asked Alyona.

“It should have only been about fifty yards from Copacia’s walls,” the princess said as she consulted the map again. “See? I can’t tell if the trees are just blocking our view or if I portaled us further than I thought.”

“I guess we’ll just keep walking and find out,” I decided. “Let’s keep moving.”

We continued in the direction indicated on the map, but I still didn’t see any sort of clearing or city wall ahead. Only trees, trees, and, you guessed it, more trees.

Then I heard a scraping sound, and I held up my hand to stop my group.

“What is it?” Isabella whispered from behind me.

“I heard something,” I murmured.

There was a light creak before I tuned my dragon hearing in to the familiar sound of a bowstring releasing an arrow.

“Duck!” I yelled.

Then an arrow whistled through the air where my head had been.

Chapter 5

I scoured the thick branches above us for any signs of the archer, but all I could see was the brown-and-green layers of foliage, so I motioned for everyone to duck down behind the trunks as well as they could until we found whoever had attacked us.

“Just let me get my sword on that guy,” Skye grunted as she gripped the Sword of Youth. “Me and Juniper can take him out.”

“Hang on a second,” I warned her. “If we can’t see our opponent, we can’t take him out. And right now, all I see are leaves and branches.”

Skye clenched her jaw in frustration but nodded her head.

I poked my head out from behind the trunk and focused my dragon vision on the tree line. Normally, I used my enhanced senses to see in the dark, but this time, I had to pick out our attacker from the surroundings he or she apparently was quite familiar with blending into. And that was making my job much harder.

Suddenly, another arrow whizzed through the air, and I ducked behind the narrow trunk just in time to see the projectile fly past me. I stifled a frustrated roar and looked around the other side of the tree.

A flash of white caught my eye as the archer loaded another arrow against the bowstring, and I realized the arrowhead was white and stood out among the browns and greens of the forest.

Before he could release the arrow, I conjured my own fiery bow and arrow and whipped around the back side of the tree with my arrow aimed directly at the archer.

“Stand down!” I ordered. “Or I’ll have to shoot you.”

I couldn’t see the archer’s face beneath the hood of his brown robe, but I got the feeling he was trying to decide what to do. His fingers twitched on the arrow in his hand, and I decided to offer a warning shot. We couldn’t enter every city by killing whoever guarded it, but I wasn’t about to take an arrow in order to play nice.

I released my fiery arrow into the tree mere inches above his head, and he ducked before he sent his own arrow flying back toward me. The third shot was wild, as though he hadn’t even tried to aim at me, and it whizzed through the branches several yards to our right.

“Come on!” I bellowed. “I only miss on purpose once!”

The archer froze for a split second, and I caught a glimpse of his face before he whirled around and sprinted across the branches.

Shit.

I took off running, but I couldn’t see a way to easily reach the branches overhead and catch our attacker. The lowest hanging branches were still three feet above my head, and I was fast, but I hadn’t assimilated kangaroo jumping abilities just yet.

So, I continued to run underneath the archer. I watched as he leaped from tree to tree without flinching, and I pictured him as a modern-day Tarzan while he deftly traveled through the forest above me. I never took my eyes off him as he weaved his way around the beaten path and continued south.

I seriously considered using my swiftness to run up a tree trunk and catch up with him, but I hadn’t tested the vertical abilities of my speed, and I couldn’t risk losing the archer in this expansive forest, so I’d just have to keep trucking along under him.

Then he slipped on a stray piece of moss, and he nearly lost his footing before he abandoned his bow and pressed on. I wondered for a moment if I could use my swiftness to sprint ahead and then climb into his path, but he knew this forest. He would probably switch paths before I could even make it onto the lowest branch.

We didn’t get a chance to find out.

Suddenly, the archer jumped a few feet in front of me, and I activated my speed to shoulder tackle him from behind. We rolled a few feet in a tangle of arms and legs as I tried to get a grip on him, though I got the distinct feeling he was more interested in escaping than fighting me. He blindly swung his bow and fist in my direction, but I dodged his weak strikes without much effort.

As I wrapped my legs around his, he slithered out of my grasp and dug one boot in the ground to try to push off into a sprint, but I grabbed his foot and yanked him back toward me again. Then I pulled him close enough to grab the bow from his hand and tossed it a few feet away.

“Let me go!” the archer wailed as he squirmed and kicked at my hand with his other foot.

“Would you just chill out?” I grunted.

“What do you want with me?” he groaned and threw an elbow into the side of my head.

That blow finally connected, and my eyes rolled back for a moment before I grabbed his arm and wrenched it behind him, pushed him onto his belly, and let most of my weight sink into his back to hold him down.

“I’m just looking for a place!” I hissed as I leaned over him. “Just let me talk to you.”

“Okay,” the archer said with a shudder. “I’ll tell you what you want to know. Can I just sit up?”

“Thank you,” I muttered as I slowly took my weight off his back. “Now, sit right here and tell me where Copacia is.”

But the moment I tried to lift him to sit on his rear, he shoved off me again.

Slimy little bastard.

This time, he got his feet under him, but his speed was still no match for mine. I hit the back of his knees, and he tumbled onto the ground again. I clambered forward and managed to wrap one arm around his shoulders and my legs around his hips. It was a reflexive movement I’d learned from years in martial arts, but I’d already noticed the archer was no novice.

He pressed the balls of his feet into the ground and shoved his hips upward before he attempted to roll out of my grasp. He was stronger than I’d realized, not just slippery, and he nearly escaped my hold, but I quickly repositioned my forearm to press against his throat until I could hear his breathing become labored.

“If you stop fighting, I’ll let you breathe,” I warned him. “Just chill out.”

My hostage didn’t say a word, but he grunted and continued to press against me until he was gasping for air.

Then the rest of my party finally caught up, and they came to a screeching halt behind me.

“My lord, look!” Alyona breathed.

“Kind of busy at the moment,” I grumbled as I grabbed my fist to pull my grip tighter. “If he would stop fighting me, we’d be done with this.”

“Look at him!” she insisted.

I finally looked down at the struggling archer and nearly lost my grip in surprise.

He had pale, creamy skin, and cherubic features, but it wasn’t his face that truly captured my attention. It was the pointy ears on either side of his head. They were the same size as mine except for the long, angled tips that almost doubled his ear-size. I hadn’t noticed during our tussle, but now that he was right in front of me, it was hard to miss.

“An elf?” I asked as my jaw dropped.

“Like you’ve never seen one of us before,” he grunted as he tried to push his chin between my arm and his throat.

“I haven’t,” I said. “I don’t want to knock you out, but you’re making it hard not to. Just stop fighting me. I’m not here to hurt you.”

He continued to twist and turn under me, and Alyona leaned down to cast her binding spell. Within seconds, the elf was wrapped in her white tendrils of magic, and his soft face was hardened with anger.

“I think we found Copacia,” Nike announced and pointed.

I followed his finger and had to do a double-take.

Copacia was beautiful.

Silver and gold buildings lined both sides of a cobblestone street, though the structures were no taller than the trees that surrounded the city. The buildings shimmered in the sunlight, and the shine contrasted starkly with the darkness of the forest.

“No wonder they keep it so well-hidden,” I murmured, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the glimmering city.

“Until now,” the elf groaned.

“I told you, we didn’t come here to hurt anyone,” I said as I pursed my lips and stared at the archer. “Now, I want to speak to the leader of Copacia.”

The elf glared at me but didn’t respond.

“Maybe he doesn’t have a way to talk to the leader,” Isabella suggested.

“Or he thinks keeping his mouth shut will save him from any trouble he’ll get in for not stopping us,” I scoffed. “Does that sound about right?”

The archer turned away and pouted, so I took that as a yes.

“Looks like we’ll have to find the leader on our own,” Laika declared as her furry gray ears twitched atop her head.

“I don’t think it will be difficult,” Ravi said and pointed further into the city.

Sure enough, I could just see the spires of a large castle a few blocks past the entrance.

“Then that’s where we’ll go,” I muttered as I pulled the elf to his feet. “Let’s go say hello.”

I yanked the elf along next to me as we started down the stone road to the castle. There were no other elves along the road, and I started to wonder if we’d found another ghost town. No eyes peeked out from behind curtains or doors as we passed, and no one walked along the streets of the city.

Then I started to get the creeps as the castle came into full view.

The buildings on the outskirts of town had been beautiful, but the palace was stunning. The silver exterior sparkled and seemed to almost glow, and as we got closer, I could see tiny jewels were embedded at varying intervals around each spire and along the balcony railings. It made the castle look even more glittery than the silver blocks alone, but something about it sent a shiver down my spine.

It didn’t feel like someone’s home. It felt cold and uninviting. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we continued to the large wooden doors.

We approached the castle, and I decided to knock on the front door since no one seemed interested in the group of strangers on the street. Before I could even get one foot on the bottom step, though, a group of four or five elves rushed out the door and pointed their swords at us.

None of them said anything, not even a threat, and we all stood in awkward silence for at least ten seconds as their blades inched closer toward us.

“Now can I use mine?” Skye begged with an edge to her voice.

“No, we need them to know we aren’t here to hurt anyone,” I said, but I figured the elf prisoner currently at my side would make that difficult.

I waited for the guards to speak, but their angry brown eyes were concentrated on me, and they didn’t seem to have much to say. They just stood with their swords at the ready, as though we were there to attack them, despite the fact our own weapons were still on our belts. I narrowed my eyes on each of the elf guards, but not a single one twitched under my gaze.

“Maybe you should introduce us,” Alyona whispered.

“Right, uh, my name is Lord Evan of Hatra,” I announced. “I need to speak with the leader of Copacia immediately.”

Still not a word.

The guards continued to glare at me with their swords ready for an attack.

“Maybe tell them you’ll let the archer go?” Nike offered.

“Yeah, okay,” I said before I raised my voice again. “I’ll release this elf if the leader of Copacia will come speak with me. It’s an urgent matter.”

The guards’ stoic silence was starting to grate on my nerves. I’d introduced myself and told them what I needed, but they didn’t look like they’d budge.

I started to formulate a new, more exciting plan that involved our own swords when the front door of the castle opened again, and a tall male elf with long chestnut hair and a slightly smaller female elf walked out onto the landing and sneered down at us.

I didn’t know how old elves could get, but these ones both looked to be in their fifties, though the woman wore about a pound of makeup to try to look younger. Her silky golden gown draped the floor around her feet, and an ungodly number of gold bracelets adorned each arm. The man wore thick gold robes with a white cape over his shoulders that dragged along the ground behind him. Their pursed lips and disapproving eyes immediately irritated me, but I cleared my throat before the male elf finally spoke.

“You’ve come for what purpose?” the man demanded.

“I need to speak with you privately,” I said. “Will you give me an audience once I release this elf?”

“I believe you shall release him regardless,” the woman declared as she lifted her nose even higher in the air. “You are an intruder in our city, and Joseph had a job to do. Capturing him was not your place, so you shall release him immediately.”

Her accent and words put me on edge. It was regal, and she seemed to be unnecessarily rolling her R’s. It was also annoying, and I wanted to get this shit over with ASAP.

“I believe you are wrong,” I countered. “I captured this man trying to attack me, and I took him to save my people. Now, are you going to talk to me if I agree to let him go?”

The pair turned to each other, and then they began whispering to each other. I gritted my teeth while this went on for what seemed like forever, but I held back my frustration.

“We agree to hear your answer as to why you’ve come to Copacia,” the man finally said. “Then we will decide if we will talk to you.”

“No,” I replied firmly. “I need your word that we can have an honest discussion.”

The two elves conferred again before the woman nodded and crossed her arms over her ample chest. I turned to Alyona, and she called back her binding spell. The archer stretched his arms and avoided looking at the regal couple. I could tell he was ashamed he hadn’t been able to keep us out, but at least he was alive.

Joseph scampered away from our conversation, and the male leader motioned for me to continue.

“We’re looking for someone--” I started.

“Then we cannot help you,” the woman interjected. “We have no time to waste with a search party. Thank you, but you are now free to leave.”

The female elf spun on her heels to walk back inside the castle, and the man started to join her.

“You made a deal!” Aaliyah called out with a small roar.

“And we discussed it,” the woman spat out over her shoulder.

“No, we did not,” I scoffed. “I told you what I’m here for, and you tried to make us leave without any of the details. It doesn’t work like that.”

“In Copacia, the duke and duchess make all the decisions,” the man said with a furrowed brow. “We have no idea who you are. You merely showed up in our city unannounced. Who are you to question us?”

“Lord Evan of Hatra,” I answered and jutted out my chin in defiance. “And I’m not done, so neither are you.”

“Yes, we are.” The duchess smirked before she waved her hand at the guards. “They need to leave, or they can face the consequences of disobeying the Royal House.”

“Get the fuck over yourselves.” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t really care if you don’t trust me, but you will listen to every damn word I say. I’m here on a life-or-death mission, and all I need is some information from you. Then you can go on about your merry lives.”

The duke and duchess turned to each other and began another fevered, whispered conversation, so I tuned in my dragon hearing but could still only pick out a few words.

“Is he the…” she trailed off.

“I can’t… what he’d want with us,” her husband murmured back.

“I’ll tell you all about what I want as soon as you let us inside,” I cut in with a smirk. Then I flashed the scales on my arms and let a lick of flame flick out of my mouth like a fiery tongue. “And, yeah, I’m a dragon, so I can hear you.”

The duchess looked appalled as she pressed a hand to her chest and glanced at her husband, and they stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like a full minute before the duke turned to look at us.

“You may come into our castle,” he finally said. “But we will not spend much more of our precious time on this matter. We have more important matters to attend to in order to keep our city running.”

With that, the couple whirled around and headed inside. The guards sheathed their swords and allowed us to pass without incident, and we followed the royal couple into the castle with the guards right behind us.

My treasure hunting instincts were already buzzing when I saw the jewels on the exterior walls, but they started going bonkers once we walked inside. I could sense tons and tons of treasure within the castle, but I knew I had to temper the desire to find every last bit of gold.

The duke and duchess led us to a living area just inside the door, and the duchess reached over to light a fire in the massive fireplace. They sat on a loveseat together and watched us all file inside.

We eyed the room for a moment as we quickly realized they must not have guests often, since there was only the loveseat and a couch in the living area. Both pieces of furniture featured plush crimson cushions with French-style gold legs and more of the multi-colored stones embedded in the gold.

Alyona and I sat on the couch across from the elf rulers, while the rest of our group crowded around behind it.

The elf couple stared at us with disdain, and I had to swallow all the words I was thinking in order to get what I wanted out of them. As much as I wanted to tell these pompous pricks to give me the information I needed, they didn’t seem keen on my more violent actions, and I’d have to find a way to work with them to figure out who the Noble of the Sword was. My inner dragon was less than pleased with my decision to stay calm, but I ignored his grumbling for now.

“Thank you,” I said with a smile. “Now, I’d like to tell you a little bit about--”

“Please, do not bore us with your story,” the duke cut me off with a wave of his hand. “We only wish to know what we can do for you, so you will leave our precious city.”

“I only hope you aren’t here to take our gold,” the duchess added with a frown. “I’ve heard stories about dragons and their desire for such items.”

“I’m not stealing your stuff,” I scoffed. “If I wanted your treasure, it would already be mine.”

“Perhaps giving you some would speed up this process,” her husband said with an arrogant smirk.

“I don’t need a bribe,” I grumbled. “As I said, I’m looking for someone, and the information I have says you can help me figure out who.”

“You’re looking for someone you don’t know?” The duchess lifted a doubtful eyebrow. “How are we going to know about someone if you don’t know anything?”

“I didn’t say I know nothing about the person,” I clarified. “In fact, I know something very important about him or her, but I don’t know the name. That’s where you two come in. I’ll describe this person to you, and you tell me who it is. It’s not that difficult.”

“And if we give you a name, you’ll leave Copacia?” the duke asked.

“Eventually,” I hedged. “I’ll need to speak with this person, and hopefully, it won’t take long. We’re on a bit of a time crunch, in case you forgot the life-or-death mission part of my introduction.”

“You have all these people with you, and none of them can help you with your problem?” the duke scoffed as he looked over my group. “I sense a few have the power to read nature. Can’t they use them to find your person?”

“Well, they’ve all helped me already,” I shot back. “Now, I’m looking for someone who lives here.”

“And how do you know they live here?” the duchess whined.

“Magic,” I said as simply as I could. “So, if you’d be so kind as to listen, I’ll explain. The person I’m looking for is a noble--”

“Yes, yes, we have plenty of those here,” the duke interjected and rolled his eyes. “As you can see, we’ve ensured our city is very wealthy, which is why we also have treasure we can give you as soon as you promise to leave.”

“Brag much?” Rebecca muttered.

“Yeah, Copacia is nice,” I agreed with a grimace. “Anyway, this particular noble has a certain sword.”

I neglected to give specific details about the Noble Sword to the elf couple. They were already on my nerves with their attitude, and I knew I couldn’t trust them in the slightest.

“A sword?” the duchess laughed. “Everyone has a sword. We live in the middle of a forest.”

“I can understand that,” I said. “But this sword is special, a one-of-a-kind blade. It would stand out, and only one family has been able to use it.”

My last sentence appeared to freeze the couple in their tracks, and they glanced at each other and had some sort of silent conversation while I waited for their response. It seemed I’d struck a chord, but their stiff bodies told me it wouldn’t be easy to move forward.

Then my instincts were proven right.

“We won’t tell you a damn thing,” the duchess spat out.

Chapter 6

My blood started to boil as I stared at the elf couple’s smug faces. All I wanted was information, and they were quick to make a deal and then back out of their side of it. It was apparent the elves had no sense of honor or respect, but they didn’t seem to care. They obviously had no idea who the fuck they were dealing with, and I planned to show them how smart it was to renege on a deal with a dragon.

My fists clenched at my sides, but then I felt the cool, gentle touch of Alyona’s hand on my arm.

“Let me talk to them,” she whispered. “Take a deep breath.”

Her words seemed to breathe ice into the fire that burned my insides, and they tamped down the rage that threatened to boil over. I took a deep shuddering breath to calm myself, but I kept my eyes locked onto the duke and duchess.

“Okay,” I agreed on the exhale. “I suppose they don’t have to meet the gods today.”

The duchess’ mouth dropped open ever so slightly at my menacing words, and her eyes darted between Alyona and me.

“You’ve made a grave mistake,” the princess said in a soft but commanding voice. “Lord Evan released your archer in exchange for information about a citizen of your city. He completed his end of the bargain, but you have fallen quite short on yours. Not only have you disrespected the family of the White Jade Temple, you also risk putting thousands of lives in danger. Is that something you can live with?”

“White Jade Temple?” the duke repeated with wary eyes. “What would we care about the matters of Rahma?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, you’re now in Ecral,” his wife added and pursed her lips. “We have no business with the Rahman royalty.”

“You do now,” Alyona retorted. “I am Princess Alyona, and Lord Evan is my husband, heir to the throne of King Rodion. You have disrespected us with your dishonesty, and you should be ashamed of the disregard you’ve shown for thousands of lives that hang in the balance.”

“Why would we be ashamed for not being able to solve your problem?” the duchess gasped with a dramatic hand to her chest. “We are mere elves, hundreds of miles from your temple, and we’ve never been concerned with our neighboring country’s business.”

“And we have no intention of starting to be concerned now,” her husband chimed in with a smug smile.

“Then you’ll have to answer that when your time has ended,” Alyona said through gritted teeth. “But for now, we need an answer. You know who we’re talking about. What is the noble’s name?”

The elf couple looked at each other again, but the duchess shook her head just enough for her husband to see before they turned back to face us.

“As we said, we’re unable to assist in your search party,” the duke replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have plenty of other--”

“Unbelievable!” Skye cut him off as she stormed forward and stood toe to toe with the Duke of Copacia. “The princess just told you thousands of lives are at risk if you don’t give us a name, and you think you’ll be able to sleep tonight knowing you could have helped save them?”

“I’ll, uh, sleep fine,” the duke said, though his smug smile had begun to retreat.

“Thousands of men, women, and children are at stake!” Skye continued her rant as she lifted a defiant chin toward the couple. “Children whose lives could be gone from this world because you’re a couple of stubborn, selfish assholes with no compassion for anyone outside your stupid forest! It’s absolutely disgusting! I left my home city to venture past its walls and find something better than I knew, to find my purpose in this world, and you two can’t even see past your stupid silver architecture to realize there are millions of other lives around you that deserve to be lived!”

The naiad-Nepin’s chest heaved as she stared at the couple, while the duke and duchess watched her with open mouths and wide eyes. It seemed her speech had left them, well, speechless.

I swore I could hear a cricket chirp as we waited for the elves to respond before the duke finally shook his head and looked down to his feet.

“You’re right,” he mumbled. “We keep to ourselves and have forgotten--”

“Davinder!” his wife interjected and grabbed his hand. “Wait.”

“No, Magdalene,” Duke Davinder insisted. “Let me finish. We’ve forgotten about the rest of the people in the world because we’ve stayed to ourselves and don’t need them anymore, like they haven’t needed us. I do apologize for our cold response.”

It was the most either of them had spoken at once since we’d arrived, and the duke looked completely defeated as he finished his declaration. I was relieved Skye had been able to get through to them, and I reached forward to squeeze her hand with reassurance.

“Good,” she said. “Now, who is the noble with the special sword?”

“I’ll tell you,” Davinder answered with a grimace. “But I’m not sure if it will do any good for your mission.”

“Why not?” I asked as Skye stepped back to stand with Alyona and me.

“His name is Lord Barrington,” Magdalene said and narrowed her eyes at her husband. “He has been ill for several weeks now.”

Damn, a male heir to the sword threw a small wrench in the plan, but we’d have to talk to Lord Barrington to find a female heir for the binding ceremony. I hoped it wouldn’t be a huge problem.

“We aren’t afraid of catching a cold.” I smirked. “I have healing magic. I’ll help him, and then he can help us.”

“I hope your healing power is strong,” the duchess muttered as she gestured toward the door. “We’ll take you to his home.”

“It is,” I grunted. “Lead the way.”

The duke and duchess begrudgingly led us out of their palace and back into the city of Copacia. The streets were still empty of other elf citizens, which made me wonder if they were all really that busy or if they truly didn’t care about any outsiders who showed up. Or maybe their royal leaders didn’t want the rest of the elves to be involved with anyone.

Either way, the city looked dead, and it was almost as eerie as Juntralago with the lack of life that was supposed to flow throughout a city.

“I hope I didn’t offend you, my lord,” Skye murmured as we walked along behind the slow-moving elves. “I shouldn’t have spoken out of turn.”

“I’m not offended at all,” I chuckled. “You gave them the swift kick in the ass they needed to finally see what had to be done. You did great, Skye.”

“Thank you,” she replied as her sapphire cheeks darkened with a blush.

“I agree,” Alyona said and smiled. “We couldn’t have convinced them without your passion. It was brilliant.”

The rest of my lovers joined in with their appreciation for Skye’s speech, and her flushed cheeks turned almost black as she accepted their gratitude. Though she was the newest to join our family, she already fit in perfectly.

The duke and duchess came to an abrupt halt in front of a small silver house with a stark white door. The door was adorned with blue and red jewels in the shape of a bird, and I couldn’t hear a peep from inside.

Magdalene knocked on the door and waited less than a second before she turned the knob and walked inside with Davinder on her heels. I turned and gave Nike a questioning look, but the noble shrugged his shoulders as we followed the elves inside.

The entry was lit only by a single candle on the wall, and once we shut the front door behind us, it was still nearly pitch-black until the duke lit a small lantern and picked it up from the floor. The flickering light revealed his grim expression as he continued further into the house.

We followed them down the hallway and into a bedroom at the end of the hall, and I took in a sharp breath when I saw the Noble of the Sword on the bed.

Lord Barrington was a bit older than I was, but he wasn’t old by any standard. Dark auburn hair flowed gently across the pillow beneath his head, and a thick beard laid across his torso. His face was tanned and rugged, and he wore a blue tunic with the same bird from his door stitched onto the chest. He was sprawled out on top of the blankets, and his eyes were closed as though he was asleep.

A chill rippled through my body as I soon recognized the situation the noble was in.

“He was found like this on his last mission,” Davinder explained. “No one had heard from him in several days, and the search party discovered him lying there. They brought him back straight away, and he’s been in this state for several weeks.”

“Let me guess,” I said. “His vital signs are all normal, but he can’t be woken up?”

“Yes,” the duchess breathed. “How did you know?”

“We’ve seen this before,” I replied with a frown. “Good thing you brought us here. We’ve already helped a few people with this, but it’s not easy.”

“I have the ingredients from the spell,” Alyona said as she reached into her spatial storage. “That part is easy enough.”

“That’s a good start,” I agreed. “I’m still concerned with his memory.”

“What do you mean?” Magdalene demanded.

“The ones who we healed before never regained their memories of how they became like this,” Alyona explained. “We tried several things, but all we could do was wake them up.”

“Well, he needs to be woken up, but I don’t want his memory damaged.” Davinder rubbed his chin in thought. “Maybe we should wait.”

“We don’t have time to wait,” my wife said. “We don’t know how much damage has already been caused by the magic that put him in this sleep. We need to wake him immediately.”

“You just said the other ones you healed were damaged,” Magdalene argued. “We can’t risk a Noble of the Sword!”

“They weren’t damaged because of our healing spell,” I said. “Whatever hurt them damaged their memories of it. That was the only part we haven’t figured out how to heal yet.”

“Then we should wait until you figure that out.” The duchess crossed her arms over her chest with a petulance that made me want to toss her out a window.

“No,” I growled. “We can’t wait. He has to be healed from the sleeping curse now.”

“And if he can’t remember what happened to him?” Davinder asked.

“Then at least he’ll be awake and healing,” Alyona said gently. “It’s the best thing to do for him right now. We have no idea what’s going on while he’s asleep. The ones we healed before were only asleep for a few days. You said he’s been asleep for weeks. This poor man could be near death by now.”

The elves looked at each other with obvious dismay, and I could tell they were torn between trusting us and avoiding our help, which would end with terrible results. I wanted to just shove them both out of the room and solve the problem our way, but we had to at least try to keep the elf rulers on board with us. If nothing else, they could explain to Lord Barrington who we were and how we had helped him, though I knew that would likely be a whole other argument.

“Fine,” Magdalene finally sighed. “Do the spell. He should be healed, but if he’s upset about his memory loss, you will be the ones to explain it to him.”

“We can do that,” I said before I turned to Alyona. “Can you do it without Naomi?”

“For one person, yes,” she replied. “I’ll still need to channel Miraya.”

“I’m ready,” the spirit declared as she stepped forward and took Alyona’s hand.

The princess and Miraya began to gather the ingredients from Alyona’s spatial storage and recreate the reddish-brown paste they’d made on the airship. Alyona swiped the paste across Lord Barrington’s forehead, and his eyes jolted open, which was no less creepy even though I expected it this time. It was only a few seconds later when they stepped back and joined hands.

“Spring of life and mountains free, awaken from your deepest sleep,” Alyona chanted while Miraya gripped her shoulder to give Alyona access to her power. “Autumn fires and rivers gold, remember what your stories hold.”

The same gust of wind that had blown through the airship infirmary burst into the noble’s bedroom and nearly carried the lantern from Davinder’s hand.

“Oh!” He clutched the handle and looked around wildly.

Suddenly, the elf noble sat straight up in his bed and stared at the wall across from him. “By the end of the second scourge, he will rise. Before the last moon is in the sky, you will bow before the Demon King!”

Then he flopped back onto the bed as the wind screamed through the room and disappeared with a clap of thunder.

“That’s just as weird the second time,” I muttered.

“Oh, my gods!” Magdalene gasped and rushed forward to take Lord Barrington’s hand. “Are you alright? What were you talking about?”

“What?” the noble mumbled and looked around. “W-What, uh, wait, I-I can’t… I can’t be here!”

Lord Barrington began to thrash and writhe as though he was trapped by some sort of binding, but nothing held him to the bed. He tore at his beard and his hair, and he screamed a guttural cry that sounded like a madman.

“Grab him!” I yelled to Nike.

We shoved the stunned elf rulers out of the way to take hold of Lord Barrington’s arms and pin him to the bed.

“Should I bind him?” Alyona asked in a worried tone.

“No, just put him in a normal sleep!” I ordered her as Barrington struggled against our grasp. “Hurry!”

Without another word, Alyona strode forward and placed her palm on Barrington’s face. Then his body went limp, and his eyes drifted closed as he fell asleep once more.

“What in the name--” Davinder started.

“Shh!” Alyona admonished him. “He’s really asleep right now. We should discuss this outside.”

Magdalene narrowed her eyes on the princess but turned around to leave Barrington’s house. We shuffled out behind her, and I gently closed the door to avoid waking the sleeping noble.

“Now, someone tell me what in the name of the gods just happened in there!” Davinder bellowed.

“You don’t need to raise your voice like that,” I whispered. “I know it was difficult to see, but we warned you it wasn’t easy.”

“That was quite disturbing.” The duchess was visibly shaken as she wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I understand,” I assured her. “We had no idea what to make of it when it happened with the group of researchers we found.”

“What about now?” Davinder asked. “Do you know what it means now?”

“We believe there is a very imminent threat to our world who attacked the people we rescued and Lord Barrington,” I said carefully. “We don’t know much about the Demon King just yet, but we will. Now, you said Lord Barrington was found after a mission, so I need to know where he was.”

“He was at the northern border to Rahma,” the duke answered. “We don’t know much about why he went.”

“How did he get a mission you don’t know about?” Nike chimed in with a frown. “You should know what the lords of your city are doing.”

“Normally, yes,” the duchess said with a nod. “Most of his missions are brought to us first, but this one he received on his own. He said it was urgent that he leave immediately, and then he was gone.”

“How long was he gone?” I pressed.

“He sent word upon his arrival two days after he left, then nothing,” Davinder said. “When no one heard from him for three days, we sent a few guards to check on him. They brought him back like that.”

“He didn’t take anyone with him?” Nike asked and furrowed his brow.

“No.” Magdalene shook her head. “He preferred to complete most missions on his own. If he requested a few guards, we would send them.”

“We need to know more about this mission,” I muttered. “Where are the guards who found him?”

“Two are home, but one is at the palace right now,” the duke said.

“Let’s go talk to him,” I decided.

The elf rulers hesitated for only a moment before they began the walk back to the palace. I took it as a sign of their growing trust in us that they didn’t argue this time, but I wouldn’t count my eggs too early. We had to get enough information from the guard to know what exactly we needed to do next.

We still had to find the right bloodline heir, too, and it didn’t seem like Barrington would be much help right now.

“My lord, I hate to add more bad news, but I have to tell you something,” Miraya whispered as we walked toward the palace.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“While we were in Lord Barrington’s home, I couldn’t sense any of my sisters,” she said with a frown. “Aine and Juniper said the same thing. We could sense the bloodline within the noble, but that’s it.”

Before I could press her for more information, we’d reached the city center. The elf leaders marched up to the palace doors, and two guards opened the doors and let us all inside.

We’d have to discuss the added problem later.

“We need to speak with Jensen,” Davinder announced to the guards.

One of them nodded silently and rushed deeper into the castle, and he returned in less than a minute with another elf guard right behind him.

“You summoned me, Your Grace?” the guard I assumed was Jensen asked with a bow.

“Yes, Lord Evan has a few questions for you about finding Lord Barrington,” the duke said and pointed toward me. “Please, answer them as well as you can.”

The elf guard turned to me and waited.

“Ah, okay, so you found Barrington in this coma state, right?” I asked.

“Yes,” Jensen said. “We went to the area he’d sent word from, and he was there, but he was asleep on the ground in the middle of the forest. There was nothing around, and he didn’t look injured, so we picked him up and brought him back home.”

“Where exactly did you go to find him?” I narrowed my eyes on the elf.

I needed the details about where this mission had led Lord Barrington. It had somehow gotten him close enough to the Demon King, and that wasn’t where I wanted anyone else to be.

“I’ll show you on a map,” Jensen said as he pulled a piece of parchment from the pocket of his trousers and unfolded it. “See, this is Copacia. We traveled northeast, just a few miles south of the Mihireti Mountains where Ecral meets Rahma. He was in the Larthan Forest.”

As I stared at the elf’s skinny finger sliding across the worn paper, something clicked. He was incredibly close to the bottom portion of the Breach.

“Did you notice anything odd about where you were?” I asked. “Smoke? Smell? Anything like that?”

“Oh, it smelled terrible.” Jensen scrunched up his nose in disgust. “Like many deaths had passed in the forest. We were quick to take Lord Barrington and return.”

“They were by the Breach,” Laika breathed. “That’s how the Demon King got to him.”

“So, a few weeks ago, he was only strong enough to affect someone close to the Breach,” I mused. “But how did he gain enough power to affect the researchers so far away?”

No one had an answer, and Davinder thanked Jensen for the information before he sent the guard away.

“Did you find what you need in Copacia, then?” the duke asked with a frown.

“Almost,” I said. “We need to know about Lord Barrington’s family. Does he have any relatives still alive?”

“Lord Evan, we have been more helpful than we ever imagined we would be,” Magdalene answered with an arched eyebrow. “And still you need more?”

“Well, I assume you don’t want to leave Lord Barrington in his current state of madness,” Isabella pointed out and crossed her arms over her chest.

“And in order to finish fixing him, we have to finish our own mission,” I added. “So, we need to know about his family.”

“I’m sorry, Lord Evan, but we can’t divulge the private affairs of our citizens’ lives,” the duke said firmly. “You’ll have to wait until Lord Barrington is ready to discuss his family with you.”

“He’s sort of crazy at the moment,” I shot back. “We need the information sooner rather than later. It’s not like we’re going to steal his identity or something.”

“Please, Your Grace, our questions will be simple,” Alyona added.

“No.” Davinder shook his head and crossed his arms. “Even if we felt comfortable answering them, we may not know the answers.”

I clenched my fists in frustration, but I didn’t have any other arguments. He was right about the possibility of not knowing the answers, which would defeat the whole purpose of asking them anything. Or even worse, they could tell us something wrong, and we’d be off on a wild goose chase while the Demon King continued to grow in power.

“I really don’t want to wait for Barrington to wake up,” I muttered as I turned to face my group.

“What else can we do?” Aaliyah asked, and her round golden ears twitched with annoyance.

“Wake him up?” Ravi suggested.

“No, we need to let him rest,” Alyona sighed. “Sometimes a spell can affect the mind in a variety of ways. It seems Lord Barrington’s mind was overwhelmed, so I’m afraid if we don’t let him rest, he won’t be able to recover completely.”

“This is going to drive me mad, as well,” Laika grumbled. “I don’t see the elves letting us stay here and hang out while the noble takes his nap.”

“Me, either,” I said. “How else could we find out about the family, then?”

“Ask around town?” Skye asked. “Would the other people help us?”

“I doubt it,” Rebecca said with a grimace. “If the duke and duchess despise us this much, just imagine how the other hundreds of elves feel.”

“Plus, we run the risk of more inaccurate information,” Isabella added.

“Wait,” Alyona said suddenly. “I have an idea. Most cities have one place that always retains accurate information about its citizens.”

“Ohh, like we found in Colaruma?” I asked.

“Exactly,” she confirmed before she turned around to the elf rulers. “Do you keep bloodline records?”

“How archaic,” Magdalene groaned. “We don’t require clean bloodlines in Copacia, and we have rid our people of arranged marriages for many generations.”

“I don’t mean like that,” Alyona sighed and shook her head. “I only mean records of births and deaths within a family.”

“That is incredibly sensitive information,” Davinder gasped and looked appalled. “If we don’t want to answer such questions, why would we allow you to access them?”

“Because of the whole ‘thousands of lives depend on it’ thing,” I snarled. “I’m getting tired of us explaining this to you. We have more important things to think about than whether or not our questions offend you. Is there a collection of the family data or not?”

“There is,” the duke grunted. “We’ll show you there, but we won’t help you dig through our citizens’ lives.”

“That’s fine,” I said as I bit my tongue for the rest of my comment. “Thanks.”

Davinder made another grunting sound before he motioned for us to follow him down a hallway into the palace, while Magdalene stayed behind. He led us deep into the palace before he stopped at a large golden door, and then he produced a set of skeleton keys and inserted one into the keyhole. There was a loud click as the lock opened, and he pushed the large door into the room. It creaked open, and enchanted lanterns on the wall illuminated a large chamber.

Tall shelves lined both walls and created at least ten rows that stretched out about fifty yards ahead of us. Each shelf held boxes grouped into sections, but I couldn’t see the labels from where we stood. Hopefully, they’d be labeled by name, and we could find Lord Barrington’s family easily.

“You’ll find what you need here,” Davinder said as he turned to leave then stopped. “Oh, and the families file their own records, so it may take some time to find Lord Barrington’s. We don’t keep track of what everyone does.”

With that, he spun on his heels and strode out the door.

“He seems happy,” Ravi giggled.

“I’m surprised he didn’t throw us a party,” Aaliyah chimed in.

I stepped forward and looked over the boxes, but they didn’t appear to be as helpful as I’d hoped. The labels were numbered, but it wasn’t with dates or times. I couldn’t tell what the system was at all, and I had flashbacks to elementary school and learning the Dewey decimal system.

“It looks like the families are grouped somehow.” Alyona had already pulled a set of papers from a box on the shelf behind me. “I’m just not sure what the organization is.”

“And if they do it themselves, there’s no telling what each of the boxes has anyway,” I mumbled. “This should be fun.”

We spread out across the room and began the search.

I pulled out the first box and found what appeared to be the elf version of a birth certificate. The kid’s name, parents’ names, and birthday were all listed, along with a tiny drawing of the baby’s smushed face. I chuckled and kept going through the box to find more births, some death certificates, and a few random tax and land documents. It seemed the elves kept decent records in regard to who owned what and how much they paid to have the guards keep watch over their property.

Nothing in the box was related to Lord Barrington, so I put it back on the shelf and kept going.

After a few boxes, I noticed a trend. Most of them had a family tree at the very back of the stack of papers, which was fairly up to date with the birth and death records ahead of it.

“Are you guys finding the family trees at the back?” I called out.

“Yeah, almost every time!” Laika said.

“Let’s just focus on those for now,” I decided. “We can verify it with whatever else is in the box, but the family trees might be the fastest way to find the right box.”

With a narrowed scope, we were able to clear through boxes even faster. If Barrington’s name wasn’t on the family tree, the box went back on the shelf. I was moving twice as fast with the new plan, and before I knew it, I was halfway down the aisle. While I’d learned a lot about the elf families around Copacia, I hadn’t found anything yet about our fellow Noble of the Sword.

“Got it!” Aaliyah yelled.

I turned to see the lioness holding a piece of crumpled parchment high in the air. We all rushed over to see for ourselves, and I grinned when I saw Barrington’s name toward the bottom of the tree, but my smile fell when I saw no other names below his. He didn’t have any children, which cut out the first bloodline heir possibility.

“He has a sister, though,” I murmured as I looked over the tree. “Anastasia.”

“She’s older,” Alyona said. “But she didn’t have any children, either.”

“What else is in the box?” I wondered. “We need to know more about her.”

Aaliyah pulled out the contents of the box and spread them out on the floor around us. Then we all sat down and began to paw through each paper to read about the noble’s sister. She was unmarried and lived in Copacia, but there weren’t many more of the papers that talked about her.

Then I found one that did and took in a sharp breath.

“Lord Evan, what is it?” Ravi asked and leaned over my shoulder.

“I think we need to find Anastasia,” I murmured as I read what looked like a journal entry. “Listen to this: ‘The day Barrington came of age, he knew what he had to do. He marched forth to issue the challenge to his sister to become the new Noble of the Sword.’”

“Wait, so you’re saying…” Alyona trailed off as she read the page with me.

“Yeah, Barrington challenged Anastasia for the Noble Sword,” I declared. “She definitely has the bloodline, too.”

And we had to track her down.

Chapter 7

“Is there anywhere in there about where she lives?” Nike wondered.

“No, it just says she’s a resident of Copacia,” I said as I rifled through the last few pages. “The rest of these are about Barrington and how great he is.”

“He sure does love talking about himself,” Rebecca observed with a smirk.

“And she seems to shy away from the attention,” Ravi murmured.

“I hope she hasn’t left the city without anyone noticing,” Isabella said as she frowned.

“Me, either,” I muttered. “Let’s clean this up and go look for ourselves.”

“Should we even bother to ask the duke and duchess?” Nike asked.

“Probably not.” I smirked and rolled my eyes. “I think they’ve hit their helping limit for the day.”

“Then maybe we should see if Lord Barrington is awake yet,” Alyona suggested. “We can check on his condition, and if he’s up, we’ll ask him first.”

“Good idea,” I said. “Let’s go.”

We carefully put everything back in the box and hoped it was as we’d found it before we walked out of the archives and back toward the entry to the palace. Davinder and Magdalene were nowhere to be seen, so we continued past the guards and into the city.

We headed for Barrington’s house, though I kept an eye out for anyone we could ask on the way. Doors and windows remained shut, and not a single curious face peered out to greet us. It was like none of the other elves wanted to know why we were there, and I couldn’t figure it out.

Alyona hesitated to knock on the door to Barrington’s home, so I turned the knob and gestured for her to walk inside. Before we even set foot in the door, the roaring sound of Barrington’s snoring reached us, and we sighed as we shut the door and returned to the porch.

“Guess that’s a no,” I muttered. “So, how do we talk to people who don’t even want us to see them?”

“We just have to knock on doors and hope for the best,” Alyona said.

“We can cover more ground if we split up,” Nike suggested. “It seems this entire half of the city holds houses, which means there are at least two-hundred to go to.”

“Great,” I sighed. “Okay, Nike and Laika, you take the first road on the west end, Isabella and Skye, take the second. Miraya and Rebecca, go down this main road, and Aaliyah and Ravi can take the next one over. Alyona and I will go to the east end. Remember, we just want to know if they know Anastasia. Send word once you’ve found anything.”

“Let’s do it,” Laika said.

We split up to cover the city of Copacia with our questions, and Alyona and I began the walk to the east end of the city and over to the northernmost block. Then I took a deep breath and knocked on the first door. With my dragon hearing, I could hear the flutter of movement inside, but no one opened the door.

“How many times do you think I should knock?” I murmured to Alyona.

“Perhaps twice?” she offered with a grim smile.

I grunted and knocked again, but still the residents ignored it.

“Let’s keep moving.” I furrowed my brow and led my wife to the next door.

We continued the knock-wait-knock-move on pattern for several houses, and I’d begun to feel like a discouraged salesman when a door finally opened a crack.

“Can I help you?” a small elf woman asked.

She looked easily in her eighties, and she kept most of her frail body behind the door, but she stared at us with piercing green eyes surrounded by the lines of a long life.

“My name is Lord Evan of Hatra,” I introduced myself with a kind smile. “This is my wife, Princess Alyona of Rahma. We’re looking for a woman named Anastasia.”

A flicker of recognition passed through the woman’s eyes before she blinked and shook her head. “No, sorry. I don’t know her.”

“Ma’am, she’s not in trouble, and we don’t want to hurt her,” I insisted. “Do you know where we can find her?”

“Don’t know her.” The woman slammed the door shut before I could say anything else.

“Well, that wasn’t suspicious at all,” Alyona said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I’d say she at least knows who Anastasia is,” I agreed. “Maybe I should knock again.”

Alyona nodded her agreement, and I rapped on the door once more.

The woman yanked it open even more and glared. “I told you, I don’t know this Anastasia person.”

“And I heard you, but I don’t believe you,” I shot back. “Just tell me where I can find her, and we’ll leave you alone.”

“No,” she barked before she started to close the door again.

“Ma’am, please.” I put my hand on the door and held it in place. “I don’t know why you won’t tell me, but we can see you know her or at least her name.”

“Everyone knows her name,” the elf woman retorted before she stopped trying to close the door on me. “She’s the one whose brother challenged her for that stupid sword. I don’t know where she is, so leave me alone!”

This time, I let her close the door and turned to Alyona.

“I believed her that time,” my wife said and wrapped a lock of raven hair around her finger. “But it doesn’t help us much.”

“Me, too,” I agreed. “Maybe it does. If she knows who Anastasia is just by name, maybe someone has noticed her in town somewhere.”

“Maybe,” the princess murmured. “Let’s keep going.”

We knocked on a few more doors, but we got more of the same bits and pieces of the story, if the elves answered at all. Most of them ignored us, though I could tell they were home, while others just recounted the stories they’d heard through the grapevine.

Anastasia was a loner before she’d become the Noble of the Sword and had remained one after she’d lost it to her brother. Barrington was more popular and well-liked, though some agreed he could be a bit arrogant. Anastasia didn’t have any friends anyone else knew of, and no one knew where she’d gone once her brother took over the duties of the sword.

I had to bite my tongue more than once when people spoke of the former noble as though she was nothing more than discarded trash, and I made a mental note to talk to Ruslan when we returned to Hatra and make sure no one in our city felt as alone as Anastasia had to feel. I couldn’t imagine having literally no one who knew anything about me other than the story that made its way around the city.

“No one knows anything useful,” I growled as yet another door shut in front of us. “Or they’re too busy hiding behind their doors to help.”

“Maybe they’re frightened of us,” Alyona said with a shrug. “We obviously aren’t elves, and it seems they stay to themselves here.”

“Well, they need to grow a pair,” I retorted and looked down the street. “Maybe the others are having better luck. We only have four more houses on our road.”

Alyona smiled and took my hand to lead me to the next one.

“Lord Evan!” Ravi called out from above us.

I looked up to see the phoenix in her true form as she hovered overhead. Her bright orange feathers shone bright in the late afternoon sun, and I had to shield my eyes to meet hers.

“Did you find her?” I asked.

“Not sure,” the phoenix replied. “Follow me.”

Ravi flew back toward the road she and Aaliyah had been working on, and Alyona and I jogged along beneath her. The phoenix flew to the far end of the road, past the point we’d reached and almost into what appeared to be an industrial area of town. Factories and stores were only a few yards away from the end of the residential side, and one lone house stood far from the others. As soon as I saw the lioness, I motioned for Ravi to go get the rest of our friends.

Aaliyah stood in front of a house that looked somewhat boring compared to the others. The silver had faded to the point it more resembled aluminum foil than treasure, and the windows were cracked or boarded up. An elf woman of about forty stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips and an angry expression on her face.

She wore a set of rugged brown robes with a musty smell I couldn’t quite identify, and her mousy brown hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail on the back of her head. Her forest-green eyes were dark and filled with suspicion and irritation as she glared at Aaliyah.

“No, I won’t tell you where she is,” the woman insisted and shook her head defiantly. “You can’t make me.”

“I don’t want to make you,” Aaliyah argued. “But I can, so don’t question that.”

“You think a lion Demi-Human scares me?” the elf sneered. “I’ve seen much worse than you.”

“I thought the elves stayed in Copacia,” I interjected with raised eyebrows. “At least, that’s what the duke and duchess told us. Have you ventured past the forest?”

“I’ve done many things in my life,” she said as she looked me up and down. “None of which I need to explain to a dragon or a lion who shows up on my doorstep.”

“You know what I am?” I asked in surprise.

“Obviously,” the woman replied with an eye roll. “Now, you can return to your search for Anastasia, but I’m not helping you.”

“Please, ma’am, we only need to talk to her,” Alyona cut in. “I’m Princess Alyona of Rahma, and we mean her no harm.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you don’t,” the elf scoffed. “Just another person here to catch a glimpse of the failed Noble of the Sword, right? Go talk to Lord Barrington. He knows more than I do about all that.”

“We tried,” I countered. “He can’t help right now.”

“Ah, too busy, of course,” she chuckled. “He is a busy man.”

“Something like that,” I hedged.

I didn’t want to tell this strange woman anything more about Lord Barrington until I knew why she was being so secretive. Barrington was weak at the moment, and I got the feeling she wasn’t as impressed by him as everyone else, so there was no reason to put him at risk.

“Well, he’ll be back from whatever adventure he’s on eventually.” The elf woman waved a dismissive hand. “Then you can ask him all about his sister.”

“I’d rather ask you,” I said as I narrowed my eyes on her. “You know more than you’re saying.”

“I know a lot of things,” she replied with a half-smile. “Just because I know them doesn’t mean I’m inclined to share them.”

“Well, you should share this,” Alyona insisted. “We need to speak with her. It’s a life-or-death situation at hand, and she can help us.”

“How so?” The elf woman cocked her head to the side with curiosity.

“We aren’t inclined to share it,” I mimicked her argument, and she pursed her lips in amusement. “Besides, if you aren’t Anastasia, what does it matter to you?”

“Just being nosey, I suppose,” she cackled. “Good luck on your search.”

As she started to close the door, I heard the sound of running footsteps and turned to see Miraya had nearly reached us with an intense look on her face. Nike and the rest of my lovers hurried along behind her to catch up with us.

“We don’t need luck!” the spirit called out before she came to a grinding halt next to me. “We have you.”

“Do I know you?” the elf woman asked as she stared at Miraya. “I feel like we’ve met before.”

“You feel that way because you have the bloodline of a Noble Sword,” Miraya replied. “Anastasia, is it?”

“I knew it!” Aaliyah whooped as she pumped her fist in the air. “I knew you weren’t telling us everything!”

“How did you--” Anastasia started.

“I’m a spirit of a Noble Sword,” Miraya said. “You sense a familiarity with me because you have known one of my sisters. Was it Tira?”

“Tira,” the elf woman sighed as she smiled fondly. “Sweet Tira, she was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a friend.”

“We need to know about her and the sword,” I interjected.

“Oh, gods,” Anastasia groaned as the smile faded off her face, and a grimace took its place. “No, I can’t talk to you.”

She started to close the door again, but Miraya blocked it and stepped closer to the elf woman. “You must.”

“No, I must not!” Anastasia argued. “I swore I wouldn’t talk about it!”

“About the Noble Sword?” I asked.

“Yes!” she hissed. “I can’t discuss it with you or anyone else. I won’t do it!”

She leaned out the doorway to look at the houses around us, but I didn’t see any movement besides us.

“Listen, we can keep you safe,” I said in a quiet voice. “We only need to talk to you. Can we do that?”

“Can’t you just leave?” the elf begged. “I can’t talk to you. He’ll kill me!”

“I won’t let that happen,” I insisted. “Just give me a few minutes, and I’ll explain everything.”

Anastasia chewed on her fingernail as she mulled it over. I tried to wait patiently, but I was nearly jumping from foot to foot while we waited for her response. I was quickly discovering the elves were incredibly secretive, and they didn’t like sharing what they knew.

“Okay,” she finally relented. “But you have to come inside. I can’t let anyone else see me talking to you.”

She ushered us inside, and we filed into her house as quickly as possible before she shut the door behind us and made her way to a dining table. She plopped down in one of the seats and gestured for us to sit with her. There were only four seats at the table, so Nike and I stood while my lovers piled onto each other’s laps.

“Is this better?” I asked once everyone was comfortable.

“Yes,” Anastasia said. “Everyone here loves Barrington, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone is already on their way to tell him I let you inside.”

“It would surprise me,” I muttered.

“Why is that?” she wondered.

“Ah, well, it’s just that no one here seems to know much about you,” I said to avoid the topic of her comatose-to-sleeping brother. “The ones who answered the door either said they only know the story or don’t know you at all.”

“That’s the way I like it,” the elf sighed. “I don’t like everyone in my business, but with rulers like Davinder and Magdalene, everyone thinks they should know everyone else’s business. It’s quite annoying, honestly.”

“They were annoying,” Rebecca agreed.

“They certainly can be,” Anastasia chuckled. “Now, what do you want to talk to me about?”

“The Noble Sword,” I said. “You used to have it?”

“Yes, I was the firstborn,” she confirmed. “Once I was trained, the Sword of the Land was passed down to me.”

“So, you have the bloodline abilities of a Noble of the Sword,” I mused. “But you don’t have the sword.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty much it.” Anastasia shrugged and got up from her chair to walk into the kitchen. “Tea?”

“Sure,” I said, and everyone else nodded as the elf began to warm a teapot. “Why did Barrington challenge you?”

“He didn’t believe in the way I handled missions,” she answered without turning around. “He said I was a coward.”

“Why?” Skye growled. “Because you’re a woman?”

I knew Skye and her brother had worked out their differences, but it still bothered her that Rocco’s family didn’t think she could do it because she was a female. This conversation seemed to bring up those negative feelings, and she clenched her fists on the table while the elf spoke.

“That was part of it,” Anastasia said as she pulled the squealing teapot from the stove and set it on a tray with a pile of cups. “He and many other nobles here didn’t believe a woman should carry the sword, but my father had trained me almost since birth to do it.”

“Then how did your brother defeat you?” Nike wondered. “Was he also trained as a child?”

“He was,” she said as she turned around and set the tea tray down on the table. “It was supposed to be in case I died in battle, but he decided he didn’t want to wait, I suppose.”

“I’m sorry you had to experience a challenge,” Skye said in a sad voice. “I was able to keep from fighting mine, thanks to Lord Evan.”

“Thank you, but I was able to avoid the battle as well,” Anastasia replied as she looked down into her cup.

“How did you do that?” I asked. “Did you have another Noble of the Sword here to fight on your behalf also?”

The odds of another Noble of the Sword being in Copacia when Anastasia needed one were pretty low, but I wasn’t sure how else she’d been able to prevent a fight with her brother, especially since he’d obviously walked away with the sword.

“Ah, I know Barrington doesn’t like me to talk about it, but I conceded the fight,” Anastasia said and shook her head. “I didn’t like the idea of a fight to the death with my own brother, even though he didn’t seem to mind it at all.”

“He made it a death challenge?” I gaped at the elf whose eyes hadn’t left her teacup in several minutes.

“He said it was the only way to be certain of his victory,” she scoffed.

When the elf woman finally looked up, tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them away before she returned to her cup.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered. “He didn’t have to do that. I’m sorry, I can’t imagine that pain.”

“I couldn’t have imagined it, either,” she agreed. “When he announced the challenge in front of our parents, my father was overcome with grief, but Barrington didn’t care. He wanted the sword, so he could go on all these great adventures and be famous.”

“What about your mother?” Alyona asked.

“She said it was high time I give up my ridiculous aspirations of being a warrior and find a good husband to have children with,” Anastasia spat out and gestured around the house. “As you can see, the second half of her dreams for me didn’t go so well.”

“What about Barrington?” I wondered.

“Did he find a good husband and bear children?” the elf woman chuckled. “No, he’s too busy being the famous adventurer to meet a woman. Even if he did, I can’t imagine a woman who wouldn’t be put off by his arrogance.”

“It seems you’re the one we actually came here to find, then,” I mused. “But we can discuss that more later.”

“Now, I’ve told you everything I know,” Anastasia said as she locked eyes with me. “So, you can tell me whatever it is you’re keeping from me.”

I hesitated for a brief moment, but I knew we’d have to tell her eventually.

“Your brother isn’t on a mission,” I explained carefully. “He was injured on a mission and brought back here to recover.”

“What!” she gasped and nearly dropped her teacup. “Is he alright?”

“He’s… okay,” I said with a grimace. “He was in a coma, but we got him out of that. Now, we aren’t sure what else is going on with him. He was sleeping when we checked on him a few hours ago.”

“Well, we must go check on him now,” Anastasia decided as she rose from the table. “I know he’s an ass, but he’s my little brother. I can’t leave him alone if he’s unwell.”

“Anastasia, wait--” I started.

“No, I’m going to see him,” she cut me off with a menacing stare. “And you can either go with me or wait for me here.”

“We have no intention of stopping you,” Alyona assured her. “We only want you to be prepared for what you’ll see.”

“Is he missing a leg or something?” Anastasia gasped and covered her mouth.

“No.” I shook my head, and she sighed with relief. “He was just, ah, a little…”

“Overwhelmed,” Alyona supplied.

“Yes, overwhelmed,” I agreed. “So, he was taking a nap, but the other people we’ve seen in a similar condition woke with no memory of how they got injured. Just don’t be surprised if he has the same issue. Okay?”

“I can handle a little memory loss,” the elf retorted and knocked on her own head. “I barely remember the mission I handled in Las Finteras.”

As she cackled to herself, I looked at the others in question.

“Las Finteras is the capital of wine country,” Laika explained with a grin. “I like her.”

“She’s something else.” I smirked, but it quickly faded. “Unfortunately, I don’t think her brother feels the same way. We better go with her.”

We followed Anastasia out of her house and down the road toward Barrington’s home. She didn’t say anything as we walked, even when droplets of rain began to fall and soak through our clothes. I looked up to see the three moons of Inati had already begun to make their way into the darkening sky, but clouds covered most of their appearance.

We trudged through the increasing rain, and by the time we made it to Barrington’s house, we rushed inside to escape the onslaught of precipitation. A few more lanterns had been lit, and a weak voice called out from the bedroom.

“Magdalene, is that you?” Barrington sat up in surprise as we walked into his room. “Anastasia? What the hell are you doing here? And who are these people?”

“Why were you calling for the duchess?” Anastasia smirked and rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I just wanted to make sure you were alive, and it seems you’re back to your normal self.”

“Do you know what happened to me?” he asked suddenly.

“I-I, uh, don’t know much,” his sister stammered and looked at me with pleading eyes.

“Listen, I’ll tell you what we know,” I stepped in and offered my hand to greet him. “My name is Lord Evan of Hatra, and this is my wife, Princess Alyona of Rahma. She’s the one who healed you from your… ah, accident.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Barrington said, though the warmth of his voice didn’t reach his eyes. “What was the cause of my accident exactly?”

“Magic,” my wife answered with a shrug. “Someone put a sleeping curse on you. Do you remember who it was?”

“A sleeping curse,” he murmured and rubbed his chin in thought. “No, I can’t say that I do. I only remember entering the Larthan Forest.”

“Well, that’s better than screaming about how you aren’t supposed to be here,” Laika pointed out.

“What?” Barrington looked at her with wide eyes. “I did that?”

“Yeah, that’s why you ended up taking another nap,” I said with a grimace. “You needed to cool off a bit.”

“I feel fine now,” he said. “Can you just do the healing magic again to heal my memory?”

“It doesn’t work,” I replied. “We tried that already, but really, it’s okay. We have a plan already to go after the person we suspect did it, and we need Anastasia to help us with it.”

“Why her?” Barrington spat out as a malicious look flickered in his eyes. “She isn’t even a Noble of the Sword anymore. I am.”

“Because she let you be,” I retorted with a fiery anger at his condescension toward his sister. “And she can help more than you can with this particular plan.”

“You told them?” he roared and threw the blankets off his body. “Why would you tell some strangers what happened? You swore!”

“It was just for their mission!” Anastasia argued. “It’s not like they’re going to tell the whole damn city!”

“They could!” her brother insisted as he jumped off the bed and started toward her. “And it would be all your fault if they did!”

“Whoa!” I grabbed Barrington and flung him back onto the bed. “You better stay right there, bud. You don’t need to get any closer to her.”

“She’s my sister,” he snarled. “I’ll say or do whatever I want. I could have won that challenge anyway!”

“Fat chance,” Anastasia snorted. “I had five more years of training plus missions under my belt. I didn’t want to kill you.”

“I beat you the day before in training,” Barrington shot back. “When I held that dull steel blade against your throat, I knew it was my time to take my rightful place as the Noble of the Sword.”

The noble puffed out his chest and glared at his sister, who choked back a laugh and smiled.

“Do you mean the day I finally let you win?” she chuckled.

“What?” he gasped.

“I’d just returned from another mission, and you insisted on a duel,” Anastasia said. “I told Father I didn’t want to because I was tired, but he said if I just let you win, you’d drop it. So, I let you win.”

“H-he never t-told me that,” Barrington sputtered. “You’re lying!”

“Am I?” The elf woman quirked an eyebrow without batting an eye. “I’d tell you to ask him yourself, but you might be afraid of the answer you get.”

“No!” he bellowed and started to charge her again.

“Knock it off,” I growled as I grabbed the front of his tunic and lifted him to my face. “Go after her again, and you’ll duel me instead. And I’ve never let anyone win.”

The noble elf quaked in my grasp before he went limp and nodded his head, so I set him back on the bed and glanced between the siblings. Barrington looked deflated at the revelation of his less-than-impressive win over his sister, while Anastasia was clearly amused at his defeat. I could tell she’d been holding that secret in for a while, and I was glad she’d let it out now.

“Now, can we focus on what we need to know?” Nike broke the silence and pursed his lips at Barrington.

“Yeah, sure,” the noble replied with a shrug. “But if it’s anything else about the Noble Sword, just know it’s all her fault.”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it.” I rolled my eyes and glared at the pouting elf. “She let you win, she conceded the challenge, you’re a shitty Noble of the Sword. It’s all her fault, right?”

“Not that,” Barrington muttered as he turned his angry stare on his sister. “That stupid mission and every mission I’ve ever gone on has been terrible. And that’s her fault!”

“Because I let you win?” Anastasia scrunched up her face in confusion. “It’s not my fault if you didn’t succeed. You were trained as I was.”

“No!” he insisted and crossed his arms over his chest. “You knew I wouldn’t succeed with her. You did this!”

“What did I do?” his sister demanded. “I conceded the match to avoid killing you. Should I have just done it anyway?”

“Maybe,” he pouted.

“Oh, shut up,” Anastasia scoffed. “I never would have killed you, so spit it out. What’s my fault now?”

“It’s your fault what happened to the Sword of the Land,” Barrington nearly whispered.

“Barrington, what happened to the sword?” I cut in and grabbed his arm. “What do you mean?”

“She knew I wasn’t ready!” he yelled. “She just said she let me win! I should have found a loophole to make her fight me.”

“Get to the fucking point, Barrington!” I roared as I wrenched him toward me. “What happened to the sword?”

“She knew I wasn’t ready for the sword, and she let me go on missions,” Barrington said as he looked down at his lap. “It’s her fault I lost it.”

Oh, fuck.

Chapter 8

“You did what?” Miraya shrieked and clenched her fists as a dark red flush colored her cheeks. “You lost her!”

Dual flashes of white light illuminated the room, and then Juniper and Aine appeared next to Skye and Nike.

“You lost Tira?” Juniper gasped as she rushed over to clutch Miraya’s hand.

The three spirit sisters glared daggers at Barrington, who had clambered up to the furthest corner of his bed to escape their wrath. He trembled as he nodded his head.

“You idiot!” Aine thundered. “You’re a disgrace to the Nobles of the Swords’ past! You make a mockery of your ancestry!”

The sisters’ rage was nearly palpable, and I could feel the sparks of Juniper’s energy start to crackle in the air around us. Aine’s natural light glow radiated from her body, though Miraya looked far from ready to heal Barrington.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Barrington insisted and jabbed his finger at his sister. “It’s hers!”

“Oh, that’s great, Barry,” Anastasia scoffed. “It’s my fault you wanted to take over Noble of the Sword duties, go on missions, and forgot to bring the damn sword back with you?”

“Don’t call me that!” her brother hissed. “And it is your fault! You let me win!”

“That shit doesn’t matter right now,” I said with a scowl. “What matters is the proximity of the Sword of the Land to the Breach, which means--”

“Tira is dangerously close to the Demon King,” Miraya gasped and covered her mouth. “We must go find her!”

“I agree,” I said. “We can’t risk leaving her anywhere near the Breach.”

“What in the gods’ names is a Demon King?” Barrington demanded. “I was probably attacked by some no-good mage who wanted to steal my gold. The stupid sword is just sitting in the forest somewhere, I’m sure.”

“S-Stupid sword?” Juniper sputtered before her eyes darkened. “You’re incredibly lucky our rules forbid us from killing another spirit’s master.”

“Mine don’t,” I growled as I leaned in closer to the disgraced noble. “If you can’t speak about the Noble Sword with respect, then you don’t speak at all.”

Barrington cowered under my harsh stare and pressed his mouth into a thin line. He knew he’d fucked up by losing the sword, but he’d only made matters worse by talking about the Noble Sword without a care in the world. I wanted nothing more than to tear him apart for upsetting Miraya and her sisters, but for now, I needed him.

I needed Anastasia, too, but I’d have to talk to her about the ceremony later. At the moment, finding the Sword of the Land took priority. We had no way of knowing what would happen if the Demon King got a hold of it before we did, and if it gave him power like it did me, I had no clue how I’d be able to get it back.

Long story short, we couldn’t risk it. We needed to find the Noble Sword before it got to the Breach.

“Barry, I’m sorry about the mission,” Anastasia finally said once everyone calmed slightly. “But the Noble Sword is incredibly important, and it can’t get into the wrong hands, including whoever this Demon King is.”

“Exactly,” I said with a nod to her before I turned back to Barrington. “So, I need all the information you can give me about your mission. Where, who, what, why, the works.”

“Alright,” Barrington sighed. “I was sent an anonymous letter about a beast that had been attacking people. It was last seen in a village on the northern edge of the Larthan Forest.”

“What kind of beast?” Laika interjected.

“No one knows.” The noble shook his head. “I went to find it and eliminate the threat.”

“By yourself?” Ravi gaped at him with obvious disbelief.

“I’m a Noble of the Sword,” he said with his chin jutted out proudly. “I can handle a lousy beast on my own. I’ve slayed dozens of monsters from around Ecral, and I knew I could handle this one.”

“But you couldn’t.” Aaliyah smirked.

The lioness said exactly what I’d been thinking. Barrington seemed to think he could handle anything, despite his obvious failure to defeat the unknown beast on his anonymous mission. I was suspicious about what or who had invited him there, but his arrogance probably made him an easy target.

“Well, it obviously wasn’t just any beast,” Barrington retorted and crossed his arms over his chest. “I would’ve been just fine if it was.”

“Sure,” Rebecca murmured as she rolled her eyes.

“You don’t know--” the noble started.

“Just stop,” I cut him off with a glare. “We can all tell what kind of warrior you are, but right now, we need to get to that village and find the Noble Sword. Who did you speak with once you arrived at the forest?”

“Ah, that’s where things get a little hazy,” he said and rubbed his head. “I reached the tree line, and then I woke up here.”

“That’s it?” I blinked at him for a moment. “You didn’t even make it to the village to check on those people?”

“No.” Barrington shook his head and pouted. “I didn’t find the beast or even the person who sent me the letter.”

“Great,” I grumbled as I looked out the window at the waning sunlight. “Alright, we’ll head out first thing tomorrow. It’s too late to search the forest tonight.”

“I’ll be ready by dawn,” Barrington declared.

“Ready to sit in bed, I presume,” Nike scoffed. “You can’t go anywhere in your condition.”

“I’m fine now,” the older noble insisted. “You guys healed me, remember?”

“No, we brought you out of the coma,” I said. “You still don’t have your memories of the attack, and your body has been asleep for weeks. You can’t possibly return to battle tomorrow.”

“You’ll need me to find the sword,” he pointed out.

“I doubt that,” Miraya spat out. “She’s probably pissed you lost her.”

“She won’t go with any of you,” Barrington argued before his voice dropped to a mumble. “She barely wants to go fight with me.”

“What do you mean?” I demanded.

“Tira doesn’t like when I access the Noble Sword power,” he explained with a huff. “She doesn’t say anything, but I can feel it. And as soon as the battle is over, she leaves my spiritual sea and goes to the spirit realm. She doesn’t talk to me or anything.”

“I’m sure you improved that relationship by losing her,” Juniper said in an icy voice.

“I didn’t mean to!” Barrington pleaded. “You have to believe me! I wouldn’t be surprised if she figured out a way to leave me on her own!”

I was shocked he had such a terrible experience with the spirit of his sword. Miraya and I had been close from the moment we met. I could share every thought with her, and she gave me guidance at every turn, even before we became lovers. I couldn’t understand how Tira could be so different.

Then the disgraced noble’s words set off a new line of thinking.

What if Tira didn’t want to be with him because he wasn’t the right master? Or, rather, mistress?

I glanced over to see Anastasia staring at her brother with a mixture of sympathy and frustration. I imagined she was used to his tantrums when things didn’t go his way, and they were about to get even worse for him if I was right.

“I don’t think a Noble Spirit would do that,” I assured him. “I think something else is at work here, but unfortunately, you still can’t go with us. I do have another solution to find the sword, though.”

“What is it?” Alyona asked with a twinkle of mischief in her eye.

So, the princess seemed to have come to the same conclusion I had.

“We can take Anastasia,” I announced.

“What!” Barrington shrieked. “No, she gave up her connection to the Sword of the Land! She can’t go! I deserve to go!”

The noble had his fists clenched at his sides, while his face turned cherry red.

“You don’t deserve shit,” I hissed before I turned to his sister. “Would you be able to leave in the morning with us?”

“I-I’m sure I c-could get my things t-together,” she sputtered. “But why? W-What could I do?”

“Even though you aren’t the acting Noble of the Sword, you still have the bloodline ability and link to her power,” Alyona explained. “You should be able to help us find her.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Barrington snorted before Anastasia could answer. “She hasn’t even touched the sword in years.”

“I still heard her,” Anastasia nearly whispered. “Every time you returned from battle, I could feel her relief to be home.”

“Is that why you didn’t know he was back?” Alyona asked in a gentle voice. “You never heard Tira call out to you?”

“I guess so.” The elf woman nodded and then dropped her head to her chest. “I would have been here to check on him if I’d known.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” Barrington scoffed. “If you really--”

“I’ve heard enough from you!” I thundered as I whirled around to grab the worthless noble by the throat and pressed his weak body against the headboard. “Your disrespectful fits have hit my last fucking nerve! You don’t deserve a Noble Sword, and if I have anything to do with it, you won’t be able to call yourself a Noble of the Sword ever again!”

A satisfied silence fell over the room until Barrington finally nodded his head. Then I released my grip, and he fell back onto the bed with a gasp for air as he pawed at his injured throat.

“I’ll, ah, just go start gathering my things,” Anastasia said as she started for the door.

“Yes, do that,” I agreed as I took a deep breath to compose myself. “We need somewhere to meet in the morning.”

“And somewhere to stay for tonight,” Nike pointed out with a grim smile.

“Oh, if I had the room, I’d offer my home.” Anastasia frowned and looked to her feet. “But since I’m no longer a noble and have no immediate family, I only took a small house.”

“We understand,” Ravi said with a kind smile. “Is there an inn?”

“You shouldn’t have to stay there,” the elf woman insisted before she pinned her brother with a hard stare. “Especially not when there’s so much room here.”

“Yeah, sure,” Barrington said in a hoarse voice, and he grimaced as he swallowed. “I have three or four empty rooms upstairs. Go ahead.”

“Thanks,” I replied. “We’ll leave you to get some rest.”

He rolled over in his bed and pulled the blankets up to his chin, and I rolled my eyes at the noble’s petulance before I motioned for everyone to go into the living room.

“I’ll return at dawn,” Anastasia whispered. “I hope I can help.”

“I’m sure you can,” I reassured her. “We have some experience with the Noble Swords and their spirits.”

“I can see that.” The elf woman smiled at the three sisters before she waved, turned around, and glided out the front door.

“I much prefer her to her brother,” Miraya said in a low voice. “He’s an imbecile.”

“On that, we can agree,” I murmured. “Let’s get some sleep. Who knows what the hell we’re going to find tomorrow.”

We traipsed up the staircase to a long landing and spread out to find bedrooms. It seemed Barrington had been underestimating his space since we found five empty bedrooms, and it wasn’t long before each of my lovers paired up and chose a place to sleep.

Isabella and Skye flitted to one room, while Aaliyah and Rebecca made their way to another. Ravi and Miraya scuttled into the room nearest the one Laika and Alyona had claimed for us, and Nike waved as he headed into the bedroom at the other end of the long hallway.

“At least Lord Barrington has comfy beds for his guests, even if he’s rather prickly himself,” Alyona commented as she plopped onto the queen-sized mattress.

“Yeah, I think we’ll sleep well here,” Laika said and sat next to the princess to begin taking off her boots.

I watched as slivers of cream and bronze skin peeked out from beneath their clothes while they prepared for bed, and my blood rushed south.

“We won’t be sleeping for a while,” I growled before I pounced.

When we finally fell asleep, it was completely dark outside, and I was exhausted. I was a little wary of falling asleep after the Demon King visited my last dream, but I needed the rest. I didn’t know if he could hurt me in his projections, so I had to be ready for anything.

It felt like only a few hours had passed when Alyona gently shook me awake. The sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon, which meant Anastasia would be here any minute to accompany us to the Larthan Forest.

I was relieved to have had normal dreams, but it made me wonder what the Demon King was up to. A weight dropped into the pit of my stomach as I climbed out of bed and began to dress for the day. I had no idea what the Demon King was planning, but I was sure I’d find out soon.

We met everyone else in the hallway just as a light knock sounded at the front door. Ravi scurried down the steps to let Anastasia in, and we all glanced into Barrington’s room to see he was still fast asleep.

I motioned for everyone to go outside before he awoke, and we filed out the door to the front yard.

“I suppose it’s easier that he doesn’t see us leave,” Anastasia murmured.

“Yeah, we don’t need any more of his tantrums,” Aaliyah snorted as her golden tail whipped around behind her.

“He seems rather used to always getting his way,” Isabella said with a grim smile.

“He is,” Anastasia sighed. “Especially since he became the Noble of the Sword, which I blame myself for. Anyway, what’s done is done.”

“Then let’s get moving.” I nodded and looked at Alyona. “Do you know where to open the portal?”

“Yes, I saw it on Jensen’s map,” the princess said. “Is everyone ready?”

“A portal?” Anastasia covered her mouth in shock. “I’ve never traveled that way. Is it safe?”

“Perfectly fine,” Alyona assured her. “Like walking through a doorway.”

“I suppose I’ll have to trust you on that,” the elf woman murmured.

“Indeed,” my wife chuckled. “Here we go.”

With that, she began to open the portal to the Larthan Forest, and seconds later, the bright white sparks of her power had opened the gateway to our destination. The princess and I stepped through the opening, and the rest of our party was right behind us.

My boots crunched against the dry leaves of the forest floor, and I realized my wife had created the portal exactly on the edge of the Larthan Forest. I could see the edge of the tree line on either side of us, and nothing but huge trunks ahead. The unfortunately familiar stench of the Breach hovered in the air, and I knew we were close to the southern edge of the tear.

I shook my head and focused on the forest ahead of us.

The trees reminded me of the extraordinary sequoia trees I’d read about when I was a kid, with their immense widths and heights. All of us could have joined hands around one of their bases and still not be able to go all the way around. The trees towered overhead, and I looked up to see bright yellow leaves above us.

It felt like autumn as we looked at the unique terrain around us. Brightly-colored birds and other creatures flitted around the branches and even the ground right next to us, and they didn’t seem worried about our appearance at all.

“Now what?” Miraya wondered.

“I suppose we should head north,” I said with a shrug. “Barrington said the village was on the northern edge of the forest. We’re going to have to talk to the people and figure out what this beast is before we can defeat it, and they may know where the sword went.”

My group agreed, and we began the journey through the forest to find the village that had reached out to Barrington for help.

It didn’t take us long to reach the edge of the forest, but I didn’t see any village. We were on the northwest corner of the wooded area, so we still had plenty of ground to cover.

I led my people along the edge of the Larthan Forest toward what I hoped would be a city with people willing to talk to us about the beast and who had summoned Barrington to help them.

“Do you think the beast lives in the forest?” Laika asked as we walked along the tree line.

“No idea,” I said with a shrug. “Whatever it is, we can handle it.”

“Unlike my brother,” Anastasia scoffed. “He thinks he can handle anything that comes his way, but he’s lucky his ego didn’t get him killed this time. I figured it would happen one day.”

“And you never tried to challenge him again for the sword?” I asked.

“Our parents would have disapproved,” she said. “I was never as intense as he was about it, and they said it was for the best to let him take Tira. They seemed sure, so I went with it.”

“So, you never formally conceded?” Miraya looked at Anastasia with curiosity.

“I guess not.” Anastasia frowned and rubbed her chin. “I basically handed him the Sword of the Land when our family said to. It didn’t seem as important to me as it was to him.”

“Then there’s hope,” the spirit mused.

It seemed Alyona and I weren’t the only ones who felt the Sword of the Land may still belong with Anastasia, and Miraya was already working on an idea to get the sword back to her rightful mistress.

“There!” Rebecca called out and pointed ahead of us.

Through a break in the trees, I could see a smattering of small huts that looked like they’d experienced a small earthquake. The soil between the buildings was torn apart, and several of the huts were falling over.

A few people stood outside the buildings surveying the damage, and they all whirled around to face us as we approached.

“Who are you?” one of the men demanded as he put a hand on the sword at his hip. “What do you want?”

As we got closer, I realized the villagers were also elves, and I glanced at the trees above us to check for more archers before I answered.

“I’m Lord Evan, Noble of the Sword of Healing,” I introduced myself and gestured to my own blade then to Nike. “And this is Lord Nikolaus, Noble of the Sword of Light. We were told you had an issue with a beast.”

“We requested the Noble of the Sword of the Land!” he insisted before the woman next to him elbowed him in the ribs. “But I suppose you’ll do.”

“Lord Barrington came to find the beast a few weeks ago,” I explained carefully. “He was attacked and sent back to Copacia to heal his injuries. Do you know what happened to him?”

“Oh!” the woman gasped and covered her mouth. “We don’t know anything about an attack, my lord. I swear it!”

“I believe you,” I assured her. “I’d just like to know what’s going on here, so we can help you.”

“My name is Fralia,” the elf woman said with a low bow. “My husband is Leodournopo, but everyone calls him Leo.”

“Thank the gods,” Aaliyah muttered. “I would never be able to remember that name.”

“My wife is the only one who can,” Leo chuckled. “I’m sorry we were abrupt with you. We’ve endured a trying time with the monster for the past few months, and the whole synod has been looking for a solution.”

“Synod?” I repeated with what I imagined was a blank stare.

“Us,” Fralia explained as she gestured to the other elves with her and Leo. “The five of us make the decisions for the village, so we’re the ones who reached out to Lord Barrington for help. We’re very sorry to hear about his injury, but it must have happened on his trip here.”

“I see,” I said before I turned to look around at the damage to their village. “So, did the beast do all this?”

“Yes,” Leo sighed. “It seems to live underground or travel that way, we’re not really sure. It tears through the soil as though swimming through water. Our crops are destroyed, and many of the buildings have suffered irreparable damage.”

“Does it only pop up here?” Laika asked as she touched the raised soil and sniffed it.

“It doesn’t even truly leave the ground,” Fralia said with a frown. “We’ve never seen the beast itself. We only hear it and see the ground torn asunder as it travels.”

“Which way does its trail lead?” I asked.

“To the east,” Leo answered and pointed past the village. “None of us have ever dared to follow its trail, but we can see when it leaves us and goes that way.”

“Okay, we’ll figure this out for you,” I promised. “Then we’ll come back and let you know what we found.”

“Thank you,” Fralia gushed, and the other elves nodded their agreement.

“You’re welcome,” I replied before I led my group past the destroyed village and further east toward the beast’s last known whereabouts.

“My lord, this damage reminds me of a beast I encountered a few years ago on a mission,” Laika said as we walked along the trees. “It hunted underground and disrupted several cities in the desert near the Crimson Canyons. It took days to finally kill the thing.”

“What was it?” Alyona asked.

“An inzoka,” the wolf Demi-Human said. “It looks like--”

“A giant snake?” Ravi cut in as she pointed ahead of us.

About fifty yards away, a huge serpent’s head laid sprawled on the ground. As we got closer, I realized the head was still attached to a body as thick as a tree trunk with shiny yellow scales as large as my hand. The inzoka had wrapped part of its slinky form around several of the trees in the forest, while its head was just barely exposed from the tree line.

“That’s it,” Laika whispered with a nod.

“Why did it take so long to catch it?” I asked under my breath.

“Because it kept burrowing,” she said.

“Great,” I muttered. “We’ll have to sneak up on it.”

We crept closer to the beast while we drew our swords, but suddenly its neon-yellow eyes flashed open, and its forked tongue was nearly three feet long when it shot out of the inzoka’s mouth with a hiss.

So much for sneaking.

It unraveled from the trees and slithered toward us with its head at least ten feet above ours. Flaps of skin flung out from around its head like a cobra, but the interior of the flaps was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

Dozens and dozens of little serpent eggs were attached to the flaps of skin, and they rattled and hissed with their mother as though they’d attack us if they got the chance, too.

While my attention was momentarily drawn to the eggs, it quickly returned to the inzoka’s opening mouth and the fangs that dripped a nasty-looking venom. I stood in front of the others and motioned for them to fall back. If I got bit by the inzoka, I’d heal instantly, as well as return the favor with my own poisonous blood, though I wasn’t sure how the venom would affect me until I was healed.

“Go for its eyes!” Laika called out. “We can help you once it’s blind!”

“The eyes,” I muttered. “Just above the venom-filled fangs, got it.”

I sprinted toward the serpent, but it seemed taken aback by my direct approach. The inzoka tucked its flaps back into its skin, lifted its head a few inches higher, and then plunged into the ground at my feet.

Shit.

The ground rippled underneath us as the inzoka tore a circle in the dirt and made a run for it in the other direction. It was far enough underground that I couldn’t stab it with my sword, but it wasn’t faster than me, so I kept pace next to the serpent and worked to devise a plan. I needed the beast aboveground to kill it, but it seemed pretty intent on staying below the surface while I was here.

Then the inzoka took a sudden turn toward me, and I nearly tripped over the freshly raised ground as it cut a new path to the left. I jabbed my blade into the ground, but the serpent was still several feet below the surface, and the sword hit nothing but soil.

If I couldn’t get through the dirt, I’d just have to move it.

I focused my earthquake magic on the open space in front of the inzoka, and the ground beneath me began to shake even harder. Suddenly, a huge crack opened in the soil, and I caught a glimpse of yellow scales.

“Gotcha, you slimy bitch,” I growled.

I stabbed the Sword of Hatra into the gap and felt the blade dig into the inzoka’s scaly flesh. My blade ripped through the last few feet of its body as it tried to slither away, and then the beast tore a hole in the ground as its head emerged in front of me.

The inzoka hissed angrily before it bared its fangs and lowered its head to strike. I plunged my sword up toward its mouth, but it dodged the blade just in time to avoid injury. Its head whooshed by me as it narrowly avoided smashing into the ground, and it lifted up to strike me again.

I tried a different approach as its head bore down on me, and I sliced toward the inzoka’s fangs, but it again avoided my swing and hissed with rage.

The serpent seemed pretty quick to avoid my sword, but I doubted it could avoid every weapon I had at my disposal.

I sheathed my sword and conjured a fiery bow and arrow as the beast loomed over me. Then I focused on one of its eyes and released the arrow. The flaming projectile soared directly into the inzoka’s right eye, and this time, its hiss was of pain instead of anger.

A bright crimson river trickled from the serpent’s fresh wound, and it didn’t even seem to be able to focus on me. I quickly loaded another arrow and shot the beast’s other eye, which resulted in another howl of agony.

“You got it!” Laika exclaimed as she and Nike sprinted up behind me. “Let’s finish it off!”

I pulled the Sword of Healing out again, and the three of us divided and conquered. We slashed and stabbed the inzoka until its head crashed to the ground with a finalizing thud. The yellow-scaled beast laid in a pool of scarlet blood without moving, and I crept carefully toward the flaps near its head.

“Did the eggs die, too?” I wondered.

“Yes, they need the mother’s blood to survive until they hatch,” Laika confirmed.

“I feel a little bad about killing the babies,” Nike admitted with a frown.

“Don’t,” the wolf warrior insisted. “Those little bloodthirsty things would have done their hunting aboveground and killed anyone who got in their way. The adults are at least cunning enough to hunt one human at a time. I wouldn’t be surprised if the villagers didn’t even realize a few of their own are missing.”

“Damn,” I said with a grimace. “This inzoka thing is kind of an asshole.”

“Very much so,” Laika agreed.

“Unfortunately, getting rid of it didn’t seem to reveal the Sword of the Land’s location,” I said as I turned around to search for the rest of the group. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Looking for the sword,” Nike answered. “They thought it might be somewhere near where the inzoka was sleeping when we got here.”

“We’d better go check on them,” I said and stalked back toward the Larthan Forest.

When we reached the inzoka’s former nest, I saw Juniper, Aine, and my lovers had begun to poke around the forest to search for the Sword of the Land. It didn’t seem like anyone had found it yet, so the rest of us joined in.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, we looked under every bush, rock, and leaf that could possibly conceal the blade, but we didn’t find anything.

“I don’t even hear her,” Anastasia finally groaned. “How do we know she’s here somewhere?”

“Maybe we should keep searching on the other side of the village,” Ravi suggested. “They hadn’t seen him, so maybe he didn’t even make it this far.”

“Good idea,” Miraya agreed as she and her sisters began a quick jog back toward the village.

The rest of us followed behind, and when we reached the small collection of huts, the synod greeted us with hopeful, questioning expressions.

“The beast is dead,” I announced with a smile. “You can rebuild without worry.”

“Thank you!” Fralia clasped her hands together and dropped to her knees in front of me. “How can we repay this great debt?”

“Just make sure everyone knows Lord Evan and Lord Nikolaus helped your people,” I said. “That’s all we ask.”

“Then we shall spread the word,” Leo vowed as he put his fist over his chest.

I nodded to the elves and then motioned for everyone to continue on our search. I was happy to help the village, but we needed to get to the sword before anyone else did. Part of me worried someone or something had already gotten a hold of it, but I pushed the thought aside.

We had to find her.

It seemed like every place we looked, the spirit sisters became even more bleak and desperate. They’d gone from hopeful to worried to sad within a matter of hours, and it had begun to look like we weren’t even searching in the right place.

“Okay, let’s take a break,” I finally said when we reached the west end of the forest again. “We all need some water and probably food, or we won’t be able to function enough to find her.”

“We don’t need food or water,” Aine insisted. “We can keep looking.”

“Lord Evan is right,” Juniper sighed. “I want to find Tira just as badly as you do, but we won’t do any good if we’re all tired.”

“I have some snacks in my spatial storage,” Alyona said with a smile. “And some water, too.”

“Are there anymore weird foods?” Laika grinned.

“No, just fruits and bread,” Alyona giggled. “We can take ten minutes to catch our breaths and eat.”

“I’m so sorry, milady,” Miraya groaned. “I’m sure you’re even more exhausted than the rest of us.”

“It’s okay, dear sister,” my wife replied as she began to hand out the food. “I know you’re upset. I understand.”

“I have an idea!” Aine gasped. “What if we search the spiritual realm?”

“Oooh, yes!” Miraya agreed with a grin. “If Tira is close, we should be able to find her there. Then we can use her spiritual location to get closer to the sword.”

“You do that, and we’ll wait here,” I said. “I don’t think the Iudices would appreciate my popping up in the spiritual realm.”

“Probably not,” Miraya chuckled. “We’ll be back before you know it!”

With that, the three sisters disappeared in the blink of an eye to search the spiritual realm. They seemed confident in their plan, so the rest of us had to be patient until they returned.

Time to resort to small talk.

“So, Anastasia, how long were you the Noble of the Sword?” I asked the elf woman.

“Ah, about ten years,” she said with a grim smile. “I trained longer than I actually did the work, but I knew my brother wanted to do it.”

“Did you train together?” Skye wondered.

“Mostly, yes,” Anastasia confirmed. “When I was old enough to take over the duties of the sword from our father, I left, but Barry stayed to keep training. He was obsessed with the whole thing. I just felt like I was supposed to do it.”

“You didn’t feel like you were meant to?” the naiad-Nepin asked with a degree of surprise in her voice.

“I’ve always felt Tira and I were meant to be close,” Anastasia hedged. “I just assumed it was because I had the power in my blood. I never enjoyed the missions the way Barry does.”

My eyes narrowed on the elf woman. I couldn’t understand how someone could be meant for such great power but be willing to hand it off because someone else liked it more. It made no sense to me.

“Well, I know we haven’t really talked about why we came to Copacia, but I suppose now is as good a time as any,” I said. “I’ve been meeting with all the Nobles of the Swords over the past couple weeks to help me close the Breach. It’s mostly in Rahma, but you can smell it from here.”

“Is that what it is?” Anastasia asked as she cocked her head to the side. “I wondered if it was the trees or that big snake.”

“Yeah, it’s the Breach,” I confirmed. “And it’s currently being sealed by King Rodion, but his seal won’t hold on forever. If it breaks, we’ll have the entire underworld unleashed on our realm, and millions would die.”

“That sounds terrible.” The elf woman frowned and rubbed her chin. “But what does it have to do with me?”

“Uh, other than your almost certain death, there’s a way for you to help me stop it,” I continued. “There’s a ceremony called Redimi Vincio, and it would give me access to your bloodline power with the Sword of the Land. The whole thing doesn’t take long, but when it’s time for me to close the Breach, I’ll be able to use your power with the others to do it.”

“And you’ve actually talked other nobles into doing this?” Anastasia gaped at me in disbelief.

“Yes, including Skye and Lord Nikolaus, well, actually, his uncle’s mom.” I pointed to Nike, who nodded his head. “It’s a long story. Anyway, I can’t bond with men, so your brother is out, but you have the bloodline.”

“So, I’m your only option?” she asked and furrowed her brow.

“As far as I know,” I said. “It’s easy, I promise.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound like anything I can do,” Anastasia murmured. “I can ask my parents if there’s anyone else, though.”

“W-What?” I stuttered as the elf woman offered a blank stare. “What do you mean you can’t do it?”

“I mean, I’m not some big important warrior, and I gave up my claim to the Noble Sword,” she replied with a shrug. “I don’t do these missions and stuff anymore. I only came on this one because I care about Tira.”

“You don’t care about your life or the lives of your people?” Skye cut in with a glare. “If the Breach continues to destroy the king’s seal, we’re talking about everyone in Inati being in danger. Your people in Copacia and all of Ecral could be brutally killed by a horde of demons!”

“Then my brother can fight them off,” Anastasia said. “It sounds like he really needs the sword now.”

“He’s going to need more than one Noble Sword!” Skye argued as her face reddened with frustration. “The ceremony isn’t just about you! And besides, if you think you can’t do anything to help, shouldn’t you try to prove you’re better than that? Don’t you want to be someone whose life matters?”

Her words seemed to strike a chord with the lady elf, and Anastasia paused for a moment as she collected her thoughts.

“I suppose I can think about it,” she finally sighed. “Maybe I can do more than I thought.”

Before any of us could respond, the spirit sisters reappeared out of thin air. The trio was out of breath, and Miraya stumbled over to grab me as I rose from the ground to catch her.

“What happened?” I demanded. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, we’re fine,” she gasped. “But we have bad news.”

Chapter 9

“What is it?” Alyona asked as she put her hand on Miraya’s shoulder. “Did you find Tira?”

“Yes,” Juniper said with a shaky sigh. “But she’s trapped.”

“Trapped?” I echoed and arched an eyebrow. “In the spiritual realm?”

The spiritual realm was still a bit of a mystery to me. I knew the sword spirits had another world they could be in, but the closest I’d come to it was my spiritual sea.

Something told me an entire spirit realm wasn’t quite the same thing.

“Not exactly,” Aine replied. “She could normally move around in the spirit realm, but she’s tied to the sword since Barrington left her behind, so she’s essentially chained to the sword’s location.”

“I’m lost,” I admitted with a frown.

“The spirit realm basically looks like this world, but only spiritual creatures can access it,” Juniper explained. “So, over there, she’s locked down to the same place as the sword’s location here in the physical world.”

“And the sword is being pulled toward something, which means Tira is getting dragged around the spirit world by whatever it is,” Miraya continued.

“Or whoever it is,” Juniper added and shuddered. “We can’t tell, and neither can Tira.”

“But whatever it is, it’s powerful,” Aine said with a grimace. “Not many forces in either realm are strong enough to move a Noble Sword that doesn’t want to be moved.”

“What would be strong enough?” I asked, though I had a feeling I already knew the force at play here.

“If you’re thinking what I’m thinking, I’d say you could be right.” Miraya frowned as tears welled in her eyes. “If the Demon King is moving the sword, Tira is in grave danger.”

“And so are all of us if he gets the power of a Noble Sword,” Aine agreed. “We have to move faster. There’s no time to waste!”

“Did you get an idea of where she is?” I asked. “Then we know where to go.”

“She’s north of here,” Juniper said. “We can’t pinpoint the sword when we’re in the spiritual realm, but that’s the direction we need to travel to find Tira.”

“Closer to the border with Rahma,” I murmured. “Which is also closer to the Breach. We need to get moving. There’s no telling how fast the Demon King can move the sword, and we can’t risk him bringing her any closer.”

My lovers began to comfort the spirit sisters as Nike and I led the charge north through the Larthan Forest and then out into the open grasslands. I didn’t like feeling so exposed once we left the protective cover of the trees, but we didn’t have much choice. If Tira was being pulled toward the Breach, that had to be our first priority.

And anything that tried to stop us would meet my blade.

We trudged over the hills and through the tall golden grass in a wide line as everyone searched the ground for the Sword of the Land. It was sort of ironic how much land we’d covered to look for her, though I didn’t feel like now was the time for my joke.

The further we traveled, the stronger the stench of miasma became. It started to fill my nose, and I began to taste bile in the back of my throat. My eyes watered as I tried to ignore it, but the smell was overpowering, so I activated my healing magic and sent a wave of glittering power across our group to protect our senses from the miasma.

“Gods, that gets worse and worse,” Anastasia muttered before my magic settled over her. “Oh, that’s much better. Why does it smell like that?”

“Because the Breach is filled with miasma,” Alyona explained. “Anyone who is poisoned by it becomes deathly ill, physically violent, or just dies. It’s a horrible thing to see.”

The princess stared off into the distance, and I had a feeling she was remembering how terrible it was in Hatra when I’d first arrived. The number of casualties she’d seen from the miasma was already high then, and we’d seen plenty more since. Although I could heal some of the poisoning victims, some were too far gone or corrupted, and I couldn’t do anything to save them.

It sucked knowing we couldn’t help everyone, but I also knew we’d saved a ton of people even before we’d focused on closing the Breach. Even if everything hadn’t gone according to plan so far, we still had quite a few wins under our belts.

Watching my dragon mate behead Olivier was definitely in the win column, as well as releasing an entire race of people from slavery and making sure the citizens of Colaruma were treated fairly. I knew Alyona took our losses personally because she had such a big heart, but I would always be there to remind her of the good things we’d done, too, even when it was hard for me to remember them myself.

“And that’s the stuff that would get out if the Breach doesn’t get closed?” Anastasia asked as she pursed her lips.

“That’s not the only thing,” I said. “Miasma, demons, and, as we’ve recently learned, the Demon King. Not to mention all his other little minions we have yet to discover. We’ve already killed a few of his hellbeasts, and we don’t know what all he can do, but he seems to be able to reanimate the dead.”

“Necromancy?” the elf gasped and covered her mouth. “That’s horrible! It’s blasphemous!”

“Yeah,” I muttered as memories of the corrupted orange dragons flowed through my mind. “It is. Trust me, the gods aren’t a fan of the Demon King, either.”

Anastasia chewed her lip but didn’t ask any more questions. She seemed disturbed by the possibility of all these hellish creatures entering our world, and I wanted to let her stew on the thought. If she mulled it over long enough without me pushing her, maybe she’d agree to the Redimi Vincio ceremony.

If not, I wasn’t sure what else we’d be able to do.

We didn’t know of any other women in the family who carried the Noble Sword bloodline, and it would take more time to figure out who would be both willing and able. And time was something we didn’t have much of to spare.

“My lord!” Miraya shrieked. “We’re close!”

“Yes, we can sense her in the physical world now,” Aine said. “We have to be getting closer.”

“We are,” Anastasia murmured before she stopped and closed her eyes. “I can hear her. She’s so scared, poor thing, but she’s strong. She’s fighting tooth and nail against whatever is pulling her.”

“You can feel that, too?” I stared at the former Noble in surprise. “I thought I could only feel all Miraya’s emotions because of our bond.”

Miraya was more than just one of my lovers. When the Noble Spirit and I had first made love, we’d created a unique bond called a soul bridge. It connected me to her and each of my lovers in a way I’d never even thought possible. They knew me to my core, and I knew them just as deeply, but I didn’t remember feeling that way before we’d created the bridges.

“Each bond is different,” Aine explained. “Some are emotional, others are purely physical, and even some are only enough to complete missions as a team. It depends on both the spirit and her master or mistress.”

“Interesting,” I murmured before I looked back at Anastasia. “Can Tira tell you what or who is pulling her?”

“Our connection doesn’t really work like that.” The lady elf turned to me and opened her eyes. “I can sense what she feels and projects, but I don’t know how to ask her anything.”

“Well, is she projecting how close we are?” Laika asked.

“Her emotions are getting stronger,” Anastasia said and closed her eyes again. “We need to keep moving.”

We picked up the pace as we continued north, and soon, the recognizable feeling of dread that accompanied the Breach filled the air. I could tell we were less than a mile from the edge of the rip, and my heart thumped in my chest as we trotted closer and closer.

“Getting any more clues?” I pressed when we were close enough to the Breach that I could see dark tendrils of miasma pouring from the ground.

“She’s around here somewhere,” Anastasia grunted and began to jog ahead of us.

I furrowed my brow and easily sped up to catch her, but she zigzagged back and forth with her eyes on the ground. I waited for the glint of the metal blade to peek out from beneath the tall grass, but nothing stuck out.

It felt like we were looking for a big needle in a huge haystack.

Then Anastasia gasped and picked up speed until she was sprinting through the grass. She angled to the right, and I saw the dark wisps of miasma directly in her path.

“Anastasia!” I called out as she blindly searched for the Noble Sword.

She glanced over her shoulder at me but didn’t stop moving, and I grunted as I kicked it into high gear and leaped toward her. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and barrel-rolled to the right as I tucked her close to me and kept her out of the grasp of the miasma.

The dark smoke curled into the air like long, spindly fingers searching for its victim, but Anastasia and I had landed just out of its reach.

“What the hell?” The elf woman pushed my arms off her and started to roll away from me.

“Look!” I growled as I pointed past her to the miasma. “You almost ran right into it. We just told you what that stuff can do to people!”

“Oh,” she exhaled as her cheeks flushed pink. “So, you saved me?”

“Yeah,” I said and rose to my feet before I grabbed her hand to pull her up. “I didn’t want you to get hit--”

“There!” Anastasia interjected and sprinted past me.

The lady elf landed on her knees next to a thick area of yellow grass, and I felt it before I saw it. When Anastasia’s fingers closed around the blade, a ripple of power washed over the grasslands. The connection between Anastasia and the Sword of the Land was instantly strong, and I reeled from the immense wave of power that seemed to roll through my body.

Suddenly, the miasma leaking from the edge of the Breach began to fade, and then it disappeared entirely. I had a fleeting thought the small hole had been created just for the sword, but I didn’t think more about it when the spirit sisters rushed forward.

“Oh, gods, she’s alright!” Miraya wrapped her arms around Anastasia and the blade. “Thank you!”

“She’s so happy,” Anastasia murmured as she gripped the sword. “She’s practically singing in my head. I’ve never felt such joy in my life.”

“I’m sure she feels much better now that she’s with you,” Juniper said with a smile. “You feel like home to her.”

“Well, I’m just the one taking her home,” the elf countered. “My brother is her master now.”

“If you say so,” Skye murmured.

Anastasia pressed her mouth into a thin line as she gazed lovingly at the sword in her hand. We could all see their connection as clear as day, but the elf woman would need some convincing before she saw it for herself.

“What do you think?” I whispered to the princess. “It looks like the sword was getting pulled toward the Breach.”

“It would appear it was the Demon King who was after the Noble Sword,” Alyona agreed in a soft voice as everyone else crowded around Anastasia. “We got here in the nick of time.”

“We did,” I said with a nod. “And we couldn’t have done it without Anastasia. I just hope she realizes she can help us in more ways than one.”

“All in good time, my love.” My wife smiled and squeezed my hand. “We must be patient.”

“Not my strong suit, but I’m working on it.” I smiled back as I led her over to the others.

“Why hasn’t Tira come to our realm yet?” Ravi asked as she cocked her head in a bird-like curious gesture.

“She’s exhausted,” Anastasia said with a grim smile. “She fought a difficult battle today. If she hadn’t, she would already be in the Breach with that Demon King.”

“And we’d all be fucked,” I muttered. “Well, we can let her rest and return to Copacia, then. She doesn’t need to do anything but get back to normal.”

“Yeah, I need to, ah, give Tira back to Barrington,” the lady elf murmured. “He’s probably going crazy without her.”

“I’m sure he is.” Miraya pursed her lips but didn’t say anything else.

As Alyona began the process of opening a portal back to Copacia, Anastasia weaved through the group to stand next to me, and she wrung her hands together as though she had to build up the courage to speak.

I offered an encouraging smile, but I didn’t want to risk saying anything. The elf had been through a lot the past couple days, so I needed to follow Alyona’s advice to be patient.

“Lord Evan, can I ask you something?” Anastasia nearly whispered.

“Sure,” I said with a casual shrug.

“Why did you save me?” the lady elf asked.

“From the miasma?” My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Because you needed saving. No one deserves the miasma poisoning. It’s horrific, trust me.”

“Not because I was helping you?” she pressed.

“No,” I said and shook my head. “It’s great that you helped us find the Sword of the Land, but we may have found her eventually on our own. I know dragons aren’t known for it, but I do have a respect for life, and there was no reason to let you put yours at risk when I could do something to stop it. It was just the right thing to do.”

“I see,” Anastasia murmured and then took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll do the ceremony.”

“You will?” I grinned and put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to feel like you owe me or anything. It should be your choice.”

“I do owe you a life debt,” she countered. “But I also didn’t realize you were such a genuine person. If it wasn’t for you, I could be dead or sick or any of the other things that could happen with miasma. And you did it just to keep me safe, not for any other reason. If you’re that kind of person, you must be telling the truth about how important this ceremony is.”

“I am,” I assured her. “It’s literally life and death for most of the people on Inati, and it’s great you want to help them. Consider the life debt paid because the ceremony will save millions of them.”

“I’ve never helped so many people,” she mused as the crackle of Alyona’s magical doorway filled the air.

“I think you can do more than you realize,” I said with an encouraging smile. “Let’s go get the sword back, and then we’ll go to the White Jade Temple for the ceremony.”

“In Rahma?” the lady elf asked with wide eyes. “I’ve never been outside Ecral. What’s it like there?”

“You’ll like it,” I promised. “The mountains are beautiful.”

“So is the palace,” Rebecca chimed in. “The portal is ready.”

I nodded and walked through the opening with Alyona and Anastasia, while everyone else filed through behind us. The elf woman still held the Noble Sword in a death grip as we stepped into Copacia. The sun had nearly dropped below the horizon, and Inati’s three moons were already visible in the royal-blue sky.

Anastasia took the lead to return to her brother’s house. The lights were on inside, and I wondered if our gracious host had prepared anything for dinner. After only having snacks for lunch, I was starving, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up for the Noble of the Sword to do anything for us. He’d made it abundantly clear how he felt about us staying in Copacia, not to mention in his house.

The lady elf strode forward with confidence and knocked on Barrington’s door twice before she opened it and leaned inside the dark interior.

“Barry?” Anastasia called out. “Are you home?”

“I told you to stop calling me that,” the Noble groaned. “I was just finishing up dinner.”

“And I assume you made sure there was enough for your guests as well,” his sister chided as she motioned for us to follow her inside. “We’ve all been trudging through the forest and hills all day. We’re starving.”

“Oh, uh, yeah…” Barrington trailed off as the sound of clinking dishes sounded out of the kitchen.

I was glad Anastasia called him out about dinner, so I didn’t have to figure out a way to get us all fed without his help. I wasn’t sure if he had his own staff to cook a meal or if he’d be the one at the stove, but I would be happy with just about anything put in front of me.

By the time we’d all filed into the dining room and sat down, the smell of fresh herbs and chicken had filled the air, and my stomach growled in appreciation.

“Can he cook?” I asked Anastasia under my breath.

“A few things,” she said with a half-smile.

Well, that was better than nothing.

A few minutes later, the Noble of the Sword emerged with a huge, steaming pot and set it on the table. I rose to look inside and was pleasantly surprised at the sight of roasted chicken and a rainbow of vegetables atop a bed of brown rice. It smelled fantastic, and Barrington looked slightly less arrogant than usual as we all eyed the pot with apprehension.

“That smells good,” I said finally. “Do you have plates or bowls or something?”

“Oh, yes!” Barrington gasped and turned on his heels to return to the kitchen.

Within seconds, we began to pass bowls around the table and fill them with the chicken and rice mixture, and as I took my first taste, my surprise grew to all new heights. The food was delicious, and I savored the juicy chicken and seasoned vegetables with every bite.

The room fell to the quiet hush of silverware on dishes and chewing while we all filled our bellies, but after a while, I caught a glimpse of Anastasia. She still held the Sword of the Land across her lap, and she grazed the engraved handle with gentle fingers as though she cradled a baby.

“What are you doing?” Barrington asked suddenly as he glared at his sister.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one to notice the sword in her lap, and the Noble’s face flushed red as Anastasia fumbled for a response.

“Uh, nothing,” she said after a moment. “I was just waiting until we’d finished dinner to return the sword to you.”

Anastasia pushed her chair back and gripped the handle of the sword as she gently rose to her feet. Then she laid the blade across one palm and let the handle rest on the other before she presented the Sword of the Land to Barrington.

His eyes widened before they narrowed into slits, and he turned his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t want it back,” he pouted. “That sword spirit lady never liked me. She probably hid from me just so you could find her. She has no respect for her master.”

“Is she the one with the lack of respect?” Miraya seethed.

“I beg your pardon?” Barrington huffed as he turned his anger on her. “I trained for years to use the sword, and she acted as though she wanted nothing to do with me! I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“You don’t deserve to call yourself a Noble of the Sword,” Juniper spat out as tiny red sparks crackled on her fingertips. “Tira deserves better.”

“She deserved to be left in the forest!” Barrington retorted and clenched his fists. “I was the rightful heir!”

“Obviously not.” Aine smirked and pointed to the sword that still laid across Anastasia’s open hands.

The Sword of the Land had begun to vibrate, and the blade shook so hard it slipped down her arm. Before anyone could react, the Noble Sword fell straight into the empty scabbard that hung from Anastasia’s belt. Though Tira still didn’t have the strength to take her physical form, she’d made her wishes known.

Even Barrington watched the sword’s show with astonishment before he shook his head and held out his hand.

“See?” he shrieked. “She didn’t want me at all. Even though Anastasia conceded the fight, the spirit doesn’t care!”

“She didn’t officially concede,” Miraya said with pursed lips. “She merely gave you the sword. You were never Tira’s master. She’s made that clear to us.”

“Does this mean I have to go do all the missions again?” Anastasia asked, and her body quivered with uncertainty. “I-I’m not one for so much adventure. I wasn’t before, and nothing has changed since then.”

“No.” I shook my head and looked at the three spirit sisters. “Everyone is different… Right?”

“Lord Evan is correct,” Aine said. “Your only duty is to follow your calling.”

“I feel as though I need to keep Copacia safe,” Anastasia declared. “Tira and I aren’t meant to travel the world and seek glory for her power. Our land is our home.”

“Oh, she agrees with you,” Miraya said in a hushed voice. “I can feel her finally resting, so now she can heal.”

“Fine, everyone is happy now,” Barrington sneered before he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms again. “I’m just regular old Barry again, huh?”

“You were always Barry to me,” his sister said as she put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “And we can talk more when we get back.”

“Back?” He looked at her with confusion. “I thought you just said you don’t want to do missions and adventures.”

“I don’t,” she agreed and smiled. “But this is different. I need to help Lord Evan with something, and it’s very important. Then I’ll be back, and you can help me train all over again. It’s been a long time since I needed to use a sword.”

The lady elf’s words seemed to break down the former Noble’s walls, and he smiled up at his sister and nodded his agreement.

“I’ll let my father know,” Alyona said with a smile.

As she pulled the white jade hand mirror from her spatial storage, we shared a glance and silently agreed to step away from the rest of the group. We walked out of the dining room and into the dimly-lit living area, and then Alyona activated the spell to connect with her father’s mirror. It was like magical FaceTime, and it still sort of blew my mind how there seemed to be a spell for everything.

“Thank the gods,” Rodion sighed as his face appeared on the shimmery surface of the mirror.

The king looked worse for the wear as his white hair stuck out in several directions, and the creases around his eyes seemed like canyons in his face. His normally bright amethyst eyes were dull with worry, and Alyona’s grip on the mirror tightened as she took in her father’s haggard appearance.

“What’s wrong?” she demanded. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Rodion muttered and looked around his room before he leaned in to whisper. “But I hope you have better news than I do.”

“We have the next noble for the ceremony,” Alyona said with a frown. “What’s yours?”

“The Blade of Wystonia is missing,” he replied and rubbed his face with one hand. “I have no idea where it could be.”

“Did you ask Castor?” I suggested.

“No, I didn’t think to ask the person who helps me prepare every ceremony,” Rodion retorted and then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, Lord Evan. This situation has my spirits at an all-time low. I shouldn’t have responded so rudely.”

“It’s okay.” I waved my hand. “I can understand your stress. Where did you see it last?”

“The ceremony with Skye,” he said as he smoothed out his hair. “Castor took it to my chambers, as usual. One of us checks on our supplies twice a day to ensure none of the herbs or plants need replacing. This afternoon, he confirmed everything was there except the blade.”

“Can we get another one?” I asked.

“There’s not another one,” Alyona sighed. “The ceremony requires it, and only one exists. It has been such for centuries.”

“Shit,” I cursed. “And it was there this morning?”

“Yes,” Rodion said. “I saw it myself. I can’t imagine what could have happened.”

“We’ve already seen the Demon King was able to move a Noble Sword,” I murmured to Alyona. “Do you think he could move the Blade of Wystonia?”

“That is quite troubling.” She gnawed on her bottom lip and turned back to her father. “Do you have the guards searching for it?”

“Yes, they’ve searched everywhere around the temple,” Rodion said. “Even Eskandar has flown over to look for a thief escaping the mountains, but we’ve had no luck.”

“Then we’ll come help,” I decided. “We have to have it to do the ceremony, and we can’t slow down on getting the bonds in place. The Demon King is growing stronger every day.”

I updated him about our discovery of the Sword of the Land, and Rodion’s face dropped even further.

“Gods, it seems we can’t get any further ahead,” he sighed. “I don’t know how much longer I can--”

“Don’t talk like that,” Alyona cut him off in a stern voice. “We’ll be there within the hour.”

She ended the connection before the king could say anything else, and I didn’t dare say anything else, either. Rodion’s look of defeat had sent my wife into a fiery resolve, and I wasn’t about to stand in her way, so I followed her back into the dining room and waited while everyone turned to face her with looks of growing concern.

“Milady, what’s wrong?” Laika asked as she rose from her chair.

“We need to get to the temple now,” Alyona replied coolly. “Let’s go.”

No one questioned the princess or her mood, and the rest of our group stood without a word. Only Anastasia seemed baffled by the exchange.

“Wait, now?” she asked as she looked outside. “It’s dark out! We can’t possibly travel there at this hour!”

“We can, and we will,” Alyona said. “My father needs our help. We’ll use another portal and arrive in seconds. Are you ready?”

It seemed the princess’ new attitude had Anastasia teetering between her earlier resolve to help us and the uncertainty of going with us so quickly, but she finally nodded her head and followed the others out of the dining room.

I glanced over to see Barrington still sitting in his chair with a petulant frown, but he didn’t try to stop anyone from leaving.

He was probably happy to have his house to himself again.

I shrugged and joined the rest of my people just as Alyona had begun to open the portal in the middle of the living room. I was surprised to see her open it in such a small space, but I had no intention of slowing her down. We could both see the anxiety written all over her father’s face, and she would do anything she could to help him. Plus, we needed to get the blade to finish the other ceremonies as well.

As we stepped through the crackling doorway, we nearly bumped into Castor, who waited for us in the courtyard of the White Jade Temple.

“Oh, the king will be so pleased you’ve arrived quickly!” Rodion’s right-hand man said as he spun around and scurried toward the front door. “Let’s go!”

We followed him up the stairs to Rodion’s chambers, but I held up my hand to stop everyone else as Alyona and I walked into the room with Castor. The king was clearly overwhelmed, and I didn’t want anyone else to see him in such a weakened state. They had to keep faith in their leader, which would be difficult if they all saw him pace his room with frantic pulls at his white hair.

“Your Majesty, the princess and Lord Evan have arrived,” Castor announced in a gentle voice.

“Well, unless they have a way to make another Blade of Wystonia, we’re all doomed,” Rodion groaned and wiped an errant tear from his cheek. “I just can’t find a way out. I’ve been doing this for so long.”

“And you’ve been doing it well,” Alyona reminded him as she stepped forward and took his hand. “You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”

“I second that,” I agreed as I stood closer to the father and daughter. “I’ve learned a lot from you already. I can only imagine how much more I could learn.”

“From someone who can barely keep it together anymore?” Rodion laughed without humor. “I don’t know if the seal will last much longer.”

“You can’t give up now,” I said in a stronger voice. “You have thousands-- no, millions of lives who depend on you and your ability to lead them with strength and intelligence. No one has doubted you, and you can’t start doubting yourself now. We’re facing a whole new enemy, but we’re doing it together. Let us help you find the blade, and you just focus on the seal. We’re a team.”

“Do you really believe that?” Rodion looked at me with wide eyes and slightly less doubt. “That we can do all this together?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “And you should, too. You’re a brilliant, powerful leader who I’ve admired since I met you, even though you scared the shit out of me at first. Plus, you helped to create the most amazing person I’ve ever known, who also happens to know some powerful magic, too.”

Rodion’s face broke into a fond smile as he slowly nodded his head, but before he could respond, Alyona gasped.

“Wait!” She let go of his hand and covered her mouth. “That’s it! I know how to find it!”

“You do?” I asked as my attention shifted from cheering up the king.

“Yes!” Alyona cheered. “I can use the locator spell we used to find the Celestial Triad.”

“Is the Blade of Wystonia a magical item like those were?” I wondered.

“It’s not about magic,” she countered. “It’s about power, remember? The dagger channels a lot of power. This will work, I know it!”

“Well, by the gods, let’s get it done,” Rodion said with a thin smile. “Castor can help you gather what you need.”

“Didn’t we have to go find a flower in the Kawaii Forest last time?” I pointed out.

“A tacca flower?” Castor asked. “I have some of those in our collection.”

“Of course, you do,” I chuckled. “We should have just shopped here. It would have been much easier than dealing with that troll.”

Alyona and Castor made a list of ingredients, and the king’s advisor disappeared with slightly bouncier steps as he went to chase them down. The princess had given everyone hope, which was something that clearly needed to be spread around the temple. I’d never seen Rodion doubt himself or our mission, but somehow, it solidified my desire to work even harder. He’d done so much for everyone already, and now, I had to step up and make sure he didn’t shoulder the burden alone.

I patted the king’s shoulder before I stepped out into the hall to update the rest of our group.

“Alyona is doing a spell to locate the Blade of Wystonia,” I explained. “Once we have its location, we’ll get everything else ready for the Redimi Vincio ceremony. We just have to be patient for now.”

“How did the blade get misplaced?” Ravi asked with an arched eyebrow. “It’s not like King Rodion to lose something so important.”

“I agree,” I said and frowned. “I don’t think he did.”

“You think the Demon King is after it,” Laika murmured.

“It would certainly keep us from gaining more power to defeat him,” I replied. “And we’ve already seen that he can move things in the physical world.”

“What do you need us to do?” Rebecca asked, and her honey-colored eyes glowed with anticipation.

“For now, just wait,” I said. “After we get the dagger back, we can move forward.”

“Of course, my lord,” Nike agreed. “And we’ll keep watch over the king’s chambers to ensure nothing else is… misplaced.”

“Thank you,” I said before I turned around and strode back into Rodion’s chambers.

My wife soothed him with soft words, and he seemed much less anxious than he had when we’d arrived. It wouldn’t do any good for him to waste his energy on stress, so hopefully, we could find the dagger quickly.

In less than an hour, Castor returned with a basket full of flowers, bones, and jewels. I brought Ravi in from the hallway since we’d need her tears for the spell, as well as my blood, and Alyona began to mix the ingredients in a small cauldron.

“Should we go out to the balcony?” I suggested. “Then we can see the light that came out last time.”

“Good idea,” Alyona agreed.

She grabbed the steaming cauldron and the sapphire, and we traipsed out onto the stone balcony to finish the spell.

“I suppose I’m up,” Ravi said with a small smile.

She added the tear of a phoenix from the corner of her eye, and I called on my fire magic to create a small dagger. Then I sliced the skin on my palm and dripped the blood of a dragon into the pot.

The mixture popped and sizzled as the crimson streams seeped into the other ingredients, and then Alyona chanted the words of the spell.

“A vision clear as day from night,” she recited. “With more than meets the prophet’s eye, pure and rare, a beam of light, the energy pours into the sky!”

She gently poured the potion over the sapphire, and a brilliant blue light shot out of the gem and into the night sky. The same light surrounded me, and I tried to see past my own spotlight to find the light of the dagger.

“There!” Rodion called out and pointed behind me.

I whirled around to see the spotlight rose from the temple and disappeared into the night sky. I frowned as I turned back around to look at Alyona whose face was twisted with worry.

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” I asked her in a soft voice.

“The dagger is still in the temple,” Alyona nearly whispered. “But if the guards searched everywhere…”

“Then it was already hidden,” I muttered.

There was only one conclusion.

We had a traitor in the castle.

Chapter 10

“Wait…” Rodion seemed to realize the same thing we did as he stared at the bright-blue light pouring into the sky. “The dagger is still here?”

“It would seem so, Your Majesty,” I said through gritted teeth. “Which means someone has it hidden here, so your men couldn’t find it.”

“I hate to say it, but…” Ravi trailed off and looked down at her feet.

“Please, go ahead,” Rodion encouraged her. “What do you think?”

“It could also be that one of your men couldn’t find it because he was the one who hid it,” she said in a small voice.

“I wondered the same thing,” I agreed as I rubbed the phoenix’s quivering shoulders. “It seems too coincidental that it goes missing from your chambers without leaving the temple, and yet none of them can find it.”

“A traitor!” the king roared and kicked his high-backed chair across the balcony. “Who would dare come into my temple and do such a thing? I’ll throw him from the highest mountain and watch his body split across the rocks and tumble in pieces to the valley!”

That was a very specific threat, and something told me Rodion’s rage would lead him to follow through with it.

“And I’ll watch with you,” I growled. “Let’s get everyone in here, so we can go find that dagger.”

Rodion nodded his agreement, and I stepped out into the hallway and motioned for everyone to join us. There were various looks of confusion on all their faces until I explained the current situation.

“What the hell,” Nike muttered as he clenched his fists.

“No, we’ll catch the disloyal bastard and send him to hell,” Aaliyah declared with her long claws extended.

“My thoughts exactly,” I said. “We just need to find him first.”

“I don’t know which guards to call on,” Rodion murmured with a frown. “I thought I could trust all my men, but it seems this is no longer the case.”

“Don’t call any of them,” I replied and shrugged. “We can go find it ourselves. With the locator spell, we can see where it is, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“We just don’t know which floor it’s on,” Alyona added.

“So, we split up, and each group covers a floor,” Nike suggested.

“And we have to take the traitor alive?” Laika asked as her claws grazed over the dagger on her belt.

“Yes, he must answer for his crimes,” Rodion answered with an amused smile. “Though once that is complete, I’m open to more suggestions than throwing him off the mountain.”

“Good,” I said in a low voice. “I have a few ideas myself.”

Ravi, Anastasia, Miraya, and the other two sword spirits headed for the basement, while Rebecca, Aaliyah, Skye, and Isabella made their way to the ground floor. Alyona, Laika, Nike and I took the second floor, and I led the charge out of the king’s chambers to find the culprit.

The beam of blue light had faded enough to make it difficult to see inside the temple, but I had a good memory of where it had been. I strode down the hallway and realized we were in the vicinity of the guards’ sleeping chambers.

“It seems our suspicions about a guard being the culprit were accurate,” Alyona murmured as we neared the location of the beam. “This is unfortunate.”

“Yeah, someone is about to feel very unfortunate,” I grumbled before I stopped at a door on my right. “I think it was about here.”

“I’d say this one or the next one,” the princess said. “We should search both.”

“Done.” I banged on the door. “By order of the king, come out here!”

Nike followed suit on the other door, and within seconds, four of the guards had walked sleepily into the hallway.

“What is it, my lord?” one of them asked amidst a yawn. “Is the king alright? Our shift ended a while ago.”

“All of you line up against that wall and wait for further orders,” I commanded them and pointed against the opposite side of the hall. “Laika, keep an eye on them.”

“Of course, my lord.” The wolf Demi-Human unsheathed her broadsword and kept her steely-gray eyes on the suspects.

“Whoa, whoa,” another guard breathed as he backed up to the wall. “What the hell is going on?”

“Shut up and wait,” Laika said in a voice that left no room for doubt.

The four men held their hands up in surrender and followed her demands without another question. Then Alyona and I entered one room, while Nike began to search the other. I thought back to every prison movie I’d ever seen and started tearing the place apart. I opened drawers and tossed their contents onto the floor as we searched for the dagger. I yanked the sheets off the mattress and then tossed it to the floor to check the bed frame.

“Nothing,” I huffed as I looked over to see Alyona had repeated the same bed search on the other side of the room. “Yours?”

“No luck,” she replied and pursed her lips. “What about--”

“My lord!” Nike called out from the room next door.

I dropped the blankets I held and sprinted to where Nike stood in the center of the other room. He held the Blade of Wystonia and had an enraged look on his face.

“Where was it?” I asked as I stepped forward to take the dagger.

“It was wrapped in clothes and stuffed under the mattress on the east wall,” Nike said and looked over my shoulder with narrowed eyes. “One of them is the thief.”

I stalked out into the hallway where Laika still held the guards at sword point, and I held the blade up for all of them to see.

“Who’s the thief?” I bellowed. “Who sleeps in the bed on the right?”

“Lord Evan, I can confirm that bed belongs to Braddock,” one of the guards said as he gave a side-eye to the guard next to him. “But I cannot confirm his thievery, as I did not witness it.”

“Thank you,” I replied and pointed to the guard he’d indicated. “Braddock, you’re coming with me.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” he spat out as he crossed his arms over his narrow chest.

The guard was easily the smallest of the four, and he stood no taller than five-seven with scrawny limbs and gaunt features. He wasn’t quite human, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was. Either way, his brazen refusal had me gritting my teeth to control my fury.

I realized Braddock and his dishonor had been abandoned by the other guards, and they quivered in fear as I glared at the thief.

“The rest of you may go,” I declared. “He goes with me.”

The guards scattered to their rooms as I took a step toward Braddock.

“I don’t have to go with you,” the guard insisted with a little less bravado. “I won’t do it!”

“You will,” I said in an icy voice. “Or I’ll make you. Your choice, and probably the last one you’ll need to worry about making.”

Braddock’s dark eyes widened in surprise, and he shivered as he let his arms hang at his sides. The look of defiance never left his face, but he didn’t resist when I grabbed him by the upper arm and led him toward the king’s chambers.

“I’ll go get the others,” Nike volunteered as we reached the stairs.

I nodded to him, and he headed down the steps to find the other two search parties while Alyona, Laika, and I continued toward Rodion’s room with the prisoner in tow. Laika kept her sword at his back, while I kept a firm grip on his arm. He didn’t seem too concerned with escaping, and I wondered what made him brave enough to think he wasn’t about to die.

We walked into Rodion’s chambers, and the king spun around to see us with Braddock. Then his violet eyes nearly bugged out of his head as his jaw dropped.

“Braddock?” the king gasped. “You’re the thief?”

“I’m an opportunist,” Braddock sneered and then sucked in a gasp when I yanked his arm back.

“You will talk to the king with respect,” I said in a low voice. “You stole the dagger. That makes you a thief.”

“Call me what you wish,” he hissed. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

“It matters,” Rodion murmured as he walked forward and grabbed Braddock by the collar. “It will determine how quickly or how slowly I choose to end your treasonous life. Is this the only act of treachery you have committed?”

“I’ve done everything I was asked,” Braddock said with a smug smile. “And my death doesn’t matter. I’ll still reap my reward.”

“Who could possibly reward you once you’ve left this realm?” the king thundered and lifted Braddock from the floor. “Tell me who commands you!”

Braddock hesitated, but he’d already overplayed his hand because I could only think of one enemy who would want the dagger and could promise a reward in the afterlife.

“The Demon King!” Braddock finally confessed in a husky voice as Rodion’s grip tightened on his collar. “He will return to Inati and make himself known as the ruler of all! And you will bow to him like everyone else, or you will die by his powerful hand!”

Rodion lost his shit.

He launched the guard across the room, and Braddock’s scrawny body slammed into the wall with a thud. At that moment, Nike and the rest of our group burst into the room and looked around for the source of the noise, but the king wasn’t done yet.

“You stupid bastard!” He stormed over, grabbed Braddock by the head, and smashed his face against the wall. “You have no idea what you almost did!”

“Exactly… what I was told,” Braddock coughed and spewed a stream of blood from his swollen lips. “Your power is nothing compared to his.”

Rodion stood up and towered over the guard as the fire in his eyes seemed to flicker for a moment. Then he shook his head and took a step back.

“You have no idea the power in this room,” I cut in when the king hesitated.

I knew the guard’s words had cut straight to the king’s heart and reignited the stress he’d felt only a few hours ago. And I wasn’t about to let this pipsqueak get the upper-hand.

“It doesn’t matter what you think you can do,” Braddock said with a sniffle as he wiped away the blood from his mouth. “The Demon King can do more, and he will once he takes over this wretched land.”

“And then what?” I demanded. “You think you’ll take your place at his right hand? A little guy like you?”

“He said my size doesn’t matter!” the guard spat out.

“Did he tell you he offered me the same thing?” I asked with a sarcastic smile. “He wanted a big, powerful dragon at his side. What’s he going to do with a measly half-human, half-whatever-the-fuck-you-are?”

“Rule!” Braddock screeched as he pushed himself up to his feet and glared up at me. “He will rule with me at his side once I am rewarded for doing his bidding in this realm!”

“How about I give you a reward now?” I growled and slid the Sword of Hatra from my belt. “In this realm.”

Braddock’s eyes widened with shock before I swung the gleaming blade in a wide arc that connected perfectly with his throat. The wound poured a crimson river down the front of the former guard’s shirt as he gurgled and clutched at his throat. Then he dropped to his knees and sucked in one more wheezing gasp before he fell face-first on the floor and laid motionless at my feet.

I shoved the sword back into my scabbard and turned to face the king, who stared at Braddock’s body with a mixture of surprise, disgust, and satisfaction.

“Quite a reward,” the king murmured.

“One he was quite deserving of,” Laika said and pursed her lips.

“I won’t argue that,” Rodion agreed before he turned to Castor. “Get the cleaning staff in here to take care of this… mess.”

“Right away, Your Majesty,” Castor said and rushed out of the room.

“Oh, my gods,” Anastasia whispered.

I turned to see the lady elf’s hands over her mouth as she stared at the guard’s lifeless body in a pool of dark-red blood on the floor. Her face was pale, and her hands trembled with fear.

“Anastasia, take a breath,” I said in a soft voice. “Let’s go outside.”

I started to lead her to the balcony for some fresh air, but she ripped her body away from me and took several deep breaths while she stepped back.

“I don’t want to go anywhere with you!” the elf shrieked. “I thought you had respect for life, but you just killed that man for stealing a knife!”

“No.” I shook my head and held my hands up. “I killed a man who stole a ceremonial knife from the king, so he could give it to the Demon King and be rewarded with a position of power if the Breach is opened to release him.”

“I think it’s best if you just take me back to Ecral,” she said as she took another step toward the door. “I’ll search the ancestry files for--”

“Anastasia, please,” Alyona pleaded and took the elf’s hands. “I know this was not what you expected, and I can understand feeling overwhelmed, but you must remember the reason you agreed to do the ceremony in the first place.”

“I-I can’t,” Anastasia said with another tremble. “I’ve n-never, ah…”

“You’ve never seen someone die,” Isabella interjected. “Right?”

Anastasia nodded, and it all made sense. Even by her own admission, she didn’t like going on missions as the Noble of the Sword, so she’d probably avoided anything that could result in death. She was terrified of how easily I’d resolved the problem with Braddock, but I had to make sure she knew I was still the good guy.

I just had no idea how to do that when she wouldn’t even look at me.

“Let’s rest for a while,” Rebecca suggested.

“Yeah, there’s plenty of room for us to sleep,” Ravi agreed.

“And it will be wonderful to sleep in the White Jade Temple,” Skye added with a smile. “I’ve never been here before.”

My lovers continued to soothe her until Anastasia finally agreed to sleep on it. No one wanted her to make a rash decision, especially when we were so close to completing the ceremony and getting one step closer to finishing off the Demon King.

Once my women coaxed her out of the king’s chambers and into a bedroom, I turned back to the king. He had walked idly over to the other side of the room and was writing in a small journal that sat on an oak desk near the wall. He scribbled across the pages with a vengeance, and I waited until he returned the quill to its jar before I spoke.

“Your Majesty, I think we’ll be fine to start the ceremony first thing tomorrow,” I said as I carefully set the dagger down on the desk next to him. “I’m sure once the shock wears off, Anastasia will be back on board.”

“I have faith in you, Lord Evan,” he replied without looking up from his desk. “I’ll ensure everything is ready in the morning. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” I stepped back slowly. “Goodnight, Your Majesty.”

I walked out of the king’s chambers and found Nike waiting outside the door.

“Well, Anastasia agreed to at least stay the night and talk again in the morning,” he said as he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “After the day we’ve had, I’d say that’s pretty good.”

“Agreed.” I nodded as we started to walk toward the bedrooms. “Is everyone else already in bed?”

“I think they all decided to sleep in your room with her,” Nike said with a mischievous grin. “Guess you’re stuck rooming with me.”

“Fair enough,” I laughed.

We headed into a room with two double-beds, and before I knew it, we were both passed out. Images of the ceremonial dagger, the Noble Swords, and Braddock swam around in my head for most of the night, but I managed to keep the Demon King at bay.

For once, I awoke in the morning feeling refreshed, though I’d only been able to sleep half the night after we’d finished with our search of the temple. We got dressed and met my wife in the hallway.

“Good morning, my lord,” Alyona said with a warm smile. “Did you rest better this time?”

“Not as well without you,” I answered as I pecked her on the cheek. “But you had an important job last night. Did everything go well?”

“Yes, Anastasia has agreed to continue with the ceremony,” she replied in a quiet voice. “But she wants to go home immediately once it’s complete. She said this adventure is exactly why she doesn’t like adventuring.”

“I’ll take it,” I chuckled. “Let’s get some breakfast and then go to the valley.”

Alyona nodded, and the rest of my women, Aine, Juniper, and Anastasia trickled into the hallway.

“My father will have breakfast ready for us,” Alyona announced. “Shall we eat before we begin the ceremony?”

“Absolutely,” Anastasia agreed and licked her lips. “I’m starving.”

Nike and I led the women downstairs to the dining hall, where at least a dozen trays filled the table, and King Rodion waited at the head of the table with Castor standing behind him. The king looked like he’d at least gotten a couple hours of rest, and his wild hair had been tamed into a long ponytail at the nape of his neck. His white robes were clean and unwrinkled, and he even greeted us with a smile.

“Please, have a seat and enjoy the fruits of my kitchen staff’s labors,” Rodion said as he gestured toward the table. “There’s plenty for everyone.”

We didn’t need a second invitation, and everyone sat down to fill their plates with peppery scrambled eggs, steaming hot slices of ham, and buttery biscuits. I grinned as Alyona shoveled almost as much as me into her mouth, and I was already proud of my son for his healthy appetite. I couldn’t wait for her belly to grow bigger and bigger as he grew in her womb, though I was even more excited for his birth.

Once we’d all had our fill, it was finally time.

Anastasia looked increasingly nervous as she noticed everyone finishing their plates, but she hadn’t changed her mind again so far, so I wasn’t going to say anything to ruin whatever my lovers had said to keep her on track. We needed to have her on our side, and I couldn’t risk her backing out again.

“Are we ready?” Alyona asked in a gentle voice.

There were nods around the table, and Castor patted the satchel that hung over his shoulder and around his chest. It seemed he’d taken the security of the ceremonial stuff even more seriously since the issue with Braddock.

“Then let’s go to the valley,” Rodion declared as he rose from his chair. “Eskandar will be meeting us there for some extra security.”

“Good idea,” I said and stood up to head for the door.

Everyone followed my lead, and we walked out of the temple to the courtyard. It would have been a fairly long trek to the valley, so Alyona created a portal to get us there even faster, which worked for me since it gave Anastasia less time to change her mind again.

As we stepped through the portal and into the valley, I did a quick double-take.

The valley was flourishing with life.

I’d healed the land from the death and destruction the Green Glass Sect left behind a few weeks ago, but I had no idea how much the valley would continue to grow and change while we were gone. The green grass was luscious and full, the tiny stems along the riverbank had blossomed into thick, colorful flowers, and even the water in the river was filled with a rainbow assortment of fish.

A shadow passed overhead, and I looked up to see the familiar white scales of my friend and fellow dragon, Eskandar.

“It looks great, doesn’t it?” he called down to us as we all looked over the transformation.

“Yeah, it does!” I agreed with a grin.

“Your healing did even more than we realized,” Rodion said while he set his book on the ceremonial podium. “This is even better than the cliffs.”

“You did this?” Anastasia asked and turned to face me. “How?”

“I have both healing magic and nature magic,” I explained. “I combined them to cleanse the valley for the Redimi Vincio ceremonies. I didn’t know how much it would help with everything else, but I’ll take it.”

“Fascinating,” she murmured before she began to watch Castor unload his satchel. “What’s the knife for?”

“Part of the ceremony will include each of us adding our blood to the bowl,” I answered. “I’ll use my healing magic on you, so it will only hurt for a second.”

“I didn’t even feel anything before he healed me,” Skye chimed in and smiled at the lady elf. “Lord Evan takes care of his people, I promise.”

Anastasia gnawed on her bottom lip as she stared at the dagger and then nodded slowly.

“Okay, let’s get this over with,” she finally said.

We joined Rodion at the podium, and he began the process of cutting each ingredient in half before he placed them into a bowl. Then he poured a vial of water from the Lake of Life into the bowl and looked at me.

“A little fire of a dragon,” I whispered to Anastasia with a wink.

Then I blew a small column of flames into the bowl until its contents caught fire, and her eyes lit up with amusement.

“Now, the Blade of Wystonia,” Rodion continued as he held the dagger out to Anastasia.

She looked at him and then the knife with obvious apprehension, and I took her other hand.

“It’s okay,” I encouraged her. “You’ll cut my palm first.”

I let go of her hand and held mine out over the bowl, and Anastasia shakingly took the dagger from the king and gently dragged the blade over my skin. Then I flipped my palm down and squeezed several drops of blood into the bowl. They popped and fizzled as the flames licked at my crimson contribution, and I turned my hand back over to show the lady elf.

“Oh, wow,” she whispered as my skin began to stitch back together while she watched.

“Your turn,” I said gently. “Ready?”

She nodded and handed me the Blade of Wystonia. I took care to move the dagger across her palm and quickly turned her hand over to let the blood fall into the bowl. Then I healed the wound before she had even blinked.

“That was fast,” Anastasia breathed.

“See, I had you covered,” I chuckled as I released her hand.

We turned back to Rodion, and he continued to bind our power.

“Great gods of the land and sky, we present the dragon and the elf for your eternal blessing, as they bond their magical souls,” Rodion boomed as he held his hands out to the sky.

This was the moment I always held my breath.

I never knew which god would make their appearance at one of the Redimi Vincio ceremonies. Aeron, God of Punishment, had appeared at a few, but most recently, we’d seen Olesia, who was the Goddess of Havoc.

This time, when the thunder rolled overhead and the lightning lit up the early morning sky, a feeling of serenity washed over me. I suddenly felt certain we’d win our battle, and nothing could stop us.

Then a white light appeared in the sky above us, and a figure floated down to the ground. I couldn’t make out any features, but a sense of calmness and tranquility washed over me as he or she descended.

As the light faded, I realized the figure was small enough to be a child. I’d seen how the gods could transform how they appeared, but something about this small person told me he was wise beyond the appearance of his years. He had a mop of curly blond hair, and a few ringlets drooped over one of his bright-green eyes. He smiled at all of us, and a pair of dimples adorned his plump cheeks.

I glanced over at Rodion, but he looked just as bewildered as I felt, though he dropped to one knee in reverence for the mysterious visitor. No one seemed to know who this was.

“You do not recognize me,” the god-boy chuckled. “That is understandable. I do not make physical world appearances often. I am Manako, God of Purity.”

“Great Manako!” Rodion bowed his head. “We are honored by your presence at our ceremony.”

“I am honored to give my blessing to you for the work you and your companions are doing to cleanse this world of the evil that is sinking in,” Manako replied with a serene smile. “King Rodion, Lord Evan, and dear Anastasia, my allies and I bless this Redimi Vincio ceremony. May you use this power to cleanse and purify this land and her people.”

“Thank you, great Manako,” I said with a humble bow.

The God of Purity brought a sense of tranquility I couldn’t explain, and not a single smart-ass remark crossed my mind when I met his peaceful gaze. Alyona didn’t need to worry about my mouth this time, and Manako gave one more calm smile before he floated back into the clouds as we all watched in still silence.

Then a bolt of lightning escaped the clouds overhead and crackled down to crash into the bowl in front of us, and I was suddenly filled with an overwhelming love for this world. I wanted to touch every blade of grass and the trunks of every tree, and the desire to appreciate everything in Inati was all-consuming.

I couldn’t understand why Anastasia wanted to stay in Copacia if she felt this way. I wanted to see every inch of the land we called home.

Then it hit me.

Maybe I didn’t understand Anastasia’s hesitance because we had different ideas of the land we called home. I loved Inati because I considered it my home, but Anastasia only considered Copacia her home. The power from the Sword of the Land wasn’t about all the land but about what land we called our own.

If the lady elf felt this way about Copacia, it explained why she didn’t want to leave and go on adventures. I’d already determined my destiny resided in Inati, but with my newfound, intense appreciation for this world, I knew I could never go back to Earth and leave this wonderful world behind.

“Is it finished?” Anastasia whispered.

I snapped back to the present and turned to study the elf. She looked considerably less anxious than she had since we’d arrived in her city, but now I realized why she wanted so badly to return.

“Yeah,” I said with a smile. “We can take you home now.”

“Okay,” Anastasia sighed.

A few minutes later, Castor and my lovers had gathered everything back into his satchel, and we were ready to go.

“I think we’ll walk back to the temple,” Rodion said. “I could use some fresh air.”

“Then I suppose we could portal back from here,” Alyona replied. “I’m sure Anastasia is ready to be back.”

“I am,” the lady elf confirmed with a nod. “But this… wasn’t as bad as I’d expected.”

“I told you it wasn’t bad!” Skye giggled.

“We only want what’s best for everyone,” Aaliyah added and smiled. “Now, you’ve been part of that. Doesn’t it feel amazing?”

“It does,” Anastasia agreed. “But now I’m ready to get home.”

“We can make that happen,” I said before I turned to the king. “We’ll let you know when we’ve found the next noble. I know it’s been a long and difficult road, but we’re getting so close.”

“We are,” he agreed with a sigh. “You’ve reminded me exactly why we continue to fight, and I won’t be giving up any time soon.”

“Good.” I nodded and returned to the rest of my party. “Beam me up, Scotty.”

“I don’t know who Scotty is, but the portal is almost ready.” Alyona smirked as she created a circle in the air.

Laika stifled a laugh, though Anastasia looked completely lost until the sparks of the portal began to appear. We could see the castle courtyard in Copacia as the magical doorway opened wider, and I took Alyona’s hand as we stepped through it.

The portal snapped shut behind our group, and I started to walk toward Barrington’s house when a loud voice stopped me in my tracks.

“You!” Davinder stormed down the castle steps and put his hands on his hips. “A disgrace!”

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked as I furrowed my brow and stepped into his path.

The elf leader was clearly focused on one of the people who stood behind me, but I wouldn’t let him talk to any of my people like that.

“The former Noble of the Sword!” Magdalene shrieked as she rushed out of the castle to join her husband. “She’s the disgrace!”

“How so?” I demanded.

“This does not concern you, dragon.” Davinder’s voice dripped with disdain as he eyed me for a few seconds.

“If you’re talking to someone I care about, then it does,” I growled and met his stare. “So, how is Anastasia a disgrace? She’s done nothing but help us try to close the Breach, which is more than I can say for the rest of Copacia.”

“I didn’t realize thieves could be so useful,” Magdalene sneered as she stood next to her husband and glared past me to Anastasia.

“Thieves?” Anastasia echoed and marched up to stand next to me. “I demand an explanation for this accusation!”

“You demand nothing of the Duke and Duchess of Copacia,” Davinder said in a low voice. “You stand accused by the Noble of the Sword of the Land, and I see the proof of his accusation as we speak.”

I followed his eyes down to the Noble Sword, which rested in the scabbard on Anastasia’s belt.

“Are you kidding me?” I rolled my eyes. “Barrington is saying she stole the sword?”

“Lord Barrington,” the duchess corrected me. “And yes, he told us about her sneaking out in the dark of night with the blade, and here she stands before us with the evidence on her person.”

“Don’t you think if she’d stolen it she wouldn’t have come back with it right here in the open?” I pointed out with a smirk. “Seems pretty stupid, and Anastasia is far from stupid.”

“They aren’t going to listen to you,” Anastasia murmured just loud enough for me to hear. “If I’m not a noble, I have no standing here. Barrington can say whatever he wants.”

“No one accused her of being an intelligent criminal,” Davinder said and snapped his fingers at the guards. “Remove the blade from her belt.”

“Absolutely not.” I stepped between Anastasia and the other elves. “You have no right to take a Noble Sword, and you certainly won’t do it in front of three other Nobles of the Sword.”

On cue, Nike and Skye strode closer to stand on either side of Anastasia and pulled their own swords out to guard her. The Sword of Light glowed with Aine’s matching fury, while red sparks erupted from the Sword of Youth.

“This is ridiculous,” Anastasia groaned. “Where’s Barry? We can talk about it again, but surely, he hasn’t forgotten the conversation from yesterday already.”

“Lord Barrington isn’t required to accuse you in person,” Davinder said and narrowed his eyes on Anastasia. “He feared for his life if he stood against you!”

“Feared for his life?” Laika snorted. “More like he was embarrassed to be caught in a lie. He’s already been telling one for the past few years.”

“Who are you to accuse a Noble of the Sword of a lie?” Magdalene asked as she pressed an offended hand to her chest. “A Demi-Human speaks ill of a noble?”

“This Demi-Human happens to be the leader of the Blue Tree Guild,” Laika hissed, and her wolf ears flattened against her head as she bared her teeth. “And I know a liar when I see one, but Barrington made it pretty easy by saying one thing yesterday and lying to you about it today. We all heard it for ourselves.”

“Heard what exactly?” Davinder asked as he furrowed his brow.

“Don’t bother listening to them,” the duchess said and waved her hand dismissively. “They’ll help Anastasia since she helped them.”

“No, we’ll help Anastasia so she doesn’t get accused of something she didn’t do,” I snarled. “We all heard Barrington tell her to keep the sword.”

“Yes, he said he didn’t want it anymore because the sword spirit never truly chose him,” Alyona added.

“That’s what the concession was for,” Magdalene argued. “Once Anastasia conceded her role, she can’t have it back! Besides, Barrington got his memory back, and he remembered how she attacked him on his mission and stole the sword.”

“That’s impossible,” Nike chimed in.

“Why?” Davinder asked as he narrowed his eyes to slits.

“Because we found the Noble Sword in the Larthan Forest,” I answered. “Why would she have beaten him up, stolen the sword, come back to Copacia, and waited for us to take her with us to find it? And then, after all that, why would she wear around the sword she supposedly stole?”

The elf leaders looked at each other as a shadow of doubt crossed over their faces before Magdalene shook her head and cleared her throat.

“Either way, she will be taken to a cell until this is resolved,” the duchess declared and motioned to the guards again. “Remove the sword and take her.”

The guards took a few cautious steps toward her, but Nike, Skye, and I raised our swords as I bellowed a draconic growl.

“You will not!” I roared and released a plume of flames at their feet.

The guards leaped back to stand next to the elf leaders, and the familiar fire of rage burned in my chest as I advanced toward the retreating elves.

This time, Alyona didn’t bother to calm me with her cool touch.

“W-What are you doing?” Davinder stammered as they all backed away from me.

“Showing you what happens when you continue to piss off a dragon,” I said in a hushed voice before I started to transform.

“You’ve done it now,” Ravi sang out.

The black scales on my forearms spread up to my shoulders as my arms and legs began to grow. The spikes that ran down the spine of my dragon body began to pop out as I grew taller and taller, while my tail and wings sprouted from the midnight-black scales of my expanding body.

Soon, I towered over the elves, and I lifted my head as I bellowed another column of white-hot fire into the sky above me.

“Oh, gods,” the duchess whimpered and cowered behind her husband.

“I will only say this one more time,” I declared as I glared down on the elves. “You will not disrespect me or anyone with me. Anastasia is no thief, though her brother has proven himself to be a liar. If you continue to question me, I’ll be forced to handle things in the ways of my ancestors, and all the gold and silver in your city won’t protect you.”

I let my words sink in as the elf leaders trembled with terror, and then I took a deep breath and resumed my human form. Once I was back to my smaller size, I walked over to Anastasia, who looked both impressed and terrified.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry if I scared you,” I said with a smile. “I didn’t want them to take you to jail.”

“Thank you,” the lady elf replied and looked down at her feet. “No one has ever stood up for me like that before.”

“Wait,” Miraya cut in as she rushed forward and grabbed my arm. “I know someone who would stand up for her, too.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Tira,” the spirit answered and motioned to the Noble Sword. “I’m sure she would confirm Anastasia’s story, and the duke and duchess can’t argue with that.”

“Is she ready to come to the physical world?” I wondered.

“I’m not sure, but she could go to your spiritual sea,” Miraya said. “Just hold the sword for her, like you did for Juniper.”

“Good idea,” I agreed with a nod. “Anastasia, if you please.”

Anastasia slid the Sword of the Land from her scabbard and handed it to me. As the handle touched my skin, I sensed the cool tranquility of Tira entering my spiritual sea, and I grinned at Miraya before I followed her sister into my mind’s eye.

As my feet landed on the soft sand, I opened my eyes to see Tira. She was just as beautiful as her sisters with creamy bronze skin and chestnut hair cut into a pixie-style style. Her bright-green eyes watched me with a sense of curiosity before she looked around my spiritual sea and smiled.

“It’s quite beautiful here,” she remarked. “Some of the spiritual seas I’ve entered have been rather… boring.”

“I like to keep my sea exciting, I suppose,” I chuckled. “I’m Lord Evan. It’s nice to meet you.”

“I know who you are, dragon lord,” Tira giggled. “The spiritual realm is not ignorant of the happenings in the physical one. You’ve caused quite a stir in both.”

“I tend to do that,” I said and grinned. “So, you saw what’s going on with the elves, then?”

“Yes.” Tira’s smile faded into a grimace. “The duke and duchess have long believed they should have been one of the chosen Noble families, but, alas, they are not worthy of our power.”

“Is that why they’re starting shit with Anastasia?” I asked. “Jealousy?”

“I’m sure that is part of the issue,” the spirit agreed. “However, they also believe they are better than everyone else, though I think you’ve sown a seed of doubt with your dragon show.”

“Good,” I said. “They needed someone to knock them down a few steps.”

“Indeed,” she murmured. “I don’t know if I’ve fully regained my strength to tell them on my own, but I would like for you to pass on this message. Anastasia is my rightful mistress. My sisters were right in that she did not truly concede her position as Noble of the Sword, and therefore, she could not have stolen the blade, as I belong to her.”

“I can do that,” I confirmed. “They won’t like it, but I don’t really care. As long as they leave her alone, I’m good with it.”

“Would you also please tell Anastasia something?” she asked.

“Of course,” I replied with a nod.

“I know her brother believed our duty was to go on adventures and fight adversaries, but her idea is much more in line with my spiritual ability,” Tira explained. “I’m a spirit of defense, of territory, you understand.”

“Yeah, actually, I do,” I said and smiled. “I felt it when we bonded.”

“Precisely,” the spirit agreed. “Now, you may return to them and give them the news, and I will regain my strength here for a while. Anastasia needs to practice her cultivation, so I can heal faster in her spiritual sea.”

“I’ll let her know that, too,” I chuckled. “I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”

Tira offered an ethereal smile before I zapped myself back to the present, where everyone stood waiting for me. The tension in the air was thick, and I looked over at the elf leaders to see they’d regained their composure, but they still watched me carefully as though I would roast them at any second.

And I could, but I’d settle for passing along the message at the moment.

“Well?” Magdalene finally asked with a suspicious glare.

“I spoke with Tira, the spirit of the Sword of the Land,” I said as I gripped the blade at my side. “She said Anastasia is her rightful mistress because the challenge was never officially conceded, so Anastasia couldn’t have stolen the sword since it belongs to her.”

“This is an outrage!” Davinder huffed and clenched his fists. “How do we know you didn’t just close your eyes for a while and make that whole thing up?”

“You’re foolish if you think Lord Evan would lie to you about such a thing,” Aaliyah spat out, and the lioness’ tail lashed back and forth behind her in agitation.

“Yeah, if he said he spoke to Tira, he did,” Rebecca agreed.

“You would know that if you’d just listen to him,” Isabella said and pursed her lips with annoyance.

“We aren’t all blind followers of the dragon,” Magdalene scoffed.

“I warned you--” I started.

Then a brilliant flash of light blinded all of us.

When the light cleared, Tira stood next to me with her arms crossed over her chest.

“You may not be blind followers, but you are quite blind,” the spirit declared. “And now, you will be mute and listen to what I say.”

The elves’ mouths dropped open.

Chapter 11

“Oh, thank the gods, you’re okay!” Juniper squealed.

The spirit sisters raced over to Tira, and the four of them squeezed into a loving hug. I smiled at the reunion, but their joy was quickly interrupted.

“So, you’re supposed to be the spirit of that sword?” Magdalene asked with a snobby air of doubt.

“And you’re supposed to be the leader of an entire city?” Tira sneered as she turned to face the elves. “How are your people supposed to look to you for leadership when you’re too busy looking down your nose at everyone else?”

The duchess gasped and covered her mouth.

“How dare you--” Davinder took a step toward Tira.

“Don’t even think about it,” I growled and formed a fireball in my palm. “Do you honestly want to continue to test your luck?”

The elf leader shook his head and stepped back with his wife and guards.

“Now, I am staying with Anastasia,” Tira said in a firm voice. “She is my mistress, and no one in the physical realm can or will determine otherwise, including your dear Barrington. He left me not once, but twice, in the past few weeks, and he put everyone in Inati in grave danger by doing so. He is not worthy of being a Noble of the Sword, and I will not allow my power to be in his hands again.”

Davinder and Magdalene gaped in shock as Tira stood tall and declared with certainty about where she would go. It was clear the elf leaders were rarely put in their place, and we’d done it multiple times over the past few days. I had an inkling of hope that they would learn a lesson in humility, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

“So, you belong with me?” Anastasia finally broke the silence.

“Yes, dear Anastasia,” Tira said as she turned to face her mistress. “I do. You are the rightful Noble of the Sword of the Land, and I am yours.”

Tira bowed to Anastasia, and the elf leaders’ eyes widened as the other spirit sisters followed the same motion. Even Anastasia flushed a hot pink before she gathered her wits and put a hand on Tira’s shoulder.

“You are mine, and I am yours,” the lady elf declared. “And now, I am whole.”

Tira grinned before she closed her eyes and disappeared in another flash of light. I sensed her enter my spiritual sea again, and I walked closer to Anastasia to deliver the rest of the message.

“Tira wants you to work on your spiritual sea,” I said. “You need to cultivate, so she can use it for healing and regaining her strength.”

“I haven’t cultivated in years,” Anastasia murmured. “I’ll have to start over.”

“That’s okay,” Miraya encouraged her. “As long as you do it, she’ll have somewhere safe to be with you, rather than spend all her time in the spiritual realm.”

“Then I’ll do it,” the elf agreed. “Thank you all for everything you’ve done.”

“What are you going to do about Barrington?” Ravi asked.

“Oh, my little brother and I will have a nice, long chat about honesty,” Anastasia said through gritted teeth. “He almost had me thrown in jail, and I won’t stand for that.”

“Good for you.” Laika patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t take crap from anyone. You’re a Noble of the Sword.”

“Damn right!” Aaliyah cheered.

As we all laughed and congratulated her, Magdalene cleared her throat and walked into the space between us with a slightly less arrogant smile.

“Well, now that we’ve cleared that up, it seems your business in Copacia has concluded,” she said.

“It seems it has,” I agreed with an eye roll. “We accomplished our mission.”

“And now, we can get the hell out of here,” Laika grumbled.

“Yes, we can,” I chuckled as I turned to Anastasia. “Thank you for your help. If I need you again, can I call on you?”

“Of course, my lord,” the lady elf replied with a smile. “Perhaps one day, I can repay my life debt to you.”

I grinned as I motioned for Alyona to go ahead with the portal, and as the familiar crackling sound of her magic filled the air, the elf leaders looked on with astonishment.

Then the portal appeared, and their jaws dropped for a second time. I laughed as I motioned for my people to go through first while I kept an eye on the bewildered elves.

“Hope we keep the Breach from destroying your fancy city!” I called out before I followed them through.

Davinder’s curse was cut off by the portal snapping shut behind me, and I took a deep breath of the warm air of Hatra.

My city, my home, and my people felt like a welcome drink of fresh water as I looked around me. It was just after lunch time, and the hustle and bustle of afternoon work was in full swing. The citizens of Hatra greeted me as they passed, and I grinned at Alyona as I took her hand and led her back to the Lunar Palace.

Even though the elves were less than welcoming, we’d accomplished our task and added another Noble Spirit’s power to my own. I felt stronger than I’d ever thought possible, and it seemed like nothing could stand in my way.

Then Ruslan actually stood in my way.

“Evan, have you heard from the dryads or Naomi?” he asked as he stepped out of the doorway to the castle.

I’d been so caught up with our issues in Copacia, I hadn’t realized no one had heard from the four women since they’d left for the jungle where the research team had been put under the sleeping spell.

“Uh, no,” I replied and glanced over at Laika, who shook her head. “They haven’t made it back yet?”

“No,” he said with a frown. “And Pyotr said none of the guild members have responded to his messages. We were about to reach out to you when Julia said she sensed the portal was opening.”

It looked like I wasn’t going to have much time to rest and enjoy being home.

But if my lovers were in trouble, nothing would stop me from helping them, so I strode into the Lunar Palace and met the rest of my family inside.

“Oh, my lord, I can’t tell where they are,” Valerra said in a worried voice. “I’ve been trying to use the soul bridges to communicate, but I’m just not familiar enough with them.”

“It’s okay,” Miraya soothed her. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Of course, we will,” Alyona agreed before she turned to me. “Right, my love?”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “We’ll find them.”

“What do you want to do, brother?” Nike asked as he stood next to me with his hand on the Sword of Light.

“If they found what cursed those people, they could be in danger,” I murmured. “We can’t risk waiting on a message any longer. We need to go find them.”

“Evan, you don’t even know what you’re looking for,” Emma cut in and grabbed my hand. “Are you sure you should go?”

“Well, I’m not going to leave them to figure it out for themselves,” I said as I glanced over at the rest of my people. “But I can’t risk anyone else.”

“Lord Evan, please, I should come with you,” Alyona pleaded. “What if you need something magical?”

“Then I’ll figure it out,” I countered. “I can’t risk you and the baby. Aunt Emma is right about us not knowing what we’re walking into. If the curse affected the dryads and Naomi, we can’t guarantee it wouldn’t also affect you and the baby.”

“Oh, gods,” Valerra growled and clenched her fists. “I should have gone with them to protect them. If they’re hurt…”

She trailed off as her golden eyes flashed with rage and a hint of fear, and as nerve-wracking as this situation was, I couldn’t help but be proud of how far my dragon mate had come. A year ago, she cared for no one and nothing except her sister’s egg, but now Valerra was just as protective over the rest of our ever-growing family.

“You can’t blame yourself,” Laika said softly. “They are powerful warriors in their own right, and they also had some of the best guards from the Blue Tree Guild to help keep them safe.”

“And you had to stay here to protect the eggs,” Ravi pointed out.

“That is an important duty,” Isabella added.

“I agree,” I said and took Valerra’s hand. “Don’t worry. Nike and I will go find them and bring them home.”

“I’ll go, too,” Skye cut in as she stepped forward with a determined glint in her eyes. “I’m a Noble of the Sword, too. I should be protecting my people as well.”

I pursed my lips as I considered the naiad-Nepin’s statement.

On one hand, she was right about her standing as a Noble of the Sword, and we’d been training her in various ways since she’d regained her sword. She was a fast learner and a skilled warrior, even though she was relatively new at her job. On the other hand, she was one of my lovers and someone I cared about, and I didn’t want to do anything that would put her at risk.

I glanced around at my women, and I thought about each of their strengths. I’d met most of them in situations where they’d already proven themselves to be incredibly tough, and I couldn’t keep all my people locked away from all danger forever, even if that idea was very tempting.

“Okay,” I finally said. “You can go, too, but you have to be careful. We all do. We don’t know what is in the jungle or what it’s done to our people already. It wouldn’t help anyone to put ourselves in more danger.”

“I hear you loud and clear,” Skye replied with a wide smile. “I can do this, my lord. I swear it.”

“The rest of us can hold down the fort,” Ruslan said and gestured toward everyone else. “If there’s something in that jungle, we need to make sure everyone here is ready for it, too.”

“I agree.” I nodded and met my father’s stern stare. “We need to make sure the soldiers are ready for anything. I may end up needing backup.”

“I’ll go let them know now,” my father said before he rushed out the front door to talk with the leaders of the Hatra army.

We hadn’t been training our soldiers for long when the last group had tried to attack the city, and Ruslan had put them in maximum training mode ever since then. We didn’t want Hatra to be a weak link, especially with how much time and effort we’d put into rebuilding the city after the miasma. We needed to keep our people safe from all harm, and that meant having warriors ready for a fight.

“My love, are you sure I shouldn’t go?” Alyona asked in a quiet voice as the others began preparations. “I’m so worried you’ll need magic.”

“I understand your concern,” I murmured and took her hands in mine. “But my greatest concern is for my family, which especially includes the littlest member of it. We have to keep him safe, and I won’t take you or him into the jungle without knowing what we’re up against. For all we know, the curse could affect him, and I have no idea how we’d heal him in the womb.”

“Oh, gods,” she groaned as she looked down at her tiny belly bump. “You’re right. We have to protect him.”

“At all costs,” I agreed. “I would slaughter anything that tried to come near him.”

My inner dragon roared in agreement, and I knew it was more than my paternal instincts that guarded my unborn child. While I was unlike every other dragon in this realm, I still had the instincts to protect my young, no matter what. It was a drive that would push me to the ends of this world for him, and I knew I’d be even more protective once he was born.

Which was awesome and terrifying.

“I know you would,” my wife said and rubbed her fingers along my jaw. “I just want you to come home to us.”

“I will,” I promised. “Nothing could keep me away.”

I pressed my lips to hers as I pulled her body close to mine, and then I loosened my grip to turn and find Nike. My fellow noble had already gathered a few things in a satchel and wrapped it over his shoulder, and there was a steely resolve glittering in his silver eyes.

“We’re ready when you are, my lord,” Nike said in a firm voice.

“Alright, it’s go time,” I whispered and pecked Alyona once more on the head.

I hugged and kissed each of my lovers, then hugged my mother and aunt. The mood was somber, but I tried not to let it bother me. I knew they were all worried about us and the dryads and Naomi, so I needed to be strong. I wasn’t worried about our safety as much as I worried about the ones who had already been there for several days.

Once we’d said our goodbyes, I led Nike and Skye out to the courtyard and took a deep breath before I shifted into my dragon form. It would be fastest to fly to the jungle, plus we’d be able to search the ground and find the others more easily from above.

And I got a little kick out of watching Nike awkwardly climb onto my back.

When I was in full dragon mode, Skye skipped over to pull herself up, while Nike trudged over and followed her up. I grinned as he slid on behind her, and I nodded to the rest of our people as Nike grabbed onto my spikes in a death grip.

Then I kicked off into the sky, and I flapped my huge black wings and carried us over Hatra toward the jungle. As we soared over the city, I caught a glimpse of Callan as he carried a stack of boxes toward the shops in the market, and he grinned up at me when my shadow passed overhead. I smiled down at all of my people who waved excitedly as we soared by, and then we were past the city walls and above the desert. The warm air rushed over my scales, and I wished for a day when I could fly like this without being in a hurry to save someone.

Flying was an indescribable high, and I could never get enough.

I sensed the change in the air as we neared the jungle, and soon, the sand gave way to spurts of grass and small trees. It was still warm, but the wind was slightly cooler and not quite as dry, so I could smell the thousands of creatures that swarmed below us as we approached, from bugs to birds to monkeys that leaped from branch to branch.

At first, nothing seemed amiss.

The jungle seemed to thrive with life, the air was fresh, and the river that ran west toward the ocean was clear, but I still didn’t see the dryads or Naomi. The lizard mage’s hot-pink hair should have stood out among the green-and-brown foliage of the jungle, but every glimpse of bright color that caught my attention ended up being a neon-colored bird that flew to another tree once I got closer. I scanned the jungle for any signs of our people, and I could feel Nike and Skye doing the same thing from my back.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

A deep, dark sense of dread filled my bones like sludge, and I looked down to see a slight flash of green movement. It looked like a branch had slid across the ground, but there was nothing around it.

“Did you see that?” I called out to my passengers.

“Something moved,” Nike confirmed.

“We’re going to check it out,” I said as I slowed my descent and dipped between the trees.

We landed on the jungle floor with a solid thud, and the trees around me shook and quivered for a moment while the creatures scattered. Once Skye and Nike were on the ground, I shifted back to my human form and beelined for the place I’d seen movement.

Then I heard the soft crunch of a footstep, and I whirled around just as Naomi crashed through the trees and landed in my arms with a sob.

“Oh, my gods, you’re here!” she gasped as she clutched onto me.

“Hey, whoa, Naomi.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her shaking body close to mine. “What’s going on? Where are the others?”

“The dryads should be--” Naomi started to answer.

“Catching up,” Polina said and stepped over a fallen tree with her sisters right behind her.

“Yeah, Naomi is a lot faster than we thought,” Marina laughed.

“She heard you flying over and came running,” Trina explained.

“Where are all the Blue Tree Guild soldiers?” I asked as I peered into the trees behind them. “I thought they were supposed to be with you the whole time.”

“Well, they were with us,” Marina answered with a frown.

“Until they went missing,” Polina finished.

“Missing?” I echoed. “How did they go missing?”

“We’ve been trying to find where the research team went,” Naomi said as she wiped a tear from her cheek. “But we haven’t found anything like what they were looking for.”

“So, we decided to set up camp last night,” Polina continued. “And when we woke up this morning--”

“The guards were gone,” Trina muttered.

“Vanished!” Marina covered her face and groaned. “We’ve been looking for them all day.”

“No footprints or anything?” I asked.

“Nothing we could find,” Trina said with a grimace. “And our nature magic hasn’t helped much, either.”

“It sounds like they didn’t just wander off.” I frowned and looked around us. “How far away are we from your camp?”

“About a mile,” Naomi said as she pointed to the north. “We tried to search closer first in case they went somewhere and got lost.”

“But we haven’t found anything at all,” Polina grumbled.

“We need to find them,” I decided and glanced over at Nike. “But no splitting up this time.”

“Agreed.” The noble nodded his head and pulled out his sword. “We need to be ready for anything.”

Skye unsheathed the Sword of Youth and dipped her head. She could tell the situation was serious, and it was time to put her training to use.

Once we determined where Naomi and the dryads had already looked, we turned and headed west. Then we combed through the foliage in near-silence as we searched for the members of the Blue Tree Guild. The animals of the jungle avoided our hushed movements, and it was nearly two hours before we found any signs of the guards.

“What’s that?” I whispered and pointed to the edge of the tree line ahead.

Ahead of us, a clearing with access to the river sprawled across the grass. A small four-legged creature lapped at the water until I took another step toward the clearing. Then the animal froze for a moment before it bolted into the trees.

I made my way closer to the water, and when I reached the banks, I could just make out the shape of the bottom of a boot sticking out of the underbrush on the other side of the river. I picked up the pace and jumped over the rushing water as I hurried to see who it was.

A snake Demi-Human laid in the bushes, and I pulled him to a sitting position to see the Blue Tree Guild emblem on the front of his tunic. His eyes were closed, and I soon realized he was in the same comatose state as the others.

“That’s Onaro,” Polina whispered as the others joined me.

“Yes, he was with us before,” Marina added and chewed on her bottom lip.

“What do we do?” Naomi asked. “Should I try the spell?”

“We don’t have any of that paste stuff,” I pointed out.

“Well, we can’t just leave him here,” Nike said with a frown. “Even if the Demon King doesn’t come back, he’d get eaten alive by any number of other beasts that live here.”

“I’m a little surprised he hasn’t already,” Skye murmured.

“Which means we were probably supposed to find him,” I mused. “He probably has that stupid message to tell us again.”

“How are we going to heal him, then?” Trina wondered. “Is he going to be okay?”

“Yeah, we’ll have to get him back to Alyona for the spell, but we can’t stop moving,” I said. “Naomi, can you bind him, so we can bring him with us?”

“Of course,” the lizard Demi-Human replied.

She murmured a few words, and her black magic escaped her fingertips and wrapped around Onaro like raven-colored silk to lift him from the jungle floor. His head lolled back, and Naomi added a few more strands of magic to keep him prone as we continued into the trees.

With one of the soldiers found, my hopes started to rise that we’d find the others alive. The Demon King didn’t often show mercy, so if he’d left Onaro alive to send his message, maybe he’d do the same for the rest of them.

Either way, we needed to keep looking.

It had been my concern for my women that led these men to come to the jungle in the first place, and I felt responsible for their current situation. The logical part of my brain reminded me that the Demon King would do whatever he could to slow us down, but I still felt a little guilty about my role.

Then I had to wonder why he hadn’t gone after my lovers.

He had to know they were even more important to me than the soldiers. If something happened to even one of them, I would have torn this jungle apart to look for the Demon King.

Ah, but then I’d be in a rage.

So, I had to conclude he didn’t want me to be furious. He only wanted me to know he could get to my people if he wanted to. It was a point he’d proven once on the ceremonial cliffs with his creepy projection into our heads and again when he’d tried to pull the Sword of the Land into the Breach.

Yet he still felt the need to continue showing me his power. I wasn’t easily intimidated, which he surely understood from the night he’d showed up in my dreams, and I’d also made it clear I would never join him. So, why keep trying to scare me with shows of strength?

Perhaps it wasn’t only me he wanted to scare.

I turned that thought over and over in my head as we continued our hunt for the remainder of the Blue Tree Guild soldiers. The sun had lowered just enough to darken the tops of the trees above us, and haunting shadows danced across the lush green grass underneath our boots.

We trudged through the jungle until everyone except Naomi and I could scarcely see their hands in front of their faces.

“My lord, I think we may need to rest for the night,” Nike suggested. “It’s getting late, and we don’t want to risk missing one of them if they’re under the same sleeping curse as Onaro.”

“You may be right,” I said with a grimace. “But I hate to leave them out there all night, especially if they’re unconscious. It puts them at an even greater risk.”

“Perhaps Lord Evan and I could continue,” Naomi offered. “We can still see, and I also don’t like the idea of leaving the men alone for the night. It was at night when they were taken, and who knows what else could happen this time?”

“I don’t want to split up again,” I replied firmly. “If we continue searching, we do it together.”

“I think you and Naomi could lead the way,” Skye said. “Then the rest of us are just here for support.”

“We can try that,” I agreed. “If it doesn’t work, we’ll call it a night.”

No one argued against the idea, so we forged on.

Soon, the jungle became even quieter as only the nocturnal animals rummaged around in the leaves, and I got the eerie feeling we were near something important.

I slowed down and scanned the trees for any signs of movement. Skye bumped into me, and she slowed the others down as Naomi and I looked for the guards. Something told me they were close, though I wasn’t sure what I felt or what condition the men would be in.

Then I heard it.

There was a hushed whisper about twenty yards ahead.

I crept forward and tried to be as silent as possible while we searched for the source of the whisper.

“Is someone out there?” the voice whispered again.

The speaker was filled with fear, and finally, we broke through a cluster of trees to see four Blue Tree Guild soldiers tied to one large tree in the middle of a clearing. The moons shone down on the men as they struggled against their bindings, and one of them looked up as we came into their view.

“Oh, Lord Evan!” he gasped. “It’s you!”

“Shh!” I ordered him. “Why are you out here?”

“No idea, sir,” he replied. “One minute we’re sleeping, and the next, we’re tied to this tree.”

“Yeah, we’ve been out here all day,” another one groaned.

“Do you have any water?” the first one asked.

“One thing at a time,” I muttered. “We need to figure out why you’re all the way out here and who put you here.”

I didn’t want to count out the Demon King just yet, but tying up hostages in the middle of nowhere wasn’t exactly his usual M.O.. He seemed to like sleeping curses and hellbeasts over kidnapping, so this situation immediately had my spidey-senses tingling.

Yeah. This was obviously a trap.

When nothing else moved, I made my way closer to the tree, and we spread out in the clearing to check for the kidnappers.

“Nothing over here,” Nike said from the north.

“Nothing here, either,” the dryads announced.

“Okay, let’s set them free,” I decided.

We all converged on the tree, but then a freezing cold breeze whistled through the clearing.

“Lord Evaaaaaan,” a chorus of voices hissed from the top of the tree.

I looked up to see dozens of beady red eyes among the dark leaves.

“What the fuck?” I muttered.

“We’ve been waiting for youuuuu,” the voices sang out.

Then they swarmed us.

Chapter 12

At first, the beasts looked like bats as they dove down from the top of the tree with a cacophony of screeches and screams. Then, as they got closer, bile hit the back of my throat, and chills trickled down my spine.

They had wings like bats, but their bodies were miniature humans. Each of them was about the size of a house cat, though they didn’t look cuddly. Their skin was gray and cracked, and their eyes were like glowing red lights, but it was their teeth that really creeped me out. It looked like the creatures’ teeth had all been sharpened into points, and the top row was elongated to hang down past their bottom lips.

And those teeth were ready to tear into all of us.

The creatures dive-bombed us with their sinister mouths open, and the fight was on.

Skye, Nike, and I swung our Noble Swords into the fray of teeming beasts. We sliced and diced through the creatures before they could tear into our skin, and their reign of terror looked like it would be short-lived. We moved seamlessly and worked in perfect synchrony to tear the flying bastards apart, so the three of us looked like dancers as we worked through the cloud of tiny monsters and kept them away from everyone else, including the soldiers still trapped to the apparent hideout tree.

At first, it seemed like an easy win. Our blades sliced through the monsters’ crinkly bodies with ease, and the small bat beasts fell to the ground in pieces. Soon, the jungle floor was littered with the chunks of gray-skinned creatures, and I furrowed my brow with determination to make the pile bigger and bigger until no more wings fluttered above us.

“You can’t beat usssss,” the swarm above us hissed in unison.

Then goosebumps dimpled my arms when I saw the pieces begin to tremble and shake on the ground before halves started to grow into wholes. Torsos sprouted from lower bodies, and legs grew out of abdomens until the creatures’ numbers had doubled in a matter of minutes.

“Well, shit,” I muttered. “That was unexpected.”

“Now what do we do?” Skye asked with a note of frenzied worry in her voice.

“There has to be another way to kill them,” I answered and glanced over at Naomi. “Any magical ideas?”

“I can at least trap them for now,” the lizard mage said as she began to rub her hands together. “Just send them into this!”

A stream of black sparks erupted from Naomi’s hands to form a midnight-colored box at her side. It stood nearly as tall as her and was open on one side. I had a momentary doubt about the box’s ability to trap the creatures inside, but I dismissed it with confidence in the lizard Demi-Human’s magical prowess. She’d learned a lot from Alyona, and I knew she’d make sure the trap worked.

“Skye, Nike, keep the swords going!” I ordered and pointed at the black box. “The rest of you throw their bodies in there!

“Got it!” Nike yelled as he sliced through another flying creature.

Once the pieces hit the ground, the dryads rushed under the fray to grab the gray hunks of flesh and tossed them into the magical trap. I rejoined my fellow nobles and continued to swing my blade around in the clusterfuck above me, and as their bodies rained down, the green-skinned sisters continued to lob them into Naomi’s box.

We worked tirelessly until sweat dripped from our faces, and I glanced over at the black box to see the beasts had continued to regenerate, but they couldn’t fly out of the box. They slammed into an invisible barrier that seemed to allow them to go in but not out.

Naomi knew what she was doing.

The lizard mage stood next to her creation with her hand on top as she powered the container with her magic. The gray-skinned creatures pounded their tiny fists into the transparent wall and screeched as they tried to escape, but it was no use. They were trapped inside the box, and it was nearly full.

I turned back to the others and realized only three more beasts hovered above us. They seemed to have figured out we were winning this fight, and they didn’t want to be sliced and trapped like their companions.

“The Demon King will not be defeated!” they cried out together.

Their voices were like nails on a chalkboard, and I grimaced as they looked down at us with their creepy red eyes.

“He will be, just like you’re about to be,” I retorted. “Or are you scared now?”

The beasts bared their sharp teeth and screeched at us, and then I noticed something different. The trio was a bit larger than their currently trapped counterparts, and each of them had a symbol that seemed to be burned into their chests. It looked like a crown made of flames, and though I’d never seen anything like it, I could take a guess about who the symbol represented.

Before I could think too much about it, the three remaining beasts attacked. They zoomed down and split apart to avoid our waiting blades, and I realized they worked better alone than the entire group had before. One of them cackled with glee as it zipped around and weaved between Nike, Skye, and me, while the other two circled us as though waiting for the perfect opportunity.

“Focus on one at a time!” I called out to my companions. “They’re trying to work together, and we should, too!”

Skye and Nike nodded and pointed to their targets, and I took the one that scuttled around above us as I switched weapons. My sword wouldn’t do any good if the little beast could avoid it, so I conjured my fiery bow and arrows. Then I watched the creature’s eyes narrow at my plan, but I didn’t give it a chance to get away.

I loaded an arrow into the bow and concentrated on the fast-moving beast. I activated my target precision skill and released the arrow. The flaming projectile flew up toward the creature who dodged it at the last second, but it didn’t get to celebrate for long.

The arrow looped around and plunged into the creature’s back until the arrowhead protruded from its belly, and the beast was quickly engulfed in flames. Its high-pitched squeal echoed around the clearing as it rocketed toward the ground, and a few seconds later, only a small pile of blackened ash remained. The ashes didn’t reform the beast, so it seemed the hellish fairy-like creatures couldn’t regenerate once they’d been set on fire.

Then a familiar set of words appeared in my vision.

Predation: Assimilation activated

Skill: Regeneration

Status: Assimilation complete

Fucking awesome. I didn’t plan on getting sliced up any time soon, but it looked like I’d be good if I did.

Plus, now I knew fire killed the little bastards.

I turned around just in time to see Skye plunge her blade into the gut of one of the flying creatures, and she launched it into the box as it struggled to pull its body from her sword.

Only one left, and Nike was already on it.

He sprinted toward the last creepy creature and spun his sword in a wide arc above his head. The beast narrowly ducked his blade, but it didn’t notice the dagger he’d slipped from his belt. Nike brought the dagger straight up into the creature’s jaw, and its eyes flickered as black blood dripped down from its head onto Nike’s hand.

Then he pulled the dagger out, and the tiny beast fell to the ground and laid still.

“I got this,” I said as I strode over and opened my mouth to blow a column of flames onto its still body.

The fire licked across its gray skin and left behind only ashes. Then I focused on the box.

The beasts quivered and screeched as I approached, but I knew what I had to do. I released another stream of flames that flowed through the one-way barrier and filled the magical box with fire. Their screams reverberated around the box, and when I stopped, the trap was filled with silent ashes.

“Holy hell,” one of the Blue Tree Guild soldiers muttered. “That was insane.”

“Well, at least they can’t come back from that,” his buddy snorted. “Can you get us out of here now?”

“Yeah, of course,” I said as we hurried over to free them.

“What happened to Onaro?” a soldier asked and peered over at Naomi with the snake Demi-Human floating behind her.

“He’s under a sleeping curse,” I explained. “Princess Alyona can heal him when we get back to the palace. Wait, there’s only five of you here. Didn’t ten of you come on the mission?”

“Yeah,” Polina confirmed. “We need to find the others.”

“It’s too dark out to find anyone,” one of the soldiers argued and shook his head. “How would we even look?”

“We found you, didn’t we?” I smirked. “We won’t leave them, either.”

“Hold on.” The only guard who hadn’t spoken grabbed the pendant that hung from his neck. “Our communicators are working again. The others are near the river!”

“They probably picked up on Onaro’s trail,” I said. “Tell them to wait for us there.”

He nodded and passed along the message before we turned around and ran back to the clearing where we’d found the snake Demi-Human. A wave of relief washed over me when the other five men stood waiting for us next to the river, and I greeted each of them with a handshake.

“Where were you?” Marina asked.

“We looked everywhere,” Trina added with a frown.

“We were looking for you,” a lion Demi-Human chuckled. “We kept coming across your trail then losing it. Then we found Onaro’s scent, but he wasn’t here.”

“At least we’re all here now,” I said. “We need to get Onaro back to Hatra immediately.”

“Is he alright?” the lion asked and walked over to his floating friend.

“Alyona can fix him,” I replied before I turned to Naomi. “I don’t think flying everyone back will work out. Can you make us a portal?”

“I used a lot of my power on that box,” she murmured and wrung her hands together. “I’m not sure.”

“Don’t worry,” I assured her. “I can heal you first.”

Naomi’s face brightened, and she nodded her head as I concentrated on my healing magic. A shimmering blanket of magic left my hand and settled over her as my power rejuvenated hers. The dark circles that had appeared under her eyes soon disappeared, and her body seemed to lift with a renewed sense of energy.

“Now, I can do it,” the lizard mage said firmly.

Within seconds, black-and-pink sparks lit up the clearing and formed a doorway to the courtyard of the Lunar Palace. I motioned for everyone to go through before me since Naomi and I were the only ones who could easily see if anything snuck up behind us as we made our escape from the jungle.

Then we stood in the sand of Hatra, and I inhaled the warm, dry air. It was comforting to be home and have everyone with us, despite the Demon King’s best efforts to ensnare us with his creepy flying mini-humans.

Laika, Miraya, and Alyona rushed down the front steps of the palace, and the three women squeezed me in a sandwich hug.

“You found them,” Laika sighed against me.

“Of course,” I said with a grin. “Don’t tell me you doubted me.”

The wolf warrior mumbled something into my chest before she stepped back to check on her men.

“You may return to the airship,” she told them. “Get your rest and return here in the morning to go over the incidents of your mission.”

“What about Onaro?” the lion Demi-Human asked.

“We’ll take care of him,” Laika assured him. “I’ll send him to the airship once he’s awake.”

The soldiers nodded and headed out of the courtyard, and then my lovers hugged each other with relief.

“We were so worried,” Alyona breathed as she embraced Naomi. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Me, too,” the lizard mage groaned. “That was wild. There were little flying human things, and Onaro got the curse on him, and everyone got separated. I have no idea how I’m going to get any sleep tonight.”

“Flying human things?” Miraya gaped at Naomi with wide eyes before she looked at me. “What beasts were they?”

“I don’t know what they were.” I shrugged. “More of the Demon King’s weird minions, I guess. They said he would never be defeated, they knew me by name, blah, blah, blah. They’re dead now, and I got a regeneration skill from them.”

“Badass,” Nike said with a grin.

“Agreed,” I chuckled and then cleared my throat. “Let’s get Onaro healed before we do too much celebrating.”

“Of course, come on,” Alyona said as she turned around and led us into the palace.

Naomi guided Onaro into the great hall and eased his still body onto one of the sofas. She unwrapped the magical bindings, and then Alyona reached into her spatial storage for the ingredients of the paste they needed to pull the snake Demi-Human out of the sleeping curse.

A few minutes later, they had their concoction in a bowl and began the process of waking Onaro from his magical sleep. The rest of us paced the great hall anxiously, and my mind wandered to where the rest of my lovers were before I was snapped back into the moment when Alyona and Naomi began to chant.

“Spring of life and mountains free, awaken from your deepest sleep,” they recited in unison. “Autumn fires and rivers gold, remember what your stories hold.”

I could hear the crash of thunder above the Lunar Palace as Onaro’s eyes opened, and he sat straight up as his eyes stared blankly ahead.

“Your power is greater than the Demon King imagined,” he intoned. “You will rule at his side, or you sentence one of your loved ones to a slow and painful death at the hands of the master of the Underworld. The fate of your family is in your hands, Lord Evan.”

The thunder rolled again as a bolt of lightning lit up the darkness outside the windows, and Onaro blinked and rubbed his eyes.

“What happened?” he asked as he looked around with growing concern. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the Lunar Palace,” Laika said and kneeled down next to the sofa. “We found you in the jungle and brought you back to heal you. Are you alright?”

“Uh, I think so, Guild Leader,” the snake Demi-Human muttered. “Heal me from what? Did I fight a mighty beast?”

“A sleeping curse, I’m afraid,” Miraya explained. “Do you remember who put it on you?”

“No.” Onaro shook his head and grimaced. “I was asleep at our camp in the jungle, then someone grabbed me. After that, it’s all blank.”

“Dammit,” I cursed and clenched my fists. “I’m getting tired of this sleeping curse and those stupid fucking messages! I’m going to deal with this bastard my way.”

“My love, I know you’re upset,” Alyona said and put her hand on my arm. “Maybe we should get some rest and think of a plan in the morning.”

“No, I want to go kill him now!” I thundered. “I’ll go to the Breach and finish this once and for all.”

Alyona seemed surprised at my outburst, and I dug my nails into my palms as I tried to rein in my fiery rage. All I wanted right now was to protect her and the rest of my family, but it seemed like this Demon King would always be in the way.

I had to take him out.

There was a long pause before Laika turned to Onaro, who watched me with a mixture of fear and surprise on his face.

“Onaro, you may return to the airship,” she said.

“Thank you, guild leader,” he replied with a nod.

The snake Demi-Human hurried out the front door, and then the conversation continued.

“Lord Evan, let’s think this through,” Nike said carefully. “You’re supposed to finish doing the ceremonies first.”

“We’ve done plenty,” I growled. “I’m more powerful than ever, and I won’t stand to let this bastard get away with hurting everyone, especially not one of you.”

“What’s going on?” Valerra asked as she hurried down the stairs.

“Lord Evan thinks he should go battle the Demon King now,” Polina explained.

“Well, he did threaten to kill one of us,” Trina murmured.

“Slowly and painfully,” Marina added and crossed her arms over her chest.

“And I won’t let that happen,” I said before I pressed my mouth into a defiant line.

“We know that,” Alyona said in a gentle voice. “But the gods have given you directions to help you defeat the Demon King.”

“And their plans do not include going after that asshole before you’re done bonding with all the other Nobles of the Sword,” Laika chimed in as she came closer and squeezed my hand. “I understand your warrior heart, but this isn’t the right time.”

I looked around for anyone to support my plan, but even Skye avoided my gaze and stared at the ground. I figured if anyone was on my side, it would be one of the other Nobles of the Sword. Instead, they both seemed to agree that I should wait it out, so I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath.

Maybe they were right. Aeron had told me to keep on my path to win the battle of the Breach, and even though I wanted nothing more than to rip the Demon King’s head from his body right now, it was probably better to listen to the God of Punishment. He’d blessed two of the bonding ceremonies already, which meant I had his support as long as I did what I was supposed to.

And I was supposed to keep finding other Noble Sword bloodlines and making myself more and more powerful.

Then I could crush the Demon King like the cockroach he was.

“Okay,” I finally said. “I’ll wait.”

Everyone seemed to release a sigh of relief at my words. I knew they all wanted what was best for me, but I felt restless. I knew I was a hundred times stronger than I’d been the first time we’d tried to close the Breach, and all I wanted was to prove I could beat this monster like I’d beaten the Sage.

Yet, here I was, accepting the solution to be patient.

Even though patience was not my favorite virtue, as a dragon or a human.

“Let’s get some rest,” Alyona encouraged me.

“Yes, we can all relax together,” Miraya agreed and put her slender hand on my arm.

“I don’t think I could sleep right now,” I said as I looked down at my balled-up fists. “I’m full of energy.”

“Perhaps a bath instead?” Skye suggested.

I looked up to see the naiad-Nepin had a hungry look in her eyes that made my blood rush south. She gently bit her lower lip as she waited for my response, and the tension left my body while I stared at her.

“I think that’s a great idea,” I replied in a throaty voice.

“I’ll help rub you down,” Miraya offered as she trailed her fingers down my arm to my hand.

“We would normally help, too,” Marina said and then stifled a yawn.

“But we’re kind of exhausted after our jungle search today,” Trina finished with a tired frown.

“We can help with his next bath, my dear sisters,” Laika said as she motioned for the stairs. “All four of you need your rest after your mission.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Naomi agreed as she covered her own yawn.

Laika led the dryads and Naomi upstairs to the bedrooms, and Nike followed along behind them with a quick wave goodnight. Then it was just Alyona, Skye, Miraya, and me in the great hall, and I let the spirit tug me toward the stairs to the large bathroom on the second floor.

Every time I saw the huge tub that filled nearly half the bathroom, I wanted to hug the Leyte architects who had designed it for me. It gave me plenty of room to take some or all of my lovers into the water with me, and the thought of their wet, naked bodies was enough to send my already throbbing cock into overdrive.

I didn’t have to picture it long.

Miraya let go of my hand and began to untie her robe as she walked toward the massive bathtub and turned on the water. I watched her perfectly-round ass bob from side to side as she sashayed away from me, and my trousers tightened across my hips. Then I turned around to see my wife and Skye had already begun to undress each other, and within seconds, their bare skin was revealed.

Skye’s sapphire nipples looked as hard as diamonds, and she kept her eyes on me for a moment before she turned and pressed a warm kiss to Alyona’s lips. My mouth dropped open as I watched their tongues dance around together, and their hands explored each other’s naked bodies.

“The show is much better from the water,” Miraya whispered from behind me.

“I’ll have to see it to believe it,” I replied as I took slow steps backward toward the tub and slipped out of my clothes.

Skye and Alyona continued their make-out session as I climbed into the bathtub next to Miraya, and all the rage I’d felt just a few minutes ago seemed to seep out of my skin as the spirit scooted up behind me and began to rub my shoulders. I hadn’t realized how tense I was until her smooth fingers started to knead out the hard balls of stress. My body relaxed into her, and her hands traveled over my shoulders and down to my chest.

Then her lips pressed into my neck, and I turned to take her mouth with mine. Miraya’s breath was hot as I breathed her in and plunged my tongue between her plump lips.

“Mmmm,” she moaned into my mouth.

I turned even more and pulled her against me until I could feel every bit of her body. Her ample breasts were smooth against my chest, and I let my hands explore her creamy back until I reached her round ass. I squeezed her juicy cheeks as I kissed her, and soon, I heard the splash of water that told me Skye and Alyona had joined us in the tub.

A few seconds later, they were on either side of me, and my wife’s hand landed on my thigh before she slid up my leg to grab my hard shaft.

“Ooooh,” I groaned as she moved her hand up and down along my length.

“Did you enjoy watching us, my lord?” Skye murmured into my ear.

“Yesss,” I said. “I think you and Miraya should have a turn now.”

“Whatever you say, my lord,” the spirit purred.

Oh, gods, that was hot.

Miraya eased to the side and wrapped her arms around Skye’s waist. Then she gently kissed the naiad-Nepin’s lips, and I shivered as Alyona brought her other hand over to stroke my balls while I watched my other two lovers play with each other.

Then Miraya pulled Skye over to the side of the bathtub and climbed onto the edge. She opened her thighs to reveal her sopping wet pussy to Skye, and the blue-skinned warrior looked over at me with a moment of hesitation.

I remembered I had been her first lover, so she wasn’t sure what to do about the gorgeous slit in front of her now.

“Like this,” I murmured before I grabbed Alyona’s hips and lifted her onto the side of the tub.

“Oh, Evan!” she giggled as I pushed her legs apart.

A bead of her sweet juices glistened at the top of her slit, and I hungrily dove in. I licked from the bottom to the top of Alyona’s warm pussy while she leaned back and moaned with pleasure. Her body shivered with every taste, and I glanced over to see Skye had gently begun to follow suit.

Miraya threaded her fingers through Skye’s chestnut hair and guided her closer as Skye tasted her warm center, while I suckled on Alyona’s throbbing clit until she was on the very edge of her release.

Then I eased one finger into her hot tunnel and slipped back and forth as she panted for air.

“Godsssss,” Miraya groaned as she shoved Skye even further between her thighs.

It seemed my wife and the spirit were going to reach their climax together, and I was here for it.

I added a second finger to Alyona’s swollen pussy, and then her walls tightened around my digits as a rush of hot liquid spilled over my hand.

“Yes!” Alyona shrieked and gripped the side of the tub. Her orgasm wracked her body in waves, and I continued to lick and suck gently as her sweet cream poured into my mouth.

“Skyyyyye!” Miraya moaned a moment later, and she pulled the naiad-Nepin even closer and shivered with her own climax.

Skye giggled as she traced Miraya’s slit with her tongue, and we licked the two women through their orgasms.

As soon as Alyona had finished, I turned to Skye. After watching her with Miraya, I couldn’t stand to wait any longer, and I scooped her up and bent her over the side of the tub between Alyona and Miraya.

Once her dripping pussy faced me, I thrust my cock into her warm tunnel.

“Oh, gods!” Skye gasped as she dug her nails into the cool stone of the tub. “Yes, my lord! Take me!”

“I will,” I growled and pumped my hips back and forth into her sweet indigo flower.

Alyona and Miraya turned toward Skye, and each of them started to knead her bouncing tits. I watched as they thumbed her hard nipples and rubbed her plump breasts while I pounded into her from behind. Then Alyona dropped her other hand to her own dripping pussy and rubbed gentle circles over her sensitive clit.

I knew once I finished Skye, my wife was next.

“Oh, my lord, I can feel it!” Skye groaned and lifted her hips a little higher to give me deeper access.

The shift in position sent a buzz of electricity through my veins, and I grabbed her hips to thrust even harder inside her. She shuddered as her tunnel squeezed my cock and then released a river of her juices, and it flowed over and around my shaft as I kept pumping in and out of her.

“Ohhhh!” I couldn’t contain my own orgasm any longer, so I slammed my hips against hers and bottomed out against her cervix.

Then I dumped a hot load of my dragon seed into Skye’s waiting womb as my climax ripped through my body. It felt like ages since I’d released my seed, and now it filled her spasming tunnel until it spilled over and trickled into the water.

When Skye gave a final shiver, I slipped out of her and eyed Alyona with a hooded gaze.

“You wish to fill me next, my lord?” the princess asked with feigned innocence.

“Fuck, yes,” I said.

I drank in her creamy porcelain skin and tight pink nipples before I stepped over toward her. Then I drove my cock into her waiting pussy.

“Oh, Lord Evan!” Alyona squealed.

I was a little gentler with my wife, but I could barely contain myself. I wanted to feel every inch of her tight tunnel, and it was even tighter now that she carried my child. I shivered with pleasure as I thrust my hips back and forth while Alyona gripped my shoulders to keep me close.

Then Miraya and Skye came closer, and Miraya dipped her head down to kiss Alyona, while Skye took one of my wife’s tits in her mouth. I watched their tongues pleasure her mouth and breast as I handled her quivering pussy, and I knew I could never get enough of this life.

Skye and Miraya switched it up, and Miraya reached one hand down to rub Alyona’s swollen clit while she suckled her breast.

“Fucking hell, you’re all so damn sexy,” I murmured as I draped my hands over Skye and Miraya’s asses. “Don’t stop.”

The pair’s giggles turned into moans when my hands drifted further down, and I slipped a finger into each of their sopping wet pussies. Then I continued to pump my cock in and out of Alyona while I finger-fucked my other two lovers.

Soon, Alyona’s breathing came faster and faster, and her body went rigid as her pussy gripped my shaft before she quaked with her climax. Torrents of her hot juices rolled down my cock, and she moaned and pulled Skye and Miraya closer.

“Oh, gods, I-I can’t s-stop!” Alyona gasped.

Wave after wave of her sweet cream poured over me, and it was only a few seconds later when Skye and Miraya moaned with their own orgasms. All three women shook beneath me, and I finally released my hot seed into the princess’ waiting tunnel.

It was like every synapse in my brain fired all at once, and I took in a sharp breath as my orgasm wracked my body with pleasure. My cock poured load after load inside her, and I held tightly to her warm, wet thighs.

My shaft gave one last throb and spurt of seed while Alyona was still coming down from her climax, and when I finally released my breath, a shudder raced down my spine. Then I stepped back and looked at Miraya, and the embers of my desire flared low in my gut once more.

“Is it finally my turn, my lord?” the spirit asked as she batted her eyelashes.

“Yes, it is,” I said with a wild grin. “But I’m taking a seat this time.”

“Of course,” Miraya giggled.

As I turned around and sat on the cool stone ledge, Miraya dropped to her knees in the water and bit her lip. Before I could ask what she was doing, the spirit licked my shaft from base to tip, and my cock pulsed as it filled with blood.

“Fuck!” I groaned once I was at full mast again.

“That comes next,” the spirit teased as she climbed up to straddle my legs.

She stood over me for a brief moment before she lowered her hips and guided my cock inside her. She was already tight from her orgasm, thanks to Skye, and I took hold of the edge of the tub as she started to grind against me.

Sparks flew in and out of my vision as her gorgeous tits rubbed against my chest, and her pussy took hold of my cock like a fist. She wrapped her arms around my neck and brought my head down to her breasts, so I nipped and sucked on her warm fleshy tits while she rode my shaft.

“Come over here, Skye,” Alyona said in a hoarse voice and patted the edge of the tub next to her.

My attention was momentarily split when the naiad-Nepin followed my wife’s command. Then Alyona slid off the edge into the warm water and kneeled between Skye’s thighs.

“W-What are you doing?” Skye stammered.

“Tasting you and Lord Evan’s love at the same time,” Alyona whispered.

Then she pushed Skye’s legs apart and dragged her tongue up and down the naiad-Nepin’s slit.

“Ohhhhh,” Skye sighed and shivered. “Yessss, milady!”

Alyona pleasured Skye with her tongue, while Miraya shifted gears and bounced up and down on my cock. I felt every hill and valley of her rigid canal as she moved, and she moaned with ecstasy while I licked my lips and enjoyed the show.

The sword spirit gripped my shoulders, and I felt her heart racing as she leaned against me and ground her hips against mine. Then she shuddered with the tight squeeze of her impending climax before her juices flooded her tunnel and engulfed my shaft.

“Gods!” She dug her nails into my skin as waves of pleasure rippled through her.

I pulled her hips to match her rhythm and pumped her back and forth as her orgasm continued, and then I looked over to see Skye watching me through hooded eyes as she neared her own climax. As she moaned and poured her cream onto Alyona’s waiting tongue, I turned back to Miraya.

“Fuuuck,” I groaned.

The spirit had taken her own nipple into her mouth and sucked on it as she came, and I leaned forward and flicked the other with my tongue. Then my climax hit me like a freight train.

What seemed like a gallon of my dragon seed erupted from my cock into her empty womb, and I vibrated with pleasure as I sucked on Miraya’s sweet tit and filled her pussy.

When my load eventually stopped flowing, I smirked at the trail of warm seed that dribbled down Miraya’s thighs.

“Holy hell,” Skye sighed and leaned back against the wall. “That was amazing.”

“You say that like he’s finished,” Alyona chuckled.

“He’s-- you aren’t empty?” the naiad-Nepin asked, and her mouth dropped open in astonishment.

“I don’t think I ever run out,” I said with a grin. “But you’re more than welcome to test it.”

“I think we can do that,” Miraya giggled.

We spent another hour or so testing, and by the time my women were exhausted beyond measure, I had to admit I was much more relaxed than I’d been when we’d returned to the palace.

I realized my family had been right to discourage me from bringing the fight to the Demon King just yet, though I wanted to exact my vengeance for all the pain and suffering he threatened to cause to my people. It would just have to wait for the right time, once I had all the power I could possibly get.

Even fighting the weird hellfairies had been a reminder of how much more power I could gain. I’d added yet another assimilated ability, and it could come in handy if any battles got out of hand. I wasn’t sure I wanted to create a second one of me, but if I could at least grow back an arm, the ability was worth the effort today.

I led the three women to my bedroom, and we sprawled across the bed in a tangle of naked arms and legs. My trio of lovers passed out within seconds, and I finally allowed myself to get some rest as I drifted to sleep a few minutes later.

After a while, I felt incredibly hot, which was unusual for a dragon who breathed fire, so I opened my eyes and found myself lying on the ground with a ring of flames around me.

“What the fuck?” I scrambled to my feet and rubbed my eyes to clear away the sleep.

I looked around and realized exactly where I was.

Right next to the Breach.

How kind of you to join me.

The thunderous voice of the Demon King resounded in my head, and I whirled around to try to find him. I didn’t see the shadowy figure among the flames, but I knew he had to be close.

“Come on out here, coward!” I yelled. “You sure have fighting words to say when you curse innocent people, so you might as well say them to me now!”

The fire roared up higher until it seemed like they might touch the clouds in the azure sky above me, and I could practically feel the Demon King’s rage at my taunts.

They aren’t fighting words, dragon. They’re warnings of things to come.

“Your bullshit threats don’t scare me,” I seethed. “And your warnings will never come true! I’m going to shut down the Breach, and you can’t stop me!”

I already have. Now, all you can do is beg for mercy for your loved ones.

The Demon King’s malicious laughter echoed around me, and I kept turning in fruitless circles to try to find him. Rage boiled in my chest as I searched for him in the fire, but he remained hidden in the shadows.

“That was your freebie!” I called out. “Now, I know how to beat you, and it won’t be long until you’re the one begging for mercy!”

I suddenly realized I had no idea how I’d gotten here. The last thing I remembered was laying in my bed.

Sleeping.

That was it.

The Demon King had slithered his way into another one of my dreams, and it was time I took control.

“You don’t make the rules around here, asshole!” I bellowed as I slammed my fist into the ground and called the flames to me.

The fire that encircled me whooshed toward me, and I absorbed them to reveal the landscape around me.

No!

Suddenly, I sat straight up in bed and looked around me.

Alyona, Skye, and Miraya were spooned together a few inches away from my clenched fist, and I wondered how I hadn’t woken them up.

It didn’t matter. I knew what I needed to do. The relaxing feeling of the night before had completely dissipated, and fury took its place.

This Demon King bastard had poked and prodded at me for weeks, and I wanted nothing more than to remove his head from his shoulders. I hadn’t had the pleasure of doing so with Olivier, but I’d certainly earned the right to end the Demon King.

“Lord Evan?” Miraya’s soft voice interrupted my furious thoughts.

“Yeah, I’m up,” I said with a frown. “You can go back to sleep.”

“You’re angry,” she remarked as she leaned onto her elbow and looked at me with her big blue eyes. “Is it the Demon King again?”

“Yeah, I’m done playing his stupid games,” I muttered and threw the blankets off my bare legs. “I’m getting dressed and going to the Breach. It’s time to fuck that guy up.”

I picked my trousers up from the floor and yanked them on before I began to search for my tunic.

“My lord, I don’t think--” she started.

Suddenly, a cold wind rushed through the room and knocked me back onto the bed, and we both stopped in our tracks.

“What the hell was that?” I grumbled.

Then a heaviness filled the air, and I could sense another presence had entered the room.

“Miss me?” Aeron chuckled.

The God of Punishment stood next to my bed.

Chapter 13

“Aeron, God of Punishment, we are humbled and honored by your presence,” Miraya said as she slid off the bed and dropped to her knees.

“Oh, yeah,” I murmured before I knelt before him. “And I did miss you at the last ceremony, though Manako was an interesting fella.”

“Well, I can’t bless all of them,” Aeron chuckled. “I’ll look biased, and gods are supposed to be as neutral as possible, even if we do want good to defeat evil. Besides, it’s better for you to have the support of multiple gods. It benefits you more than you realize.”

“How so?” Miraya wondered.

“Having the blessings of a god can influence other parts of the universe,” he explained. “For example, if the God of Nature is on your side, you would have plants and animals that help you.”

“I already have nature magic.” I raised a confused eyebrow. “That already puts nature on my side, right?”

“Not necessarily,” Aeron said. “It just gives you access to the power. It doesn’t determine whether or not nature will help you on its own.”

“If you say so,” I said with a shrug. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I go where I want, dragon,” the god replied in a low voice.

A shiver passed through me as the God of Punishment quietly reminded me of his power, and I reminded myself to watch my mouth around the gods. Even though I had their blessing, I still had to be diplomatic with them.

“Right, uh, sorry.” I lowered my head as I cleared my throat.

“I came to remind you of our plan,” he continued. “For you to complete the Redimi Vincio ceremony with all eleven of the other Noble Sword bloodlines, so you can defeat the Demon King and close the Breach that threatens this world.”

“Fuckkkk,” I groaned.

“You are powerful, Dragon,” the god said, “but you aren’t ready yet. The Demon King is beyond anything you’ve ever seen before.”

“He’s a big bully,” I muttered. “Guys like that have a bigger bark than their bite. I’ve seen it dozens of times.”

“You’ve never seen this,” he argued. “Your pride cannot outweigh your intelligence right now. You’ve seen his ability to project himself into your dreams and your mind. Have you ever faced such a power before?”

“Well, no,” I admitted. “But Olivier could travel all over the place, so maybe he just didn’t try that.”

“No, he couldn’t do it,” Aeron said. “Because he was a mortal with great power, but the Demon King is a supernatural force. We believe he was created within the Underworld, which puts him in a completely different category than your previous foes.”

“How was he created?” I wondered.

“Ah, I only have a few suspicions,” the god replied as he ran his fingers through his golden hair. “Nothing has been confirmed just yet.”

“Wait a second,” I said with wide eyes. “You guys don’t even know where he came from?”

“Nothing is certain, young dragon,” Aeron chuckled. “Especially in the Underworld. We don’t have full access there like we do here on Inati.”

“So, you can’t control anything there?” I pressed.

“Control?” he repeated and clucked his tongue. “Not at all. That’s part of what makes the Demon King a difficult threat. His world is not ours, and we can’t say without a doubt how his power would affect this realm.”

“Are you saying his power could change if he makes it here?” I asked.

“It’s possible,” the god hedged. “Just as yours changed when you arrived, his could do the same thing. Without us knowing exactly where his power comes from, we can’t risk allowing him into this realm and his power growing even more.”

“What if his power comes from the Underworld?” I suggested. “Then his power would be tied there, and he’d get weaker coming here, right?”

“Unlikely.” Aeron shook his head. “Especially if he comes through and leaves the Breach open. Then he could access whatever power he has in both realms. It might make him nearly unstoppable.”

“My lord, he’s right,” Miraya whispered. “The gods know more than we do.”

“It sounds like they don’t actually know much at all,” I countered. “It’s a bunch of guesswork. Maybe he’ll get stronger, maybe he won’t. Shouldn’t I just kill him now and answer those questions?”

“You don’t get it,” the god grunted. “If we don’t know, you can’t just throw yourself in there and give it a try, especially without having all the power of the Noble Swords.”

“I have impenetrable scales, regeneration, and a dozen kinds of magic I’ve assimilated.” I counted off my skills on my fingers. “Not to mention all the abilities I’ve gained from the bonds with some of the other Noble Swords. There’s no way the Demon King is still stronger than me.”

“Gods, you’re stubborn,” Aeron said with an eye roll. “Alright, it’s time for you to see for yourself.”

“See what?” I asked.

“This.” The God of Punishment strode over to me and grabbed my arm.

Before I could react, we spun out of my chambers and through some kind of magical portal. Then my feet hit the ground, and I nearly tumbled forward, but Aeron held tight to me. It felt like I’d been on a boat for the last year and finally stepped on land, and my mind was still spinning when I looked at the God of Punishment with a confused glare.

“What the hell?” I muttered as I got my legs under me. “What was that?”

“A little godly transportation,” he chuckled. “Are you ready?”

“Shouldn’t you have asked me that first?” I looked around and took in a sharp breath. “What is this?”

It looked like the White Jade Temple, but the white marble walls were cracked and broken. The roof had caved in, and small tendrils of black smoke curled into a dark sky. The stench of miasma was overpowering, and I couldn’t even see beyond the crumbling walls around the courtyard, thanks to more puffs of black smoke that hovered over the Mihireti Mountains. It looked like a miasma nuke had been dropped onto the palace, and my heart seemed to pound in my chest when I realized Rodion had to be in this disaster somewhere.

I took off at a dead sprint toward the castle, and Aeron trotted along behind me without a word. I nearly fell into a gaping hole in the floor of the entry, but I jumped over it and pounded up the dilapidated stairs to the second floor. Then I turned toward the king’s bedchambers and pulled up short.

The entire wall to his room was gone, and I had a clear view of Rodion’s stone balcony and the disastrous sky beyond it. His chambers were filled with black ash, and only his bed seemed to be in somewhat normal shape. The king sat in his high-backed chair, but instead of watching the Breach as he normally did, he’d turned the chair to face his room and held his face in his hands.

He didn’t seem to register my appearance, and I ran over to put my hand on his shoulder.

My hand went right through him.

“What the hell?” I turned to Aeron. “Am I dead? A ghost? What’s going on here?”

“You can’t interact with a future path,” he explained mildly. “You’re just an observer. What do you see?”

“I see the king not even watching the Breach anymore,” I murmured as I looked down at Rodion with a frown. “Like he isn’t even trying to keep the seal in place.”

“Because the seal has already been destroyed,” Aeron said and pointed out to what was left of the railing. “See for yourself.”

I clenched my jaw as I walked toward the edge of the stone balcony and looked out at the Breach.

In my world, the king’s seal hovered over the giant rift and kept the demons from escaping, but what I saw in this future made my stomach twist into sick knots.

Demons floated freely between Rahma and the Underworld. They went in and out in droves, and when they reached this realm, they walked on land with giant, clawed feet and twisted their faces into horrifying grins. Some carried dead or dying people back into the Breach with them, and I closed my eyes as the victims screamed in terror.

“We have to stop this,” I said through gritted teeth. “Look at those poor people. What happens to them in the Underworld?”

“I believe the equivalent on Earth is called Hell,” Aeron answered. “Torture, death, rebirth, and then more torture is the standard protocol for the Underworld.”

“Oh, my gods,” I muttered and then froze. “Take me to Hatra.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“I have to see it,” I said as I balled my hands into fists at my sides. “I have to know what happens.”

Aeron frowned before he grabbed my arm once more, and we spun through the portal again. I was a little readier this time for the landing, but it still took me a moment to get my bearings.

When I did, I felt the blood drain from my face.

I hadn’t even realized we’d landed within the city walls of Hatra. All the buildings we’d worked so hard to rebuild were demolished, including the Lunar Palace. Not even the domed roof of my home remained among the rubble, and a handful of demons still picked their way across the city with their long claws. They pulled dead bodies from the wreckage and threw them over their shoulders like trophies before they moved onto other areas.

“The eggs,” I whispered as I ran toward where the Lunar Palace once stood.

I shoved crumbling rocks out of the way as I dug through the debris, but all I found was pieces of the dresser that held the dragon eggs Valerra had kept safe for so long. The gold-plated storage was completely destroyed, and my heart sank in my chest. I only found solace in the fact that I didn’t see any bodies in the rubble. The palace may have been destroyed, but it seemed like my family had survived the attack. I just didn’t know where they’d gone.

Then I had an idea.

If they weren’t in Hatra, they had to have found somewhere safe to hide out. And I knew the one place that kept my dragon mate safe for years before I’d arrived in this world.

I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I needed to try. I shifted into my dragon form, and Aeron watched me with an arched eyebrow. Then I nodded to him and took off into the sky. As I flew higher and higher, I was aware the God of Punishment somehow managed to float along beside me, but I didn’t question it.

I needed to know about my family.

When I reached the Crimson Canyons, my wings faltered, and my mouth went dry as I saw the sand below me. The cave where Valerra spent hundreds of years protecting her sister’s egg had collapsed. Boulders laid in front of the mouth of the cave and had tumbled down the side of the canyon. I couldn’t see or hear any movement from inside, but I flew closer to make sure.

“It doesn’t matter if they’re inside,” Aeron pointed out as we hovered in front of the blocked entrance.

“Why wouldn’t it matter?” I demanded. “If they’re in there, I’ll know they’re alive and safe.”

“The Demon King has told you what he’d do to your family a dozen times,” the god murmured. “Do you think he wouldn’t follow through with it if he has escaped the Breach?”

I slowly lowered to the ground with the sudden urge to vomit as Aeron’s words hit me like a punch to the gut.

He was right.

The Demon King obviously hated me, and I had no doubt he would make sure I regretted turning down his offers and promising his demise. In this future, there was no chance my family was safe and happy somewhere.

And there was no way I’d let that happen.

“Okay,” I finally said. “What makes this future happen? I have to stop it.”

“This is the future where you decided to fight the Demon King today,” Aeron said.

My heart stopped for a few seconds.

“Today,” I exhaled. “I wanted to go fight him when I woke up.”

“Yes,” Aeron agreed. “You did. And this would be the result of that fight. You see, when you decide to take the fight to the Breach, some of your people go with you. Those who go are lucky to suffer the same fate as you-- death in battle. The others are left here to be captured by the demons and hellbeasts.”

“They all die.” I could feel my chest tighten at the thought. “What about Rodion? Why is the palace destroyed?”

“He leaves to help you,” the god continued. “In doing so, he weakens his hold on the seal, and all the Underworld breaks loose. He only survives the fallout because of his magic, but he is unable to save you or anyone else. I don’t think he’ll allow his life to continue much longer. He’d rather die on his own terms than at the hands of the Demon King.”

Everything was so clear to me now.

I’d been stubborn to believe I was ready to fight something even the gods didn’t understand yet, and I had to take the time to do things the right way. If I didn’t, everyone I loved would deal with the consequences of my decision, and it was selfish of me to think they wouldn’t.

I looked down at my large talons and midnight-black scales. All the power I held wouldn’t be enough to defeat an ancient evil with unknown amounts of power and knowledge. I still had plenty to learn, and I needed to take the time to do it.

I shifted back into my human form with a sigh. I was still powerful in this smaller version, but it made no difference when it came to the Demon King. I had to have the power of the Noble Swords. My entire world depended on it.

“You’ve made your point, Ghost of Christmas Future,” I sighed. “We can go home now.”

“It isn’t just you who fights this war, Lord Evan,” Aeron reminded me in a gentle voice. “You have your family, the gods, and the people of Inati on your side, which means they will also be the ones who take on the pain and suffering if you do not succeed.”

“And I won’t succeed if I go today,” I murmured. “I understand now.”

“There won’t be any more lessons, young dragon,” he said firmly. “You must remember this one.”

“I couldn’t forget it if I tried,” I replied with a grimace. “Can we get out of here, please?”

The God of Punishment nodded before he grasped my arm, and as we spun through the webs of time and space, I closed my eyes until my feet hit the cool stone floor of my bedroom. Then I sat back onto the bed and put my face in my hands.

“I’ll leave you to your thoughts,” Aeron said.

Before I could reply, there was a gust of wind, and he was gone.

I didn’t particularly want to be alone with my thoughts, and I was grateful to see Miraya had already woken Skye and Alyona.

“My love, are you alright?” the princess asked as she crawled across the bed to sit next to me.

“Yeah,” I nearly whispered before I turned around and hugged her.

Skye and Miraya scooted closer, and I wrapped my arms around all three of them and held back tears. The thought of losing even one of my women wrenched at my soul, and I knew I’d do whatever it took to keep them all safe, even if that meant setting my pride to the side for a while.

“Where did he take you?” Miraya asked after a moment.

“The future where I fought the Demon King without bonding with all the swords,” I answered. “It was… terrible.”

“I’m so sorry,” Alyona said and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “He believes you aren’t ready for the battle?”

“He knows I’m not,” I replied as I shook my head. “I’ll never do that to my family or my people. I have to listen to the gods for now. It’s the only way to make sure we win.”

“What was it like?” Skye wondered.

“I don’t even want to repeat it,” I muttered. “Just know that he made it clear where I need to focus my efforts, and it’s not on a battle with the Demon King today.”

My lovers looked at each other, but they didn’t ask for more, and I was glad they didn’t. I didn’t want to talk about the things I’d seen or the fates they would have suffered if Aeron hadn’t intervened.

“I’m surprised he’s pushing you so hard,” my wife mused.

“Why?” I asked.

“The God of Punishment is not known for his patience or concern,” she explained. “It’s been written for ages how he happily brings punishment to those who have done wrong, but he’s tried very hard to keep you away from the wrong decisions.”

“If you’d seen the future he took me to, I think you’d understand,” I said with a frown. “Surely, even a god who doles out punishment wouldn’t wish that world on anyone.”

“Then you must take his knowledge with grace and appreciation,” she determined. “He believes you can prevent it, and he’s going against everything he’s known for to teach you. It is a rare gift from a god.”

“I won’t let him down,” I vowed. “Or any of you. I can’t stop this mission, and I won’t until I’m ready to fight the Demon King. When I’m strong enough, I’ll rip him to shreds and feast on his bones. Then I’ll burn what’s left and make the Underworld demons regret the day they were created.”

The three women stared at me as my dragon instincts were laid bare, but I didn’t mind. I knew I’d follow through with it when the time was right.

“I think for now, we should feast on some breakfast,” Skye said with a half-smile.

“Good idea,” I agreed.

We all got dressed, and I could hear voices and laughter in the hall as we headed for the door. I opened the door to see Nike, Aine, Juniper, and the rest of my lovers had already started downstairs for breakfast. Then I caught a glimpse of a golden tail swaying around the corner, and we hurried to catch up with the others.

“Do you feel better this morning, my lord?” Valerra asked as she slowed down to meet me.

“Mostly,” I hedged. “I know I’m not going to fight the Demon King today, so don’t worry about that.”

“Good.” My dragon mate dipped her head and continued down the stairs. “I mostly like having you around.”

The rest of my lovers giggled as we rounded the bottom of the stairs and turned down the corridor to the dining hall. As soon as we walked into the room, the smell of roasted meat and eggs filled my nose, and I sighed with appreciation for Hatra’s first-rate chef.

Forsythe seemed to always have food ready when we needed it, and I definitely needed it after last night and this morning’s events. Even though Aeron said he’d leave me with my thoughts, I didn’t have much to think about anymore. I knew what I had to do, and I wouldn’t try to change our plans again.

So, I’d eat instead.

Ruslan, Julia, and Emma were already seated at the table, and their muted conversation came to a grinding halt as we made our way to our chairs and sat down.

“Good morning,” my father greeted me after a moment. “Did you sleep well?”

“Not great,” I admitted as I ran my fingers through my hair. “But I’m thinking a lot more clearly now. We just need to find the next Noble of the Sword.”

“Excuse me, my lord.” We all turned to see Callan in the doorway. “I’m so sorry to intrude on your breakfast. I can come back.”

“Nonsense, brother,” I insisted and motioned toward an empty chair. “Join us. You’re always welcome here.”

“Thank you, Lord Evan,” the dragon said with a slight blush before he sat down. “I’m grateful for all the kindness you and your people have shown me. I have a job now.”

“Do you?” I chuckled. “What is your job?”

“I’m working for Arthur at the bakery,” Callan answered and looked down at his plate. “I’ve always wanted to do something with myself, but I was never really the raid villages and pillage gold kind of dragon, so I find the bakery very fulfilling.”

“That’s the guy who made that chocolate cake, right?” I asked Ruslan.

“Yes, Arthur and his family have been here for a few months now,” my father confirmed. “He has provided many sweets for our people.”

“Nice,” I said with a grin. “I’m glad you’re fitting in so well, Callan. I hope to find more of our kind soon.”

“Do you think they’ll answer your message, my lord?” Alyona asked.

“I hope so,” I replied. “If Callan didn’t know Olivier was dead, then maybe more dragons don’t know and have stayed in hiding. Even if they just come here to tell us they’re alive and run away, I’d be happy knowing there were more of us. Not that I had a problem with repopulating the dragon species on our own.”

I shot a mischievous look at Valerra, who blushed and stuck out her tongue.

“My lord, I do have one other question,” Callan said in a quiet voice.

“What’s up?” I looked at him and cocked my head to the side.

“I was wondering what you’ve discovered about the sorcerer assassin and his employer,” he nearly whispered.

I’d been planning to interrogate Dolion once we got him on the airship, but we’d left for Copacia the next day, and I hadn’t even thought about it again since. Knowing the assassin had been aiming for Callan, I could understand why my fellow dragon wanted answers, and I intended to get them for him.

“Now that we’re back, I’ll find out everything we need to know,” I promised. “Do you want to come along?”

“If that’s okay with you,” he said and furrowed his brow. “I need to know who sent him after me since I know the Sage is dead. I have a lot of questions for him.”

“Then we’ll go together.” I dipped my head and then gestured toward my plate. “But first, let’s fill our bellies. Sound good?”

“Much better than the fish I’ve been eating for months,” the green dragon chuckled.

We resumed breakfast, though the table conversation had died down to a few murmurs here and there. Thinking about Dolion and the impending conversation we were about to have seemed to have left most of us to our own thoughts until my aunt broke the silence.

“Do you, ah, want all of us to go, um, to see this guy?” she asked.

“No,” I said with a smile. “Callan and I will go. The rest of you can stay here and figure out the next stop on our mission.”

“Okay,” Emma breathed with relief. “I like that plan.”

“We can get the map with the Noble Sword locations from the memory spell,” Alyona said as she took Emma’s hand. “No need for us to deal with the assassin.”

Emma squeezed my wife’s hand and smiled at her. The rest of us returned to our plates until they were empty, and then I looked at Callan.

“Are you ready?” I asked.

“Um.” The green dragon gulped. “Yeah, I think so.”

“He can’t hurt you now,” I assured him. “He’s in a cell, and we have his staff, so no more magic.”

“Right,” he replied, though he didn’t seem fully convinced.

I started to insist, but I held off. If Callan was already worried, it didn’t matter what I told him. Either way, it was important for him to face his fear of Dolion, so I decided it would be better to make sure we had what we needed to get through to the assassin.

“Miraya, would you mind joining us?” I asked the spirit.

“Of course, my lord,” she agreed.

In the blink of an eye, the sword spirit appeared in my spiritual sea, and we were off to the airship.

Callan didn’t talk on our way across the city, but I noticed he’d made a few friends since his arrival, and he waved or smiled at them as we walked together. The green dragon had already begun to fit in here, and I hoped there were many more of our kind who would do the same.

Is he alright? Miraya asked in a worried tone.

Yeah, he’s just nervous, I replied. We’re going to talk to the guy who nearly killed him. It isn’t easy for a guy who doesn’t have people trying to kill him every day.

True, she murmured.

When we reached the ramp to the airship, Callan took a deep breath before he followed me onto the wooden planks and into the floating boat. We were greeted at the entrance by two Blue Tree Guild soldiers, who looked at Callan with questioning eyes but didn’t doubt me.

They allowed us through, and I started to try to find my way to the cells when Pyotr rounded a corner and strode toward us with his arms open wide.

“Lord Evan, what a pleasant surprise,” the elder wolf Demi-Human said. “I wondered if you’d be back to visit your prisoner.”

“We have a few questions for him,” I confirmed.

“Alright, I’ll let my men know,” he replied. “Thank you for bringing Onaro back safely. He’s still struggling with his memory, but his health is great.”

The snake Demi-Human was healed from the sleeping curse, but he hadn’t been able to remember what or who had cursed him before we found him in the jungle.

“His memory still hasn’t returned?” I gnawed on my bottom lip in thought for a moment. “Let’s go see him first, then we’ll go to the cells.”

Callan seemed a little relieved by the change in plans, and he traipsed along behind Pyotr and me as we headed for the infirmary.

I was glad we’d run into Laika’s grandfather before we tried to find anything on our own, since we weaved through many halls and passageways until we reached the medical wing.

Sirona, the medic, sat at the desk near the wall and stopped scribbling notes when she heard us walk in.

“Lord Evan!” she gasped. “I didn’t know you were coming!”

“It’s alright,” I chuckled. “I just wanted to check on our patient. How’s Onaro doing?”

“He woke up about twenty minutes ago,” the rabbit Demi-Human replied as she gestured to the door behind her. “He’s in the shower, but he should be out any minute.”

“Nothing on his memory yet?” I frowned.

“No,” she said, and her ears flopped back and forth as she shook her head. “It’s the strangest thing. I’ve used every memory, healing, and non-magical remedy I can find, but he says it’s a total blank.”

“Can’t you heal him?” Callan asked me with a confused look on his face.

“Well, I tried,” I explained and pursed my lips. “It didn’t work.”

You tried to heal them before you gained another power, Miraya reminded me. Between the regeneration and the Sword of the Land’s ability, it might be possible now.

The sword spirit had a point. Maybe I wasn’t ready to bring a fight to the Demon King just yet, but I could be ready to do something else I hadn’t been ready for yet, either.

“Okay, I’ll try again,” I said aloud.

“Try what again?” Onaro asked as he walked into the infirmary.

The snake Demi-Human looked considerably healthier, and his yellow eyes were bright with curiosity as he cocked his head to the side.

“Healing your memory,” I answered. “Are you okay with that?”

“Of course, my lord,” he replied with a hurried nod. “I want to know what happened to me more than anything.”

“Alright, just sit down, and I’ll give it a shot.” I pointed to the hospital bed.

Onaro plopped down on the bed and put his hands in his lap, and he practically vibrated with excitement as he waited for me to begin.

I took a deep breath as I walked over to the bed and put my hands on his shoulders. Something told me I needed the physical contact to fully heal his memory, even though I’d never had to have it before.

I closed my eyes and called on my healing power. It was the most natural ability I had, but I held it in my chest for a moment as I summoned the other magic I’d gained. Sparks and surges of energy rolled under the surface of my skin as I gripped Onaro’s shoulders.

Then I released them.

It was like an entire storm raged out of my body and plunged into the snake Demi-Human’s torso. His body shook as though he’d been hit with lightning, and his eyes rolled back in his head while my power coursed through his veins.

“Oh, my gods,” Pyotr whispered.

I gritted my teeth and pushed my healing power through Onaro until I sensed a wall. My energy surged against it like a wave crashing into a dam, and I squeezed Onaro’s shoulders tighter as I pushed harder and harder against the wall. Something told me his memory waited on the other side, and I would stop at nothing to break through.

You’re close, my lord, Miraya whispered. Stay strong.

The sword spirit’s energy added to my own, and her pure white power seemed to ignite my own magic and double its strength. Flames licked over the wall in Onaro’s mind, and I gave one last push.

The wall tumbled down, and I released the snake Demi-Human with a gasp for air. He clutched at the sheets, and I opened my eyes to see his brown scales ripple across his throat as he gulped in sharp breaths.

I wasn’t sure if I’d helped or not until his eyes finally rolled forward, and he met my stare with his mouth wide open.

“Onaro?” I asked softly. “Are you alright?”

“Gods above,” he muttered. “It worked.”

“So, you remember what happened?” Pyotr stepped forward and stood next to me. “Tell us everything.”

“When I awoke to someone taking me from the camp, I was knocked back out with a blow to the head,” Onaro explained. “But I awoke again near the river. I opened my mouth to call out for help, but a human man stopped me with some kind of magical spell. I could no longer speak, though I tried in vain for several seconds. Then he laughed as he pulled some sort of sachet from his robes and poured a gray dust into his hand. Before I could react, he blew the powder into my face, and I passed out again. When I woke up again, it was when I spoke those strange words to you guys.”

“Can you describe the man?” I pressed.

“Honestly, my lord, he was so… plain,” Onaro said with a grimace. “He had no markings on his face, his skin was pale, and he had no hair.”

“What about his smell or his clothes?” Callan wondered.

“He smelled like the jungle.” The snake shrugged. “And his robes were black. No emblem.”

“That’s disappointing,” I murmured. “I wonder if the researchers remember anything more than that.”

“They should be back from breakfast any moment,” Sirona chimed in. “I’m sure they’d be happy to have their memories back. It’s all they’ve talked about for days.”

“Alright, we’ll wait for a few minutes,” I decided.

It didn’t take long for the research team to return to the infirmary, and they looked both surprised and excited when they saw me in the room.

“Have you found a cure?” Violet asked before she cleared her throat and seemed to wipe the hopeful look from her face.

“I found a way to heal you,” I said. “I don’t think I can do it to all of you at once, but I’ll heal each of you. Just have a seat.”

“And get ready for a shock,” Onaro added with a smirk.

The looks of optimism slowly faded into apprehension as each of the researchers sat on their respective beds and waited their turns. I started with Violet, and as I broke through the wall in her memory, she burst into tears.

“Oh, gods,” she sobbed. “I swear, these are tears of happiness, my lord. I just… I’ve never experienced something like that before.”

“It’s understandable,” I said and smiled. “What did you remember?”

“A man,” Violet murmured. “He said he was lost, but when we got close enough to examine his map, he blew this dust all over us. Then we were asleep until you woke us up here. Oh, gods, that thing we said was really strange.”

“Yeah,” I chuckled. “It was. Do you remember anything distinctive about the man?”

“I wish I did.” She looked down at her lap. “He just seemed so ordinary, so harmless. We were prepared for jungle creatures, not a monster that looked like a man.”

“It’s okay,” I said as I patted her hand. “We’ll catch him.”

I moved down the line and healed each member of the research team only to hear the same version of events each time. Boring guy blows dust, they go night-night. I wasn’t sure what comfort I could bring them yet, but I promised to find this man and make sure he paid for what he’d done to them.

The walls in their memory gave me an idea for myself, but I’d have to focus on that later. Right now, I had to handle other business on the airship.

“Do you know what you’re going to do, my lord?” Pyotr asked in a quiet voice as I rejoined him and Callan by the door.

“Not yet,” I replied. “But I won’t let him get away with this.”

“I figured as much.” The old wolf Demi-Human offered a wistful smile before he motioned for the hallway. “Ready for the prisoner?”

“Yep,” I said with a nod. “He might need some healing after I’m done with him.”

Callan shivered but didn’t argue as he followed Pyotr and I out of the infirmary and around the airship to the cells. The guard greeted Pyotr at the door and offered me a bow, and then he stepped out of the way for us to enter the makeshift prison.

My eyes widened as I scanned the room, but before I could get any words out, Pyotr whirled around.

“Where is the prisoner?” he demanded.

“I-In his cell,” the guard stammered and pointed before his face fell. “Oh, gods, he was just there five minutes ago!”

“He couldn’t have escaped!” the interior guard insisted. “I was in the room. I walk back and forth the whole shift.”

“Well, he isn’t in there, is he?” I snorted as I walked over to the cell where Dolion had been. “Where the hell could he even go?”

“Not far,” Pyotr muttered as he dropped his hand from his gorget. “I’ve already put the ship on lockdown. He won’t be able to leave.”

“He got out of a magically locked cell with three guards in the room,” I pointed out with a curled lip. “Son of a bitch!”

I spun around in a fit of rage and kicked the cell door until it clanged open.

Then Dolion appeared out of thin air in the cell with a devilish grin before he sprinted toward me.

Chapter 14

I ducked the assassin’s attempt to grab my throat and tried to grip his arm, but he slithered out of my grasp and stood in the center of the room. The Blue Tree Guild members started to unsheathe their swords and advance toward him, but I waved them back.

“No, we have to keep him alive!” I growled.

“So much for keeping me locked up, dragon,” Dolion sneered as he held an empty vial in one hand. “Guess you don’t know as much about sorcerers as you thought!”

“Looks to me like I know enough.” I smirked. “You can’t do magic on your own, but I can.”

I conjured a fireball in my palm and launched it at the assassin, but he dodged the ball and rolled just out of my reach before he leaped to his feet and pulled another vial from his pocket.

Dolion tossed the glass container on the ground, and clouds of black-and-gray mist filled the room within seconds until I could hardly see a few inches in front of me.

Then I felt the jab of a punch to my ribs, but the injury healed itself before the pain had even settled. I threw a wild swing into the mist, and the assassin started to laugh until an odd sound filled the room. It was like someone sucking a milkshake through a straw, and I realized the mist had begun to funnel out of my vision.

I looked over my shoulder to see Callan with his lips pursed and his face the color of a tomato as he sucked in every drop of mist.

“Ahhh,” he sighed when he was done.

“What the hell?” Dolion muttered.

I had to admit, I was thinking the same question.

“Some fish assimilation.” Callan shrugged and grinned at the assassin. “Bet you don’t know as much about dragons as you thought!”

I laughed as I barreled toward Dolion, whose eyes widened into saucers. He was momentarily distracted by the green dragon, and I had to take advantage of it before he whipped out another potion.

But I was too late.

The sachet was out of his pocket when I rammed my shoulder into his chest, and the dark-purple dust dumped down my back as we hit the ground.

Suddenly, I was overcome with a desperate need to sleep.

The desire pulled at every fiber of my body, and I yawned as I slowly rolled off the assassin and struggled to stay awake.

“Lord Evan!” Callan yelled. “What are you doing?”

“Just a quick nap,” I murmured as my eyelids got heavier and heavier.

My lord, it’s a sleep spell, Miraya called out from my spiritual sea. You can fight it. It’s weak, and you’re strong!

“What if I don’t want to?” I mumbled.

The thought of getting magically induced into a hard sleep without dreams of the Demon King or a war-torn Rahma or whatever other nightmares I could have was tempting. I might actually get some rest.

You must, the spirit said in a firm voice. They need your help!

My eyes snapped open, and I saw Pyotr, Callan, and the Blue Tree Guild soldiers had been pinned to the walls with a magical plant that grew from Dolion’s newest vial. The vines wrapped around their bodies and held them in place despite their struggles, and Dolion was making his way toward the door.

“Not happening, asshole,” I snarled as I conjured a fiery dagger.

I launched it across the room at the perfect angle to snag the assassin’s sleeve and pin it to the wall next to the door.

“No!” he groaned and then hissed with pain when he tried to grab the flaming blade. “You won’t keep me here!”

Dolion turned toward me and threw another vial, but it sailed well above my head. I caught a glimpse of a bluish liquid inside before it crashed into the wall behind me and spilled onto the ground.

“You missed,” I said with a smirk.

“Did I?” he shot back and pointed behind me.

I whirled around to see the blue liquid had begun to take the shape of a man, or at least something close to a man. It had a head, arms, and legs, but there was no face, and it towered over me as the liquid continued to flow. It almost looked like the old swamp monster movies, except it was electric-blue and much more real than any movie character.

Then it stomped toward me with its monstrous hands outstretched. I easily stepped out of its path, but it didn’t stop until it collided with one of the guards pinned to the wall.

“Ughhhhh,” the soldier groaned as the monster crushed his legs with its heavy weight.

“Shit,” I cursed. “I’ll get rid of it. You guys just try to cut down the plants.”

“I got this part!” Callan yelled before he opened his mouth and spat out tiny streams of flames onto the vines around his torso.

The plant began to shrivel away from him, and I knew he could free everyone as long as I kept the blue monster away from them. I looked back at Dolion, who was still stuck to the wall, but he was trying to find a way to release himself.

I only had so much time to defeat his potion creature, so I pulled the Sword of Hatra from my belt and charged the monster just as it turned around from the guard. I plunged the blade into its belly until I felt the tip exit the other side, and then I ripped the sword to the side to slice through the monster’s gut.

Blue liquid dribbled over my blade, but the monster was undeterred. It took a swipe at my head with its huge hand, and I had to drop to one knee to avoid the blow. I yanked the Sword of Healing from its belly, and more of the blue liquid poured onto the floor. The fluid sizzled as it connected with the wooden planks of the ground, but then it disappeared. I wondered if that was a good or a bad thing, but I didn’t have much time to contemplate it.

The beast took a ground-shaking step toward me, and I dodged another one of its wide punches before I brought my sword up to lop off its arm. A gargled moan of pain sounded in the monster’s chest, and I watched as the hunk of blue flesh on the ground began to dissolve and disappear like the droplets from before.

So, it couldn’t regenerate. Too bad.

I caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of my eye and realized Callan had freed himself and had begun to free the others while I battled the potion monster, so I focused on the beast and went to work separating his appendages from his body.

I jumped back and forth with my heightened speed and cut off a leg, then its other arm, and finally, its other leg. When only its torso remained, the beast seemed unsure of how to proceed, but I didn’t plan to give it a chance.

I brought the Sword of Hatra around, but the sound of shattering glass brought me to a screeching halt. Then I looked up to see Dolion had thrown another vial at the monster I’d nearly finished off, and my eyes widened as the beast’s limbs began to sprout again from its torso.

And then the bastard started growing.

The monster doubled in size in a matter of seconds until its head was pressed to the ceiling of the prison room, and it released a horrific roar that rattled the boards on the walls.

“What’s going on?” Callen called out over his shoulder before he did a double-take. “Oh, that’s not good.”

“Nope!” I grunted as I gripped the Sword of Hatra. “But I already know how to kill it.”

The beast pounded its fists into every surface it could touch, and Pyotr struggled harder against his vines.

“My lord!” he yelled. “You must stop that thing! That’s an exterior--”

Before the wolf Demi-Human could finish his warning, the beast punched through the wooden siding of the airship. A gust of wind blew through the prison room, and because the airship was parked high up, the difference in pressure sucked the beast out into the sky.

“Shit!” I cursed. “Callen, you’re with me!”

I looked over at Dolion and threw a burst of sticky webbing over his body to keep him trapped against the wall. I had to take care of the potion monster before I could focus on the young sorcerer.

Then I sprinted toward the gaping hole in the wall and motioned for Callen to jump with me.

“What?” he gasped. “And shift in the air?”

“It’s easier than it sounds,” I assured him. “Just jump, shift, and flap your wings!”

I didn’t give the green dragon time to argue. We needed to catch up with the beast before it landed in the middle of Hatra.

I launched myself out of the airship and transformed into my dragon body in no time. Then I flapped my wings and craned my neck behind me to see Callan had followed my instructions and was already beating his wings to catch up with me. I could see the giant potion beast hadn’t made it very far yet, and I nosedived toward it with my claws outstretched.

As my talons grazed the top of the beast’s head, it roared with rage and swiped at the air between us. I dug my claws into its gooey flesh, and the monster’s electric-blue blood squeezed out over my scales. The liquid hissed as it dribbled over my scales, and I decided it was a good thing I’d assimilated the impenetrable scales ability.

I clenched the monster’s head and flew back toward Callan to keep it away from Hatra. Callan slowed his pace as I rose higher from the ground, and he eyed the monster as it swung its giant fists at my forelegs.

“What can I do to help?” he asked as his eyes narrowed on the beast.

“Do you have any more weird abilities that could chop it up or something?” I shouted over the wind.

“Uh, yeah,” Callan replied.

Then the green dragon’s snout shot out nearly twelve feet and sharpened into a point.

A fucking swordfish.

Callan tried to slice through the monster’s arm with his sharp snout but quickly realized it was more efficient to stab. He plunged his swordfish nose in and out of the potion monster until gallons of blue liquid poured from the beast, and it finally stopped trying to fight my grip on its head.

Now was my chance.

I gripped the beast’s head and launched it into the air above me. Then I shot up after it and ripped four gaping holes into its torso with my talons as it screeched down past me. It roared in pain as it continued to crash toward the ground, and I whirled around and followed it with my maw wide open.

As the beast slammed into the sand, I bellowed roaring flames onto its bleeding chest, and it squealed and moaned for only a few seconds before it melted into a puddle of blue liquid.

I hovered over the pool for a moment before I gave it another dose of firepower. Soon, the goo turned to dark-blue ashes, and I smirked with satisfaction before I flew back up to meet Callan.

“That one’s done,” I said. “Now, we handle the sorcerer.”

“Right behind you,” he replied.

We flapped our wings, zoomed toward the airship, and transformed at the last second to land in the room of prison cells with matching thuds.

Pyotr had finished freeing two of the guards and worked at the vines of the third with his sword, so I hurried over and offered some fiery assistance. The more guards on our side, the less likely the young sorcerer was to get away.

“Aha!” I suddenly heard Dolion shout with joy as he finally freed himself from the fiery dagger and webs.

I whirled around to see Callan had turned his arms into tentacles in an attempt to fight off the assassin. The sight was almost comical, and in any other situation, I’d probably have laughed.

For now, I had to help.

I watched Callan’s tentacles slither around Dolion, only for the assassin to slip out of their grasp. He seemed to be out of potions, and the green dragon was fighting valiantly to keep him in the prison room, but it was difficult to fight efficiently in such tight quarters.

My fellow dragon needed me.

The sorcerer hadn’t noticed that I’d already killed his monster, and his body stiffened in surprise when I grabbed the back of his robe and threw him against the wall.

“Leave him alone!” I bellowed as I called on my fire magic.

A fiery rope appeared in my hands, and I whipped it like a lasso around Dolion’s wrist. The rope dragged him across the floor toward me, and he began to whimper like an injured animal.

“No, wait!” he begged. “Y-You said you need me a-alive!”

“Maybe I’ve changed my mind since you went after my friend,” I growled.

“Oh, gods,” Dolion pleaded and put his hands together in prayer. “Protect me from this dragon and whatever he plans to do to me. Help him find forgiveness!”

“The gods won’t forgive you, and neither will I,” I said in a low voice.

Then I whipped the rope off his wrist and snapped it across his back like a whip.

“Ohhhh!” Dolion howled in pain. “I can’t… the fire! It burns!”

“It’s supposed to,” I grunted. “Now, get back in your cell before I put you there myself.”

Dolion whimpered as he crawled across the wooden floor and into his cell without another word.

“Some assassin,” Callan murmured.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t exactly call him top of the line,” I agreed. “But why would someone hire a crappy assassin to kill you?”

One of the guards yanked Dolion’s cell door shut and used a spell to relock it. The sound of the lock clicking into place was satisfying, and Callan and I stood in front of the cell door with matching smirks on our faces.

“Thought we couldn’t keep you trapped?” Callan said and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I’m guessing you don’t have any more potions to throw at us,” I added.

“Well, I planned on being able to escape in the mist,” Dolion muttered, and he winced as he bumped the burns on his back. “That obviously didn’t go as I expected.”

“I’m sure you didn’t expect to see tentacles, either,” Callan snorted.

“Neither did I, to be honest,” I whispered with a grin.

“I caught a few octomayls with my fish,” the green dragon chuckled. “It tasted good, and it gave me a new ability.”

“Nice, though I don’t know what an octomayl is,” I said with amusement before I turned back to the assassin. “Now, you’re up.”

“Up for what?” he asked with feigned innocence. “I don’t know anything about… whatever the thing is you’re asking about.”

“Yes, you do,” I growled. “Now is not the time to play games, Dolion. You were hired by someone, and I want to know who.”

“I already told you, I didn’t know him!” the assassin-wannabe whined. “He just gave me money!”

“And I no longer believe you,” I replied. “You can tell me the truth, or I can take the truth from you. Which will it be? Last chance, asshole.”

“Uh, uh, I-- well…” Dolion trailed off and looked down at the ground before he sat up, crossed his arms, and pouted. “You can’t make me tell you anything. Your fire will burn me to death, and then you won’t know anything.”

“Oh, you think all I have is fire magic?” I chuckled. “You’re about to learn a new lesson in magic.”

I opened my palm and held it out toward the sorcerer, and greenish-blue tendrils of my nature magic erupted from my fingers and bolted at him.

“What is--” he gasped before the magic entered his mouth.

“Tell me who it is,” I ordered.

The nature magic I’d learned from the Sola fairies plunged down his throat, and Dolion screamed in agony as the power pulled and tore at his insides to grasp the truth.

“He’ll k-kill meeeee!” he screeched as blood poured from his mouth.

“I can bring you near death, heal you, and start over,” I hissed. “Tell me who it is.”

“Gods!” Dolion screamed, and he gagged as more blood dribbled down his chin before the nature magic yanked out the answer. “His name is Terach!”

“Now, we’re getting somewhere,” I said with a smirk. “Tell me about Terach. Where is he from?”

“No one knows where he was born or lived,” the assassin answered between gasps for air. “He travels where he pleases, and he disappears and reappears at will. He’s like a ghost.”

“I ain’t afraid of no ghost,” I laughed at my own Ghostbusters reference and then cleared my throat. “Anyway, where can I find him?”

“I don’t know,” Dolion said and then cowered as I raised my hand again. “I swear!”

“Then how were you going to get the other half of your payment?” I pressed.

“He just said I would get it!” the young sorcerer insisted. “I figured he had magic or something, and it would just… I don’t know, pop up in my pocket or whatever.”

“You are incredibly stupid,” Callan muttered.

“I second that,” I chuckled. “Is the rest of your story true?”

“Yes,” Dolion grunted. “He approached me, offered the gold, and said I’d get the other half once the cave was destroyed. That was it.”

“Alright,” I murmured as I turned to face Pyotr. “Now, we’ve seen what he can do with his potions. I think he’s out, but if he’s not, make sure the guards don’t fall for the invisibility one again. In fact, they need to strip him of his robes and search him completely for any more potions. He may not be able to perform magic without his staff, but we’ve learned he can still use those. Fool me once.”

“We will not be fooled twice,” the wolf Demi-Human growled. “Once he is searched, his cell is to stay locked indefinitely.”

“Perfect,” I said. “I need to get back to the palace and update everyone.”

“I’ll be here when you need me,” Pyotr replied with a nod and then turned to one of the guards. “Send someone up here to escort Lord Evan and Callan to the door. I’m needed in the training room.”

“Right away, sir,” the soldier said and bowed.

Moments later, a dryad woman appeared in the doorway and offered her forearm to greet me. I was shocked for a moment, and I realized I’d never seen a dryad other than the three sisters. She wasn’t quite as breathtakingly beautiful, but she had the same emerald skin, and her jade hair was pulled into a bun on top of her head. She also wore the brown leathers of a warrior with the Blue Tree Guild emblem scorched into the front of her chest cover.

“My lord, I’ll guide you to the exit,” she said in a low voice.

“Thank you,” I replied.

Callan and I followed the dryad around the airship until we saw sunlight peek in through the doorway that would lead us back into the city. We thanked her and headed toward the Lunar Palace.

As we walked along the stone road, Callan seemed to have finally relaxed and caught his breath.

“That was wild,” he finally said. “You just sent those magical smoke things in his mouth and pulled the truth up like water from a well.”

“Yeah, a little trick I picked up a few months ago.” I grinned. “What about you? I’ve never seen either of the assimilations you used.”

“Living by the ocean for so long had its perks,” the green dragon laughed. “I found all kinds of crazy skills there. I couldn’t keep them all, though. It was too much work to maintain them.”

“Too much work?” I cocked my head to the side with curiosity. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I hardly ever needed to use them, and I don’t know how else to keep them in, ah, working order, I suppose,” he said with a shrug. “They seemed to just sort of fade away.”

“I seem to be able to access my powers any time if I’ve used it at least once,” I remarked. “You don’t try them out once you get them?”

“Sometimes,” he replied. “Not always.”

“Interesting,” I muttered as I mulled this over in my head. Then a thought occurred to me. “Do you ever cultivate? That seems to help me.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Callan admitted.

“No shit,” I murmured. “That’s why no one knows how to make messengers anymore. There’s a lot more to our magic than assimilation, my friend.”

“Would you teach me?” he asked.

“Of course,” I agreed. “I actually wanted to work on something, too, so maybe we can cultivate together.”

“Alright.” Callan looked around the busy street. “Uh, where do we do this?”

“I know the perfect place,” I said with a grin.

I changed course and headed for the gardens, where the Moon Princess statue waited. Callan looked at me with confusion as I bent down and pressed the stone at her feet that opened the passageway to the River Moonstone House, but then the stone floor beneath us vibrated and opened to reveal a staircase that led deep into the ground.

“Is this safe?” the green dragon asked with a brief hesitation.

“Definitely,” I replied and motioned for him to follow me.

Once we stepped down into the River Moonstone House, I felt the surge of energy calm my soul, and I heard Callan’s sharp intake of breath. I remembered the same feeling of bewildered awe when I’d first come down here with Ruslan, and I grinned at my fellow dragon before I walked deeper into the polished marble room and sat down on the floor.

Callan followed me to the center of the room and sat down across from me, and he mimicked my cross-legged pose as he continued to look around the room with wide eyes.

“This is incredible,” he breathed.

“Yeah, and it’s the perfect place to teach you how to cultivate,” I said. “Trust me, it’s where I learned, too.”

“What do you do?” the green dragon asked.

“We start with closing our eyes.” I closed mine and felt my voice drift into what was something of a yogi’s tone of voice. “Then we have to focus on finding the pure center of our magic. You have to relax and be totally calm from your head to your toes, and let your energy flow through every part of your body.”

“My energy,” Callan murmured in a dazed tone.

“Yes, you have to dive into yourself and find its source,” I continued. “Don’t get lost in it, control it, own it. It’s your power, your magic.”

Then the green dragon was silent, and I knew he’d begun to navigate the path to his spiritual sea. I entered my own sea, and Miraya stood on the beach with an angelic smile on her face.

“I’m glad you’re cultivating again,” she said serenely. “Your sea feels much calmer when you do.”

“Yeah, I wanted to do that, but I also want to try something else.” I looked around and furrowed my brow. “Where could I build a wall to protect myself?”

“Protect yourself from what?” Miraya asked with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“The Demon King and his stupid nightmares,” I explained. “When I healed those people’s memories, I could feel a wall his sleeping curse had created. It’s what kept their memories from being accessible to them.”

“Yes, I felt that, too,” she mused. “Well, I suppose you’d have to build yours around whatever you need to protect. He enters your mind during sleep, so perhaps it would be beneficial to focus on your Arxo.”

“I’m sorry, my what?” I gaped at the spirit, who stifled a laugh.

“Your Arxo,” Miraya repeated. “It’s your sleep tower. Come on, I’ll show you.”

“My sleep tower,” I muttered. “Where else?”

It seemed I learned something new about my spiritual sea almost every day.

Miraya took my hand and pulled me toward the grass at the edge of the beach. We hurried toward the left side of the mountain and passed by the cave where the Celestial Triad spirits were caged. Then we rounded the mountain, and I saw it.

A huge stone tower loomed behind the mountain. The stones were a deep-amethyst color that matched my eyes, but the flags that hung from the turret up top were the same jet-black color as my dragon scales. They even shimmered in the sunlight as the breeze waved through them.

“There it is!” Miraya said with an excited grin.

“Wow,” I murmured. “That’s huge.”

“Yeah, it houses your dreams,” she replied. “And you have a lot of them.”

“So, could I revisit a dream if I wanted to?” I wondered suddenly.

“You could, but the Arxo is difficult to navigate,” the spirit answered. “Most dreams don’t have a specific beginning or ending, so it’s not easy to find the one you want.”

Part of me wanted to explore the Arxo, but the more reasonable part of me decided now was not the right time.

“Duly noted.” I pursed my lips as we got closer to the large black door, and I could hear voices and various other sounds inside. “What’s with all the noise?”

“Your dreams are just as realistic in there as they are in your mind,” she explained. “So, you hear them from out here as you would in your sleep.”

“That’s not terrifying at all,” I muttered. “So, I just need to build a wall around the tower. Sounds easy enough.”

“How will you do it?” Miraya asked.

“My stone magic, I guess,” I said as I glanced back over at the mountain. “There are tons of boulders and rocks in there. I’ll use those.”

“Even with your stone magic, that is a large task ahead of you, my lord.” The sword spirit wrung her hands together in front of her.

“It is,” I said as I looked around the tower. “Do you think I need a whole wall around this thing? Or maybe just to block the door?”

The double-doors to the Arxo were at least as wide as a double-car garage door and stood probably eight feet high. It was a daunting task, but it didn’t compare to the thought of building a wall around the entire tower even with my stone magic.

“No one can access someone else’s Arxo without a door,” she agreed. “It would be impossible.”

“Okay, so that makes it a little easier,” I grunted.

Then I got to work.

While I knew time passed differently in my spiritual sea than in the physical world, it still felt like it was hours that I used my stone magic to drag boulders and stones from the mountain to the lush green grass in front of my Arxo. Then I began the laborious task of stacking the boulders and stones to block the expansive door.

I rolled the largest boulders up against the raven-colored wood until I heard the thump of the stone hitting the door. Then I piled dozens of large rocks into the gaps between and on top of the boulders. By the time I stepped back from my creation, I was drenched in sweat, but I couldn’t see a single part of the black doors to my Arxo.

“I feel like it needs more,” I said as I stared at the wall. “Some way to make sure he doesn’t just walk back into my head and knock them down.”

Miraya nodded her head in agreement, but I already had an idea in mind. I thought about how I’d summoned the cages for the Celestial Triad spirits with a simple thought. I needed to essentially trap the blockade in place, and I had to be the only one with access to it.

It needed a lock.

My thoughts seemed to summon the lock into existence, and the boulders and rocks glowed with a violet light before they hardened into a single layer of thick obsidian. Soon, a keyhole appeared in the center of the stone, and I looked down to see a tattoo of a key ink itself onto the back of my hand.

Fucking badass.

“I think you got it, my lord,” Miraya breathed. “There’s no way the Demon King could get through that.”

“He better not,” I muttered. “I’m tired of him being in my dreams. I like the ones with my women in them much better.”

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Miraya giggled.

We walked back down to the beach, and I rinsed off the sweat in the calm waters of my spiritual sea. I felt refreshed, and though a little bit of doubt tried to wiggle its way into my thoughts, I was hopeful about the blockade I’d built.

It would be a relief to sleep in peace.

“I better get back,” I said once we’d dried off in the sun. “Callan is cultivating, too, and he might be a little confused if I’m still gone when he gets back.”

“Of course, my lord.” Miraya pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek. “I hope you have sweeter dreams tonight.”

I groaned inwardly at the thought of leaving the spirit now, but I had to get back to the green dragon. Plus, I still needed to update everyone else on the information we’d gotten from Dolion, so I sighed and returned to the River Moonstone House.

As I suspected, Callan had awoken from his cultivation already, but he still sat across from me in the meditation pose and watched me open my eyes.

“Yours was way longer than mine,” he remarked.

“I had some work to do,” I said and grinned as we stood up and stretched. “How do you feel?”

“Incredible,” the green dragon answered with a glint in his eye. “I think I can make my own messenger now.”

“Well, give it a shot,” I encouraged him.

Callan took a deep breath and held his palm open between us. Then a shimmery little dragon appeared in a puff of smoke, and it turned around in his hand to look at him.

“I did it!” he gasped. “That’s it!”

“You got it.” I grinned. “Now, you tell him what to do or where to go, and he does it.”

“Okay, go to the Lunar Palace and tell them we’re on our way,” Callan ordered.

The tiny dragon nodded its head and then zoomed up the staircase to pass on his message.

“Well, I guess we better make sure we’re right behind him,” I chuckled.

“Amazing,” the green dragon breathed as we began to walk up the staircase. “Thank you, Lord Evan, for showing me this ability.”

“Ah, don’t mention it.” I grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.

As we headed back to the palace, Callan talked non-stop about his energy and how it felt to access it. He’d never been taught to cultivate, and he’d only known how to create a messenger because the drache had taught him a few things about magic. He had no idea how much he could do by tapping into his full power.

“So, now when you assimilate an ability, you can keep it in your spiritual sea and use it whenever you want,” I said.

“I’m going to get so many cool abilities,” he replied with a wide smile. “I mean, I don’t want to go kill a bunch of stuff, but monsters or things I can eat are fair game.”

“Exactly,” I agreed.

We walked in the front doors, and the rest of my people were in the great hall with the large map of Inati spread out on the floor. They all looked up as we walked in, and my lovers jumped to their feet to come hug me. I was squished between all my women at once, and I didn’t mind one bit.

“Did he tell you anything?” Marina asked.

“Of course, he did,” Trina scoffed. “Lord Evan has his ways.”

“Yeah, no one can keep a secret from him for long,” Polina added.

“That’s true,” I agreed with a laugh. “We got the name.”

“Who sent him?” Ravi asked, and her bright-blue eyes were wide with anticipation.

“A guy named Terach,” I said. “I guess no one knows much about him, but--”

“Terach is evil,” Ruslan groaned. “We all know that much.”

“Wait, you know that guy?” I asked in surprise.

“We know of him,” Julia said as she furrowed her brow. “He has a reputation for being rather… vicious.”

“Ruthless,” my father added.

“But I thought he’d been killed.” Julia frowned as she thought.

“In a war or something?” I pressed.

“No,” Ruslan answered and shivered. “During one of his conquests, maybe two centuries ago, was it? Anyway, Terach was well-known for his desire to become rich and powerful by taking over any city he wanted. He would kill anyone who stood in his way without a second thought.”

“Men, women, or children,” Julia said with a grimace. “He paid no mind to anything except his goal of conquering cities.”

“Bastard,” Laika growled, and her steely-gray eyes lit up with rage.

“That he was,” my mother agreed. “Or is, I suppose the case may be.”

“Oh, gods,” Ruslan murmured. “It never even crossed my mind.”

“What?” I asked.

“The sword tattoo Dolion mentioned,” he explained. “It was said he had the sword tattooed on his right arm, so it was the last thing his victims saw before he killed them. He preferred to kill with his bare hands.”

“Okay, so this guy is a total ass-hat, I get that,” I said with a frown. “But why did he need Dolion to kill for him? It sounds like he has no problem doing it on his own.”

“That’s a good question,” Alyona agreed and tapped her lip. “It seems Terach also might have been more successful than the young sorcerer.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Aaliyah growled. “This Terach guy has to have something up his sleeve.”

“Besides his death tattoo,” Rebecca said and scowled.

“I agree,” I mused. “And I intend to find out what that is. I just need to know how to find this guy.”

“If he convinced everyone that he was dead for the past however many years, how are you going to find him?” Emma asked.

“I don’t know yet,” I muttered. “But I’m going to find a way.”

“I have a feeling Terach knows something about the Breach,” Naomi said as she tucked a stray magenta hair behind her ear. “A guy who loves death would surely know about a potentially deadly hole in the realm.”

“That would make sense,” Nike agreed. “I’ve never heard of Terach, but a man who wants to conquer the world seems likely to team up with the Demon King who has the same goals.”

“And we have to do whatever is necessary to prevent that,” I said with a scowl. “They can’t work together. It would spell disaster for everyone.”

“I’ll do some research,” Ruslan volunteered. “I can track where Terach was last known to be and where Dolion met him. Maybe some of my old friends around Rahma can give me some more information.”

“I’d appreciate it,” I murmured.

“It won’t be easy, son,” he said. “Terach was-- ah, is like a ghost.”

That was the second time the man had been referred to as a ghost, and something about it sent chills down my spine. This was a man I had to find, there was no doubt about that.

“Just find him,” I replied. “Whatever it takes.”

Ruslan dipped his head and hurried out the front door. I figured he would head to the archives to check the history books first, but before the doors could shut behind him, one of the guards strode inside and stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Lord Evan, you have another visitor,” he boomed.

Oh, great.

Chapter 15

“I don’t want any more visitors right now,” I said with a wave of my hand. “I’m tired of them.”

“My lord, if I may, I think you’ll want to make an exception,” the guard replied with a half-smile.

I arched an eyebrow at his remark but nodded my head to allow the visitors.

A few seconds later, two small figures sprinted into the palace and leaped into my arms.

“Our dragon!” Ilyushina giggled as she nuzzled into my neck.

“We’ve missed you,” Ilya said in a softer voice.

The two Asuran children held tight as I swallowed back a lump in my throat. I’d rescued the brother and sister from their destroyed village soon after I’d arrived in Rahma, and they’d been staying in Hatra ever since. Their little silver horns seemed to have grown since the last time I’d seen them, and I had to adjust our hugging position to keep from getting poked, but feeling the two little ones squeeze me was worth it.

“I’ve missed you, too,” I murmured into their bluish-silver hair. “I’m sorry I’ve been so busy.”

“It’s okay,” Ilya muttered into my shoulder. “We know you have important things to do, my lord.”

Everyone else waited in silence until the Asurans finally let go and stood in front of me with matching smiles.

“We’ve been doing a lot while you were gone,” Ilyushina said as she bounced up and down on her toes. “We started our lessons.”

“Lessons?” I echoed with a questioning glance at my mother.

“A few teachers have made their way to Hatra,” she explained in a happy voice. “Many of the children attend regular classes in history, magic, and the like. I didn’t want them to grow up without learning some skills.”

“That’s amazing,” I said. “I think it’s brilliant.”

“I can’t wait for our hatchling to go there,” Valerra chimed in. “It’s so lovely.”

“You went there?” I arched a surprised eyebrow at my dragon mate.

“Well, yeah, they needed a self-defense teacher,” she replied as she carefully examined her long nails.

“Valerra is my favorite teacher!” Ilya squealed. “She teaches us how to fight!”

“Of course, she does,” I chuckled. “I’m just surprised I didn’t know.”

“It was going to be a surprise when you toured the school,” Valerra sighed. “I just couldn’t wait anymore, and you’ve been so busy.”

“Fair enough,” I said with a grin. “I’m proud of you.”

The slightest tint of pink colored the lady dragon’s cheeks as she looked down at Ilya, who stared up at her with complete adoration.

“Who are your new girlfriends?” Ilyushina asked suddenly.

I laughed as the little Asuran girl blinked curiously at Isabella and Skye with a stunned sense of wonder.

“My name is Isabella,” the Nepin said as she knelt down to meet Ilyushina’s gaze. “I’m a Nepin. Have you ever seen someone like me before?”

“No.” Ilyushina shook her head. “You look like a beautiful fairy.”

“I’m a lot like fairies,” Isabella giggled. “And look at my dear sister, Skye. She’s part Nepin, like me, and she’s part naiad. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Naiad, like the water people?” Ilyushina breathed, and her little mouth popped open. “Wow, that’s so amazing!”

Skye’s sapphire skin darkened into a blush, and the little Asuran was mesmerized as she touched their wings and tattoos. Ilya stayed by me, though he had inched his way a little closer to Valerra, and my heart swelled with happiness at the siblings and the way they fit in with my family. I loved them like they were my own, and I wanted nothing more than to keep working toward a world where they were safe and free from the evil of the Breach.

“Did you slay any more beasts?” Ilya asked as he turned back to face me.

“Oh, plenty of beasts!” I grinned. “I slayed a creature made out of a potion just today.”

Alyona raised a curious eyebrow but didn’t say anything, while Callan tried hard to cover a smile.

“I want to hear every detail!” the Asuran boy begged. “I’ve been practicing my fighting skills, so I can join the Hatra army!”

“Those are some big goals, bud,” I said, and I felt like I’d never stop smiling at the little boy. “Well, this sorcerer thought he could get past two dragons with a few potions.”

“What a stupid sorcerer.” Ilya smirked and glanced over at Callan. “Are you the other dragon?”

“I am,” Callan replied.

“I thought so,” Ilya said with a shrug. “You smell like Lord Evan but slightly different. So, he made a beast with the potion?”

“Yeah, after he tried to escape with mist,” I recounted the story of Dolion’s defeat. “By the time we were done with him, he was crawling back into the cell on his own.”

“What a chicken!” the Asuran laughed. “What other beasts have you faced since you were gone?”

“Oh, man, hellbeasts, creepy Underworld fairies, Quoras, corrupted creatures,” I said as I counted them off on my fingers.

“Don’t forget to tell him about the inzoka,” Laika pointed out.

“And the fact that some of those corrupted creatures were underwater,” Rebecca added.

“Wow,” Ilya breathed. “And you defeated all of them?”

“We did,” I confirmed. “I couldn’t do it all by myself, you know. That’s one of the best parts about having family around for these things. It takes a team.”

“Oh, right, family…” He looked down at his feet and sighed.

“Which is why you have us,” I continued gently. “You’re in our family, too, Ilya. You and Ilyushina are just as important to me as everyone else in this room.”

“We are?” he gasped and looked up at me with watery eyes.

“Of course, you are,” I replied. “And don’t you ever forget it.”

“We won’t,” he promised with a look toward his sister, who had finally tired of touching Isabella and Skye. “I’ll make sure of it.”

I knew the Asuran boy would look after his little sister, as he had done for her whole life. It was a bond that could never be replaced.

My mind drifted to the bond I hoped to share with my children as well, and I realized I hadn’t checked on the eggs since I’d been back.

“Valerra, do you want to go with me to check on the hatchlings?” I asked.

“Of course,” she scoffed.

I laughed as I took her hand and led her up the staircase. We walked into her room, and I noticed her ladies-in-waiting were absent. Typically, Emily and Eleanor were either right behind Valerra or in her room, and I briefly wondered where else they could be.

The thought left as quickly as it had come when we walked into the secret room below Valerra’s chambers. The chest that held our egg and Valerra’s sister’s egg practically screamed at me to open the drawers.

I pulled open the two I knew were filled and gazed down at our egg. The black, purple, and gold scaly surface encased our future child, and I was still in awe at the power that emanated from the egg. I hoped he would be magical like me, and as I leaned in closer to whisper to him, I took a surprised step backward.

“Is that a crack?” I asked.

“What?” Valerra gasped and leaned down to examine the egg. “Oh, gods! It is! How? Why? Is he hurt?”

“I-I don’t know,” I stammered as I stepped back toward the drawer and traced my finger over the tiny sliver in the violet section of the egg.

“Don’t touch it!” she hissed. “What if our hatchling is damaged? I will slaughter anyone who has entered the egg chamber and touched our eggs!”

My dragon mate radiated a hot wave of fury, and anger started to bubble up in my own chest.

“Do you think someone came in here?” I demanded. “Where are Emily and Eleanor?”

“Off running some stupid errand, but I can take care of the eggs!” Valerra insisted. “Emma and I have been the only ones who entered the room.”

“Okay, then it can’t be because someone did it,” I replied, and I took a deep breath to calm down. “Besides, if someone wanted to hurt the eggs, they would have done more than just a little crack, right?”

“They could try,” she huffed. “Dragon eggshells are incredibly strong, like our scales. Maybe that’s all the damage the intruder could do.”

“I’m not convinced there was an intruder,” I said and put my hand on her shoulder. “Let’s figure this out.”

“I’d rather rip someone’s head from their shoulders,” my dragon mate growled.

I knew she meant it, but I had to be the cool-headed one right now.

“Wait a second,” I said. “Just let me think.”

Do not fret, my lord, Miraya soothed me.

I’d nearly forgotten the spirit had stayed in my spiritual sea, and I took a deep breath of relief.

What does it mean? I asked. Do you think someone did this?

I’m not an expert in dragon history, my lord, she replied carefully. The spell on the doorway is intact, and I only know a few things in addition to what we’ve learned together.

The only thing we’ve really learned about dragon eggs is that they don’t hatch until they feel safe, I pointed out and then froze.

“Until they feel safe,” I repeated aloud and turned to Valerra. “Maybe he’s starting to feel safe. That’s when they hatch, right?”

“According to that text,” she murmured. “But why wouldn’t he just hatch, then?”

“Maybe he’s just giving us a sign,” I said. “Like we’re on the right path, so he feels like the world is getting safer for him to hatch in.”

“That sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me,” Valerra scoffed. “You’re just trying to keep me from killing someone.”

“Well, that is also part of my goal,” I admitted. “I don’t want you to fly off the handle at everyone if only one person is to blame, but I don’t think there’s anyone. Miraya said the spell on the door is working, so no one but a dragon could have come in here.”

“You invited Callan into the castle.” Valerra looked at me with narrowed eyes. “He could have passed through the doorway.”

“He’s never even been up here, we would have smelled him,” I argued. “And he wouldn’t do anything to hurt them. He’s been nothing but kind and helpful since he arrived. I promise, I would have felt something if he was bad. Plus, I’m pretty sure you scared the shit out of him already. He’d be an idiot to try to get past you.”

Valerra kept her eyes on me as she mulled that over before she nodded her head and turned back to the eggs.

“I hope he’s okay,” she whispered.

“Me, too.” I wrapped my arms around the lady dragon and pulled her close. “We just have to believe we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, so he can be with us soon.”

Valerra leaned against me and sighed, and I knew how she felt. We had the draconic instincts to protect our child, but there wasn’t anyone to take our rage out on. We just had to be patient and wait for the answer to the question.

What did the crack in the eggshell mean?

I double-checked the red egg, but its surface appeared to be completely devoid of cracks and remained as smooth as ever. It was only our egg that had changed.

After my dragon mate’s breathing returned to normal, I led her back to the great hall, where the rest of my lovers immediately surrounded her with hugs.

“Are you alright?” Naomi asked.

“We felt you in pain,” Ravi said with a frown.

“There’s a crack in our egg,” Valerra explained. “But we think it could be a sign that he’s starting to feel safe, which means you can’t stop working on the mission. We have to close the Breach for the eggs to finish hatching.”

“That is incredible,” Alyona breathed. “I’d like to read more about dragon eggs.”

“I think we’ve acquired a few more texts in the archives,” Julia said with a smile. “We keep receiving them as gifts from people who heard we have dragons in Hatra.”

“Ooh, I think I’ll go check them out!” my wife giggled as she started to turn toward the door.

“Milady, wait!” We all turned to see Emily hustle through the dining room into the great hall with Eleanor hot on her heels. “You can’t go just yet!”

“And why not?” Alyona asked with obvious confusion.

“Because there is already something planned for you all,” Eleanor replied with a mischievous grin.

“Oh, gods,” Valerra groaned. “Don’t say it.”

“A celebration!” the ladies-in-waiting said in unison.

“Oh, how exciting!” Isabella clapped her hands and looked at Valerra. “You don’t like their parties?”

“At least this one isn’t a surprise, I suppose,” Valerra muttered.

“Surprise parties for dragons aren’t a good idea,” I whispered to the Nepin.

“We learned our lesson, milady,” Emily said with a smile. “Now, come, come.”

“All of us?” Emma asked with wide eyes. “I’m not dressed for a party.”

“Ladies, maybe we should just hold off on the party,” I interjected. “I mean, isn’t it a little early to celebrate? We haven’t even completed our mission yet.”

“You completed part of it,” Eleanor countered. “And it’s never too early to celebrate success.”

She has a point, my lord, Miraya giggled.

Don’t give her any extra ammo, I murmured.

Everyone seemed to be waiting on me to respond, and I looked at the ladies-in-waiting as they practically chewed their nails off.

“Well, when is it?” I asked.

“We’ve already begun!” Emily squealed. “We were just waiting for you to return from the airship. Forsythe has prepared a meal for the entire city!”

“And Arthur baked enough sweets to feed another city on their own,” Eleanor laughed.

“Wait, so you knew about this?” I eyed Callan, who blushed and held up his hands.

“I only knew Arthur had me bring a lot of flour to the bakery yesterday,” he said. “I didn’t know exactly what it was for. Also, I didn’t know you were particular about parties.”

“I’m not,” I groaned. “I just don’t want to jinx the mission.”

“Dear nephew, come here,” Emma said as she walked away from the rest of the group.

I prepared myself for one of my aunt’s pep talks as I plodded over out of everyone else’s earshot.

“You think I’m being ridiculous?” I asked and pursed my lips.

“Well, yes,” she chuckled. “But it’s not just that. Eleanor-- or, uh, Emily? I’m not sure which one is which, honestly, but one of them made a very good point. It’s never too early to celebrate a success, and you successfully bonded with another Noble of the Sword, right?”

“Yeah,” I mumbled.

“Then that’s a reason to celebrate,” my aunt concluded. “You gained more power, which puts us all one step closer to a safe world. What’s wrong with your people being happy about that?”

“Nothing,” I sighed.

“Exactly.” Emma smiled as she put a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Evan, you are one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing, and here you are, worrying about jinxing something you’ve already done so well at. You know, your mother and I always used to tell you that you make your own luck. I don’t think you’ll lose any of that luck by having a party.”

I knew she was right, even if I didn’t like to admit it.

“Alright,” I agreed. “I’ll let them throw the party.”

“Well, I think you’re a little late for them throwing it,” my aunt laughed. “But definitely not too late for a better attitude.”

I’d been sufficiently mothered by my aunt, but sometimes, I needed that. I’d even missed it while she’d been back on Earth and I’d been here.

So, I pulled her in for a hug, and she squeezed me around the waist for a moment before she wiped away a tear and stepped back.

“Let’s go party,” I said with a smile.

I offered Emma my elbow, and she looped her arm through it as we walked back toward the others.

“So, where’s this shindig at?” Emma asked.

“What is a shindig?” Eleanor wondered.

“Oh, gods, now there are two of them,” Laika groaned playfully.

“I imagine it’s at the Smoky Pavilion,” I laughed. “It’s about the only place that would have room for everyone.”

“Yes!” Emily squeaked. “Come on!”

We followed the ladies-in-waiting out of the Lunar Palace, and I slowed down when Julia tapped me on the arm.

“I’m going to fetch Ruslan,” she murmured. “He’ll be down there for days if I don’t pull him out sometimes, and he needs a good party.”

“Definitely,” I agreed. “See you soon.”

My adoptive mother headed for the archives while the rest of us made our way toward the music and laughter at the Smoky Pavilion. The band of bird Demi-Humans had returned, and they sang and played their instruments while dozens of couples danced in the center of the pavilion. At least a hundred tables had been arranged around the dance floor, and many of the families sat and munched on appetizers until they noticed our arrival.

Then they broke into a round of roaring applause as they rose to their feet.

We all grinned and waved as the people of Hatra clapped for us while we weaved through them to reach the table at the front of the pavilion. I could hardly keep track of all the new faces, but suddenly, one group in particular caught my eyes.

Three men and one woman watched me with cautious curiosity. Their table was near the back of the pavilion, but a shiver of recognition raced through my body. I couldn’t remember a single one of their faces, but something told me I knew them.

Or I had to know them.

I diverted my path to make my way closer to their table, and a peculiar but vaguely familiar scent reached my nose.

“Lord Evan?” Alyona asked as she trailed along behind me. “Where are you going?”

“I just have to talk to them,” I murmured.

“Who?” she wondered.

“My lord,” one of the men said as I reached the table.

He rose to his feet and offered a low bow. When he stood back up, I could see he had dark-brown eyes that looked almost black, and his white hair was pulled back from his face and braided down his back. His brown robes were a little tattered, as though he’d spent many days outside in them, and his face was warm as he smiled at me.

“Have we met?” I asked carefully.

“Not yet, I’m afraid,” he replied. “Though once we received your message, we knew we wanted to meet you.”

Holy. Shit.

“I knew I recognized you somehow,” I said as I struggled to contain my excitement. “You’re a dragon!”

“I am, my lord,” he agreed, and his smile widened. “My name is Vardaan. These are my friends, Chandra, Navin, and Summit.”

Each of the other three dragons nodded at the mention of their names, and I was completely astonished. The other two men were big and burly like Vardaan, while Chandra was small and reserved. I tried to picture their dragon forms, which quickly led to a daydream of us all flying together over Hatra.

“I’m Princess Alyona, Lord Evan’s wife.” She snapped me out of my daydream and back to the present with a slight jab to the ribs.

“Ah, yes, sorry,” I murmured.

“Daughter of King Rodion?” Chandra asked with wide eyes. “We were not aware Lord Evan had entered such an impressive union. Congratulations.”

“And she is with child,” Summit mused. “It seems dual congratulations are due.”

“Thank you,” I said with a grin. “I’m sorry, my manners are, uh, a bit off. I just… I wasn’t sure anyone would come.”

“We were thrilled to hear of the Sage’s demise,” Vardaan chuckled. “He was a thorn in our sides for many years, and I think you’ll soon find we aren’t the only ones who received your message.”

“Do you know other dragons?” I asked.

“Not personally,” he hedged. “I heard stories from the drache about other colonies that survived the Sage’s purge.”

“Colonies,” I echoed. “Incredible. I hope you know you’re welcome to stay as long as you like. You could live here, if you choose.”

“We could?” Navin finally spoke, and he seemed surprised at my offer.

“Absolutely,” I said. “There are houses being built all the time. We only ask that you find a way to contribute to the city.”

“Like working?” Vardaan cocked his head to the side in confusion. “What could we do?”

“Man, there are tons of options,” I chuckled. “You can work in the fields, any of the shops in the market, so many options.”

“Or if you have your own skills, you could open a shop, too,” my wife chimed in. “Hatra is still developing, so I’m sure there are some things we’re still missing.”

“I’ve always wanted to make music,” Chandra said as she looked wistfully at the bird Demi-Human band.

“I bet they’d welcome you with open arms,” I encouraged her.

“Maybe I’ll go talk to them,” she murmured.

“We’ve never really had non-dragon friends before,” Summit said and scratched his head. “Do you just say hello?”

“Yeah, they’re used to me and my dragon mate,” I pointed out. “She was a little scary at first, but now she teaches self-defense to the kids at school.”

“There’s a school?” Vardaan looked at me with eyes as round as dinner plates. “Do you need more teachers?”

“I’ll introduce you to my mother,” I laughed. “She’s been the one who handles that, but I’m sure she could find a place for you.”

“Oh, this is wonderful news!” Alyona clapped her hands. “You must celebrate with us. Have you eaten?”

“Not yet, Your Highness,” Chandra answered as she inclined her head.

“Please, take part in all the festivities,” my wife insisted. “We were celebrating a step toward victory, but this is another victory in itself. It seems my husband’s species is not as dead as everyone thought.”

“And celebrate, we will,” Vardaan said as he held up his mug. “To the dragons!”

“To the dragons!” we all shouted, even though Alyona and I didn’t have a mug.

The tables around us turned in surprise, but I didn’t care. I’d found more of my people, and my heart pounded in my chest with happiness. My messages had worked, and they’d come to Hatra for safe haven. My city was growing just as I wanted it to, and I would do everything I could to keep every single one of my people safe.

I looked out over the Smoky Pavilion at the dozens of different kinds of people who called Hatra home. There were Demi-Humans, Mesics, humans, Asurans, and now, dragons.

It was all more than I’d ever dreamed of for my city, and I knew now more than ever, I had to fight every battle knowing this is why I did it.

I fought for my people, and I’d drag the Demon King back to the Underworld to keep them safe.

End of Book 17

End Notes

Thank you for reading Dragon Emperor 17! I hope you really liked it. I’ll start working on the next Dragon Emperor as soon as this book has 100 reviews, so leave a review right here!

Don’t forget about my Patreon! You’ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your… uhhh… well…) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4 of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.

Amazon doesn’t update readers when an author comes out with a new book unless you follow that author on the store. Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button. Then Amazon will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out.

If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you follow my Facebook author page and join my Facebook fan group. If you don’t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook page, you’ll never get alerted that next book is out.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Eric Vall

.

Post End Notes

Thank you for reading Dragon Emperor 17! I hope you really liked it. I’ll start working on the next Dragon Emperor as soon as this book has 100 reviews, so leave a review right here!

Don’t forget about my Patreon! You’ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your… uhhh… well…) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4 of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.

Amazon doesn’t update readers when an author comes out with a new book unless you follow that author on the store. Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button. Then Amazon will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out.

If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you follow my Facebook author page and join my Facebook fan group. If you don’t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook page, you’ll never get alerted that next book is out.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Eric Vall