Would you like to see chapters of my books before they come out? Do you want to see cover art sketches and vote on which poses should make it to final production? Would you like to see even sexier versions of my covers? Would you like to get my audiobooks at a deep discount?

Of course you would! Join my Patreon here to get all these awesome benefits (or search for my name on Patreon.com).

You can also join my Facebook group right here. Then you’ll know when my books come out before anyone else.

Chapter 1

A long black cape dragged on the ground behind me as I walked up the short steps into the Smoky Pavilion. I wore a fresh silky tunic over clean black trousers, and one of Hatra’s hair stylists had shaved the sides of my head, though I’d decided to let my beard grow. Something about a beard made me feel like a badass Viking, and it seemed my lovers enjoyed it, too.

I shook the image of bare skin and warm lips from my head as I entered the pavilion to roaring applause. The citizens of Hatra had gathered for our city meeting, which was well overdue with all the new people who’d made Hatra their home. Many of them didn’t know where to go or work, and it was time to get everyone together and figure it out.

“May I present Lord Evan of Hatra el Shamash!” Ruslan yelled with a sweeping bow toward me.

The crowd screamed and cheered even louder as I waved and made my way to the chair at the front of the Smoky Pavilion. My wife, Princess Alyona, sat to my right, and my adoptive father, Ruslan, sat to my left with my mother, Julia, on his other side. The rest of my lovers took their places along the table next to Alyona, while Lord Nikolaus, or as I called him, Nike, stood by my chair.

“Thank you, everyone!” I called out with my hands up to quiet the audience. “I’m glad to see so many people committed to the growth and success of our beautiful city. Now, let’s get to work. Who’s new here?”

At least fifty hands shot up into the air, and I felt a surge of pride at the sight of at least ten of those hands being attached to the scaly forearms of fellow dragons. After the Sage had taken out so many of our kind, my dragon mate Valerra told me she and I could be the only ones left on the planet, but after we’d defeated him, more and more dragons had been making their presence known. Last week, I’d sent out an invitation for all dragons to come to Hatra for safe haven, and so far, I counted sixteen dragons who’d made their way to the city and decided to stay.

I glanced over at Alyona and grinned, and my gorgeous wife returned the smile with ease. She looped her fingers through mine and squeezed, and I couldn’t help but see the glimmer of moisture in her amethyst eyes. Her white-and-black hair was twisted back into braids that fell down her back, and her normally flat belly had started to swell as our child grew in her womb. I wondered how fast he would grow compared to a normal human child, and it reignited the urgency I had to complete our mission to close the Breach before the Underworld broke through and took over our realm.

“We welcome you to Hatra,” I said as I turned back to the crowd. “Everyone who lives here may come and go as they please, though we ask our citizens to contribute to our city in whatever ways they can. You should consider any skills or interests you have when finding a place to help. Does anyone have any questions?”

“I do, my lord.” A woman with skin the color of a penny stood up and removed the hood from her head.

The crowd inhaled a gasp as we were all mesmerized by her brightly-colored hair, and I recognized the scent of the ocean that radiated from her slender form.

I knew a mermaid when I saw one.

“You’re far from the ocean, milady,” I chuckled. “Welcome to Hatra. What can I do for you?”

“I found work in the fields, but I need some sort of water access, as you can imagine,” she said with a shy smile. “Is there any way I could have help digging a pool at my house?”

“I can help with that,” one of the new dragons offered. “I dug many holes during my hiding. It was normally to avoid being seen, but a pool seems much more interesting.”

“Fantastic,” I said and grinned. “I like this teamwork. Who else?”

For the next several hours, I nearly burst with pride as new citizens tried to find their way and current ones helped them through it. It didn’t take long before we had projects and jobs set up for all the newbies, and soon, we’d have new buildings, pools, and crops in Hatra.

Even some of my lovers had taken on additional roles in Hatra for the time we were here in between parts of our mission.

Valerra, my dragon mate and the mother of our egg, had taken up teaching self-defense classes to the children at the new school. Though she had a fiery temper with just about everyone else, the lady dragon was nothing but kind to the children she taught, and they loved her dearly. She left the eggs in the care of my Aunt Emma when she went to the school every afternoon to teach, and I loved how much my family had come together.

The spirit of my Noble Sword, Miraya, and her sisters, Aine and Juniper, helped my mother teach history classes. Though my school experience with history was not very exciting, it had to be much different to learn about history from people who’d actually been there when things happened.

Miraya sat with her spirit sisters, though she’d been spending much more time in my spiritual sea lately. She liked to lay on the beach in her barely opaque robes with her white-blonde hair fanned out in the sand and watch the waves hit the shore. Sometimes, I joined her in more ways than one, and sometimes I just enjoyed the serenity she felt when she laid there.

My gaze traveled further down the table to Aaliyah, the fierce lion Demi-Human who’d joined us early on in our campaign. Her curly, dark-blonde hair was normally tied back to help Valerra with the fighting classes, but today she let the waves cascade down her back and shoulders. Her amber eyes were fixed on the crowd in front of us, and her long canines grazed her bottom lip as she smiled.

Right next to her, as usual, was Rebecca, who was a bear Demi-Human and a vicious warrior on the battlefield. She wore navy-blue robes that perfectly accentuated her round hips, and she sat nearly a head taller than everyone else. She was my height and built like she lifted weights for a living, and she and Aaliyah had bonded over the past couple months to be almost always at each other’s sides.

Next to them, the dryad sisters sat together in matching purple robes that contrasted starkly against their jade skin. Polina, Trina, and Marina were part of the Blue Tree Guild and had been fighting monsters when I arrived in Hatra from Earth. It seemed like forever ago that I’d joined the fight against the stone giants they’d faced while looking for me, though none of us realized I was the one they’d come to find yet.

They’d been following the orders of their guild leader, Laika, who was also now in my harem. She was a wolf Demi-Human, and she sat next to Alyona with her steely-gray eyes bright with happiness. Her broadsword was pinned to her back and ready for action, but for now, she was content with watching the city meeting.

Ravi had taken her phoenix form and sat perched on the back of Alyona’s chair. Her golden feathers glittered in the morning sun, and her tail feathers had the same faint scent of a campfire as her hair when she was in her human body. I loved how much my women loved each other, and it was evident in the way her avian gaze slid up and down between the crowd and the princess below her.

Naomi and Skye sat at another table reading a book. The lizard mage had taken Skye under her magical wing and began teaching her more spells she could use with her nature magic. Skye was part-naiad, part-Nepin, but she’d grown up with no knowledge of her ability to use nature magic, so Naomi and the dryads often helped her with learning more.

Isabella fluttered around the room and chatted with people as we wrapped up the meeting. She was a Nepin and had spent most of her life cooped up in her home city of Yrosa, which was made up of all Nepins, so she was always interested in meeting new people. Her sapphire skin was adorned with the gold, black, and white tattoos that swirled across her chest and arms, but the rest of her marks were currently covered with a silky white robe that one of the seamstresses had custom-made for her to allow her wings to escape the back side.

When the questions finally died out, it was late afternoon, and I stood up and held my hands up to quiet the rest of the noise.

“Thank you all for coming and taking care of your fellow people,” I said. “I can’t put into words how proud I am of you and the city we’re becoming. I want you to know we’re all family here, and you can always ask for help. I think that’s all for our meeting today. Enjoy your day!”

As everyone rose from their seats, many of them came forward to thank us and offer their services to the palace, so by the time we finally left the meeting, we had a blueprint for a new crib, dozens of fruits, vegetables, and breads in various baskets, and a few new books for my women to pore over.

“We’ve found the next location on the map, my lord,” Alyona murmured as the last few citizens trickled out of the pavilion.

She referred to the map we’d created from my ancestral memory, which showed the locations of each of the Nobles of the Sword. We’d spent the past few weeks finding the Nobles, so I could bond our powers and become strong enough to close the Breach and keep the Demon King away from our world. I was the Noble of the Sword of Healing, and Nike was the Noble of the Sword of Light, which made the first couple steps of our journey easy, but it had been an uphill battle from there.

I couldn’t perform the bonding ceremony with men, so if the Noble of the Sword was a man, we needed to find women who still possessed the bloodline ability of the Noble Sword. Skye had turned out to be the one with the Sword of Youth, so that was an easy ceremony, but the Sword of the Land had been more of a journey.

“Well, where are we headed?” I asked.

“Let’s go back to the palace, and I’ll show you,” she replied. “I think you’ll be very curious to see it.”

And now, my curiosity was indeed piqued, so we gathered the rest of our group and headed to the Lunar Palace.

The gold-domed building was the shining jewel of Hatra, and I was proud of how well it had turned out. The Leyte architects who’d designed it made sure I had room for each of my lovers, and they were scheduled to return soon to add more rooms. The idea of a harem on Earth was insane, but here it was so normal, and it felt right. I loved each of my women, and they loved me and each other.

We walked into the palace toward the great room, and Alyona unrolled a large map on the table. Each of the places we’d marked from my memory stood out with X’s, like several treasures on a pirate’s map, and the princess walked around to one X that stood alone and pointed to it.

“Odrein?” Ruslan asked with wide eyes. “That’s your next stop?”

“I guess so.” I shrugged and looked closer at the map. “It’s across the ocean.”

Odrein reminded me a bit of Australia. It was on its own continent away from the others, but there were no border lines for other countries, so it seemed to be a country in itself.

“Yes, it’s the furthest we’ve been so far,” Alyona agreed.

“Then we should probably portal there,” I said as I traced the outline of Odrein on the map. “It would get us there the fastest.”

“I don’t know if a portal is a good option this time, my love,” the princess replied with a frown. “There are rumors of the Odrein people banning magic, which could mean if we try to cross the ocean, and they have any kind of protection against magic, we could end up in the middle of the water.”

“A ban on magic?” I repeated and pursed my lips. “Not cool.”

“Why would they do that?” Nike wondered.

“The Odrein people are far enough away to keep plenty of secrets,” Julia said. “It could be for any number of reasons, but I agree with Alyona. It is risky to use magic for your arrival.”

“Then we can fly,” I decided and then looked around at my group. “I wouldn’t be able to carry everyone that far, though. Not comfortably, anyway.”

“I don’t mind staying and helping with Valerra’s class some more,” Aaliyah said with a shrug. “I enjoy it. The children are amusing.”

“They do like you,” Valerra chuckled. “They think it’s funny when she roars.”

“Fair enough,” I laughed.

“We can stay, too,” Trina sighed.

“We’ve been talking about teaching a nature class anyway,” Polina added.

“Oh, the children would love that,” Julia said with a wide smile. “They love to learn about new things.”

“Well, I’d like to teach magic,” Naomi chimed in. “I’m sure there are growing mages who need to know what to do with themselves.”

“And that would certainly help them learn to harness their power,” Alyona agreed. “I think that’s a wonderful idea, Naomi.”

“Thank you, milady,” the lady lizard said, and a blush darkened her cheeks.

“I don’t really know what I could teach, so I’ll go with you, but I’ll fly,” Ravi said as she preened her bright feathers. “Then you don’t have to worry about an extra passenger.”

“Ooh, I can fly, too,” Isabella giggled. “I’m not sure what I could do to help yet, either.”

“Laika, would you consider staying with us to help with the self-defense classes?” Valerra asked in a soft voice. “I could use the help.”

The wolf Demi-Human gnawed on her lower lip as she looked back and forth between Valerra and Alyona. Laika had rarely left my wife’s side, and I knew she struggled with the thought of staying behind while Alyona went on the next part of the mission. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust any of us, but she loved Alyona so much, she couldn’t bear the thought of being away from her for long.

“I’ll be okay, dear sister,” Alyona finally said as she took Laika’s hand. “There are children here who could learn from you, Demi-Human children especially who maybe don’t know what they could accomplish. Besides, you know Lord Evan would never let anything happen to me.”

“That’s true.” Laika smirked and pulled Alyona in for a tight hug. “I just don’t know what I’ll do.”

“We’ll only be gone for a few days,” my wife reminded her. “Then right back home.”

“If you think it’s for the best, milady,” the wolf warrior said in a small voice.

“So, that leaves Nike, Alyona, Rebecca, and Skye to ride there,” I counted everyone left. “Ravi and Isabella will fly, and Miraya can go to my spiritual sea for the ride. Does that work?”

“Oh, yes, my lord,” the spirit replied with a nod. “I have much enjoyed my time there lately. It’s so calm with your blockade in place.”

I had to agree, things in my mindscape were better now that I’d built a wall of obsidian in front of my Arxo to keep the Demon King from entering my dreams. It seemed to be the main way for him to get into my head, and the protection had calmed the waves of my spiritual sea to a peaceful lull.

“Yeah, I think I’ll be keeping that,” I said with a glance at the inked key on my hand.

I was now the only one who could open the obsidian door, and I planned to keep it that way.

“So, I imagine you’ll want to leave in the morning,” Ruslan interrupted my musings. “Shall we eat dinner?”

“Yes, gods, please,” Aaliyah groaned. “We missed lunch because of the meeting.”

We all laughed as we traipsed into the dining hall and spread out around the table, and within minutes, Forsythe and his kitchen staff began to bring trays of various appetizers from salads to breads to cubed fruits and set them on the table. Then we continued to chat as we ate the small portions until the large trays arrived.

My mouth watered at the aroma of herb-covered duck, honey-roasted ham, and rabbit soup, but as I filled my plate, I couldn’t help but notice Alyona spreading mashed potatoes onto the duck and topping it with chunks of papaya.

She saw me staring at her creation and pointed to her belly with a smirk before she took a bite of the concoction.

“I can’t imagine what our son is going to eat when he enters the real world,” I chuckled. “Does it at least taste alright?”

“Better than I expected,” she said with a laugh.

My wife had endured our son’s various food cravings and high appetite with nothing but happiness and patience. I couldn’t wait to see her as a mother.

Then an inkling of worry prodded me to remember the only messenger dragon I hadn’t received a response from. I’d sent a message over a week ago to Mona, the queen of the centaurs in Lumin, who was pregnant with our daughter. No one knew how long a dragon-centaur pregnancy would take, so most of it was just a waiting game, but I wasn’t known for my patience.

I quickly called up another messenger dragon to send to the centauress.

“Tell Mona I’m getting worried,” I ordered the small multi-colored creature. “I need to know she and the baby are okay. Wait for her to answer and come back.”

The little dragon nodded and soared out of the dining hall.

“Do you think she’s alright?” Alyona asked in a quiet voice.

“Yeah, probably just busy,” I said.

I didn’t want to worry my wife, but I needed to know what was going on.

Slowly, everyone finished and left the table to get ready for bed. It had been a long day out in the sun for our meeting, and we had another long day ahead tomorrow. When I was only waiting on Alyona, she finally seemed to realize she was the only one still eating and started to put down her fork.

“No, no, feed our kid,” I urged her with a grin. “He needs a lot of food. Look at how much he’s already grown.”

I reached down to rub my hand over her belly, and she jumped with wide eyes.

“Oh, my gods,” she murmured.

“What?” I asked, and my heart skipped a beat. “Is something wrong? Is he okay?”

“Yes, he’s fine,” Alyona said as a smile creeped over her features. “He just seemed to like your hand there.”

I grinned and rubbed her belly while she finished her plate, and then she sat back with a sigh.

“Is he full now?” I chuckled.

“Finally,” she replied. “And I’m beat. Can we go to bed now?”

“Of course,” I said.

I took her hand and led her upstairs to our chambers, but something stopped me before we entered our room. Valerra’s room was still bright under the door, as though she hadn’t put out her lanterns for the night.

“You should check on her,” Alyona suggested.

“Yeah, go on to bed,” I said. “I’ll be in after a while.”

She nodded and headed into our room while I tapped lightly on Valerra’s door.

“If you aren’t Lord Evan, go away,” her muffled voice declared.

“Then I’m in luck,” I chuckled as I eased the door open. “What’s… Valerra?”

I looked around the room but didn’t see the red dragon anywhere. Then I realized the door that led to the eggs’ room was open, and I headed down the stairs to the secret place where we kept the two dragon eggs until they were ready to hatch. Our egg and her sister’s egg were nestled in the silky red fabric of their individual drawers in the gold-plated dresser in the hidden room.

Valerra stood in front of the dresser with her arms crossed over her chest, but I could tell she was more worried than angry. Ever since we’d discovered the tiniest sliver of a crack in our egg, she had struggled to concentrate on anything else, which was likely why she’d asked for Laika’s help with her class.

“I can’t stop worrying about him,” she whispered. “Am I crazy?”

“Not at all,” I assured her as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest. “You’re a mother, and it’s normal to be concerned about your baby.”

“Aren’t you concerned?” Valerra asked in an accusing tone as she pulled away. “Why aren’t you upset or worried or anything?”

“I am,” I promised. “I just also know you and I would feel it if something was wrong with him. We may not understand what’s going on yet, but I have to believe we would know if it was bad. I already have a connection with the baby growing in Alyona’s womb, so I have to have one with our hatchling, too, and I only feel strength.”

“Are you sure?” Her lip trembled as she looked up into my eyes.

“Positive,” I said with a nod before I leaned down and kissed her.

Well, I was mostly positive, but I didn’t say that part.

I was worried, too, but I had to be strong for my dragon mate. She rarely showed weakness, and it wasn’t like her to worry so much, so I needed to be the one to calm her fears as much as I could.

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the doorframe.

We both whirled around, and Emma hovered at the bottom of the steps with a gentle smile on her face. My aunt wasn’t a dragon, so she couldn’t enter the room where we kept our eggs, but Alyona had given her a pendant that would allow her to cross the spelled threshold as long as one of us was with her. If she or anyone else tried to come into the room alone, the spell would send them to the front gates of Hatra.

“Is everything alright?” she asked in a concerned voice.

“Come on in,” I said as I walked over to take her hand and pull her through. “Valerra and I were checking on the eggs. Ours has a small crack, and she’s been worrying about what it means.”

“Oh, honey, why didn’t you tell me?” Emma breathed as she walked over to hug Valerra. “I’ll stay with you tonight. Let Evan get some rest for his trip tomorrow, and I’ll keep you company.”

“Are you sure?” I asked and arched my eyebrows. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Don’t be silly,” my aunt admonished. “Valerra and these eggs are my family, too. I don’t mind one bit. Now, go get some sleep.”

It was as though her words activated my exhaustion as I tried to cover up a yawn, and I nodded my head in agreement before I planted another kiss on Valerra’s cheek.

“Goodnight,” I said. “Tell me if you need anything.”

“I will,” the red dragon replied with a soft smile. “Thank you, my lord.”

I headed up the stairs and then around to the door that led straight to my room. Alyona was already passed out on the bed, and I smiled to myself before I crawled in next to her.

As I started to curl up behind the princess, I heard the soft whoosh of wind as my messenger dragon reappeared in the bedroom. Then he perched on the end of the bed and opened his mouth.

“Everything is fine, my lord,” Mona’s voice announced in the quiet room. “I’m sorry it took so long to respond. This pregnancy has moved quite quickly. It won’t be long before our daughter is ready to make her grand entrance. I will send you word once the time grows closer. I… hope you’re planning to be here.”

The dragon disappeared in a puff of gray smoke, and I sighed with relief. Mona and the baby were okay, but it sounded like we’d be making a trip back to Lumin soon.

With thoughts of dragon-centaur babies and dragon-human babies, I wrapped my arms around Alyona with a content smile.

Then I fell asleep with her soft body pressed against mine.

When I awoke, the sunlight had already started to creep in through the curtains, and I stretched and groaned. It felt like the first good night of sleep I’d had in a while, and I knew it was because the Demon King hadn’t been able to access my dreams again. Thank the gods.

“Good morning,” Alyona murmured as she rolled over and looked at me with sleepy violet eyes. “No nightmares?”

“None,” I confirmed with a smile. “And Mona and the baby are fine. We’ll have to go to Lumin soon when she gives birth.”

“Wonderful,” she breathed. “I’m ready for breakfast.”

I laughed as I leaned down and kissed her belly before I helped her to her feet. Then we got dressed and met Nike and the rest of my lovers in the hallway. Aunt Emma was right behind Valerra, and I was happy to see their bond continued to grow as they both cared for the dragon eggs together.

Emma pulled me back as the others headed downstairs, and I stopped to look at her with confusion.

“I asked Forsythe not to serve eggs for a while,” she whispered.

“You did what?” I smiled as it dawned on me. “For Valerra?”

“Yeah, of course,” she replied and rolled her eyes. “She nearly had a meltdown at the table yesterday morning. You hadn’t come down yet, but she couldn’t stand the sight of the scrambled eggs.”

“Oh, gods,” I murmured. “We’ve got to get this Breach closed, so they can hatch, and she can relax. I really think it’s just a sign we’re getting closer.”

“I agree,” Emma said with a nod. “So, do your thing, and I’ll stay with her.”

“Deal.” I smiled as I put my arm around her shoulder and led her to the stairs. “You’re a pretty awesome aunt, you know that?”

“Obviously,” she retorted and laughed.

We made our way into the dining hall and sat in our seats as the kitchen staff brought out ham, bacon, hash browns, and biscuits with jam and gravy. There wasn’t a single egg in sight, but no one commented on it. I was glad Forsythe had listened to Emma, and I watched Valerra as she carefully ate her breakfast.

There wasn’t much conversation, though I suspected it had something to do with knowing our trip today was further away from home than we’d ever been before. It was a new adventure, which I was excited about. I wanted to explore every inch of Inati someday, and I knew at least part of that was my recent bond with the Sword of the Land. I felt an intense sense of love and appreciation for my new home, and it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced when I lived on Earth.

“Are you ready to go, brother?” Nike asked and broke through my internal musings.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” I said. “Just need to tell everyone bye.”

I rose from the table and realized everyone else had already begun to head into the great hall. The dryads each pecked me on the cheek before they hugged everyone else who was leaving and then stood off to the side. Aaliyah and Rebecca embraced with tearful smiles, and then the lioness made her way over to kiss me. I squeezed her tight before I glanced over to see Laika stoically holding back tears as she hugged Alyona.

The wolf warrior managed to keep her composure as she finished her goodbyes and stood with the dryads and Aaliyah. Valerra, Naomi, Emma, and my parents gave us all their hugs, and finally, we were headed outside.

Ravi took her phoenix form in a flash of flames, and I grinned as I stepped further away to shift to my dragon body.

I needed a little more room than she did.

I felt my black scales ripple down my arms as I grew into my more natural form. My arms and legs thickened into the size of tree trunks, while my tail and wings sprouted behind me. My nose extended into my fiery snout, and the spikes of my spine grew from my back as I towered over my family.

“Let’s do this,” I growled with a smile.

“My favorite part,” Nike said with a note of sarcasm in his tone.

“Mine, too!” Skye agreed.

I laughed when she skipped past him and helped Alyona climb onto my back, and then Skye slid on behind my wife. Rebecca clambered up behind Skye, and Miraya flashed into my spiritual sea in the blink of an eye. Isabella’s wings fluttered before she jumped up and hovered above us for a moment, while Nike finally made his way onto my back and grabbed a spike to hold onto.

We gave our last waves, and then I kicked off into the sky with Ravi and Isabella on either side.

We probably looked like an odd group with a dragon, a phoenix, and a Nepin flying together, but I didn’t care. I loved the feeling of flying.

The wind rushed under my belly and over my back as I flapped my wings and carried us northwest toward the ocean, and I looked down at the sands of the desert and then the forests along the coast of Rahma.

Then it was the ocean.

The water was a beautiful deep aqua color, and with my enhanced dragon vision, I could even see some of the ocean life below the surface. A rainbow array of fish and other creatures swam and dove and nosed their way to the top of the water as we flew overhead, and I appreciated each and every one of those animals.

We traveled for hours, and Ravi and Isabella took turns resting their wings while perched on my snout. The ocean seemed to go on forever, and I started to wonder if I’d gone the right way when the air began to turn colder. The clouds became more and more dense, too, and then I saw it.

White waves crashed onto a white coast, and mountains traveled along the northernmost shore of the land.

“Snow?” I called out over the wind.

“Looks like it!” Alyona agreed.

Well, that was new.

I lowered our flight path closer to the snowy landscape, and the wind became stronger as we got further from the coast. The city of Narsglow was nearly in the center of Odrein, and that was our destination.

We flew over a herd of elk that trotted along the edge of a forest, and then the snow began to fall in snowflakes the size of my human hand. It became harder to see, and I worried we’d fly into something if we couldn’t see far enough ahead.

“Let’s walk from here!” I yelled.

Ravi and Isabella seemed to agree as they dropped down to the snowy ground, and I landed between them. I waited until my passengers were on the ground before I shivered into my human form. I wasn’t as cold as I’d expected, but I also had fire magic in my soul.

Everyone else was already trembling with the cold.

“I-I h-have something, h-hold on,” Alyona said as she reached into her spatial storage.

She pulled large fur coats from her magical purse and handed them out, and as soon as the coat was around my shoulders, it was as though the wind had disappeared. I wasn’t sure what kind of fur it was, but I was grateful for Alyona’s tendency to be ready for anything.

“M-Much better,” Isabella said through chattering teeth.

“We got pretty close, but I didn’t want us to run into anything,” I explained as I pointed in the direction of Narsglow. “It should be just over there.”

Alyona pulled out a small map of Odrein, and I showed her where I was fairly certain we’d landed. The wind threatened to tear the map from her hands, and Nike and I held it steady as we agreed where we were. The mountains were to our right, and the forest was to our left.

We were close, so we grouped into pairs and pushed through the snow.

It came down in sheets, and a shiver passed through me as I realized how similar this place was to Olivier’s hideout. That cave had been full of horrific creatures he’d cursed or created, and I was more than okay with the gods’ rule that no one ever return there.

After we’d walked for what seemed like hours, Alyona pulled out the map again, and it still looked like we were headed in the right direction. In fact, it looked like we shouldn’t be more than a few minutes away from the city, but the snow fell so heavily, we couldn’t see that far ahead.

“We’re almost there,” I said with confidence. “Just got to keep pushing.”

A few groans about the cold and snow, and we were on the move again.

As we trudged through the thick drifts, I noticed the snow was no longer to our knees, then it was all the way down to our ankles before it was completely flat. I pushed my boot down into the snow until I hit a harder surface and frowned.

“What is it?” Nike asked when he noticed my concern.

“I don’t think this is normal,” I murmured as I bent down to touch it. “Shit, I think this is ice.”

“Shouldn’t there be ice under snow?” Ravi asked in confusion.

“No.” I shook my head. “This might be a frozen lake. We shouldn’t walk here. Maybe we should go around it.”

“How are we going to do that?” Isabella wondered as she looked around. “We can’t even tell how far it goes.”

“I’m not--” I started.

Then the ground rumbled for a second before something huge broke through the icy lake in front of us with a roar.

Chapter 2

A beast covered in thick white fur landed only ten yards away and cracked the ice beneath all of us. Then it let out another fierce roar and clenched its furry fists as it eyed us with bright yellow eyes. Drool dripped from its gnarled teeth, and it reminded me of the old Yeti legends from Earth, except this one was at least twice the size of those creatures.

“Get back!” I yelled as we all skidded away from the creature.

The last thing I wanted to do was fight an ice beast on a piece of fragile ice, so we turned and sprinted back to the thick snow as Nike, Skye, and I unsheathed our Noble Swords.

Once we were on solid ground again, we whirled back to face the beast again. Isabella tried to fly up in the air to get above the creature, but the snowy wind weakened her wings, and she came back to the ground with a grunt of frustration.

“I can’t do anything from down here!” she hissed.

“We just have to defend against its charge,” I said. “Then we can attack once it’s on solid ground with us.”

As soon as I said it, the snow creature sprinted toward us. The ground shook and trembled with every footstep, and we struggled to maintain our balance as we gripped our swords.

Once the beast was close enough, I gritted my teeth and swiped at the lower part of its leg. My sword seemed to connect, but when I finished the blow, I realized I’d merely given it a close shave as tufts of white fur floated around in the wind.

Then it slammed its fists down in the center of our group, and we all nearly tumbled to the ground again.

“Two can play that game,” I growled.

I summoned my earthquake magic and sent a small shockwave back at the beast. The blast wasn’t enough to threaten the ice we stood on, but it was enough to throw the creature off-balance, and it teetered back and forth for a moment before it whirled around and roared at me again.

“Brother, I think you pissed it off!” Nike called out.

“Let it come at me!” I shouted. “Then go at its back!”

Nike and Skye spread out to sneak around the creature, and Alyona, Ravi, and Isabella circled wide around the beast to give it room. Then the beast rumbled toward me again, and its spittle flung out in all directions as it huffed and roared with rage.

I held the Sword of Hatra in one hand and created a fiery shield in the other, and as the flames reared up from my shield, the beast slowed its approach and eyed my shield suspiciously.

“Ah, so you don’t like fire?” I yelled. “I have plenty more of that!”

I sheathed the Sword of Healing and created a fireball in my palm.

The beast seemed to tremble for a moment before it snorted and barreled toward me again. I threw the fiery orb into its chest, and the creature screeched and howled as the fire singed its thick fur. The flames sizzled out before they could do any real damage, but I glanced over at Ravi, who seemed to catch my drift.

We were the ones with fire magic, and we’d have to take this thing down.

The phoenix conjured a fiery whip, and I created a fiery bow and arrows as the beast regained its composure and started toward me again.

Ravi lassoed her whip around the beast’s leg, and it roared again as the flaming rope wrapped around its fur and pulled. Then I aimed my arrow at the center of its chest and pulled back on the bowstring.

“Wait!” a woman screamed.

I paused as I looked around for the source of the voice.

Then I turned to see a woman bundled in furs running toward us with her hands in the air.

The beast roared again as it tugged against Ravi’s fiery rope, and the phoenix’s face turned red as she struggled to keep it in place.

“We can’t wait much longer, or it’ll tear us apart!” I yelled and aimed again.

“No, please, you mustn’t hurt it!” the woman begged as she came closer to us. “He’s just scared. You walked on his lake.”

“Well, I don’t think he’s going to leave us alone,” I argued. “So, what else do you propose?”

I called the fire bow and arrows back to me and created a whip like Ravi’s while I waited for the woman to respond. Then I whipped it into place around the beast’s other leg to keep it in place, and Ravi’s face relaxed as I took half the load of the giant snowy creature.

“I can send it away,” Alyona offered as she rushed to my side.

“A portal?” I asked.

“Exactly.” She nodded and began the spell.

The woman looked at her, but I couldn’t read her expression under her furry hood. A few seconds later, a portal opened next to Alyona, and I glanced over at the beast who hadn’t even noticed. It was still pulling at the ropes to free itself, and I decided to let it win that fight.

“I’m going to stand in front of the portal,” I called out over the wind. “Let it run toward me, and I’ll move before it can stop!”

“Are you sure?” Ravi grimaced as she held tight to her whip.

“Yes, just do it!” I yelled and stood in front of the portal before I released my fiery rope.

The beast roared again as Ravi let go of her tether, and then the creature sprinted at me with a newfound rage. As soon as it lumbered close enough, I dropped into the snow, grabbed its foot, and used its momentum to propel it into the portal. The snowy creature tumbled forward and rolled into the snow on the other side, and Alyona snapped the portal shut with a flick of her wrist.

“Where did he go?” the woman asked. “Is it safe there?”

“I just put him over there,” Alyona answered and pointed to the south side of Odrein. “Far enough away to leave us alone, but close enough to find his way back to the lake.”

“Thank the gods,” she sighed. “And thank you, milady. What are you doing out here anyway? I’ve never seen you before.”

“We, ah, just arrived,” I said without detailing how we’d arrived. “We’re looking for Narsglow.”

“Oh, that’s my city!” the woman said as she lifted her hood to reveal her smiling face.

I blinked at least three times as I stared at her. She was a snow leopard Demi-Human, and she was stunning. Her almond-shaped eyes were a creamy chocolate-brown, and her straight black hair was twisted back into a braid that disappeared under her fur coat. White ears with black spots sprouted from her hair, and a perfect smattering of black dots decorated a white streak that started on her forehead and traveled down her nose.

Then I noticed long black claws at the ends of her fingertips, and something told me she was still a warrior, despite her pleas for us to spare the life of the snow monster.

“Wow,” Ravi breathed.

It seemed the phoenix and I were on the same wavelength.

As am I, Miraya said from my spiritual sea. She is beautiful. And I think we must be close to the city. I can feel one of my sisters nearby.

Good, we’re on the right track, I replied.

“My name is Lady Nokomis,” the snow leopard introduced herself with a smile that revealed sharp canines among her perfectly straight white teeth.

“I’m Lord Evan of Hatra,” I replied before I gestured to each of my party in turn. “This is my wife, Alyona, and Ravi, Skye, Isabella, Rebecca, and Lord Nikolaus of Leyte. It’s nice to meet you, milady.”

I neglected to mention my wife’s royal status, even though it felt strange, but we were in a whole other country, not to mention on another continent, and we didn’t know who to trust yet.

“Likewise,” Nokomis said with a bow. “I can take you to Narsglow, but we shall avoid the lake, if you don’t mind.”

“Fine by me,” I chuckled.

The snow leopard turned, and I caught a glimpse of silver and gold at her hip. Something seemed to pull me toward the sight, and I frowned in thought.

Was that a Noble Sword?

It was! Miraya cried out with joy. I knew I could feel a sister was close! She must be in her mistress’ spiritual sea.

Well, this might be easier than we thought.

Nokomis started to walk around the edge of the frozen lake, and Nike fell into step next to me.

“My lord, Aine is going crazy,” he whispered. “She said she believes Nokomis is a Noble of the Sword.”

“I think she’s right,” I said quietly. “I saw a sword on her belt, but I couldn’t see much of it. Miraya thinks she is, too.”

“What do we do?” he wondered.

“Just play it by ear for now,” I decided. “We can’t trust too easily after everything we’ve already seen. We’ll just have to talk to her when the time is right.”

“Are you talking about her being a Noble of the Sword?” Skye asked in a hushed whisper. “Juniper and I saw her sword.”

“Yeah,” I confirmed. “But we aren’t going to say anything yet. Just wait.”

Skye nodded, slowed her pace to walk next to Isabella, and whispered to the Nepin, and then they turned and whispered to Alyona, Ravi, and Rebecca. It seemed the plan was accepted by our group, and I turned back to see Nokomis had glanced over her shoulder at me.

I stepped up my pace to walk next to her and waited for the question I knew was coming.

“So, what brings you to Narsglow?” Nokomis asked as we followed her through the thick snow. “We don’t have many visitors.”

“We’ve never been here before,” I hedged. “We heard someone we’re looking for is here and decided to check it out.”

“Oh, that sounds like a mystery,” she giggled. “Are you going to tell me who it is? I might be able to help you.”

“I’m sure we will eventually,” I said with a smile. “A few people have tried to stop us on our mission before, so please forgive me for being cautious.”

“It’s better to be cautious than foolhardy,” Nokomis agreed. “That is a lesson learned rather than taught.”

“Indeed,” I murmured.

Nokomis was wise, and she didn’t ask too many questions, so I had a feeling we’d get along just fine.

I’d like to get along with her in a bedroom, to be honest, but that would have to wait until I found out more about her Noble of the Sword status.

I think she would be a wonderful lover, Miraya mused.

Don’t give me any ideas right now, I chuckled.

I shook my head as Miraya giggled from my spiritual sea, and we trudged on through the snow.

“So, where did you say you are from again?” Nokomis asked and then arched a mischievous eyebrow. “Hatra?”

“It’s a city in Rahma,” I explained. “Have you ever been there?”

“I suppose I’d have to leave Odrein to have been in Rahma,” the snow leopard replied with a smile. “I haven’t had much reason to cross the ocean, and I’m not, ah, inclined to go near the water if it isn’t necessary.”

“Oooh, right, Aaliyah feels the same way about water,” Rebecca said as she tucked a stray auburn hair behind her ear. “I believe it’s a feline trait.”

“I suppose some things are universal, even across realms.” I smirked before I realized Nokomis had homed in on my comment.

“Across realms?” she asked with apparent curiosity. “You’re a realm traveler?”

“Of sorts,” I hedged. “I’ve been to more places than most.”

“You are quite the enigma, Lord Evan,” Nokomis replied and revealed another toothy grin. “I’ve never seen a dragon around here, and yet, here you come with your half-answers and vague stories. I am quite intrigued.”

“Oh, uh, you know I’m a dragon?” I asked.

“Snow leopards have a keen sense of smell, my lord,” she chuckled and tapped her nose. “We are also known for our wisdom, so I can see I’ve touched a nerve. Don’t worry, I won’t push for more information, but please know, I’m very interested to learn more about you and your kind.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I smiled and nodded my appreciation. I liked that Nokomis knew the limits of our conversation, and she didn’t make me feel like I had to discuss more than I wanted to.

We walked in content silence until I could finally see a set of gray stone walls that loomed out of the waning storm. I could also just make out a few guards who stood on the top and peered over the edge at us with apprehension.

“Do you have company?” one of the men called down to her.

“I do!” she replied with a smile. “They are friendly. You may open the gates.”

The guards glanced cautiously at each other for a moment before they opened the gates to allow us inside. Then I felt all of us inhale a sharp breath as we took in the sights of the city of Narsglow.

It looked like a winter wonderland.

Igloo-style buildings made up what appeared to be a housing district, and more buildings seemed to be sculpted from ice as they towered over us. The ice and snow left the appearance of sparkling surfaces everywhere we looked, and we oohed and aahed as we walked slowly behind Nokomis to soak it all in.

The more I stared, I realized the walls didn’t only sparkle because they were made of ice but also because small crystals decorated the sides and glittered in the sun. The crystals didn’t seem to be in any specific pattern, but I was fascinated by the way they were swirled throughout the ice and snow.

The wind wasn’t as strong within the city walls, and even the snow seemed to be thinner here, so only an inch or so covered the ground where we walked. I soon realized we’d caught the attention of every other citizen of Narsglow, and I was surprised to see so many kinds of Demi-Humans who lived here.

A pair of penguin Demi-Humans stopped their waddling to watch us pass by, and a family of arctic fox Demi-Humans huddled together with curiosity.

I could just make out their quiet whispers as they wondered who we were.

“…not from around here,” the female fox murmured.

“How would they have gotten here, then?” her husband asked under his breath.

“Maybe they flew!” one of the children giggled before his parents quickly hushed him and glanced our way.

I started to smile at the young Demi-Human, but my attention was caught by a pair of polar bear Demi-Humans, and then my gaze traveled to where they stood guard.

A giant ice castle looked like something out of a Disney movie with multiple icicle-like spires and icy-blue towers that stood even higher than the city walls. The roof was covered with a thin sheet of snow, and my jaw dropped open as we all stared at it.

“Is that the palace?” Alyona asked in a voice filled with wonder.

“Yes, milady,” Nokomis answered with a smile. “Would you like to come inside?”

“You’re a lady of the castle?” Ravi cocked her head to the side.

“Well, I suppose my proper term would be Princess, but it sounds so formal,” Nokomis said and pursed her lips. “I would prefer no title, but my parents are rather insistent.”

“Your parents, as in the King and Queen?” I pressed.

“Yes,” she laughed. “They don’t like when I avoid my princess duties, but I just can’t stand to spend my time with balls or classes about how to be a proper lady. I have more important things to do than be a princess.”

“Like what?” Rebecca asked, and I wasn’t sure if her curiosity was to draw out more information or genuine.

“Like being a warrior,” Nokomis said with a shrug. “Snow leopards aren’t made to be delicate creatures. It’s just not in our blood.”

“Ah, I know the feeling,” I replied carefully.

“I thought you might,” the snow leopard said as she studied me and winked. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to my parents.”

I couldn’t tell if she recognized me as a fellow Noble of the Sword, if she was hinting to the fight she’d witnessed, or if she referred to me being a dragon, but my curiosity about the feline Demi-Human grew by the minute.

Also, if the spirit of her sword was in her spiritual sea, they had to have figured out we had more of the sword spirits with us, right?

Unless she didn’t know how to communicate with her sword yet, like Anastasia had struggled in Copacia. The lady elf didn’t know she was still a Noble of the Sword, and we’d had to teach her how to cultivate and grow the strength of her spiritual sea, so the spirit of the Sword of the Land could heal and talk to her from there. It had been an adventure in itself to convince Anastasia she was meant to be the Noble of the Sword, rather than her greedy, power-hungry brother.

Nokomis, on the other hand, didn’t strike me as someone who wouldn’t know how to cultivate and grow in her power. She obviously carried the Noble Sword, which indicated she knew how to use it. Especially since she brought it out of the city walls to a fight.

The snow leopard Demi-Human had called me an enigma, but she was quite the riddle herself.

We followed Nokomis into the castle, and I was pleasantly surprised at the warmth inside the walls. Even though the building was made of ice, the interior looked like any other palace with white marble floors and columns that stretched from floor to ceiling in a large entryway. Many tapestries and paintings hung on the marble walls, and a series of snow leopard statues were lined up on either side of a flickering fireplace.

Some sort of magic had to be used to keep the inside so normal compared to its icy exterior, but I’d never seen anything like it.

“This is beautiful, Your Highness,” Alyona breathed. “I love those statues.”

“They’re of previous kings and queens of Odrein,” Nokomis explained. “Each commissioned their favorite sculptor to create their likeness. There are dozens more in the basement, but these are the most recent.”

“Maybe you need some sculptures in the Lunar Palace,” Nike said with a playful nudge to my ribs.

“There are plenty in the archives.” I smirked and shook my head.

Nokomis led us further into the castle and down a long hallway until we reached a set of double-doors nearly as large as those at the entrance.

“Okay, here we go,” she whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

Then she pushed open the doors and walked inside with her head held high.

At the other end of a long red carpet sat two huge thrones, and I imagined the pair of snow leopard Demi-Humans who occupied them were the king and queen. The queen was nearly as beautiful as Nokomis, though the smooth skin of youth had gained the lines of a well-lived life. She had the same creamy dark eyes and jet-black hair as her daughter, and her black-spotted ears perked up as we entered.

The king looked even older than his wife, and his gray-streaked black hair twisted into a single braid that laid over his shoulder and down his chest. He watched us curiously, but he didn’t jump to attack us or even seem worried about our sudden appearance.

It was a nice change of pace to be welcomed rather than having to defend ourselves.

“Daughter, you have brought guests,” the king said in a booming voice.

“Yes, Papa,” Nokomis confirmed as she brought us closer and bowed in front of their thrones. “King Tecumseh and Queen Isi, I present to you Lord Evan, Alyona, Ravi, Rebecca, Isabella, Skye, and Lord Nikolaus. They have traveled here from the kingdom of Rahma.”

Each of us dropped into a bow or curtsy as Nokomis introduced us, and when we stood up, Tecumseh had a kind smile on his face.

“A far journey,” the king observed. “And you found Narsglow without much trouble?”

“I, um, did help them,” Nokomis said before I could respond. “They walked across the Unega’s lake.”

“Ah, and the Unega is considerably more hostile when his territory has been trespassed,” her father chuckled. “Should I ask what the princess was doing so far away from home?”

“I released a few of my rescues,” she replied, though the tiniest hint of a blush colored her cheeks. “I didn’t want them close to the city for fear they’d be hunted.”

“Nokomis, my love, you know we have to hunt,” her mother chided her in a gentle tone. “The Green Mother has a cycle of life and death that has been in place for much longer than we have known this life.”

“I know,” Nokomis sighed.

“If I may, I thought it was brave of her to come out there and help us,” I said as I stepped closer to the thrones.

I neglected to mention she’d probably saved the Unega more than us, but I felt she needed a bit of positivity in front of her surprisingly chill parents.

“She kept the Unega alive, didn’t she?” the king laughed. “You don’t have to answer, Lord Evan. We know our daughter well. Now, you must be starving from such a long journey. Would you care for some lunch?”

“That would be great.” I grinned and bowed to the king.

“Then we will have the staff prepare enough for all of us.” He wrapped his slender, clawed fingers around a pendant that dangled on his chest and lifted it to his lips. “Please tell the cooks we have an additional seven guests for lunch.”

The pendant was in the shape of a snow leopard’s head, but it appeared to function as a magical communication device, much like what the Blue Tree Guild used to communicate long distances.

“That is a lovely pendant, Your Majesty,” Alyona said with a smile. “And useful, too.”

“Ah, yes,” the king agreed, though he didn’t offer an explanation.

It seemed the snow leopards had their own pieces of information they wanted to hold close to the vest.

After a brief pause, Tecumseh and Isi rose from their thrones hand in hand, and we parted to allow them to walk down the carpet toward the doors. They led us out of their throne room and turned right to enter a large dining hall. The main table was large enough to seat at least thirty people, and several smaller tables lined the walls on either side.

I had visions of extravagant balls and large dinners that Nokomis worked to avoid as we sat down at the table and waited for lunch to be served.

It wasn’t long before steaming plates of meat and large bowls of soup were carried into the dining hall and presented to each of us. I wasn’t used to having my meal on a plate already, and I sat with my utensils in hand as I waited for the king and queen to begin eating.

I’d learned that part of diplomacy at least.

Once the snow leopards bit into their first bites of warm meat, the rest of us followed suit. The flavor of the meat was familiar, but it was tender, juicy, and seasoned with a savory combination of herbs and spices I would never be able to figure out.

“This is fantastic,” I said after I swallowed the first bite. “What is it?”

“Deer,” Isi answered with a smile. “I imagine it isn’t a common food source in the deserts of Rahma.”

“No, we don’t eat it much.” I grinned as I stabbed another bite onto my fork.

“We ate it fairly often in Atheson,” Rebecca chimed in. “But it was never this good.”

“Our cooks do a phenomenal job,” the king said and nodded approvingly. “I am curious as to what brought you to Narsglow, my lord.”

My instinct was to provide the least amount of information possible and handle our mission on my own, but the snow leopard Demi-Humans had offered us nothing but kindness and hospitality. Something told me they would be more than willing to help us accomplish our mission, unlike many of the people we’d met on our journey so far.

“To be completely honest, Your Majesty, we came to find Nobles of the Sword,” I said.

Alyona looked at me in surprise, but she didn’t question my decision.

“Please, go on,” Tecumseh encouraged me.

“Right,” I said and continued. “I’m the Noble of the Sword of Healing, and Lord Nikolaus is the Noble of the Sword of Light, so we already know Lady-- er, Princess Nokomis is a Noble of the Sword, as well. We just don’t know which sword yet, and we’d like to ask for her help.”

“You are also Nobles of the Sword?” Nokomis asked with wide eyes. “I-I didn’t think anyone knew about our kind anymore. It has been so long since the stories were told, and no one has asked for our help in generations. How did you know to come to Odrein?”

“Long story short, I found the memory of my ancestor, and he had used a spell to plot the Noble Swords’ locations,” I answered. “We made a map based on his memory, and then we went out to find them all.”

“The gods determined the Noble Swords should not be together,” Isi mused. “Why are you planning to reunite them?”

“Rahma is currently on the brink of disaster,” I said with a frown. “And truthfully, the rest of Inati would be destroyed along with it if we don’t stop the Breach from opening.”

“What’s the Breach?” the king wondered.

“You’ve never heard of it?” Ravi asked, and her mouth fell open in shock.

“I’m afraid not, dear phoenix.” Tecumseh shook his head.

“It’s a tear in the fabric of our world’s reality,” Alyona explained. “My father is King Rodion, and--”

“Your father is the king of Rahma?” Nokomis’ mouth dropped open. “So, you’re a princess, too?”

“Yes,” my wife said with a nod. “And he’s been using magic to keep the Breach sealed for years, but his hold is weakening, while the Underworld’s power grows. If we don’t close the Breach for good, the Demon King and his underlings will destroy everyone and everything in our realm.”

“That is horrific!” the queen gasped and covered her mouth. “We had no idea!”

“You must be far enough away to avoid the miasma and demons,” I said as I tapped my fingers on the table in thought. “This is the furthest we’ve traveled on our mission, so it seems entirely possible none of the demons have traveled this far, either, but make no mistake. If they were to escape the Breach, they would go to the ends of Inati to tear apart everything they see.”

“Dear gods,” the king breathed and wiped a bead of sweat from his bronze forehead. “We absolutely want to do what we can.”

“Yes, without a doubt,” Nokomis agreed. “Now, what can I do? Is there a beast I must slay?”

“Not exactly,” I said as I considered how to proceed. “Actually, there is a ceremony called Redimi--”

I was cut off by the sound of the front doors slamming open, followed by a pair of boots that tromped through the entryway until they reached the doorway.

Then another snow leopard Demi-Human stormed into the dining hall with a Noble Sword gripped tightly in his clawed fingers and a look of fury on his spotted face.

Chapter 3

The Demi-Human’s mouth was twisted into an angry scowl that revealed his sharp canines as he marched around the large table. His raven hair was shaved on the sides, but the top was pleated into a braid that fell to the middle of his back. He wore a fur coat like the other snow leopards, but his was currently open to expose a dark-skinned barrel chest. He also had blue and black paint streaked across his nose and under his dark brown eyes, which were currently narrowed on me.

“Who is this?” he demanded and pointed a clawed finger at me. “How did he get here?”

“Oh, I’m glad you’ve returned!” the queen said with a smile before she turned to me. “Lord Evan, this is our son, Prince Tawa. He is Nokomis’ twin brother.”

Tawa fumed at his mother’s apparent disregard for his fury, and he looked me up and down with obvious disdain.

“Lord Evan from where?” he spat out. “I’ve never seen your kind in Odrein, and I’ve been all over the place.”

“Oh, we aren’t from Odrein,” I explained. “We’re from Rahma. I’m the lord of Hatra, to be exact. And we flew here, to answer your other question.”

“Flew?” Tawa echoed and arched a disbelieving eyebrow. “You’re a dragon, and you flew your friends here?”

“My family,” I said and met his stare. “Not all of us are the callous creatures of the past.”

“Oh, you mean the kind that used to burn villages and destroy cities with their raging fires, so they could steal treasure?” The prince smirked. “You haven’t come to Narsglow to take everything we have?”

“Nope.” I shook my head and shrugged. “I like treasure as much as the next dragon, but I prefer to earn it. I’m here to ask for your help.”

“And why would we help you?” Tawa sneered.

“That’s enough, Tawa!” Tecumseh boomed. “Lord Evan has been honest about his intentions, and he was just explaining how we could help end a dire situation in his home country. As a Noble of the Sword, you should be interested in how you can help your people.”

I don’t understand, Miraya said in a soft voice. How are there two Nobles of the Sword together? We were all supposed to be separated.

I’m not sure yet, I admitted.

But I intended to find out.

“We have been looking for Nobles of the Sword,” I said to Tawa. “But finding both of you is surprising. I’ve never seen two Noble Swords in the same city before.”

“Then I suppose you don’t know as much as you think you do,” he retorted and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

“Oh, stop it, Tawa,” Nokomis said with an eye roll. “Our history is not exactly well-known, and Lord Evan has barely begun his journey to understanding the Noble Swords.”

“And what exactly is your history?” I wondered. “I thought all the swords were supposed to be separated by the gods.”

“They were,” Isi agreed. “And these two were separated at first.”

“Until our great-grandparents met,” Nokomis continued with a dreamy smile. “My great-grandmother was from a kingdom across the ocean, and my great-grandfather ventured there and fell in love with her. They soon discovered they both had Noble Swords, but they decided to marry anyway. He talked her into returning to Odrein, and since then, there have been twins in every generation since.”

“Wow, everyone has twins?” I asked in surprise.

“Not everyone, but it’s common,” Nokomis clarified. “And each of those twins technically has the bloodline of both swords, but we don’t know if they are the true successors until they come of age.”

“But, once they do, one is destined for the Sword of Mercy, while the other gains the Sword of Strength,” the king said and put a gentle hand on his daughter’s shoulder.

Gratia and Brenna! Miraya cheered as she danced across the sand of my spiritual sea. Oh, they’re here!

“Fascinating,” Alyona murmured. “You’re right, Your Highness. The history of these Noble Swords is not well-known. I’ve read countless history books and never knew about them coming together.”

“Maybe because we have no desire to spread our business around Inati,” Tawa huffed.

“That is no way to speak to a princess, Tawa,” his father scolded. “Princess Alyona is the daughter of King Rodion in Rahma. You will hold your tongue.”

Tawa’s frown deepened, but he didn’t argue with the king.

I had the strong urge to teach him a lesson in manners, and my inner dragon roared in agreement, but I decided to bite my own tongue to keep the peace. We still needed the snow leopard’s help, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy to get him on our side.

“Listen, I know we showed up out of nowhere,” I said in an effort to ease the tension. “I apologize for that, but we don’t have much time. The Breach is getting stronger every day, and if we don’t get it closed, it will unleash the Demon King and his entire Underworld into our realm. I’m sure you can imagine the death and destruction that would bring.”

“What is a Breach?” Tawa eyed me cautiously.

“It’s a rip in the fabric of reality,” Alyona answered. “Right now, my father is keeping hordes of demons and monsters on their side of the barrier, but he won’t be able to do it much longer.”

“And you need a Noble of the Sword to fight this Demon King?” Tawa asked as he began to puff his chest.

“Not exactly.” I smirked and pulled back my coat to reveal the Sword of Healing. “I have my own.”

“Y-You are a Noble of the Sword?” the prince stammered.

“Indeed,” I chuckled and motioned to Nike. “So are Lord Nikolaus and Skye, and we’ve been working together to find our fellow Nobles to help us fight this war.”

“I’ve never met another besides my sister,” he said as the scowl seemed to melt from his face. “I wasn’t really sure any more of us existed. The stories were always told of great adventure, but no one has come to request our help in ages. In fact, most of my missions are within a few miles of the city at the behest of our citizens.”

“And those are important, too,” I assured him. “Even though I’m on a big mission right now, I still take the time to help my people with smaller problems. It matters to them, so it matters to me.”

“We make sure our people are taken care of, which is part of why closing the Breach is so important,” Alyona added.

“The people closest to it have suffered for far too long,” Ravi agreed.

“And we have to make sure they don’t suffer much longer,” Rebecca said with a small smile. “Lord Evan is very good at taking care of all his people. I witnessed it for myself.”

“Brenna is quite certain you have good intentions, Lord Evan,” Tawa sighed after a moment. “She’s encouraging me to listen to what you have to say. I’m inclined to do as she says. She has yet to steer me in the wrong direction.”

“The spirit guides are good at their jobs.” I grinned. “Mine has been excited to be so close to her sisters. She can hardly stand it. Do your spirits know how to enter the physical world?”

“They can do that?” Nokomis asked with wide eyes.

“Oh, yeah,” I laughed. “Miraya can show you.”

There was a brilliant flash of light, and the spirit of the Sword of Hatra appeared in all her ethereal glory. Her long white-blonde hair grazed the tops of her bare feet, and her nearly transparent robes hugged the curves of her hourglass figure as she looked around her with an angelic smile.

“It’s nice to meet you all,” she said with a curtsy toward the king and queen.

“Gratia said she can try to do it, but it’s been a long time,” Nokomis breathed. “I didn’t know it was possible.”

“She’s just out of practice,” Miraya giggled. “She and Brenna should both join me here, and Aine and Juniper, too.”

The spirit’s words ignited her sisters, and more flashes of bright light filled the dining hall until four more spirits stood with her. I recognized Aine, Nike’s spirit companion, with her golden-blonde hair twisted into a braid and similar sheer dress, and next to her stood Juniper. The spirit of the Sword of Youth was a redhead with bright green eyes and a warm smile, and she could hardly contain her joy as she embraced the two new spirits.

“Gratia!” Juniper shrieked as she wrapped her arms around a dark-headed spirit.

Gratia reminded me of Snow White with her pale skin and black hair, and she had the same innocence about her. I could just picture her singing with the birds as she cleaned a little cottage, and I figured she had to be the spirit of the Sword of Mercy.

Brenna, on the other hand, was clearly the spirit of the Sword of Strength. Her biceps were nearly as big as mine, and her robes were tight enough to see the six-pack chiseled into her abs. She had strawberry-blonde hair pulled back into a no-nonsense bun on the back of her head, but even with her tough exterior, she offered a kind smile to her sisters as they all hugged.

“By the gods,” Tawa breathed. “You’re here in my world.”

“I am,” Brenna said in a low voice. “It’s been many years since I came. I’ve always enjoyed your spiritual sea.”

“Oh, this is incredible!” Isi gasped and clapped her hands.

“It is,” Tecumseh agreed before he cleared his throat. “But I am interested to hear what else Lord Evan has to say. Why do you need our daughter?”

“Well, there’s a ceremony called Redimi Vincio,” I explained. “It’s a blood ceremony to bind our powers, so I can use them in the fight against the Demon King.”

“Hold on,” Tawa cut in before I could continue. “So, you want to do a blood ceremony with Nokomis?”

“It’s only called that because they put some of their blood into the ceremonial bowl,” Alyona assured him. “No one is sacrificed.”

“Common mistake,” Skye chuckled.

“I thought you weren’t after treasure and power,” Tawa muttered. “It sure sounds like it to me. Why not just get all the Nobles of the Sword together to fight the beast?”

“Because that’s not what the gods told me to do.” I shook my head and sighed. “Plus, some of the Nobles I’ve met so far wouldn’t stand a chance in such a battle. Not all of us have trained for war, brother.”

“I only learned what I was when Lord Evan showed up,” Skye said. “I had no idea about the Noble Sword, the power it carried, or even how to use it. They’ve all been training me since we met.”

“And we haven’t even found everyone yet,” I added. “There could be more who don’t know who or what they are. There’s no way to train them all in time to take on the Demon King. This is the path the gods told us to take, so that’s what we have to do.”

“Then you can do it with me and my power,” Tawa declared. “My sister doesn’t need to be involved.”

“It’s not that simple,” Miraya said as she turned to face the snow leopard Demi-Human. “Lord Evan has to perform the ceremony with a female.”

“It’s fine.” Nokomis waved her hand and smiled. “I don’t mind helping Lord Evan with this. It’s important.”

“No, I’m the strong one,” her brother insisted. “I should do it. We can find a way to do the ceremony with me.”

“I have my own strengths,” Nokomis growled. “I don’t need you to take my place in the ceremony.”

“It’s my job to keep you safe!” he argued.

“No, it’s not!” She stood up and pressed her nose to his with a fierce, growl deep in her throat. “I can protect myself.”

I could see the king and queen’s anxiety plastered on their previously serene faces as their children argued, and I started to step in until Alyona placed a gentle hand on my arm and shook her head. She knew I had a tendency to be protective, and it would put me in a dangerous position if I took sides in the argument between the twins. I didn’t want to fight Tawa, but I would if he got in Nokomis’ face.

Although, at the moment, it looked like he wasn’t the one ready to fight.

“This is not a discussion,” Tawa rumbled. “I’ll do the ceremony. You will not.”

“You don’t make my decisions!” Nokomis thundered before she turned on her heels and stormed out of the dining hall with Gratia close behind her.

No one said anything for nearly a full minute as Tawa stood with his chest heaving up and down while he tried to calm himself.

“When are you going to learn you can’t control her?” Tecumseh finally asked. “You two are so different, yet exactly the same. You would never let her tell you not to do what you thought was right.”

“Well, I’m the one who should do the ceremony,” Tawa insisted. “I don’t think Lord Evan needs the power of mercy to defeat the Demon King.”

“I need all the Noble Swords’ powers,” I said. “Hers is just as important as yours. I don’t know why yet, but it always comes out eventually. Besides, we already told you I have to bond with a female. It has to be someone who has your bloodline ability.”

“So, you want the power of the Sword of Strength, but you want me to let you use the women in my life to get it?” he snorted. “I guess you need a new plan.”

Before I could answer, he stomped out with his white ears pressed to his head and his nose in the air. Brenna casually trailed after him with a sigh, and I looked around the stunned room.

“I think that went well,” I said with a note of sarcasm.

“He’s protective over his sister,” Isi explained. “He’s been that way since they were children.”

“I understand that, but she’s a grown woman,” I pointed out. “He can’t tell her not to do something she wants to do, especially when it’s something so important.”

“You’ll just have to give him some time,” the king said with a frown. “I know you mean well, but he has to come to it on his own.”

“We don’t have time for that,” I muttered as I pushed my chair back from the table. “There are lives at risk!”

I paced next to the table, and the snow leopard rulers stayed silent as I pondered my own thoughts. I’d thought this quest would be easy since we’d found Nokomis so early, but it seemed it would be just as difficult as every other Noble of the Sword had been so far.

At least this time, it wasn’t about someone who didn’t rightfully have the Noble Sword, but that didn’t change the level of difficulty. Someone stood in the way of my mission, and I had to play nice to fix the problem.

I didn’t like playing nice.

“Lord Evan, if I may?” Tecumseh interrupted my musings and rose from his chair. “You seem to have a lot on your plate with this mission, so I know it’s frustrating when the pieces don’t fall into place. However, I think I know at least part of the problem with Tawa.”

“Oh.” Isi looked at her husband with knowing eyes. “I think you’re right.”

“Well, what is it?” I asked.

“You mentioned the ceremony has to be with a female,” the king explained. “And the female has to be in his bloodline, right?”

“Right,” I agreed and cocked my head to the side with confusion.

“Tawa and his wife have twins,” Tecumseh said and grimaced. “One of them is a daughter.”

“Oh, gods,” I groaned as I put my hand to my forehead. “He has a daughter?”

“You couldn’t have known,” Alyona assured me. “Tawa made the connection, and now he’s worried about her. We can understand that feeling.”

“Yeah, definitely.” I frowned as I turned toward the king. “How old is she? I don’t want to do the ceremony with a baby. We found a way around that a couple months ago, but it wasn’t easy.”

“She isn’t a baby, but she’s only ten,” Isi replied. “Tawa must have already figured out she’s the one who would have to take his place.”

“I can see why he got so mad,” I murmured. “We aren’t just talking about his sister now. And I’ve never done the ceremony with someone so young.”

“Is she old enough to understand what it means?” Ravi asked. “I mean, I had to do several ceremonies by the time I was ten, but my father was the chief of the phoenix tribe. We had ceremonies all the time.”

“Rebirth ceremonies?” Tecumseh raised a curious eyebrow.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the phoenix confirmed with a smile. “I’d witnessed dozens of them by the time I was ten. They were terrifying and fascinating, but we all knew how important they were.”

“Well, his daughter is very bright,” the king said.

“I don’t know,” I murmured. “It feels so strange. I’d have to cut her hand for the ceremony. I know I can heal it right away, but that’s a difficult thing to ask of a child.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not sure what other options you have, my lord,” Isabella pointed out.

“Me, either,” I said as I looked down at the white marble floor.

Tawa’s daughter was an unexpected kink in the plan, and I had no idea what I could do about it. She was so young, and I didn’t like the idea of putting her in any pain, even though it was for just a few seconds. The Redimi Vincio ceremony was important, probably the most important thing on our mission, but it was hard to think that I’d have to bond with a child.

I wondered if the gods already knew about her when they told me I had to stay on this path. I considered sending up a prayer to the gods for some guidance, but something told me they would just tell me to do the ceremony. The mission was too important to worry about one child, especially when millions of lives were at stake, but it didn’t make it any easier to think about.

I also found a new sense of compassion for Tawa. My children weren’t even born yet, and I couldn’t imagine asking one of them to do a mysterious blood ceremony for the greater good. It was a lot for a father to soak in, and I understood now why he didn’t want to discuss everything.

It seemed Tecumseh was right about letting his son come to an answer on his own. And I’d have to practice that whole patience bullshit.

“Perhaps we should give everyone some time,” Alyona suggested. “It’s getting late in Rahma. My father is likely already getting ready for bed, and it would be difficult to start the ceremony right now.”

“Oh, I’m sure you all are tired from your journey!” the king said and motioned for us to follow him. “You can rest here. The entire south wing is rarely used.”

“That should be enough room for your whole group,” Isi agreed. “I’ll have one of our staff show you the way.”

“Then we can discuss things again tomorrow,” Alyona said with a smile. “What a wonderful idea, Your Majesties. Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome,” Tecumseh replied.

A few seconds later, a penguin Demi-Human waddled into the room. He looked like the epitome of a butler with black and white robes and a small beak for a nose, and he stood in the doorway with a patient smile on his creamy-white face.

“I’ll be taking you to the south wing, my lord,” the penguin said.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

We rose from the table and followed him out of the dining hall, and he led us upstairs and around a hallway to a set of double-doors that were already open to another long corridor. There were at least a dozen open doors that revealed bedrooms on either side with queen-sized beds in each room. Nike, Aine, Juniper, and my lovers fanned out and began to choose their rooms, but I soon realized only Rebecca still stood in the hallway with me and the penguin servant.

“I’ll be available if you need anything,” he declared before he waddled back toward the stairs.

“Are you okay?” I asked Rebecca.

“Yes, my lord.” The lady bear wrung her clawed hands in front of her as she eyed the empty rooms. “I just don’t know where to sleep. I usually find a room with Aaliyah, and now, I’m not sure where to go.”

It was strange to see the strong Demi-Human look so sad and lost, and I didn’t want her to feel alone. Her friendship with Aaliyah had carried her through the last few cities we’d been to, and this change of pace was obviously not easy on her.

“You two have grown close lately,” I said and took her hand. “I’m sure it’s difficult to be without her.”

“I love the rest of my family, but she’s my best friend, and I’ve never really had that before,” Rebecca sniffled. “I miss her.”

“I understand,” I soothed her. “Why don’t you help me find a room? Then you can stay with me.”

“I’d love that,” she replied as she wiped an errant tear from her cheek and smiled.

I tugged Rebecca along the hallway and found an empty room with a king-sized canopy bed covered in a dark blue fluffy blanket. At least ten pillows had been perfectly arranged at the head of the bed, and the waning sunlight illuminated the room from between a set of navy curtains that hung over a huge picture window.

“Perfect,” I said and pulled her inside.

Then I stood in the doorway as Rebecca walked into the room and ran her hand along the blanket.

“This looks nice,” she murmured. “But I’m really not tired yet, my lord.”

My blood rushed south as the bear Demi-Human turned to face me with hooded eyes and ran her tongue over her pink lips.

“I can think of a few other ideas to pass the time,” I said with a wicked smile.

Then I strode across the room, and she met me in the middle before I pulled her muscled body against mine. Our lips crashed together with a fiery passion, and our tongues danced in the warm heat of our breath. I traced my fingers along her spine, and I grinned as her body shivered beneath my touch.

“Oh, my lord,” she sighed against me.

I kissed down her chin to her jawline and grazed my tongue along her throat as I untied her robe and let it fall to the floor, and I could feel her smooth skin under my hands as I rubbed down her back to cup her round ass. Then I lifted her up, and she wrapped her legs around my waist as I carried her to the bed.

I laid her down on the soft blanket, and I nearly drooled as I eyed her sinewy muscles down to her round breasts and the hard nipples that waited for me. I kissed down her neck and left a trail of goosebumps as I reached her tits. Then I teased her nipples with my tongue as she clawed at the bed.

“Please, Lord Evan!” she begged. “Just taste it, I need you!”

“I’m tasting everything today,” I murmured before I took her breast in my mouth.

“Oh!” Rebecca squealed.

I sucked and licked on one breast while I kneaded the other until the lady bear squirmed under me. My cock pressed against my trousers as though it wanted to break through to the warm wet slit under me, and I slowly slid down until I was crouched next to the bed with her drenched pussy in front of me.

Then I dove in.

My tongue ran between the soft folds of her flower, and Rebecca grabbed my head as I licked every inch of her slit.

“You taste so good,” I said between her legs.

“Ohhhh, gods!” she moaned and pulled me closer.

I slid my finger inside her warm tunnel as I continued to flick her pink lips and sucked on her throbbing clit, and her back arched away from the bed as she neared her first orgasm. I curled my finger up to tease her G-spot, and she nearly screamed with pleasure as her walls tightened around my finger.

Then a wave of her sweet juices cascaded out of her tunnel and down my chin as I lapped up her climax.

“Fuuuuck!” she shrieked as her body writhed with her orgasm.

I pumped my finger back and forth while I continued to flick her trembling pussy until her body relaxed against the bed, and the lady bear released a sigh.

“Mmm.” I sat up and licked my finger as I met her gaze. “Sweet as honey.”

“Because I’m a bear?” Rebecca giggled.

“Must be,” I said with a wink. “And I love honey.”

I didn’t stop staring at her as I pulled my tunic over my head and dropped my pants to the ground. Then I climbed onto the bed, and Rebecca wrapped her legs around me as I dragged the head of my throbbing cock up and down her slippery entrance.

“Please, I want it!” she moaned as she pulled me closer with her strong legs.

“You’ll get all of it,” I murmured.

Then I plunged my shaft inside her swollen pussy, and the bear Demi-Human groaned again as I began to rock my hips back and forth. I pumped harder and harder while she dug her heels into my back and gripped the blanket. Her sopping wet canal had already begun to tighten again, and it didn’t take long before another climax wracked her body with pleasure.

“Gods!” she wailed, but I didn’t stop moving as more of her juices flowed over my hard cock.

She’d barely finished her climax when I grabbed her hips and pushed her further onto the bed. Then I slid out of her long enough to flip her onto all fours, and I rose to my knees to shove my shaft into her dripping slit from behind. Her bronze ass bounced against my hips as I felt every part of her swollen tunnel, and I grunted when my own climax started to bubble to the surface.

“Oh, fuck,” I groaned.

“Yesssss,” Rebecca cried out as her pussy began to squeeze my cock again. “Fill me with your seed, Lord Evan, please!”

I felt her warm juices pour over my shaft, and I couldn’t hold back any longer, so I released what seemed like gallons of my hot seed into her warm tunnel as sparks of pleasure rippled down my spine.

“Godsssss.” I poured load after load inside her hungry womb until both of our juices spilled over and trickled down her thighs.

My body had finally stopped quaking with my orgasm when Rebecca looked over her shoulder with a mischievous grin, and before I knew it, she had her legs around me and flipped me onto my back.

“Now, I want to make you cum,” she whispered.

Then she straddled my thighs and slid her hot pussy over my still-hard cock. I shivered with excitement as the bear Demi-Human bounced up and down on top of me while my shaft rubbed against every inch of her swollen tunnel. I reached up and played with her tits as they bounced with her, and I thumbed her hard nipples while she threw her head back and moaned with pleasure.

“You’re so beautiful.” I bit my lip and let my hands slide down her hard body to her hips.

Rebecca switched gears and ground her hips against me, and my cock went even deeper inside her as she took in a sharp breath.

“Oh, gods, yessss,” she groaned as her breathing quickened.

Then it was my turn to grip the blanket beneath me as her walls tightened around my shaft, and another wave of her sweetness gushed over me and down onto my thighs. A few seconds of her body vibrating above me, and I felt the familiar rush of my seed burst from my shaft and filled up her canal.

“Fuck, Rebecca!” I grunted as I gripped her hips even tighter while my body shook with ecstasy.

I shot another round of my hot dragon seed into her overflowing womb, and we both moaned together as our juices puddled between us and dripped onto the bed.

I exhaled as my climax finished, and Rebecca laid against me with a sigh.

“That was amazing,” she said. “But I think I need to bathe.”

“Me, too,” I laughed.

I nipped at her breast as she started to lift herself from my cock, and something caught my eye as I looked past her to the doorway. I hadn’t realized I’d left the door open, and my cock rose again.

Nokomis stood in the hall with her chocolate eyes as wide as dinner plates, and her hard nipples pressed against her silky tunic.

Then the smell of the snow leopard’s desire wafted into my nose.

Chapter 4

“Oh, gods, I’m so sorry,” Nokomis mumbled before she cleared her throat and closed her eyes. “I didn’t-- uh, I, well--”

“It’s okay,” I said with a smile and sat up on the bed. “We just finished.”

“I know,” the snow leopard whispered and shook her head. “I mean, I noticed-- um, that you were…”

“You noticed I filled her womb with my seed?” I chuckled. “I do that a lot.”

“Oh.” Nokomis’ cheeks flushed a hot pink as she cleared her throat again. “I just came for… ah, something.”

“Did you forget, Your Highness?” Rebecca asked with a smile. “My lord Evan is good at making women come, as you can see if you look between my legs.”

The bear Demi-Human stood stark naked with our juices still dripping down her thighs, and her skin was still flushed from her orgasms, but she paid no mind.

“Well, I was… I can see that… I… ah, distracted… got,” Nokomis finally said as her face turned red.

“Understandable.” I grinned and squeezed Rebecca’s bare ass. “She is quite beautiful. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Of course,” the snow leopard sighed. “I just… have never seen, um, a harem. Or… sex really…”

“Oh, it’s wonderful!” Rebecca giggled. “We are all in love, and the sex is amazing.”

“How is it… loving everyone and sharing the same man?” Nokomis asked as she took a cautious step into the room.

“Have you ever heard of a soul bridge?” I patted the bed next to me.

“No.” Nokomis hesitated before she walked over and sat beside me, and Rebecca sat on her other side.

“Basically, our souls are bonded because of our love,” I explained. “I don’t just have a bunch of lovers who follow me around everywhere. We’re a family, and we love each other and care about each other.”

“And Alyona, I mean the Princess… she loves them, too?” the snow leopard asked.

“Yes, she loves all of us,” Rebecca answered with a wide smile. “We call each other sisters of the heart. Our family is different from anything I’ve ever known or even seen before. Calling ourselves a harem is almost silly.”

“The harems I’ve heard of certainly aren’t like that,” Nokomis agreed as her brow furrowed in thought. “Usually, the man simply picks and chooses who he keeps in his bed. Then he kicks them out when he tires of them. I never wanted anything like that, but your family sounds lovely.”

“It is.” The lady bear nodded and took Nokomis’ hand. “You would enjoy being with us. And there are more of our sisters back in Hatra.”

“More?” Nokomis gaped at Rebecca. “And you all feel the same way?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Rebecca replied. “Have you ever been in love?”

“I thought I was once,” she sighed. “There was a man who arrived from Tella, a city south of here, and he told my parents he wanted to marry me and unite our cities. I was impressed with his confidence and good looks, but then I discovered he was stealing things from the castle. Maps, treasures, books, anything he could get his hands on. My mother was ready to hang him for his treason, but I convinced her to let him live in exile.”

“You were much nicer than I would have been,” I muttered. “I suppose that’s why I need the power of mercy. I don’t have much when it comes to traitors.”

“It isn’t easy,” the snow leopard admitted. “Our first instinct is to strike back and cause pain when someone has done harm to us, but it doesn’t always help. Perhaps that man will learn to be more honest with the next family he meets because of the lesson he learned here.”

“Or maybe he’ll get better at lying,” I said with a frown. “How do you know which one it will be?”

“I don’t.” Nokomis shrugged and rubbed the ends of her braid between her clawed fingers. “But I have to live with my decision. I have to ask myself if it’s something I’ll be proud of later or if I’d be embarrassed to tell my future children.”

“That is an interesting way of looking at it,” I murmured and rubbed my chin in thought.

I didn’t know how I’d feel relaying some of my stories to my kids, even if I had good reason when I did the things I did. I wasn’t completely convinced to be as merciful as Nokomis was, but I certainly had no intention of telling them the war stories before they were teenagers. Maybe adults.

Either way, I couldn’t ignore all my instincts, and my dragon instincts told me to take no prisoners.

“I don’t mean to disagree with you,” Nokomis said, and her pretty lips puckered in a frown. “I hope you don’t take offense.”

“Not at all,” I replied. “I’m always open to hearing new points of view, as long as you aren’t offended that I won’t always agree.”

“I suppose that’s fair,” she giggled, but then she cleared her throat and averted her eyes. “I feel so comfortable talking with you.”

“Lord Evan has a certain charm,” Rebecca said and grinned. “He makes you feel at home.”

“One of my many skills.” I winked as I laid back on the bed.

“It sounded as though you have a few,” Nokomis murmured, and I glanced up to see a pink flush on her cheeks. “Not that I was, um, listening for, ah, a long time…”

“It’s okay if you were,” Rebecca laughed. “We often join each other in the bedroom. It’s just another way we show our love.”

“Really?” The snow leopard Demi-Human gaped at Rebecca and me. “I’ve never, ah, done such things.”

“It’s a whole new experience,” my bear lover said with a smile. “You’d love it.”

“I suppose I might,” the snow leopard princess agreed tentatively. “For now, could I spend the night with you both? I’d like to hear more about… love.”

“And we’d be happy to share,” I replied and gently dragged my fingers over her back.

A few minutes later, the three of us were cuddled under the blankets, and Rebecca and I told Nokomis the stories of how we’d met each of my lovers and how they all had an important role to play in our family. I told her about the battles we’d fought together, the children on their way, and the Lunar Palace back in Hatra with a room for every one of my women.

I could tell Nokomis was taken aback by the stories and how much I obviously loved my women, and when we finally all fell asleep, she had a content smile on her face.

I was happy as well, and I wasn’t sure if it was because we’d met a new potential member of our family or because we’d finally found a place where we were welcomed and didn’t have to fight for our lives at every turn.

My dreams were pleasantly boring. No Demon King, no fiery rooms, no demolished Rahma landscapes invaded my sleep, and I felt a sense of tranquility as I slept. It was the third night in a row that I’d been able to sleep without the Demon King showing up to threaten me, and I woke up feeling refreshed and renewed.

The sun seemed brighter as it reflected off the snowy rooftops across Narsglow, and I sat up to stretch and realized Nokomis and Rebecca were both sound asleep against me. I tried to inch my way up the bed to climb out without rousing them, but the snow leopard opened her eyes and sighed.

“Good morning, my lord,” she purred. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “Did you?”

“Wonderfully,” Nokomis replied as she glanced over at Rebecca. “It seems she did as well.”

“Indeed,” I chuckled and slid off the bed. “I’m starving. Do you think they’ll make enough breakfast for us, too?”

“Oh, of course,” she answered with a nod. “My mother is strict, but she is a superb hostess. She would never let guests go without a meal.”

“Good, I liked the food we had yesterday.” I grinned as I tugged on my boots. “I bet she’s hungry, but I don’t really want to wake Rebecca up. It’s been hard for her to come here without Aaliyah.”

“She seemed happier when she talked about her,” Nokomis mused. “They must have a close bond.”

“Yeah, they do,” I agreed. “But they’d always welcome you.”

Nokomis’ bronze cheeks darkened with a blush, and she turned away as she retied her robes and brushed invisible dust from the front. I didn’t want to be too forward with the princess, but it was obvious she was meant for something bigger than Narsglow, and there was no way her brother was going to let her be the warrior she was meant to be. I was protective over my women, but I’d never keep them from doing what made them happy.

Before the snow leopard could reply, Rebecca rolled over with her eyes still closed and patted the empty bed. Then the bear Demi-Human slowly opened her eyes and searched the room before her woozy gaze settled on me.

“My lord, is it time to get up?” she mumbled.

“Yeah, breakfast,” I said with a grin. “Come on, sleepyhead.”

“I’m coming,” Rebecca grunted and stuck out her tongue.

It only took her a few minutes to get dressed, and then the three of us headed toward the stairs. Nike, Aine, and the rest of my lovers were just making their way into the hallway when we walked by their rooms, and they joined us as we walked down the stairs to the dining hall. King Tecumseh and Queen Isi were already seated at the table, and their quiet conversation ended as soon as we walked in.

“Nokomis, your ladies-in-waiting said you didn’t return to your chambers last night,” Tecumseh said as he narrowed his eyes on his daughter. “They were quite worried about you until one of the servants said he saw you go into Lord Evan’s room.”

“Yes, I fell asleep in there while we were talking,” Nokomis answered with a shrug. “Nothing untoward, Father.”

“Not at all,” I confirmed.

I snuck a glance at Isi, but the queen remained silent. In fact, she didn’t even look at me or Nokomis during the king’s questioning, though he seemed satisfied with our explanation. Isi stared off into space and only seemed to start paying attention when the kitchen staff entered with breakfast.

“Thank you,” she murmured as an arctic fox Demi-Human set a plate of pancakes down in front of her.

I kept a cautious eye on the queen as I poured a sweet-smelling syrup over my pancakes and began to take bites.

“So, Lord Evan, I think our conversation ended rather, um, abruptly yesterday,” Tecumseh finally said. “Could you tell us more about this Breach?”

“Sure,” I replied as I swallowed a large bite of fluffy pancake. “What do you want to know?”

“Well, you said there’s a king of some sort on the other side, right?” he asked. “What does he do? Is he magical?”

“He has some sort of power,” I answered. “I’m not sure what all he can do yet. He can project, which is freaky, and he seems to be able to create or control creatures from the Underworld. He uses miasma to poison the living, and if he uses it on the dead, they become corrupted. Either way, their only goal is to kill.”

“That’s terrible.” Nokomis grimaced and shook her head. “He certainly doesn’t need to find his way to our world.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said. “He’s sent hellbeasts that can control lava, creepy fairy things that kidnapped our friends, and the gods know what else. My people and I have killed dozens of his minions, but he never seems to run out.”

“And he wants to bring these creatures to our realm and wreak havoc?” Tecumseh pressed.

“It seems so,” I confirmed. “From what I’ve gathered, he intends to destroy everything in Inati and replace it with his own beasts.”

“Basically, he wants the Underworld here.” Ravi’s blue eyes lit with fiery rage at the thought, and I figured she was imagining the fight with the corrupted phoenixes she had thankfully only been told about.

When I’d fought the corrupted dragons, it had felt like I ripped a piece of my own soul from my body, and I was glad Ravi had been spared the same feeling.

Suddenly, Tawa strolled into the dining hall and sat in the empty chair next to his sister with a grim look on his face. Tecumseh’s attention immediately focused on his son, and he put a hand on the warrior’s arm with concern.

“What’s wrong?” the king asked.

“Father, we have a problem.” The younger snow leopard looked at me with apparent suspicion, as though he waited for me to be sent away before he gave his news.

“Speak freely, Tawa,” the king replied with a wave of his hand. “What’s going on?”

“There’s another report of a dead creature in the forest,” Tawa said after a brief hesitation. “This is the fifth one this week.”

“Is it abnormal for animals to die in the forest?” Alyona wondered.

“In this manner, yes,” Tawa grunted. “Eaten by other animals, even killed by hunters who don’t know how to properly clean up after themselves, those are normal, but this is barbaric.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The animals’ bodies are drained of blood,” he explained with a grimace. “And they’re usually hung up in some odd fashion with markings all around the ground and trees. It looks like…”

“A ritual?” Alyona offered.

“Yes, but that’s impossible,” Tawa said and shook his head. “There’s no way someone could be sacrificing them.”

“But this is the fifth one this week you’ve found that was killed in this violent method?” I leaned back and crossed my arms over my chest. “Why would blood magic be impossible?”

“It just is,” he insisted.

I glanced over at Alyona, who met my stare evenly, and I knew we were on the same page. It sounded way too similar to the things Olivier had done when he was trying to open the Breach. He’d performed plenty of blood sacrifices to try to gain favor with the Demon King, and the bodies of animals and people alike had been left in his wake.

“Have they all been killed in a ritual?” I asked.

“I obviously haven’t seen the one from today yet,” he snorted. “I’ll get Bobo in here to tell you what he found a few days ago.”

Before I could ask who Bobo was, Tawa stomped out of the dining hall and reappeared moments later with a Demi-Human who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. His nose was pointed with a sprinkling of whiskers on either side, and his hair was stark white and stuck out in every direction. He held his hands in front of him with his fingers dangling limply, and it took me a second to realize he was a weasel Demi-Human.

Tawa shoved him forward, and Bobo’s teeth clattered together before he dropped to his knees and bowed to the king and queen.

“Bobo, come now,” Tecumseh sighed. “Tell Lord Evan what you found in the forest.”

“Ah, yes, Your Majesty,” Bobo muttered and stood up. “It was a cold evening, and I was hunting for my family in the forest northeast of the city walls when I stumbled upon a horrific sight.”

“Go on,” I said and waved my hand when he paused dramatically.

“It was a creature whose natural form I could not distinguish.” Bobo threw his hand up to his forehead and sighed. “The skin had been stripped from the bones, and the bones were scattered in a star pattern while the fur hung from the trees nearby. Blood had been sprinkled in the snow next to the bones, and I nearly threw up from the smell.”

“And you didn’t see anyone around it?” I pressed.

“No,” he said and shook his head. “A-And I didn’t stay long enough to look, Your Grace. I’ve never been so scared in my life.”

“Then he came to the castle and reported it immediately,” Tawa finished. “I verified what he saw, and my men and I cleaned up the sacrifice and got rid of the poor creature.”

“You couldn’t tell what it was, either?” Nike wondered.

“No, it was too badly mangled,” Tawa answered with a grimace before he turned to Bobo. “You can leave now.”

The weasel Demi-Human dipped his head at the prince and then sprinted out of the room. He was an odd combination of scared and dramatic, but his information had been helpful. Someone was definitely trying to do blood magic, but we couldn’t be sure if they had been successful yet.

“Okay, how about you let us take a look with you?” I suggested. “Alyona and I have experience dealing with dark mages, and we could help you determine the best way to get rid of the problem.”

“I know exactly how to get rid of a dark mage,” Tawa retorted. “It’s not very difficult.”

“Tawa, you can’t just go around killing people you think are doing dark magic,” Nokomis said as she clenched her hands into fists. “Death is not always the answer!”

“For anyone who does blood magic, it is,” he replied in a low voice. “They have chosen a deadly path, and they always get what’s coming to them.”

I sensed another sibling argument coming on, so I stood up to get their attention before Nokomis tore into her brother, and we were left to figure out how we’d go find the sacrifice ourselves.

“Okay, listen,” I said. “I find blood magic to be completely sick and twisted, and there’s no one in their right mind who would want to use it. That being said, it’s also a complicated type of magic that can point the blame in many directions before you figure out who’s really responsible for it. So, I don’t think we should just go in guns blazing, but I do think we can go figure out who’s behind the sacrifices and capture them to find out more information.”

“Are you insinuating you know more than I do, so you should go with me to handle the dead creature?” Tawa arched an eyebrow at me.

“Yes,” I confirmed with a nod. “We do know more about blood magic because we already defeated a dark mage. He called himself the Sage.”

“You… you defeated the Sage?” Tecumseh asked in a breathless voice. “We heard whispers of his dark deeds, even here all the way across the sea.”

“Yeah, it took a while to catch him, but we did it,” I said. “I didn’t have to capture him for a confession since I’d already caught him in the act of torturing more creatures, but he openly admitted to several of his crimes. He was beheaded in Hatra a couple weeks ago.”

“And this is why you are brazen enough to fly freely,” the king murmured. “I wondered how a dragon felt safe to fly across the ocean after everything the Sage had done to your kind.”

“He should have had a much slower, more painful death,” I growled. “But I gave my dragon mate the opportunity to avenge her family in whatever way she saw fit.”

“Now, that is a result I can support,” Tawa grunted. “But how does that help with the blood magic here?”

“Olivier-- that was the Sage’s real name-- used blood magic to perform all kinds of spells in his efforts to open the Breach,” Alyona answered. “We had to use many different counter-spells to keep the seal in place, so none of the demons would be released into our world.”

“Which means they’ve seen a lot of freaky stuff,” Skye chimed in. “It was before I joined them, but I’ve heard the stories. Trust me, you want Lord Evan on your side, Your Highness.”

“I’m inclined to agree with the dragon and his people,” Tecumseh said as he turned toward his son. “Is there a specific reason you don’t want their help? Or are you being too proud to accept it?”

Tawa’s cheeks flushed a dark pink before he shook his head and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

“I’m not too proud,” he argued. “I only want to make sure this is the best option for handling the possibility of blood magic. There are… other things at play.”

I narrowed my eyes on the prince as he spoke and wondered what it was they weren’t telling us. It didn’t seem like the king had been keeping secrets up until now, but there was clearly something neither of them wanted to say aloud.

“Like what?” I asked abruptly.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Tawa grumbled. “Fine, Lord Evan. It seems I am outnumbered here. You can go with me to investigate the sacrificial sighting, but remember, I’m the one in charge.”

I felt like we were arguing over jurisdiction like every cop show I’d ever watched, but I didn’t have any claim in Odrein. I simply wanted to help, so I nodded my agreement and looked toward the king.

“If we find the dark mage, how do you want us to handle it?” I asked without risking a glance at Tawa.

“Capture him first,” Tecumseh answered. “We will deal with the situation at that point.”

“As you wish.” I dipped my head and glanced around the table. “Is everyone ready?”

I was answered by a series of chairs scooting back from the table as Nokomis and the rest of my people rose to their feet. Miraya and Aine disappeared from view to enter Nike’s and my spiritual seas, and everyone else trotted after Tawa to begin our journey to the blood sacrifice site.

We walked out of the castle, and Nokomis and Tawa took a sharp right turn toward a small outbuilding near the palace. I arched an eyebrow with curiosity but followed them without a word.

They led us into the building, and I blinked at least four times as I absorbed what I was looking at.

The building was a stable, but instead of horses, the stalls were filled with huge rabbits. They were a little smaller than horses, but their floppy white ears and long flat feet confirmed they were rabbits.

A stable hand looped reins over one of the rabbits and guided it out of a stall while Tawa pushed a sled out of the back toward the large open doors at the front of the stable. Then the two men tied the reins to the sled, and Tawa climbed on and looked at us with confusion.

“You don’t want to take a sled?” he asked. “It’s much faster than walking in the snow.”

“It’s pulled by a rabbit?” I couldn’t seem to take the bewildered look off my face.

“They’re arctic hares,” Tawa corrected me as his sister pulled her sled up next to his. “They’re faster than any other animal on snow.”

“I think I’d rather fly,” I murmured. “Anyone else?”

“Uh, I’ll ride the sled with Nokomis,” Rebecca offered.

“I’ll take my own, if that’s alright,” Nike said, though he seemed almost as uncomfortable being pulled by a rabbit as he was riding on dragonback.

“I’ll stay with you,” Alyona giggled.

“Me, too,” Skye agreed.

I grinned as I took their hands, and Ravi and Isabella followed us outside, where we took our winged forms. Within seconds, Ravi, Isabella, and I hovered above the stable until the hare-led sleds popped out of the stable.

Tawa took the lead and zoomed across the white snow toward a smaller gate, which narrowly opened just in time to let him and the other sleds through to the open space outside the city. Ravi, Isabella, and I flapped our wings while Alyona and Skye held tight to one of my spikes, and we took off after the sleds.

I soon realized I had no idea where we were headed, but we followed the snow leopards north along the western edge of the forest. The snow began to fall harder and harder until Ravi and I had to float closer to the ground to see where the others were going. The wind screamed past our ears, and if anyone on the ground had said anything, I didn’t think even my dragon hearing could have picked it up.

The snowstorm raged on, and finally, Tawa and Nokomis slowed their pace to a trot as they peered into the forest. When they came to a stop, Ravi, Isabella, and I lowered ourselves to the snow, and I waited for Alyona to slide to the ground before I transformed back into my human body.

“Is this it?” I called out over the howling wind.

“About half a mile east!” Tawa yelled back and pointed into the trees.

I nodded my head, and the snow leopard siblings led us into the shadowy forest. The trees looked like the evergreens I’d seen on Earth, but their branches and leaves were so thick, I could hardly see past one to another. They blocked out most of the sunlight over us, but they also blocked the wind and some of the snow, and I’d rather have darkness than that snowstorm again.

We trudged through several inches of snow, and I glanced over at Nike, who walked with his sword in hand.

“Do you think we’ll find another lunatic like the Sage?” he whispered.

“I have no idea,” I admitted. “I’d like to think only one of those should ever exist, but I’ve seen plenty of serial killer documentaries that suggest otherwise.”

Nike raised a confused eyebrow, but before he could ask, I heard Nokomis take in a sharp breath and curse quietly.

I strode forward to stand between her and Tawa, but I didn’t have to ask what had caught her attention.

A large, winged beast hung between two of the evergreen trees with ropes wrapped around its arms and legs. Its wings hung limply behind it and draped along the snowy ground, while its head lolled back, likely because of the large slash across its throat.

Orange blood had melted the snow directly beneath it, but someone had taken careful efforts to collect the blood in one area. Random jumbles of bones were scattered around the orange pool, and the blood had been used to write a series of symbols on each of the trees where the beast hung.

Oh, gods, Miraya gasped.

“What the hell is this?” Tawa breathed.

“A hellbeast,” I growled. “One of the demons I told you about.”

“This comes from the Breach?” Nokomis asked with wide eyes. “B-But how?”

“I don’t know,” I said and frowned as I took a step closer. “I haven’t seen any more of them since I killed the ones in Rahma.”

“And someone is sacrificing one of the beasts from the Breach?” Tawa demanded. “How does that help open it? What’s going on here?”

“He’s right, my love,” Alyona murmured. “It doesn’t make sense. If someone was trying to be like Olivier, I don’t think he would be sacrificing Underworld creatures.”

This doesn’t look good, my lord, Miraya whispered.

“Then what are we looking at?” I asked.

“Necromancy?” my wife mused as she knelt next to the pool of orange blood. “If one of the hellbeasts was already dead, then perhaps the mage was trying to resurrect it?”

“By nearly lopping off its head?” Nike poked the wound with his sword. “I don’t know, Your Highness. That seems odd. And who around here would know how to kill a hellbeast?”

“Someone with a lot of power,” Ravi said and shivered. “I don’t like this one bit.”

“You aren’t the only one.” I frowned as I looked around. “What about all these other little bones?”

“Mouse, rabbit, bird,” Alyona said and pointed to each one. “Typical sacrificial animals when praying to the gods or performing a spell.”

“Would sacrificing something bigger help someone gain more power with the gods?” Tawa asked.

“The gods don’t grant power,” the princess explained. “They merely guide those who have it if they feel like it. A spell like this could be used to try and gain power from another source, but again, it doesn’t make sense to try and gain power from the Underworld this way. Something is wrong.”

“Well, maybe since it didn’t make sense, it didn’t work,” Rebecca said with a glimmer of hope.

“If the mage didn’t get what he wanted, then he’ll have to keep trying, so we need to catch him,” Skye added.

“Yeah, except we don’t know who we’re looking for.” I ran my hands through my hair with frustration. “We don’t even know how he got a hellbeast to do this spell. Surely, they aren’t flying all the way over here from the Breach, right?”

“If they are, we have a lot more to worry about than we thought,” Nike muttered. “We have to finish the ceremonies, brother.”

“Without a doubt,” I agreed.

“We’ll talk more about that after we find whoever did this,” Tawa cut in with a growl. “For now, we need to get this situation under control. Our people are terrified to go hunt for their own food with this maniac on the loose.”

“I understand,” I said. “Let’s just see if we can track the mage or whoever, and then we can try to find him. Does this kill look fresh?”

“I’d say at least a day old,” Nokomis speculated as she peered up at the hellbeast. “The blood has clotted at the wound, and its skin is cold.”

“Dammit,” I muttered. “What are the chances the tracks aren’t covered with snow?”

“Slim,” Nike said before he froze. “But I don’t think we need to worry about that.”

“Why?” I turned to face him as a battle cry erupted from the trees.

Then a wild-haired man with tattered robes and maniacal eyes barreled toward me with a bright orange orb in his hands.

Chapter 5

The man reared back and threw the orb at Tawa, but I jumped in front of him with my scaly forearm in front of me for protection. My impenetrable scales blocked the orb, and it shattered into thousands of glass shards that exploded in every direction. The glass nicked the skin on my face and tore through my fur coat, and I growled in annoyance at the newcomer.

“Okay, dirty bastard, bring it on,” I muttered as my wounds instantly healed.

I conjured my own fireball and launched it at the mage, who looked surprised for a brief second before he ducked the orb and let it crash into the snow next to him, where it fizzled and disappeared. Then he rolled into a crouched position and pointed a finger at me.

A bolt of blue lightning zigzagged from his fingertip toward my chest, and I threw up my fire shield to absorb the shock. I felt the power surge into my shield, but it wasn’t as strong as mine, and the mage quickly ceased his efforts with the electric magic.

“What do we do?” Nokomis shrieked as she and Tawa pulled out their Noble Swords.

“Don’t let him escape!” I growled before I pulled out the Sword of Hatra and charged at the mage.

As I swung the sword at him, he conjured a defense of his own and blocked my strike with a metal-plated shield. Then he spun his finger in the air, and a whirlwind of snow plummeted through the trees to land on top of me. The cold was momentarily suffocating, and I wasn’t sure what to do. I felt like I’d been buried alive as the weight of the snow held me down.

Fire, my lord, Miraya urged me. You have fire!

Fuck, yeah, I did.

I blew a column of flames from between my lips, and the snow around me began to melt as though hit with a blow torch. When the snow was low enough for me to see, I realized the mage had made his way toward Skye and Nike, and the two Nobles of the Sword battled the stranger with every tactic they could use.

Skye had been learning nature magic, but I could see she was struggling to use it in battle. She’d pulled the roots of a tree up to block the mage, but he merely swiped them away with a flick of his wrist. She and Nike continued to swing their swords at him, but the mage seemed to have a speedy response time and blocked each of their blows with his magical shield.

I activated my precognition ability, but the golden lines that illuminated the mage’s intended path didn’t make any sense. One line shot straight across the snow toward the hellbeast, while a second line continued past us into the forest.

Does this mean he hasn’t yet decided what to do? Miraya wondered.

Is he trying to decide whether or not to take the hellbeast with him? I was completely confused, but we didn’t have time to figure out a psycho’s brain.

Because he’d just knocked Skye down with his shield and moved his attention to Alyona.

“Fucking bastard!” I bellowed as I lowered my shoulder and raced across the piles of bones toward him.

“No!” he screeched and stretched his hands toward the bones.

Then my shoulder connected with his sternum, and I heard his breath leave his chest as we tumbled to the snowy ground. As we rolled through the tackle, he planted his boots in my chest and launched me backward to slam into one of the evergreen trees. A collection of the prickly needles jabbed through my coat and into my skin, but I didn’t care.

“You won’t lay a finger on them,” I growled as I scrambled to my feet.

“She can do it!” The mage pointed a bony finger at Alyona. “Her! She’s the one!”

“Don’t you fucking think about it,” I snarled and raised the Sword of Healing above my head as I ran toward him again.

The mage swiped his hand toward me, and the snow beneath my boots suddenly turned into ice. I was already running, and I soon lost my balance as I slipped and slid toward him.

“I’ll handle this,” Tawa said as he sprinted at the mage from the other direction.

Another swipe of the hand, and Tawa and I were both careening toward the mage, who continued to stare at Alyona with wonder and awe. Then the snow leopard and I crashed into each other, and we grumbled as we tried to get our bearings again.

“Together,” I muttered. “From both sides.”

“On three,” Tawa agreed.

“One, two, three!” I darted to the right on three.

Tawa banked left, and we charged the mage from his right and his left with our swords held high. I saw a look of sheer panic in his eyes as he held his shield over his head, and I quickly changed my tactic to a forceful blow at his shield arm, while Tawa’s sword clanged against the metal plates.

The mage dropped his shield, and it disappeared in a puff of smoke as I grabbed the front of his robe and pressed my sword to his throat. I couldn’t explain why I’d suddenly felt the need to spare his life, but as the mage’s eyes drifted over to Alyona again, I wondered if it was the right call. His hood fell back to reveal a haggard old Demi-Human with a mangy beard and circular scars that marked most of his face. Shaggy dark hair draped down past his shoulders, and small curved horns poked out of the sides of his forehead.

“One more spell, and I’ll cut out your voice box,” I snarled.

“He’s a tribal,” Tawa gasped and covered his mouth.

“What the fuck does that mean?” I demanded.

Before Tawa could answer, his sister began to shout.

“Lord Evan!” Nokomis yelled as she sheathed her sword and jogged through the snow toward us. “Wait, don’t kill him!”

“He tried to kill all of us,” I scoffed and watched a single drop of blood slip onto my blade. “Why should I let him live?”

“Because it is the right thing,” Nokomis begged. “Please, my father asked us to capture him, not kill him. We don’t get to decide who lives and who dies!”

My inner dragon roared with rage. He wanted just as badly as I did to rip this man’s throat out and watch him bleed out beneath me, but it seemed the snow leopard had other plans.

I wasn’t going to be able to kill anything around here.

“You sh-should listen,” the mage stuttered.

“Shut up,” I said in a low voice. “If she wasn’t here, you’d already be dead. You went after people I love, and I don’t take that shit lightly.”

“I didn’t cast any deadly spells,” he insisted. “I only wanted to take my things.”

“And still, you tried to cast them on my people,” I growled. “If we were in my city, you’d already be bleeding on the ground at my feet.”

“I would never cast a spell on the priestess.” The mage glanced over at Alyona again with desperation in his voice. “Please, you must do it! Do what you were called to do!”

“What is he talking about?” Nokomis asked.

“Spare my life, so I can save you all!” the mage bellowed. “I’ll save everyone!”

“Don’t waste your breath on me,” I scoffed. “Take it up with the king.”

I expected Alyona to cast her captivity spell, but Nokomis and Tawa were already at my sides with ropes in hand. They bound the mage’s hands and feet, and I looked at Alyona with obvious uncertainty.

A mage with enough power could easily escape some plain old ropes, but the siblings didn’t seem interested in how we’d contained the last dark mage we’d captured, so I shrugged and motioned for Alyona to keep eyes on the mage. She nodded her agreement, and I grabbed the mage’s feet while Tawa took his arms.

We carried him out of the forest like a lamb to the slaughter and loaded him onto Tawa’s sled. The mage didn’t fight anymore, and I watched with macabre amusement when fear filled his eyes at the sight of my transformation. Whatever a tribal was, he didn’t seem to be familiar with dragons.

And I liked the terror that brought to the bastard.

Ravi flew next to my snout while the hares pulled the others back toward Narsglow.

“I don’t like him, my lord,” she said into my ear. “Something isn’t right with him.”

“I know,” I agreed. “Have you ever heard of a tribal? That’s what Tawa called him when he saw his face.”

“I don’t think so,” she replied, and her beak somehow formed a frown.

I can’t be certain, my lord, but some cultures refer to the original members of their people as tribals, Miraya said as she paced back and forth on the beach of my spiritual sea.

So, he’s old? I shook my head and grunted.

Not just old, she insisted. He would be an original native to Odrein, if that’s what it means here. He was one of the first group of people to inhabit this place.

How does that help us? I wondered.

I’m not sure yet, Miraya admitted with a frown.

I curled my lip as we continued to fly across the snow until we could see the lights of Narsglow up ahead. I wasn’t sure if the mage was a native tribal or whatever, but I knew I didn’t like that he was alive after he’d tried to attack me and my people. Part of me knew I needed to follow the king’s directions to bring him back alive, but the other part of me wasn’t keen on letting diplomacy keep me from avenging my people.

When we finally returned to the ice castle, I landed in my human form next to Tawa’s sled to help him unload the mage, and Ravi and Isabella landed beside me. The guards watched my entrance with a sense of awe, but they scurried over to grab the prisoner and dragged him inside. Then we followed them into the castle and down the long hallway to the throne room.

The king and queen sat in their chairs, and there was a brief silence as Tecumseh stood up and watched the guards drag the mage in and toss him at his feet.

“Who is this?” the king asked. “A musk ox Demi-Human?”

“This is who we found with the sacrifice,” I answered. “He sacrificed a hellbeast, Your Majesty.”

“One of the demons?” Tecumseh’s eyes widened as he looked down at the mage. “Why?”

“That’s what we wanted to know, too,” I said and nudged the mage with my boot. “Go ahead. Now, you can tell the king why you deserve to live.”

“There’s a curse on our land,” the mage wailed as he laid curled up in front of the thrones. “Can’t you feel it? The death curse?”

“What death curse?” the king demanded. “Tell me what you know!”

The mage’s arms were still tied behind his back, but he rolled over onto his knees to plead with the king, who gasped when he saw the mage’s face.

“You must understand, once I found the curse, I knew I had to stop it,” the mage continued. “If I don’t lift it, we shall all perish.”

“Tawa, you didn’t mention the mage was a tribal,” his mother tutted.

It was the first time I’d heard the queen speak since yesterday, and she didn’t seem happy about the new development.

“I wasn’t sure if I was right,” Tawa admitted. “I’ve never seen one in person before.”

“True,” the queen murmured. “Still, he’s the one you found with the sacrifice?”

“Yeah, and he tried to kill us,” I said.

“No, not kill!” the mage shrieked. “Never a deadly spell on you, only on the cursed beast to end his reign of terror before he killed all of us!”

“He sounds insane,” Isi said with a frown. “How could there even be a curse on Odrein when we have the no-magic barrier?”

“No-magic barrier?” I echoed and narrowed my eyes.

I’d never heard of such a thing, and something about it rubbed me the wrong way. I didn’t think magic was always a bad thing, even though this crazy tribal guy had apparently used it for his sacrifices, but using magic to prevent magic in an entire country?

That was nuts.

Not to mention, I’d already used magic multiple times since we arrived, which told me the barrier either wasn’t strong enough to stop me, or it wasn’t doing what it was supposed to do. Either way, I wasn’t sure if I should mention my use of magic to the snow leopards, who obviously supported having the barrier. If I told them I could still use magic, I wasn’t sure if they’d be happy to know their barrier wasn’t working or furious that I’d used magic in their magic-free zone. And I couldn’t be sure why Tawa hadn’t thrown me under the bus already for using magic, since I knew he saw me use it during battle.

Nokomis had witnessed my magic use, too, of course, but I trusted the princess with our secret more than her brother.

I’d play it by ear until I knew more.

“The barrier has prevented the unauthorized use of magic for centuries,” Isi explained and pursed her lips. “Or it did.”

“Please, Your Majesties, forgive my use of magic,” the mage begged. “I was only trying to help! We can’t let the curse take hold on Odrein!”

“Well, which is it?” the queen asked. “The curse is here or it’s on the way? I don’t seem to be understanding what’s going on here.”

“The process of the curse has begun,” the mage explained with a fervent light in his eyes. “The scent of death lingers in the forest, and the animals run from the place where the curse has begun to grip our land.”

“What do you mean?” I pressed. “Is there a certain place the animals avoid?”

“Yes.” The mage nodded vigorously. “It is a place only those who are willing to risk death may go. It smells of rotten flesh and putrid death, and it has no mercy for those who come near its smoky grasp.”

“That sounds like a rift,” Alyona murmured.

“Exactly what I was thinking,” I agreed. “We need to check it out. If there’s an open rift here, we have to close it.”

“What about the no-magic thing?” she wondered.

“I’m not sure how to handle that yet,” I said before I turned to face the king and queen. “We may know what curse the man is referring to, and we’d like to go check it out.”

“Most certain death!” the mage screeched. “The priestess must undo the curse!”

“Who is the priestess?” Isi asked as she watched us with growing uncertainty.

“No idea,” I answered before Alyona could. “Anyway, this guy is a lunatic, but if he’s seen a rift, we need to go find it. It could be dangerous for everyone if it stays open.”

Alyona frowned at my answer, but I’d have to explain it to her later. If the snow leopards weren’t big fans of magic, we didn’t need them to know Alyona was a highly skilled priestess or that somehow the tribal knew it.

“What is a rift?” the queen asked.

“It’s similar to the Breach, but it’s smaller,” I answered. “It can still let miasma out, which is deadly, and it sounds like it’s already leaking some now.”

“What can we do about it?” she asked as her face paled.

“We’ll find it and handle it,” I hedged. “I just need to know where the mage saw it.”

“In the forest!” he hissed. “Look for the place no animals may live anymore. It’s deep in the trees, far away from the people, ready to grip its claws into the ground and tear apart our land!”

“Oh, okay, great,” I muttered. “Just look for the place where nothing is. Sounds simple enough.”

“You can’t give any better directions?” Tawa grabbed the mage and lifted him to his feet. “Where in the forest did you see the curse?”

“Beyond the singing lakes,” the ox Demi-Human whispered. “Nearly to the ends.”

“Ends of what?” I grumbled. “This guy is full of riddles.”

“He’s crazy, that’s why,” Rebecca muttered.

“Even if he is, we have to go and try to find it,” I said with a sigh. “We can’t let a rift sit there in the forest.”

“I’m going with you,” Tawa declared as he dropped the mage back onto the floor. “We need to figure out what this curse is all about.”

“I’m sure we can handle it,” I argued. “You guys need to decide what you’re doing with this guy.”

“For now, he can be put in the dungeon,” Tecumseh decided and waved his clawed hand at the guard. “Tawa and Nokomis will accompany you on the search for this rift, since they know the land better than you do.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Alyona said with a curtsy. “We’ll leave right away.”

“And go where?” I whispered as we turned away from the king and queen. “We have no idea what the hell the singing lakes are, and it didn’t seem like Tawa knew, either.”

“Well, he seems to have a plan to figure it out,” she replied. “And that’s better than what we have.”

“Which is no clue,” Rebecca chimed in with a grimace. “At least he has to know where some lakes are.”

“Alright, we’ll follow his lead,” I agreed. “But don’t say anything about magic to him. Their barrier is obviously not working, and I don’t want to catch the blame for it.”

“What about when it’s time to seal the rift?” my wife asked and pursed her lips.

“We’ll have to do what we have to do,” I muttered.

A few minutes later, we were back outside, and the hare-led sleds were ready to go. Then we were headed out into the wilderness again, though Ravi and Isabella elected to ride on the sleds this time, too.

This time, I didn’t mind the snow since it allowed me to think by myself for a while. I didn’t like the no-magic barrier, and since the mage begged for leniency for using magic, I was sure that meant the snow leopards had some kind of rule in place about magic as well.

But if the barrier wasn’t working, there had to be a reason why. If the rift tore apart their barrier, who’d set it up? And why didn’t they notice when their spell was undone?

I had a ton of questions and not nearly enough answers, and I had no idea how I was going to get them yet.

We stopped on the edge of the forest, and this time, we were much further north than we’d been when we’d searched for the sacrifice. It was even colder and windier here, and as I took my human form, I pulled my fur coat tighter around my shoulders.

“There’s a series of lakes just east of here,” Tawa explained. “I can’t imagine the mage could have meant anywhere else.”

“They don’t sing, to my knowledge,” Nokomis pointed out with a smirk. “But I agree, there aren’t many other options in the form of lakes.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to go find out,” I said and started into the forest.

We walked between the evergreens for what seemed like hours. Nike and Tawa talked about their missions as Nobles of the Sword, while Nokomis, Rebecca, Ravi, Skye, and Isabella chatted about Narsglow and the snow that most of them had never even seen before.

Alyona and I remained quiet, and I wasn’t sure if she was lost in thought as I was or if she was worried about what we might find on the other side of the so-called singing lakes. If we found a rift as I suspected, it should be a simple task to seal it up, but with the no-magic conversation at play, there wasn’t any other way to close the rift.

We had to figure out a way around their little rule, or I’d have to distract the snow leopards while Alyona did her thing.

It wouldn’t take her but a few seconds, Miraya reminded me. Perhaps you could find something else to draw their attention.

Maybe, I agreed. I’ll have to do something. We can’t just leave it open.

I suspect my sisters already know that you are able to do magic here, the spirit murmured. They seem to have sensed something was awry here for much longer than the mage suspected, but everyone else believed the barrier was working.

What about whoever set up the barrier? I wondered. Can’t a person tell when their spell has been messed up or something?

You should ask Alyona about that, Miraya suggested.

“Okay, so I was thinking about the magic barrier thing,” I whispered to Alyona. “It sounded like they don’t let magic happen here at all, right?”

“That’s what I figured,” she murmured. “What are you thinking?”

“Well, first of all, I think that’s dumb.” I smirked and glanced over to make sure the snow leopard siblings weren’t listening. “But really, someone with magic had to cast that spell, right?”

“Yes,” Alyona confirmed. “There has to be someone with magical abilities to do that.”

“Okay, so if they did, wouldn’t that person also know if something had destroyed the barrier?” I continued.

“They would have to know something was different,” she said and rubbed her finger over her lips. “If they’re inexperienced, they may not know what happened.”

“So, basically, someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing blocked magic with magic, and no one knows what to do about it?” I grunted and kicked a pile of snow. “That’s just great. Why would they even block all magic anyway?”

“I’m not sure, my love,” Alyona replied as she took my hand. “We can’t know what they’ve been through.”

“I guess,” I muttered.

“One of the lakes is just over this hill,” Tawa called out over his shoulder. “We can stop there for some water.”

“Well, thank the gods,” I grumbled.

We trudged over the hill, and I was momentarily awestruck by the beauty of the half-frozen lake before us. It was about the size of a football field, and nearly two-thirds of it was covered in a thin sheet of ice that melted into the water closest to us. The water was the color of a tourmaline gemstone, and I could see all the way through to a shimmery sand floor near the edge.

Further into the lake, the ground seemed to drop off, and even my dragon vision couldn’t see past the dark depths of the center of the lake. A chill passed through me when I thought about what could lurk beneath the beautiful waters, but I shook it off and discretely grabbed a canteen from my spatial storage.

We filled our water jugs and took a break to drink and catch our breaths. The cold air was harder to breathe, and even with my automatic healing, my muscles were getting stiff from the freezing cold.

“Did you hear that?” Nike asked suddenly.

I looked up and scanned the trees, but I didn’t see or hear anything.

“No,” I said and frowned. “What was it?”

“I-I don’t know,” he murmured.

Nike stood up and moseyed around the edge of the lake until he reached the thin layer of ice. I scurried to my feet to follow him, but before I could come close, he’d already taken a step onto the ice.

“What are you doing, brother?” I asked with a degree of caution. “We don’t know how sturdy that ice is.”

“I have to go see,” he said in a detached voice.

“See what?” I pressed as I reached toward him. “Just come back over here. I’ll help you find it.”

“Not it,” he murmured. “Her.”

“Her?” I repeated. “Her who?”

Before Nike could respond, the ice beneath him shattered, and he plunged into the freezing cold water of the lake and disappeared.

Shit.

I didn’t think twice before I dove into the water after him. I could see through the water even better from under the surface, but that didn’t make what I saw any easier to comprehend.

Nike was sinking lower and lower into the lake, but his face was the picture of serenity.

Then my gaze dropped down to the hand wrapped around his ankle.

The skin was barely hanging onto a mangled mess of blackened bones, and the hand was attached to the long slender arm of a woman.

Her once-pretty face was now missing pieces of skin on her cheeks and chin, and her bright red hair was tangled and balding in some places. Even though she was clearly not beautiful now, I had a feeling I knew exactly what I was looking at.

My heart thudded in my chest, and the corrupted siren pulled Nike even deeper into the depths of the frozen lake.

Chapter 6

I kicked harder in the water to swim closer to Nike, and then I reached out to grab his arm. My fellow noble looked completely dazed as he sank lower into the dark depths, and he didn’t even react when my hand wrapped around his forearm. He just stared off into the water as though he had no idea he was about to drown.

“Nooooo!” the siren screeched.

Nike cringed as her voice reverberated through the water, and I nearly lost my grip on him when the sound reached my ears. Then every story I’d ever read about sirens seemed to rush into my head at once. The sirens sang a beautiful song to lure their victims in, but the scream of their desire to kill wasn’t quite as beautiful. It was a terribly haunting sound, and I knew I had to keep us from hearing it again in order to save my brother.

I sent a layer of my healing magic over Nike’s ears and then my own while the siren continued to wail and scream. Then I pulled as hard as I could to bring Nike back to the surface. Chunks of the siren’s skin sloughed away as she tried to hold fast to Nike’s leg, but even underwater, I was much stronger.

As we crested the water’s surface, I yanked Nike into the fresh air and was relieved when he sucked in a deep breath. Then I shoved him toward the shore and dove back under the surface to find the corrupted water woman.

I didn’t have to search long when a pair of black eyes appeared in the otherwise beautiful waters of the lake about ten feet below me. The siren’s eyes looked like black holes compared to her blue surroundings, and I kicked toward her as I drew the Sword of Hatra from my belt.

Then I jabbed the blade through the water, and the siren’s rotted flesh was no match for my power and strength. A chunk of blackened skin floated away from her arm, and the siren screamed in pain, but my healing magic still protected my ears from her cries.

I went for another stab, but the siren suddenly dove down even deeper into the lake where the pale-blue water gave way to the dark, shadowy depths. I couldn’t see her anymore, but I wasn’t about to let her get away with trying to kill my best friend.

My automatic healing refreshed my aching lungs as I swam beyond the dark water to find the siren. After a few seconds, my eyes seemed to adjust to the blackness around me, and I thought it was my dragon vision until I realized one of my other abilities was helping me out.

Activated: Water Cloaking

I hadn’t even tried to use that power since I’d killed the corrupted shark creature in Olivier’s cave, but it seemed I could use it to see through someone else’s water cloaking as well.

Now, there was no way that siren could hide from me.

I could hear the slight movement of someone in the water, and I turned to see the siren dart behind a large, leafy plant. I charged through the leaves with my sword extended, and I felt more than heard the siren’s groan of pain and relief.

I pushed the Sword of Hatra through her belly so hard we were nearly face to face on the other side of the plant, and her gruesome features reminded me of every zombie movie I’d ever seen. The skin hung from her bones like ill-fitting curtains, low and uneven, and one of her eyes wasn’t even all the way in its socket. A few of her teeth were missing, and her tongue lolled through the gap as she stared at me with a hollow expression.

Before she could try to fight back, I yanked the sword from her gut and swiped it through her neck. The siren’s head floated down in slow-motion as her body drifted backward into the water, and I couldn’t help but notice how little of a fight she’d given up.

I waited for the words of a new perk to flash across my vision, but nothing happened. Was that because the siren had possibly been corrupted?

I shook my head as I paddled my way to the surface, and then I took in a breath of fresh air next to Nike, who had just started to swim toward land.

“What the hell?” Tawa asked as everyone else gathered on the edge of the lake. “What happened?”

“I-I don’t know,” Nike murmured as he seemed to finally regain his bearings and looked around. “I was over there, and now, I’m in the water.”

“You walked out on the ice,” I said as I pushed him out of the lake and climbed out onto the snow behind him. “I thought it broke, but I think that siren pulled you in.”

“A siren?” Nokomis’ eyes widened with horror. “There shouldn’t be any of those here. They were killed a long time ago.”

“I thought you didn’t like killing things.” I arched a curious eyebrow.

“I don’t,” she agreed and shook her head. “But our ancestors did it. They said the sirens served no purpose other than to bring about death and destruction, so they eradicated them from Odrein.”

“Well, it wasn’t just any siren,” I continued. “It looked corrupted, so if they left the bodies in the lakes, the miasma must have just reanimated what was there.”

“What does that mean?” Tawa asked with a frown. “Corrupted?”

“It means it was tainted by the miasma,” I replied and pointed at the water. “And we can’t let it get anyone else. It could have killed Nike, and it would kill anyone else if it got the chance.”

“Why is Lord Nikolaus the only one who heard it?” the snow leopard prince wondered.

I was at a loss on that one, but my wife knew more about magical beings than I did, and she seemed to have an answer already.

“I’d say because he’s the only human man here,” she said. “I’m human also, but sirens are not known to reach out to females for their seduce and kill schemes.”

“Great,” Nike muttered. “I only remember having the need to find her. I can’t even say why it felt so urgent. It was like she was singing to me.”

“Well, she won’t be singing to anyone else now, but we should make sure there aren’t any more sirens in there,” I said with a firm nod. “Or anything else for that matter. We need to sweep this whole area for more corrupted creatures. If miasma got into that water, it could have poisoned any of the creatures who came here to drink it.”

“What do we do with them?” Nokomis asked and then froze. “Oh, gods, are we poisoned, too?”

“No, we would have noticed it already,” Alyona assured her. “The miasma takes its hold very quickly, so it may not have been in the water, but something around here poisoned the siren.”

“So, whatever we find, we just have to finish killing them.” I shrugged. “I can heal the ones that have only been poisoned, but if they were already dead and are corrupted, there’s no way to fix that. We just have to end their suffering.”

My mind flickered back to the grateful corrupted dragon when I’d ended our battle with his death. He’d fought hard, but ultimately, he thanked me for the deadly strike, and it was only a matter of time before I offered the same fate to the other corrupted creatures who lurked in the forest around us.

“Then it is considered a mercy killing,” Nokomis murmured. “I can understand such an act.”

“Good, let’s find them.” I motioned for everyone to fan out.

We searched the trees around the lake, the forest floor beneath them, and the snow drifts at their bases. I found a handful of corrupted squirrels that had already taken their final breaths, but their torn-up bodies lay still in the snow, so I gathered them up and tossed them into the lake.

Soon, everyone had added the bones, shredded fur, or whatever remained of a few corrupted animals into the water, and we stared down at the depressing memorial for a few moments before Alyona wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

“Why would anyone want this for these creatures?” she asked. “They didn’t deserve such an end.”

“Only someone who has no heart,” I said as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and leaned in close. “I’m going to take them on another round to check for more. Can you freeze this thing over? I’ll distract the snow leopards while you do. I didn’t see any other sirens in there, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“Yeah,” she whispered. “We don’t want any sirens to get to anyone else, and these poor creatures can rest in peace.”

“Exactly.” I nodded and planted a kiss on top of her head before I turned back to the others. “Let’s all check one more time. We can’t be too careful.”

I ushered everyone away from the water’s edge and back into the trees so Alyona could get to work. A few minutes later, we all traipsed back over to the lake, and Tawa was suspiciously surprised to see the lake had frozen solid.

“What happened?” he demanded. “Water doesn’t freeze that quickly.”

“Guess any other corrupted creatures are stuck in there now,” I said with a shrug as I tried to evade his question. “Come on--”

“No, lakes don’t just freeze over in a matter of minutes,” he insisted. “What do you know about sirens?”

“It doesn’t really matter what we know about regular ones,” I pointed out. “That one was corrupted by miasma, and I killed it, but there could have been others.”

“You think they would freeze themselves?” Tawa narrowed his eyes on me. “How would that lure in more of their prey?”

“Or the ice refroze when I killed the siren,” I said. “It’s cold as balls out here. Maybe the siren melted some of the ice to lure people in, and now, it can’t do it anymore since she’s dead and not eating Nike. Or whatever sirens do with their victims.”

“Victims.” Nike shuddered and pulled his fur coat tighter around his chest. “I don’t really care what else is under there or why it froze. There’s no way they could get out from under all that ice, and I can’t hear any singing anymore. That’s good enough for me.”

“I agree,” I said with a nod. “We need to keep moving and find the rift, or the siren isn’t going to be the only thing we have to worry about.”

Tawa pressed his mouth into a thin line but didn’t argue any further. I knew I’d made a good point about pushing to find the rift, and he wanted to get rid of it just as much as I did. He was still suspicious about the sudden freezing of the lake, but it didn’t matter as much as the rift. I also didn’t care if they knew I’d used magic, but I didn’t want anything to happen to Alyona if they found out she had it, too.

For some reason, Tawa didn’t question the magic he’d seen me use, and until I knew why, I needed to keep Alyona out of the spotlight.

We continued to walk past the singing lake, and we were careful to avoid the other two smaller lakes. The mage had said “singing lakes,” which meant each of them could hold a siren for all we knew, but I was glad to see Alyona stay toward the back of the group, so she could freeze over the other two lakes once the snow leopards were past the water.

We had to do everything we could to keep the corrupted creatures away from unsuspecting victims in Narsglow, and it was becoming apparent that magic was the only way to keep them safe, even if they didn’t know it yet.

As we pushed through the evergreens, the too-familiar stench of death and decay began to fill my nose, and I knew we were getting closer. The smell of miasma was unforgettable, and I strode forward to catch up with Tawa at the front of the pack.

“You smell the miasma, right?” I asked him.

“How could I not?” Tawa wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“That’s the stuff that comes out of the rifts,” I explained. “It poisons everything it can, and then they die if we can’t heal them. We’ve got to be getting close, but we need to be careful. Don’t let the miasma touch you.”

“What does it look like?” Nokomis asked.

“Purple death,” Rebecca muttered. “Like fingers made of smoke that twist your insides until you’re willing to kill anything and everything you love.”

I assumed the bear Demi-Human was picturing the streets of her old city when they’d been littered with the dead bodies of miasma poisoning victims. It had been a disturbing sight, and I’d wanted nothing more than to burn the whole place to the ground to get rid of it all.

“Then we should avoid the purple death,” Nokomis said with a grimace.

We crept through the trees until I saw a clearing ahead of us, and I knew we’d found the rift. The snow on the ground glowed a hazy violet color, and the evergreens had already begun to rot and decay from the miasma’s touch.

A family of foxes were gathered under one of the trees, and they hissed and clawed at each other with the rage brought on by the poisoning. It was only a matter of time before they tore each other to shreds, and I pointed them out to the rest of my people.

“See those foxes?” I whispered. “I can heal them, but we’ll have to trap them first. If we don’t, they’ll go after us next, and they won’t stop until we’re dead or they are.”

“I’ve trapped plenty of animals,” Nokomis murmured. “I can set something up. Just give me a few minutes.”

“We may not have that long,” I said softly. “Hurry as much as you can.”

The snow leopard Demi-Human nodded, and her furry white ears twitched with anxiety before she darted into the snowy forest next to the clearing. As she prepared a trap, I looked for the rift, but it didn’t take long to find it.

The tear was already nearly ten feet long and a foot wide. It was the biggest one we’d seen outside of the Breach, and tendrils of black and purple smoke eked out into the air around it. The ground was clearly tainted by the miasma, and I began to notice a number of other animals and plants that had also suffered from the poisoning.

The snow around the rift had melted and left behind only the glowing, toxic ground poisoned by miasma, and the branches of the trees around the clearing looked rotted and flimsy. A pair of black birds watched the clearing with angry, violet eyes, and a large cat crouched on a low-hanging branch with its claws extended as its tail swayed in the air below it.

It seemed we had more than a couple foxes to catch.

After a minute, Nokomis waved from across the clearing, and I glanced at Tawa, who nodded.

“We run in, they run toward her,” he explained.

“Uh, okay, we’ll see,” I murmured.

With the average animal, that plan might work, but I wasn’t so convinced it would work with the poisoned creatures we faced now.

I followed Tawa’s lead, and we all sprinted into the clearing with our swords held high. The foxes turned and bolted directly into Nokomis’ trap, which was a box made from branches and rope that snapped shut as soon as the foxes stepped inside. Nokomis wrapped another piece of rope around the door of the cage and pulled it tight, but the cat leaped from its post and paced back and forth on the other side of the rift, while the birds cawed and screeched their annoyance.

“I’ve got the foxes!” Nokomis called out. “We’ll have to find another way for the others!”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” I grunted as I met the cat’s stare. “Come here, kitty, kitty.”

The wildcat let out a fierce cry before it leapt across the rift and stretched its claws toward me. I didn’t have much time to think, but I dodged its sharp claws with a side-step before I activated my web magic. I shot out a thick layer of the sticky webbing at the cat’s paws, and the binding wrapped around its claws and sent it tumbling into the snow.

Before it could fight me anymore, I ran over and sent a wave of healing magic over its body. The glittering power settled on its fur like a blanket, and a few seconds later, the wildcat blinked a few times and hissed in confusion.

I carefully sliced through the webbing with my sword, and the cat sprinted off into the forest.

“One down,” I said as I turned to see Ravi had taken her phoenix form.

She flew up into the tree with the birds, and they screeched with terror before they fluttered down to the ground, so I took advantage of Ravi’s distraction and blew another layer of healing magic onto the black birds.

Within seconds, their screeches had returned to normal chirps, and the birds hopped around the snowy ground for a moment before they took off into the sky.

Then I focused on the foxes.

They were clearly pissed at being trapped, but their rage was focused on Nokomis, who stood over the trap with her hand on the lid to keep them contained.

I trotted over and healed the foxes with more of my magic, and a few seconds later, the furry red creatures were back to their normal playful selves. I motioned for Nokomis to release them from the trap, and she sent them into the forest.

“Okay, what about the trees and the plants?” Tawa asked with a smirk. “Can you heal all those, too?”

“Sure can,” I shot back and grinned, but internally I was still puzzled as to why the male snow leopard was so nonchalant when discussing my supposedly “forbidden” magic.

A problem for another time.

For right now, I focused on combining my healing power with my nature magic, a skill I’d only recently figured out how to do. Moments later, I could feel the crunch of the snow beneath my boots, the twisting web of roots under the forest floor, and the pain and sorrow of the plants that suffered from the miasma’s poisoning.

Then I reached out with my healing magic and sent a surge of my power through the landscape around me. I felt the power race through the roots of every plant until it burst into their leaves and branches with a renewed sense of life. The miasma trickled away like the last droplets of rain, and then I turned my attention to the rift.

“What do we do with that?” Tawa pointed to the rift, which seemed to throb with frustration as I healed everything of its poison.

“We have to seal it,” I said. “Just stay over there.”

I pointed to the trees outside the clearing, and Skye ushered everyone out of the area while Alyona got to work. There was no way we could fully hide what my wife was about to do, but sealing the rift took precedence over everything else, even discretion.

“This one is rather large, my lord,” she murmured. “I may need some extra power.”

“Can you do that siphoning thing with me?” I asked.

“I think so,” she agreed. “Just stand still.”

Alyona put her hand on my shoulder and began to chant the words that would seal the rift. The ground beneath our feet started to rumble and shake, and soon, large rings appeared in the air above the rift.

A glowing ring the color of the moon slammed into the ground around the rift, and it was quickly followed by a flat black ring. Then the final golden ring crashed into the snow, and a faint white sheen hovered over the rift before the purple glow faded and disappeared.

When we stepped back, it looked as though the rift had never existed, but I worried we hadn’t healed everything it had touched. The miasma had a tendency to spread far and wide, and there was no way of knowing how far it went, especially since we already knew it had at least reached the siren’s lake.

“How did you do that?” Tawa asked as he approached us, but then he shook his head. “Never mind, don’t tell me. What do we do now?”

On one hand, I was glad the snow leopard prince was more concerned with moving forward than what just happened, but his avoidance of the magical topic at hand was becoming more and more obvious. I glanced over at Nokomis to gauge her reaction, but the princess pretended to intently observe a freshly healed flower at her feet, so I just narrowed my eyes as I turned back to Tawa.

“We should probably get back and tell your parents what we found,” I said. “But we need to watch out for more poisoned animals. They could be anywhere in the forest at this point.”

“What if we can’t find all of them?” Isabella asked with a tear in her eye.

“Then we still have to try our best,” I replied. “The more lives we can save, the better for everyone.”

“Is the miasma contagious?” Tawa wondered.

“Uh…” I trailed off as I looked at Alyona. “I’m really not sure.”

“I wouldn’t say contagious so much as it can move easily,” she explained. “The miasma is like a smoke that resides within the victim’s body, so if the creature comes into contact with another creature, some of the miasma can travel over to the next body and poison it, too.”

“Then we definitely need to heal what we can,” I said. “Let’s go.”

As we turned in the direction of the edge of the forest, we spread out to try and find more of the corrupted and poisoned creatures. I spent most of the walk back to the sleds running back and forth along our line, and I healed every poisoned animal and plant we came across. From badgers to owls to a few things I’d never seen before, I healed them all, so I was nearly exhausted by the time we hit the end of the tree line.

“Are you sure you can fly back?” Nokomis asked with a grimace. “You look as though you’ve used every last ounce of your energy.”

“I heal quickly,” I replied and smiled. “I just need a second to replenish.”

“I’ve never known a dragon to be so kind,” she murmured. “Especially to other creatures. It doesn’t benefit you to heal them.”

“But it does,” I said. “I don’t want anything to happen to the people here in Odrein. I know this isn’t my country, but it shouldn’t matter. Everyone is important, and no one deserves the death that miasma brings.”

“You are a more merciful man than you let on,” Nokomis chuckled. “I’m impressed with your efforts.”

“Lord Evan is much more than your typical dragon,” Ravi pointed out with a grin. “You can’t help but love him.”

“Well, I think it’s a waste of time,” Tawa retorted. “I mean, if we go fight that Demon King guy, we can close all the rifts and the Breach. Then we don’t have to worry about all this miasma nonsense.”

“That’s not the point, Tawa,” his sister sighed. “Lord Evan is showing great kindness to our people by making sure the miasma poisoning doesn’t spread. It’s not like you’re going into battle with the Demon King by dinner time.”

“We should,” Tawa grunted. “It would be better than waiting for a few blood ceremonies to finish him off.”

“I thought the same thing,” I said. “I was wrong. We have to do this the right way, and that means taking care of everything we can along the way.”

“I’ve always preferred the method of getting rid of anything that stands in my way,” he shot back.

“Sometimes, I like that way, too,” I laughed. “But it’s not always the best method.”

Tawa grumbled to himself under his breath as he began to arrange the reins on his arctic hare, and Nokomis shook her head and took my hand in hers.

“I know you mean well,” she said. “My brother is just stubborn. When we were little, I didn’t understand how twins could be so different, but I’ve come to realize our roles.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, I was chosen for the Sword of Mercy,” she explained. “I tend to think about how to save the most lives. My brother, on the other hand, was chosen for the Sword of Strength. I’m sure you can guess what that means.”

“He’s super strong?” I smirked.

“Yes,” Nokomis said and looked down at our hands. “But it also means he has the strength to do things others can’t. When we face a difficult enemy, my first thought is how to save the people, while his is how to kill the beast.”

“It seems like both of those are important parts of any mission,” I replied.

“They are,” she agreed. “Without me, he would likely become a killing machine, but without him… well, let’s just say we can’t solve our problems the same way.”

“Do you ever go on missions with him?” I wondered.

“Yeah, we’ve done a few together.” Nokomis glanced over at her brother and lowered her voice. “He doesn’t always like when I go, but it’s important to have both of us there. Our last one together was up north in Kambe, where a beast had been attacking hunters. I wanted to capture the beast, but Tawa was determined to kill it before it killed anyone else. He was right, of course, but I still set a trap.”

“Did you catch it?” I asked.

“I did,” she said with a nod. “And then it nearly killed me when it broke free, but Tawa was there to finish the job. It turned out to be a good thing we had it trapped, though, since it still had a few of the villagers in its belly.”

“Alive?” I felt my eyes widen with both surprise and horror.

“Yes,” Nokomis confirmed and shivered. “It was unlike anything I’d ever seen. When Tawa chopped off the beast’s head, the villagers screamed from inside it, and we set them free. If he’d killed it in the forest or somewhere, we may not have been able to cut its head off and free them.”

“So, your trap helped, even though he ended up killing the creature,” I mused. “You two seem to have it worked out pretty well.”

“I like to think so,” she said and smiled up at me. “He hasn’t needed me for many missions lately. I get the feeling my parents are more worried about who is going to produce the right children for the Noble Sword bloodline.”

“I thought Tawa had twins already,” I replied with my brow furrowed in confusion.

“He does.” Nokomis tossed the reins over her hare and turned back toward me. “But we have no way of knowing if they’ll succeed as the Nobles of the Sword until they reach the age to take over our duties. If they don’t do well, my children would be next in line.”

“That’s a lot of pressure,” I murmured.

“It’s expected when you’re born into such a role,” she said with a shrug. “Didn’t your parents instill the importance of your progeny?”

“Uh, no,” I chuckled. “Never met my real dad, my mom died a few years ago. Then I was adopted, and after that, I learned about the Sword of Healing. It wasn’t exactly a textbook upbringing.”

“How…” Nokomis trailed off as she cocked her head to the side. “You did a blood adoption?”

“Yeah, and my dad thought the sword was lost,” I explained. “Everyone did until I found it. I’ve pretty much been learning as I go.”

“Incredible,” she breathed.

“Are you done fawning over the dragon?” Tawa called out to his sister. “We need to get back.”

“Right, of course.” Nokomis blushed a lovely shade of red as she climbed onto her sled. “We should go.”

I glared at Tawa for embarrassing his sister, but the snow leopard Demi-Human didn’t seem to give a single shit about my harsh stare as he slid onto the seat of his sled and snapped the reins without a glance in my direction. He was an asshole, but I couldn’t tell if he was using that to be protective or just to be an asshole.

The jury was still out on Tawa.

Rebecca hopped on Nokomis’ sled with her, and Ravi and I transformed into our natural forms. Isabella fluttered her wings and waited for Alyona and Skye to hop onto my back while Nike gathered the reins to his sled, and then we all took off after Tawa.

He didn’t slow his pace, even after he realized we were all behind him, and part of me wanted to thump him with my tail in a flyover, but I decided against it. If he wanted to play out this whole tough guy thing, I wouldn’t stop him yet.

He’d figure out soon enough I wasn’t a guy to pick a fight with.

It felt like it took even longer to return to Narsglow, and the wind picked up in speed and harshness as we made our way south. Isabella finally gave up and landed on my back with a sigh.

“My wings are freezing!” she called out over the wind.

I nodded my understanding, and I let some of the heat from my fire magic warm my back to keep my passengers as warm as possible. I liked to think of it like the heated seats in a fancy car.

When we finally arrived at the gate, Tawa waved his hand, but the portcullis didn’t open. He frowned and started to climb off his sled when I flew to the top of the wall to see none of the guards were there.

“Everyone is gone,” I said as I floated back down to the ground. “Why would the guards leave their post?”

“They shouldn’t,” Tawa grunted.

“They only have one reason they’re allowed to,” Nokomis said with a twinge of fear in her voice. “If the king and queen are in trouble.”

“Shit,” I cursed. “I’ll bust through the gate.”

“No, you’ll leave us unprotected,” Nokomis argued. “You have to open it from the top.”

“I can do it,” Skye said. “Bring me closer to the wall.”

I flapped my wings to hover above the retaining wall, and Skye slipped off my back to land on the parapet. Then she scuttled around the snowy stones until she found the lever and pulled it back. The portcullis slowly began to lift from the ground, and once it was high enough, Tawa whipped the reins for the arctic hare to carry him inside the walls.

After everyone was through, Skye released the lever and hopped onto my back, and then we followed the snow leopard siblings into the city.

I could hear the ruckus before we saw anything, and I recognized the angry sounds of a mob. Screams of rage and anger echoed around Narsglow, and I looked down to see a group of people dragging a long-haired man by the arms toward the castle.

“What the hell?” I started to fly down to investigate, but Alyona tightened her grip on my spike.

“My lord, we don’t know what’s going on here,” she murmured. “Are you sure you want to step in?”

“I’m sure they don’t have a right to treat another person like that,” I said as I swooped down lower and landed right in front of the group with a crashing thud. “What are you doing?”

“Is that a dragon?” an arctic fox Demi-Human gasped as he jumped back. “Oh, gods!”

“Yeah, I’m a dragon, and I don’t like seeing people get hurt, but I’m not afraid to make it happen,” I snarled. “Now, what are you doing to that guy?”

“Nothing he and his kind don’t deserve!” a polar bear Demi-Human snorted. “He’s going to face the king and queen’s wrath for his crimes!”

“I didn’t do anything!” the man on the ground pleaded. “Just let me go home!”

“Let go of him,” I demanded.

The angry group looked at each other, but I could see their rage was quickly giving way to fear. Then they released his arm, and he scrambled out of their reach. I realized he was a musk ox Demi-Human, like the mage we’d captured, just before he took off at a dead sprint.

“Great, now you can explain to them why you let him go,” the polar bear growled.

“I’ll be happy to,” I said through clenched teeth. “Now, get the hell out of here!”

The polar bear lagged behind while his friends took off toward the castle, but then he turned and jogged after them with a sneer on his white face. I wanted to snatch him up and toss him over the city walls, but I restrained myself before I flew over to catch up with the snow leopards.

Nokomis and Tawa had stopped near the stables, and Nike slid to a halt right behind them. As soon as boots hit the snow, I shifted to my human form, and we all headed toward the angry sounds of screaming and chanting.

“Kill the mage! Kill the mage!”

“No magic here! No magic here!”

“What in the name of the gods is going on?” Nokomis gasped and covered her mouth. “What are they doing?”

“It’s called an angry mob,” I said with a frown. “And it seems they want the mage dead.”

Chapter 7

Nokomis and Tawa gaped in shock for a few moments, but they quickly dove into action to stop the angry crowd. We’d saved one ox Demi-Human from the mob, but there were a handful of others who had already been dragged to the center of the crowd to await their fate.

The musk oxen all had long, shaggy hair, but I didn’t see any more of the scars on their faces that we’d seen on the mage’s skin. I wondered if that was what made him a tribal, but there wasn’t much time for questions. The ox Demi-Humans were about to be under attack, and it was painfully obvious the rest of Narsglow had teamed up against them.

“What are you doing?” Tawa demanded as he shoved his way through the crowd. “Someone better tell me what’s going on!”

“We heard about the mage, and we figured we’d help you clear out the rest of his kind!” a polar bear Demi-Human roared and pumped his fist in the air.

The mob yelled and clapped in agreement, while Tawa and Nokomis looked around with wide, bewildered eyes.

They have no idea how to handle this, my lord, Miraya said, and her soft voice was tinged with worry.

“I noticed that,” I muttered before I stomped over to join the snow leopard Demi-Humans and raised my voice. “Who is in charge of this insanity?”

“The people of Narsglow won’t stand for traitors!” a voice called out from the crowd. “You wouldn’t understand, foreigner!”

“I wouldn’t understand?” I chuckled and shook my head. “I understand you all have lost your minds!”

There was a ripple of anger through the crowd as I leaned down to help one of the ox Demi-Humans to his feet.

“Hey!” the polar bear Demi-Human shrieked. “You don’t belong here, so don’t get involved in what you don’t understand!”

“I understand bigotry just fine,” I snarled as I faced the polar bear. “I killed the last leader of a city who tried to get rid of a race of people he didn’t like. Would you like to join him?”

Heat rose to my chest as we stared each other down. I didn’t take well to people beating up on innocents for no good reason, and our time in Atheson had left a bad taste in my mouth. I could see the rage on Rebecca’s face as well since she’d been the one to alert us to the disturbing behavior that had been going on in her home city for years. The bear Demi-Humans in charge had taken the sheep Demi-Humans as slaves just because they felt the sheep were weak and inferior.

The people here obviously felt like the mage represented the rest of the musk ox population for some reason, and it was time to set things straight. Otherwise, judging by Rebecca’s expression, they would all suffer the consequences.

“You captured the mage yourself,” the polar bear argued. “You saw what he was.”

“Just because he was a musk ox doesn’t mean all of them are the same,” I said and continued toward the apparent leader of the mob. “That’s crazy talk.”

“How do you know?” he sneered.

“Because that’s stupid, Nahuel,” Tawa snapped. “How could you possibly think that? You don’t even know what we saw!”

“Oh, word has spread fast, Your Highness,” Nahuel said and glanced at the crowd behind him. “The mage is a musk ox Demi-Human, and he was found to be killing animals for blood sacrifices. What else is there to know?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe that he was the only one involved?” I pointed out with a smirk. “So, there’s no need to go after anyone else.”

“If you can’t trust one, you can’t trust any!” a woman screamed from the mob.

The crowd got riled up again at her words, and they all started to surge forward to go after the ox Demi-Humans again. I stepped in front of the horde, and within seconds, Nike, Skye, and Isabella had joined me. Then Tawa and Nokomis stepped up next to them, though the siblings seemed uncertain on how to proceed.

Apparently, Narsglow had never experienced anything quite like the violent, pissed-off mob in front of us, and I’d have to be the one to make sure things didn’t get out of hand.

“Get out of the way!” Nahuel ordered. “They deserve the same fate as their mage leader!”

“The mage’s fate hasn’t even been decided yet!” I argued as I took another step to stand toe to toe with the polar bear. “And you aren’t the one who decides it.”

“Are you really going to try to stop me?” Nahuel laughed darkly as he towered over me.

“Go ahead and sniff out my true form,” I said in a low voice. “See if you think you can take me.”

The polar bear Demi-Human dramatically smelled the top of my head, and his eyes nearly burst out of his head as he took a step back.

“Y-You’re a-a d--” he stuttered.

“Yeah, I’m a dragon,” I announced. “So, tell me again how you’re going to get past me.”

“He can’t stop all of us!” a man in the crowd yelled. “Let’s go!”

This time, the rise in anger was tampered by the newfound knowledge of what I was, and only a few people tried to take a step toward the ox Demi-Humans behind me.

“Enough!” the king suddenly bellowed in a voice that seemed to shake the ground beneath our feet.

Everyone froze and turned to see Tecumseh and Isi stride out of the palace and stand on the steps with the mage bound between them. His eyes wildly searched the crowd and widened when he saw his fellow ox Demi-Humans at the center of the mob.

“Your behavior is appalling!” Isi declared with a furrowed brow. “And it will not be tolerated! As of now, this gathering will cease!”

A few murmurs of dissent rippled through the crowd, but no one dared to argue with the king and queen. Instead, they took a few steps back and looked to Nahuel, who dropped to one knee.

“Your Majesties, may I speak freely?” he asked with his hand to his chest.

“Go ahead,” Isi replied after a moment. “But be mindful of the words you choose.”

“We gathered to make our wishes known to you, Your Majesty,” Nahuel said and looked up at the queen. “We have fully supported the ban on magic, and the punishment is death to anyone who conspired to use it. We believe all the musk oxen have taken part in the mage’s rituals.”

“And what has led to this deduction?” the queen asked as she narrowed her eyes into slits.

“The oxen Demi-Humans always work in packs,” Nahuel explained. “They don’t do anything alone. So, why would that one be any different?”

“First of all, he’s a tribal,” Isi sneered. “That should be enough for you to stop this ridiculous behavior.”

Whispers filled the air as the mob moved from angry to confused, and I was right along with them in the confused department. I still wasn’t sure what a tribal was, but it seemed to be enough information for the crowd to drop their attack on the Demi-Humans.

For now, at least.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, that doesn’t mean he didn’t communicate with the oxen here,” Nahuel insisted. “Tribals have been known to reappear in the population before.”

“Save it, Nahuel,” Tecumseh hissed. “Your argument is finished. The only one who will be on trial is this mage, who we now know as Catahe.”

“The trial will be held publicly unless this foolishness continues,” Isi added. “He has been charged with using magic in Odrein, which our law has strictly forbidden. The trial will be set for later this week. That is all.”

“Wait!” Catahe yelled as he finally looked up. “I’m not the only one who should be on trial, then!”

“Explain yourself,” Isi demanded.

“Dammit,” Tawa cursed under his breath with a sideways glance at me.

“That man and his companions have been using magic, too!” Catahe stabbed an angry finger at me. “I saw it myself!”

The crowd gasped, and more questions whispered through the mob as the anger started to rise again. I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes on the ox Demi-Human, but I didn’t say anything just yet.

I looked back over my shoulder to see Rebecca and Ravi holding onto Alyona, and I wasn’t sure if they were protecting her or if she was protecting them. I knew my wife had enough magical ability to get rid of anyone who tried to harm our family, but I had to figure out a way to keep her from being put on trial, especially when there were several witnesses who saw her use her power.

“Lord Evan, is there something we should know?” Tecumseh asked with wide eyes.

“Well--” I turned back to the king but didn’t have a chance to come up with an argument.

“If I’m getting punished for magic, so should your guests!” Catahe continued in a mad frenzy. “They are no more exempt from the law than a tribal!”

“Yeah! They should have a trial, too!”

“Our laws apply to everyone!”

“Alright, alright,” the king said and held his hands up to silence the crowd. “It would seem we have more investigating to do--”

“Investigating,” the ox Demi-Human spat out. “I saw it for myself, but if you don’t want them to be in trouble, I’m sure they won’t.”

“You dare accuse the king of preferential treatment?” Isi asked in an icy tone.

“I daresay this Lord Evan is getting some sort of preference if he hasn’t been arrested quite as swiftly as I have been,” the tribal replied with a curled lip.

“Well, I didn’t get caught with a slaughtered creature surrounded by animal bones,” I pointed out and smirked. “You were trying to perform dark magic, and the prince and princess saw it for themselves.”

“You have no idea what I was doing!” Catahe roared and started to stand up.

“Yeah, yeah, stopping the curse.” I shoved him back to his knees and towered over him. “And then attacking the people who found you, including the prince and princess.”

The musk ox glared at me through his shaggy hair but didn’t bother to argue again. He knew I’d made my point. Even if I’d used magic, I hadn’t done it against one of the members of the royal family.

He, on the other hand, was royally screwed.

“As I said, we’ll continue to pursue this new information,” Tecumseh finally announced as he turned to the crowd. “Now, I expect everyone to return to their homes for the evening immediately.”

With that, the king whirled his back to the crowd and motioned for me to follow him, and then he took the queen’s arm and strode into the palace.

“Here we go,” I muttered.

I waited for some of the citizens to disperse before I took Alyona’s hand, and we all followed the snow leopards inside. The guards whisked Catahe back to the dungeons while Tecumseh and Isi led us into what looked like a meeting room.

A large square table sat in the middle of the room, and the royal family headed straight for the side opposite the door. The snow leopards sat in the plush navy chairs that faced the rest of the room, and they watched us all sit in the seats on both sides of the table. Then Alyona sat next to me and gripped my hand until I could hardly feel the tips of my fingers.

I hated that she was so nervous, but I didn’t blame her for worrying. She knew we’d apparently broken their law, and I hoped she also knew I’d make sure nothing happened to her, our baby, or anyone else in our family.

I gritted my teeth as I looked at the king and queen and waited for the inquisition to begin.

“Lord Evan, our captive laid some strong accusations against you and your people,” Tecumseh said as he leaned onto the table and tapped his fingers together. “Do you have anything to say?”

“Well, I suppose I could start with the fact that I’ve never been anywhere that doesn’t allow magic,” I replied carefully. “There wasn’t exactly a sign on the beach where we landed.”

“So, you just assumed everyone accepted a dangerous practice that takes hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives on a regular basis?” Isi sneered and narrowed her eyes on me.

“I assumed the way I protect myself and my family wouldn’t be of any concern to anyone else,” I retorted.

“Then you did use magic?” Tecumseh pressed.

“Oh, come on, Father,” Nokomis cut in and rolled her eyes. “He’s a Noble of the Sword. He can’t be held to the same standards as the average Odrein citizen. He’s obviously more responsible.”

“You witnessed his use of magic?” her mother asked as she focused her own simmering rage on Nokomis. “And you failed to mention this?”

“I chose not to,” the snow leopard princess replied and jutted her chin out in defiance. “I didn’t want this exact scenario to happen. Besides, Tawa knew, too.”

I could practically feel the temperature drop in the room as Nokomis tossed her brother under the bus. The king and queen turned to look at the prince, and Tawa shook his head and sighed.

“Yes, I also witnessed Lord Evan’s magic,” he said with a daggered stare at his sister. “I chose not to mention it, either. Lord Evan used magic to defend us when the mage attacked, and… uh, other magic was used to seal the rift. No harm came to anyone who didn’t attack first.”

“What do you mean other magic?” Tecumseh pressed. “What sealed the rift?”

“He means me,” Alyona said in a soft voice.

“Alyona--” I tried to stop her, but my wife stopped me with a squeeze to my hand.

“I used magic to seal the rift,” she continued. “I am a highly regarded priestess in Rahma. I have closed several rifts, and I will be helping Lord Evan to close the Breach.”

At least a full minute of silence ticked by before the king drew in a deep breath, and Isi clenched and unclenched her fists on the table before she cleared her throat and looked at Alyona.

“You are a princess in your country?” she asked. “And a priestess?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Alyona nodded.

“And you regularly use magic to protect your people?” The queen arched an eyebrow as though she dared Alyona to answer.

“Every day, Your Majesty,” my wife said without looking away.

“So, you are well-practiced,” Isi murmured.

There was a distinct change in the queen’s tone, and my heart pounded in my chest as I tried to read where her questions would lead.

“I am,” Alyona confirmed. “I studied in the Cave of One Thousand Sages.”

“Impressive,” Isi said and finally seemed to relax against her chair. “I am of the opinion that a Noble of the Sword and a princess should not be bound by our laws regarding magic. Do you agree, my love?”

“I do.” Tecumseh nodded. “Especially when both have clearly only used their power to help us and others.”

“And at such an extraordinary level of training,” Isi murmured. “The Cave of One Thousand Sages is something even I have heard of before. Is this how you were able to use magic despite our barrier?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.” Alyona cocked her head to the side in confusion.

“The no-magic barrier prevents anyone from using magic while within the Odrein borders,” Tecumseh explained. “Yet, you two were both able to do so. Is it because you are both trained at such a high level?”

“Oh, I’m not trained like that,” I chuckled as a wave of relief washed over me. “I’ve learned from Alyona, my dad, and a few other people here and there. And experience, you know, that’s the best teacher.”

“We also didn’t notice any resistance to the magic,” Alyona pointed out.

“Yeah, I’m picking up on every energy level in this room right now with no problem,” Skye said and held up her hand. “And outside. There are still a bunch of people mad about the mage, by the way.”

“But Catahe said he wasn’t able to perform the ritual he intended,” Isi argued. “He said something stopped him. We assumed it was the barrier.”

“I’d say it was more likely the Demon King,” I said with a frown. “He doesn’t like anyone messing with his plans or his beasts. Catahe tried to mess with his plans if he was intending to close the rift, and he definitely sliced up one of his beasts.”

“Did Catahe complain of any strange dreams?” Nike asked suddenly.

“He’s been talking about all kinds of crazy things since he was locked up,” Tecumseh replied. “The guards said they can’t keep track of all of it since only a few things make any sense.”

“Okay, wait, but if the Demon King is what stopped his dark magic, then that means the barrier didn’t stop him or you?” Isi furrowed her brow.

“In my opinion, Your Majesty, the barrier could have been weakened significantly by the rift,” Alyona said. “Tears in the fabric of reality have a way of tweaking things on both sides.”

“But you sealed it, so the barrier should be working now,” the queen mused. “Try to do something.”

I opened my hand and flicked a fireball into my palm. Both the king and queen gasped and nearly shoved their chairs away from the table in surprise, so I called the fire back into my hand with a grin.

“I’d say it still needs some work,” I said. “Or it’s just not strong enough for dragon magic, but I’m no expert.”

“I am, and I think it needs to be checked if you want the barrier to remain in place,” Alyona declared. “Lord Evan is a powerful creature, but even he should have felt some resistance when he utilized his magic. He clearly did not.”

“Well, what if it’s broken?” Tecumseh wondered. “We don’t know anything about them.”

“I can help fix it,” Alyona offered.

I didn’t like the idea of helping the snow leopards put the magic barrier back up, but I didn’t want to argue about it in front of the royals, either. If we needed magic, we had to be able to use it without any problems. I didn’t care much about their stupid rule, but I did care about keeping us alive.

Tecumseh and Isi shared a cautious glance before the king turned back toward us.

“We could use the help from someone with magical knowledge,” he said after a moment. “Odrein has had a ban on magic for hundreds of years, so our knowledge is rather limited.”

“So, who put up the barrier?” I asked as I stroked my beard with curiosity.

“Well, only one person is allowed to use magic,” Isi explained. “And it is only allowed if the king or queen requests it, but that’s all the shaman is allowed to do.”

“How is the shaman trained if no one else knows magic?” Ravi asked.

“Every generation of shaman writes in a journal of some sort,” the king answered. “The next shaman learns from the previous shamans’ notes or spells or whatever it is they keep in there. They are given the rules of their role, and they understand that to use magic outside of our requests would lead to a death sentence.”

“Your punishment for using magic, any magic, not just dark, is death?” I couldn’t believe what they were saying.

I couldn’t understand being scared of all magic to the point they would kill someone who used it. If mages were taught how to use it to help people, then it wouldn’t be so scary, but they seemed to be closed off to the use of magic completely.

“Well, it’s a risk to everyone,” Isi explained. “Magic is unstable and unruly, and it gives literal power to people who may or may not deserve it. You know magic in the wrong hands is incredibly dangerous. Look at your problem with the Sage.”

“That’s one guy,” I argued. “You can’t make a whole law based on the actions of one person.”

“We didn’t make the law,” the queen replied in a cool voice. “We support and enforce a law that was made long before our time. It was with good reason the former rulers felt the need to create the ban.”

“And what good reason was that?” I asked and crossed my arms over my chest. “They didn’t have it, so no one else could, either?”

“No.” Isi shook her head and then took a deep breath. “There was a group that called themselves Vis Imperio. They were led by a tribal who snuck into the city and gathered people with magical power. His goal was to overthrow the empire and rule over the kingdom.”

“Okay, hostile takeovers are attempted all the time,” I said with a shrug. “It doesn’t always have anything to do with magic.”

“They used magic to kill dozens of citizens and sacrifice them to do their spells!” Isi snapped, and her cheeks flooded with color. “Bodies laid strewn about the city as the Vis Imperio tore and shredded their way to the palace! The only people who could finally stop them were the king and his twin sister.”

“The Nobles of the Sword,” I murmured.

“Exactly,” the queen huffed. “They used the abilities the swords gave them, and they struck down all members of the Vis Imperio. The leader was the last to die, and he begged for mercy. He said the power of his magic had made him crazy, and he had no idea he would hurt so many people. He just couldn’t think of anything besides the crown.”

“So, you think having power makes people go nuts and murderous?” I asked. “You think everyone would act that way?”

“Obviously not everyone,” she replied. “But before that day, the tribals had never hurt a soul. They believed in the purity of living in nature, no cities, no villages. Sometimes they live in groups, but they don’t believe in building walls or homes to survive. They only killed animals for food and used their fur for clothing, but that day, they left a trail of blood and gore from the mountains to the palace steps.”

“After that, the king banned all use of magic in Odrein,” Tecumseh added. “I believe he found the first shaman, ordered the barrier spell to be cast, and only told his heirs what had happened. The people never questioned the law, probably because their ancestors passed on the story as well.”

“That’s madness,” I muttered. “We had a whole sect after us with their dark magic, and King Rodion would never tell good people they couldn’t use their power. It’s not our decision. You’re taking away free will.”

“People have the right to choose,” Isi insisted. “But their choice will have consequences.”

“Death for magic,” I said with a grimace. “That’s not much of a choice. Most people prefer to stay alive, and some of us have used magic to do just that. Or to protect other people.”

“My lord, I don’t think you’re going to convince them of your position at the moment,” Alyona whispered. “Perhaps we should bide our time and be grateful they don’t intend to punish us.”

I mulled over my wife’s words, but the story of the Vis Imperio got under my skin. Even if they’d terrorized Odrein in pursuit of power, they’d been defeated by someone who deserved their power, which was exactly the way it was supposed to be. It didn’t make sense to tell everyone they weren’t allowed to have any magic at all because of one group decades and decades ago. It made more sense to put their heads on pikes in the middle of the city to show everyone what happened when you screwed up.

“Anyway, your crime has been forgiven, but you are not to practice magic in the presence of any other citizen,” Isi declared. “We will be forced to take other action, and I don’t wish to punish a Noble of the Sword, but we cannot appear to have favorites. Our people deserve our transparency.”

“Well, if you expect to keep your stupid law in place, we probably should go check on your shaman,” I grumbled.

“What Lord Evan is trying to say is the shaman who cast the barrier spell should have noticed its weakness,” Alyona said quickly. “We can help him or her to fix whatever you would like to fix, and I can provide a few lessons in monitoring current spells, so you don’t have any future issues.”

“Would you also be able to strengthen it?” Isi asked and pursed her lips. “I don’t know if the tribal was unsuccessful because of the barrier or the Demon King, but I’d like to ensure no one else can even try.”

“If… that’s what you wish,” Alyona replied carefully.

It would seem the princess also had more to say, but she was much better at diplomacy than I would ever hope to be. She knew even more so than I did that learning magic from a teacher was the best way to make sure no one got hurt. Hell, we taught magic to kids in Hatra, and here, they didn’t even want adults to know what the hell they could do with their power.

“Then we will lead you to his home,” Tecumseh said as he pushed his chair away from the table. “Thank you for your honesty and your assistance.”

“You are quite welcome, Your Majesty.” Alyona stood and offered a humble bow to the royals.

I begrudgingly followed suit before we followed the snow leopards out of the meeting room and back to the front door of the castle. While the king and queen made arrangements with the guards to accompany us to the shaman’s house, I pulled my people in close.

“We have to convince them the no-magic barrier is a terrible idea,” I murmured. “If anyone besides us had come here with the barrier down and decided to wreak havoc, they would have had literally one magical person who knew how to defend themselves.”

“And that’s assuming the shaman has learned any magic besides the barrier spell,” Isabella pointed out.

“Oh, that’s a good point,” Skye agreed. “If the shaman only learns what the previous shaman writes down, then there’s no way of knowing how much has actually been passed down.”

“They are putting an incredible amount of faith in one shaman,” Rebecca said with a frown.

“One shaman who wasn’t allowed to use magic until he or she became shaman,” Nike added. “So, they literally have no practice.”

“Insane,” I muttered. “This is all nuts.”

“What’s nuts?” Nokomis whispered as she leaned over my shoulder.

“Your parents’ ban on magic,” I replied with a glance toward the royal pair. “It doesn’t bother you?”

“Why would it?” she asked with a shrug. “I’ve never been able to use magic, so it’s no different to me.”

“What are you talking about?” I hissed. “Being a Noble of the Sword, you have access to your sword’s magic.”

“I-I… what?” Nokomis’ eyes were round with surprise.

Oh, gods, she doesn’t know, Miraya breathed.

“Every Noble Sword has its own power that you access when you become its master or mistress,” Alyona explained. “You weren’t taught any of that when you trained?”

“No, we were only taught how to fight with the sword.” Nokomis shook her head before she looked up at me. “Do you use magic all the time with yours?”

“I use magic with and without my sword.” I smirked and looked at Nike. “He uses his sword for magic in battle. You should see the light. It’s incredible.”

“W-What magic comes with mine?” the snow leopard Demi-Human asked.

“I guess we’ll have to find out,” I said and looked past her to see the king, queen, and Tawa headed toward us. “But not right now.”

“The guards are prepared to go with us,” Tecumseh announced. “Do you need anything before we go?”

“No, we’re ready when you are, Your Majesty,” I replied with a nod.

“Let’s go.” The king turned on his heels and marched toward the guards.

Two of the men walked on either side of the king and queen, while Tawa and Nokomis paired up behind them. Then the rest of us brought up the rear with two more guards on our tails. We followed the royals into town, past the nearly empty market, and into an area that seemed separated from the rest of the town.

Walls made from blocks of ice surrounded a snowy field that contained one small building, and the house looked big enough to have one or two bedrooms, but that was it. I couldn’t imagine more than one person living inside the snow-covered walls. It was shaped like an igloo with a rounded top, and it even had the tunnel-like entrance I always imagined.

We walked inside the tunnel, and it felt like the temperature dropped fifteen degrees as the king stepped forward and rapped on the icy door.

The door creaked open as soon as he touched it, and a chill slid down my spine, but this time, it wasn’t because of the cold.

Something was wrong here.

“Ubira?” Tecumseh called out. “Where are you? Why is your door open?”

“Your Majesty, please, wait,” I said as I shoved past the guards to stop him. “Let me look around first.”

“I beg your--” he started to argue.

“I insist.” My tone left no room for arguments, and the king pursed his lips before he stepped back toward the door.

I pulled the Sword of Healing from my belt, walked past the entryway, and rounded the corner to what had been a library. Then I sent out a wave of echolocation magic to see if the shaman or anyone else was in the house, but I had a sinking feeling I knew we’d only find one thing.

In a matter of seconds, my feeling was confirmed.

An arctic fox Demi-Human laid on the floor surrounded by books and a pool of drying blood.

Chapter 8

“Shit,” I muttered as I sheathed my sword and knelt next to the body.

The fox’s white fur was matted with dark red blood, and he’d clearly been dead for a while. His eyes were glazed over, and his clawed fingers still clutched at the wounds in his belly. He’d been stabbed repeatedly and nearly eviscerated from the violence of the attack, but the gaping tear across his throat had clearly finished the job.

Blood had poured from his body and soaked the pages of most of the books beneath him, and several of the other books were shredded while the pages were thrown around the room. A few more books had been tossed from the shelves, and all the drawers and cabinets were all thrown open with their contents either shoved aside or dumped on the floor.

This does not look good, Miraya moaned. As if they needed more reasons to hate magic.

“Yeah, this one won’t be easy to deal with,” I murmured before I cleared my throat and raised my voice. “Your Majesties, I think you should see this.”

Isi charged around the corner with her face already set in a rage before she stopped in her tracks. Then tears welled in her eyes as she covered her mouth, stepped back, and nearly fell into her husband’s arms.

“Oh, gods, Ubira!” she gasped before she melted against the king’s chest and began to sob.

“What in the name of the gods happened here?” Tecumseh demanded. “I-I’ve never seen such a disaster!”

“It looks like he was attacked while looking at his books,” I said as I carefully walked around the bloody center of the room.

“Why would someone do this?” the king asked, and a tremble shook his hands.

“It seems like they might have been looking for something,” I mused and made my way toward one of the tall dressers. “Everything has been opened.”

“But most of it was just thrown somewhere,” Nike observed as he followed me into the room and looked around. “It’s just like the killer grabbed stuff and threw it somewhere else.”

“Like he hates magic,” Alyona whispered.

A hush fell over the room as the princess’ words sunk in.

I looked at the scene and realized she’d made a very good point. The focus of the destruction was everything related to magic. Spell books, magical history texts, and potion ingredients seemed to be the target of the killer’s rage. I walked around toward the kitchen and saw it was virtually untouched, and the same could be said for the shaman’s bedroom. A single drawer in the clothes dresser was open, and his mattress had been tossed from the frame, but it was almost as though that had been done as an afterthought.

“Look at this,” I said as Nike came into the bedroom behind me. “The killer basically flipped the bed but left everything else alone.”

“I’m going to check the perimeter for footprints,” he replied. “He had to be bloody from the attack.”

“Don’t bother,” Rebecca sighed and leaned in the doorway. “I just checked the bathroom. Bloody clothes on the floor and residue of blood in the tub. The killer cleaned up before he left.”

“And probably stole some of the shaman’s clothes.” I pointed to the open drawer. “So he could walk out of here and back into town without turning a single head. Bastard.”

“We’re looking for someone at least somewhat smart,” the lady bear said as she eyed the room. “A crazy person would have just left in bloody clothes.”

“I agree,” I murmured. “But it’s harder to find a smart person than a crazy person.”

“Unfortunately,” Nike agreed.

The three of us walked back into the living room, where Tecumseh and Nokomis still stood far from the body, while Alyona, Ravi, Isabella, and Skye carefully examined what they could see. Tawa and Isi were noticeably absent, and I started to ask where they were when Nokomis subtly jerked her head toward the front door.

It seemed the normally tough queen couldn’t stomach the scene of the murder, and I didn’t blame her for wanting to steer clear.

“The killer cleaned himself and changed clothes before he left,” I said as we walked over toward the rest of our people. “Have you found anything?”

“The few stabs have a distinct shape to them,” Ravi murmured. “It’s almost as though the blade is thicker close to the hilt and thinner at the tip.”

“Like an icicle?” I asked with wide eyes.

On Earth, using an icicle for a murder weapon was often joked about being the perfect crime since the evidence would melt away, but I’d never heard of it actually being used before.

“No.” Ravi arched an eyebrow at my apparent excitement. “I suppose the shape sounds similar, but this was most definitely a blade. You can tell by the way the wound is wider at the skin and narrowing as it gets deeper in the body.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” I replied with a grimace. “Anything else that will help us?”

“Not necessarily help with finding the killer, but I did find the shaman was also looking into issues with the barrier,” Alyona said as she gently turned a bloody page in one of the texts. “He was doing research into what can affect a barrier spell and how to cast a new one. It seems he’d figured out the barrier was weak or gone completely, too.”

“Does it look like he found anything to fix it?” I asked.

“No,” she replied and shook her head. “I think he’d only recently discovered the issue right before he was killed.”

“You should have the guards take the shaman’s body back to the castle,” Skye said to Tecumseh and then cleared her throat. “I mean, Your Majesty, I would suggest doing that. A medical professional can confirm the wounds Ravi found and see if there’s anything we’ve missed.”

“I’ll have the guards begin the extraction,” the king replied in a dull tone.

He turned around and walked out the front door, where the guards apparently waited with the queen.

“So, what happens now?” I asked Nokomis. “Do your parents pick a new shaman?”

“No, they don’t decide that.” The snow leopard frowned and paced back and forth. “The spirits decide the next shaman. The first shaman didn’t like the idea of people who don’t know magic choosing who was allowed to use it, so he made some sort of deal with the spirit world.”

“How long does that take?” I wondered.

“I have no idea,” Nokomis admitted. “Ubira was already the shaman when I was born, so I’ve never seen a new one get chosen.”

“It can take days,” Isi said as she strode in through the door with the guards right behind her. “Some say it has taken weeks before.”

“That’s way too long,” I muttered.

The guards continued toward the shaman’s body and began to carefully wrap him up in a large, gray cloth. They were careful not to touch his wounds, but even with their caution, all four men had blood on their hands and clothes when they finally finished wrapping up their mummy-like creation.

“Well, we don’t have much choice,” Tawa said. “We have no say in the choosing of the shaman.”

“You can’t just find someone who has magic?” I asked. “I mean, I know they aren’t allowed to use it, but surely, some people were born with it anyway, right?”

“If such a person did exist, they’ve hidden it well,” Isi replied and pursed her lips. “As they should. Catahe’s trial is the first use of magic trial we will have had in decades.”

“What about the barrier?” Isabella pointed out. “Are you just going to deal with not having one?”

“Can’t you fix it?” The queen turned to Alyona with a slight accusation in her voice.

“I would have to know which spell was cast,” Alyona explained carefully. “I can’t just put another barrier up without knowing what has been done or undone here. It’s more dangerous to guess.”

“Can’t you see it in Ubira’s journal?” Isi’s voice raised a few octaves as she pointed to the heap of bloody papers on the floor. “He had to have written it down somewhere!”

“I’m sure he did,” Alyona assured her. “And perhaps I’ll be able to find it once the pages are, ah, dry.”

“Oh, gods,” the queen groaned. “Whoever killed Ubira will face the full wrath of the palace! I want his head!”

“Mother, we’ll find who did this,” Nokomis said in a soothing voice. “Just stay calm.”

“No, whoever did this has put our entire kingdom in danger!” Isi continued to get louder with every word. “I will not rest until this killer is brought to justice, and only then can we all sleep in peace!”

“And until the next shaman is chosen, I’m afraid you don’t have the magic prevention in place,” Alyona said with a frown. “Are you certain no one else can perform the spell you requested or knows which spell the shaman used?”

“Of course, we can’t guarantee Ubira never spoke to anyone about his work,” Isi grumbled. “We didn’t keep him under any supervision.”

“And we can’t overstep the rules of the spirit world to choose the next shaman,” the king added. “With our city already on edge, we could tip the scales in a terrible direction and lose favor with the gods.”

“We’re better off being patient,” his wife agreed. “Though I hate the idea of leaving the city unprotected from magic, we can’t risk upsetting the agreement already in place long before our time.”

“We just have to pray no other Vis Imperio groups come on the rise,” Tecumseh said and looked down at his hands. “We must trust in the shaman process and wait.”

“Or just not put up the barrier,” I muttered.

Either the royals didn’t hear me or chose to ignore me, but I knew the barrier was wrong. It wouldn’t stop anyone who really wanted to use magic from taking over. Only the defenses of the Nobles of the Sword would be able to protect the castle, even if the king and queen didn’t want to admit it.

For now, I wondered what magic would be accessible to the twins without the barrier to stop them. Nokomis had been curious about being able to use her sword’s power, but we hadn’t had a chance to look into it yet. Maybe with the gap between shamans, we could find something out.

Tecumseh and Isi followed the guards carrying Ubira’s body out of the igloo house, and I hesitated to walk out behind them.

“What’s wrong, my lord?” Nokomis asked with a grave look of concern.

“I was just thinking about the best thing to do without the barrier,” I mused. “I think we should figure out what magic you can use. Then, if it does take a few weeks for the shaman to be chosen, you at least have some magical defense knowledge.”

“Wait a second, what are you talking about?” Tawa cut in before Nokomis could respond. “What magic? We aren’t shamans!”

“I know, but you’re Nobles of the Sword,” I answered. “That means you can use your sword’s magic. Maybe you didn’t know because of the barrier, but--”

“But nothing, Lord Evan,” the snow leopard hissed. “We aren’t above the law, and the law says only the shaman can use magic.”

“Okay, so what if it takes a year to find another shaman?” I pointed out. “What if another Vis Imperio or something like it decides they’re going to attack the castle with their magic?”

“Then we’ll defend it as our ancestors did,” he replied through clenched teeth. “They didn’t need magic.”

“That was before it was banned,” I argued. “How do you know they didn’t use any to win the fight?”

Tawa stared at me in a stunned silence. If using magic had been part of their ancestors’ game plan, it wasn’t part of the story, but it seemed there also wasn’t any indication they had only used their swords to win the fight, either.

“We need to know what all we can do,” Nokomis said after a moment. “Why should we hold ourselves back if we can do even more for our people?”

Her brother still didn’t say a word, and I wasn’t sure if he agreed or just didn’t know what else to say, so I motioned for everyone to follow me outside. The king and queen were just far enough ahead to not see us take a different path to a wide-open space behind the icy walls that surrounded the shaman’s house.

The snow was a little deeper away from the buildings, but it wouldn’t be a problem.

I opened my mouth and blew a column of flames over the snow, and it melted down to a thin layer of flakes to give us plenty of room to work. Tawa trudged outside behind us and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, but I focused on Nokomis.

“Alright, so, your sword is the Sword of Mercy, but we don’t really know what magic that could entail,” I said as I tugged on my beard in thought. “When I use my sword’s healing power, I basically just talk to Miraya. Then we join together, and I use the sword to enhance my healing magic to heal things.”

“Okay.” Nokomis arched a doubtful eyebrow as she pulled the Sword of Mercy from her scabbard. “So, I just talk to Gratia and work together. Sounds simple enough.”

The snow leopard Demi-Human aimed her blade out into the field and closed her eyes.

Gratia is excited about this, Miraya mused. I can feel it. I wonder if she’s been trying to activate her power this whole time.

Maybe so, I agreed.

“Nothing is happening,” Nokomis said after a few moments, and her shoulders slumped. “I don’t know what else to do.”

She turned around to face us, and I could see the faintest stream of gray and white smoke curl from the end of the sword.

“Wait, you’re doing something,” I said and took a step forward. “I’m the least destructible person here. Try it on me.”

“What if my power is to obliterate you?” she asked as she pointed the blade to the ground at my feet. “I would kill you!”

“Your skill is mercy,” I reminded her with a grin. “I doubt the power that goes with mercy is obliteration. Besides, I can regenerate. Come on, just do it.”

Nokomis’ furry ears flattened against her black hair as she gnawed on her bottom lip with doubt. Then she sighed and nodded her head.

“If you think it’ll be okay, I’ll try,” she agreed.

“Okay, I’ll go away from everyone else, just in case,” I chuckled as I jogged past her and stood with my arms wide open. “Hit me with your best shot.”

Nokomis stifled a smile as she lifted the Sword of Mercy again and took slow steps toward me until the tip of the blade was only inches from my chest. I saw the pale smoke begin to make its way toward me, and it seemed Nokomis finally noticed it, too. She started to pull back, but I shook my head and grabbed the blade to pull it against me.

“Oh, gods,” the snow leopard whispered as her eyes rolled back in her head. “I-I feel it.”

“What do you feel?” I asked.

“You.” Nokomis’ voice was barely audible, and her eyelids flickered for a few seconds before she pulled back the sword and looked at me. “I feel your confidence in me, your love for your women, your desire to heal the kingdom, and a sense of longing for someone you’ve never met. I think it’s your father.”

“You felt all that?” I breathed.

“The Sword of Mercy must have the power of empathy,” Alyona said. “An empath can read emotions like that. What a brilliant ability.”

My lovers crowded around Nokomis as they congratulated her on finding her power, while she looked around with hazy excitement. Then the celebration was cut short.

“How is that supposed to help us defend our kingdom?” Tawa grunted. “She can touch someone and know their feelings, but that won’t stop anyone from attacking us.”

Before I could answer, Nokomis strode over to stand in front of her brother with her hands on her hips.

“I can determine who is actually here to harm us, so you don’t go killing everyone and everything you want,” she said firmly. “Now, are you going to figure out your own magic or keep whining about mine?”

Tawa pursed his lips as he pulled the Sword of Strength from his belt and gripped it in one hand. Then he marched past his sister and pointed the blade out in front of his body. He seemed to think for a moment before he let his hand drop, and I waited for the clanging sound of his sword hitting the ground.

But it didn’t happen.

Instead, the Sword of Strength cut through the snow, ice, and dirt at his side like they were made of butter, and Tawa let out a yelp of surprise before he went into a frenzy. He jumped and chopped the ground around him until I could no longer tell one slice apart from another, and his doubtful grimace had turned into a gleeful smile when he turned around and held his sword triumphantly above his head.

“By the gods, you were right!” he cheered. “My sword has magic, too!”

It was past nightfall when the snow leopard twins were ready to return to the castle after experimenting with their new powers. Neither of them could believe what they’d been missing out on for so long, but Tawa surprised me more than anything else as we walked back to the palace for the night.

“So, maybe magic isn’t so bad, right?” I asked with a casual smile.

“No, it’s not,” he agreed and shrugged. “I think I was scared because I didn’t know about it, but if I’ve had it this whole time and haven’t lost my mind, then magic isn’t the problem.”

“What do you think is the problem?” Nike wondered.

“People,” Tawa said after a moment. “Some people just think differently than others. Take the mob issue, for example. Not everyone in Narsglow wanted to attack the ox Demi-Humans, just a few. And even some of those were quick to stop when we told them to.”

“Mob mentality,” I said. “When someone’s part of a group, they feel invincible, but then reality sets in, and they know the shit’s about to hit the fan.”

“You say the strangest things,” Nokomis giggled.

“You get used to it,” Alyona laughed.

“Mostly,” Nike added with a smirk.

We chatted all the way back to the castle, and I was relieved to see the tension between us and the twins seemed to have disappeared. I only hoped we could eventually have the same effect on their parents, who may not be as easily convinced to accept magic into the kingdom.

When we walked into the palace, it looked like only a few members of the staff were still awake. The king and queen had apparently gone to bed, and Tawa gave a quick wave before he headed off to his chambers. His parents had mentioned his children, but I’d yet to see them running around the castle, so I wondered if they had their own wing like we stayed in ours.

I decided against asking right now and walked toward the stairs that would take us to our chambers. Nike yawned as he stumbled into his room, and Ravi and Rebecca made their way into another room. Isabella and Skye giggled together as they found their room, and Alyona and Nokomis looked at each other and then at me as though they waited for me to make a decision.

“You’re welcome to sleep with us again,” I said to Nokomis as I opened the door to the large bedroom. “Alyona won’t mind.”

Nokomis hesitated and looked at Alyona again.

“No, I enjoy the company,” my wife agreed with a slight nudge to the snow leopard. “Come on. Be with us tonight.”

The lady leopard finally nodded and followed me into the room with Alyona right behind her. I kicked off my boots and looked at the bed with a happy sigh. It had been a long, magical, and murderous day, and I was ready to relax for a while.

“Are you, ah, just…” Nokomis trailed off and then cleared her throat. “Are you just planning to, um, sleep?”

I looked up to see the snow leopard biting her lower lip as she watched me with hungry eyes, so I kept her gaze as I walked over to Alyona and untied her robe. The white silk fell open to reveal her smooth, porcelain skin and the swell of her breasts as she took in a sharp breath. Then I slowly pulled the robe from her shoulders and stood behind her as it fell to the floor, and Nokomis let out a soft purr as I dipped my head down to kiss Alyona’s neck.

“We don’t have to sleep,” I whispered and met Nokomis’ stare again as I dragged my tongue across Alyona’s skin.

“We don’t?” Nokomis’ voice was barely audible as she slipped the fur coat from her shoulders to expose her skin-tight leathers underneath. “What else would we do?”

“Have some fun,” Alyona said in a husky voice, and she held her hand out to Nokomis. “If you want to.”

“I want to,” the snow leopard purred again and took Alyona’s hand.

My wife pulled the other woman close, and I kissed Nokomis as I ran my hands up and down Alyona’s body. The Demi-Human’s lips were cool, but her breath was hot as she opened her mouth and traced my tongue with hers. It reminded me of the way Aaliyah’s tongue felt like soft sandpaper, and a shiver raced down my spine.

I let one hand drift from Alyona’s hip to Nokomis’ hip and found the smooth leather of her pants in the way of my destination, so I tugged at the top hem to pull them down. Alyona realized what I was doing and joined me in the pursuit of nakedness.

A few seconds later, the snow leopard Demi-Human’s warm skin was bare, and Alyona and I explored every inch of her.

Then I pulled the two women over to the bed and laid Nokomis down first. Alyona and I climbed up on either side of her, and my wife took over kissing the Demi-Human while I explored other parts of her curvy body.

I let my fingers graze the skin of her collarbone and then skimmed down to her round breast that heaved up and down with her heavy breathing. I traced the dark skin around her tight nipple until goosebumps rose up on her skin, and then I dipped my head down to follow my finger with my tongue.

“Oh, gods,” Nokomis gasped against Alyona. “A-Are you licking me?”

“I am,” I chuckled. “And I plan to do plenty more.”

Nokomis shivered with anticipation, and I gave her a few more teasing swipes before I flicked her nipple with my tongue. The scent of her warm desire suddenly filled my nose, and I grinned as I began to suck and lick each of her nipples while she clamped her hands down onto the bed.

“I think she likes it, my lord,” Alyona giggled as she moved down to lick Nokomis’ earlobe. “Even I can smell how badly she wants to be filled with your seed.”

“Well, we have to work up to that,” I said with a wink. “I want to taste how badly she wants it first.”

“Ohhhh, my gods, I’ve never, um, had…” Nokomis gasped again as I pulled her legs apart to reveal her nearly dripping wet pussy.

The soft folds of her plump lips were already trembling as I slid my finger down one side and up the other. Then I dragged my tongue from the bottom of her slit to the top, and her thighs quivered so violently, I thought she would cum for me before I even got started.

I moved my tongue slowly across her throbbing clit, and I looked up to see Alyona had slid down the bed to play with Nokomis’ tits while I tasted her. I had the perfect view of my wife’s own slick tunnel, and I reached up to tease her with my fingers while she licked and sucked on the snow leopard’s nipples.

“Something is happening, my lord,” Nokomis whispered as her breath came in short gasps. “Oh, gods, I-I don’t know… Ahhhhhhh.”

Her orgasm cascaded onto my tongue like a river of sweet juices while her body was wracked with waves of ecstasy. She thrashed and dug her claws into the blanket as I lapped up her cream, and when her climax was finally over, she fell against the bed with a groan.

“Was that your first orgasm?” Alyona asked as she sat up and looked at Nokomis with curiosity.

“Well, I’ve never had that happen to me before, so I guess so,” Nokomis giggled. “Do you make it happen a lot, Lord Evan?”

“As often as possible.” I smirked as I stood up and looked at the two beautifully naked and wet women in front of me. “And I intend to make it happen several more times before we fall asleep.”

“I’ll take the next one,” Alyona said with a wink. Then she laid back onto the bed and rubbed her mound with her finger while she stared into my eyes. “If that’s alright with you, my lord.”

“Oh, it is,” I growled.

I started to dive between her thighs when Nokomis cleared her throat, bit her lip, and looked between me and Alyona.

“Could I do to her what you did to me?” she asked.

“You most definitely should,” I replied in a husky voice. “Just bend over the bed.”

Nokomis slid down to the floor and made a show of walking over to stand in front of Alyona. Then she slowly bent over at the waist and left her gorgeous bare ass in the air as she began to lick my wife’s sopping pussy. I felt my cock spring into action as I watched her taste and suck Alyona, and I jumped up, walked behind Nokomis, and grabbed her hips.

“I’m waiting for your manhood, my lord,” the snow leopard pleaded as she dragged her ass back and forth across my shaft. “I’m ready for you.”

“Fuck,” I growled before I shoved my thick head into her tight canal.

As soon as I was inside her, I sensed the connection of our soul bridge start to form. Her needs and desires became second nature to me, and I pushed even further inside her to seal the deal.

“Oh!” Nokomis gasped and then sighed. “Yesss, my lord.”

The snow leopard Demi-Human was so tight, but she didn’t show any hesitation as I slowly slipped deeper and deeper inside her. Her walls were still swollen from her first orgasm, and they throbbed against my shaft as I pumped in and out of her.

I could feel every inch of her tunnel gripping my cock, and I looked up to see Alyona’s face twisted with pleasure as she kneaded her breasts and tightened her thighs around Nokomis’ head.

“Oh, yes,” I murmured. “Let her taste you.”

“Godssssss!” Alyona shrieked as her back arched away from the bed, and she pulled Nokomis’ head all the way against her pussy while the Demi-Human sucked and licked every last drop of her sweet cream.

I continued to fuck Nokomis from behind while Alyona filled her mouth, and then Alyona laid back on the bed with a trembling sigh. Nokomis gripped my wife’s hips as I pounded into her, and then I could feel her throbbing walls tighten around my shaft.

“Oh, gods, it’s coming again!” Nokomis gasped. “Yessss!”

Then her hot juices flowed over my cock as goosebumps appeared all over her skin, and I pulled her hips up just enough to hit even deeper inside her before my own climax started to rise.

My toes curled against the hard marble floor before what felt like gallons of my dragon seed poured into the snow leopard’s virgin womb. A rush of pleasure shot through my body, and I closed my eyes as I filled her canal until my seed trickled down her thighs.

“Holy shit,” I murmured as the last few drops were squeezed out, and I looked down at the pair of women. “You two are fucking sexy together.”

“I can think of a few more ways to be sexy,” Alyona giggled as she nudged Nokomis to move up higher on the bed. “I’ll taste the two of you in her while you fill me with more of your seed.”

“I think I would like that,” Nokomis agreed with a wink over her shoulder at me.

“Me, fucking, too,” I growled.

After plenty more of the promised orgasms in various positions, Alyona and Nokomis could hardly keep their eyes open. They fell asleep in a tangle of naked legs with the smell of sex in the air, and I grinned as I laid down beside them.

I had a feeling Nokomis was going to fit in with the family just fine.

It was well after midnight when we all fell asleep, and I cozied up to my women with a content smile.

Then my eyes snapped open at the break of daylight and the sounds of a fight outside the castle.

Chapter 9

I leaped out of bed and grabbed my clothes from the floor, and as I pulled on my pants, Alyona sat up and rubbed her eyes while Nokomis rolled over and tugged the blankets up over her naked body.

“What are you doing?” Nokomis asked in a sleepy voice.

“There’s something going on downstairs,” I said. “I’m going to check it out.”

Both of my lovers seemed to awaken at my words, and they jumped up to find their own clothes.

“We’re coming with you,” Alyona declared as she pulled her sleeves on and tied the belt of her robes.

I knew better than to argue with a princess--and now, I had two to consider-- so I waited for them to get dressed before we raced out into the hallway. Nike had already heard the commotion and woken the rest of our group, and we waited less than a minute for Ravi, Rebecca, Skye, and Isabella to join us before we headed downstairs.

The yelling was even louder by the time we made it to the first floor, and I could finally make out some of the words when we ran into Tawa in the great hall.

“No favorites!”

“The law is the law!”

“Oh, great,” I muttered. “I have a feeling I know what this is about.”

The king had already been accused of preferential treatment yesterday when the mage revealed I’d used magic as well, and now it seemed the people had finally regained their mob mentality to take a stand about it.

Tecumseh and Isi were already outside the front door on the wide icy steps in front of the courtyard, and I led everyone else out to stand behind them with my eyes on the crowd.

“There are the criminals right there!” a familiar voice yelled as he jabbed his clawed finger at us. “Let’s get their trials started, too!”

The polar bear Demi-Human who had been the ringleader yesterday apparently hadn’t learned his lesson since then.

“Yeah, when does their trial start?” someone else shouted.

“It’s our law! No free pass! It’s our law! No free pass!” the rest of the crowd began to chant in unison.

“You know, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was these criminals who killed Ubira!” Nahuel continued. “We’ve all heard the stories of how dragons enjoy leaving a path of death and destruction in their wake!”

“Who let a dragon come into our city?” an arctic fox woman shrieked. “No one has seen them in years, and we thought we were finally free of their tyranny!”

I felt a growl rumble low in my chest at the idea of someone being happy my kind had been slaughtered by the dozens. Alyona grabbed my forearm, and I looked down to see I’d taken several steps toward the crowd while in my blind rage, so I took a deep breath and stepped back behind the king and queen as they tried fiercely to regain control of the mob.

“Lord Evan is a visitor in our city!” Tecumseh boomed. “We will not harm him!”

“Oh, so visitors can come to Narsglow and do whatever they want?” Nahuel sneered and turned to face his growing audience. “I suppose we just all have to move out of the city and come back to commit our crimes!”

“Yeah, then we won’t get punished!” another man bellowed.

“You don’t understand!” Tecumseh insisted and clenched his fists before he let out a fearsome roar. “You do not know what he is!”

“A dragon, we got that,” Nahuel said with a snarky glance over his shoulder at the royals. “So, what?”

“He’s a Noble of the Sword, you imbecile,” Isi said in a voice that sent even a chill down my spine. “We don’t care that he’s a dragon. His mission as a Noble of the Sword is of far greater importance than his race.”

“Your Majesties.” I stepped close enough to speak quietly to the king and queen. “I don’t know if we should tell them everything.”

“More secrets, huh?” Nahuel laughed as he whirled around to point at me again. “You aren’t any more important to Narsglow than I am!”

“We can’t tell them about the Breach,” I continued without responding to the polar bear. “I know it could help right now, but it could also send them into a whole other frenzy. Fear of the unknown and of magic has led to this issue, but a fear of the Underworld? It would be even more destructive because the Underworld is a million times more dangerous than magic could ever be.”

“Are you saying this mob is our fault?” Isi turned to face me with a furrowed brow. “Because we haven’t let our people learn about magic?”

“That’s not what he’s saying, Mother,” Tawa said in a low voice. “They don’t understand magic, which is why they’re scared of it, but they know even less about the Underworld and its true dangers, so telling them now when they’re already scared of one thing would compound the problem. He’s right, we can’t tell them what he’s here for.”

“Thanks,” I murmured. “I just don’t want this situation to get any worse.”

“Well, I’m still not sure how to make it better,” Tecumseh whispered. “We need something to snap them out of this nonsense.”

“I think they’re beyond all reason,” Isi agreed. “We need something big.”

“I happen to have something big,” I said as I kept my eyes on Nahuel and his mutterings to the crowd. “I’ll take it from here.”

Isi narrowed her eyes on me but followed the king’s lead, and they walked away from the stairs to stand with my group.

“Oh, now, our fearless leaders are going to make us listen to an outsider about why he’s not on trial?” Nahuel sneered. “Or are they giving us an easier target?”

I ignored him and marched halfway down the stairs where everyone could see me, and I had some room to work.

As soon as all the eyes of the crowd were on me, I transformed. Amidst the gasps and screams, I doubled and tripled in size, and the shiny black scales of my forearms cascaded around my legs and up over my torso. My large wings and spikes sprouted from my back, and my snout and neck extended as I dug my talons into the snow and stood tall over the crowd.

Then I looked up to the sky and roared a plume of flames above my head before I looked down at the crowd.

“The violence ends now!” I bellowed. “Your threats are made out of fear, so I will give you something to fear! None of you will be able to defeat a dragon, and none of you will hold me to your puny magical laws. I will use whatever magic I please whenever I want, and I don’t see a single person in this crowd who can stop me. Not even you, Nahuel.”

The polar bear Demi-Human had taken more than a couple steps back as I loomed over him, and he trembled with fear when our eyes met.

“B-But you b-broke the law,” he stammered. “A-And it’s there to p-protect us!”

“And so am I!” I thundered. “But I will not hesitate to move any obstacles out of my way, and that includes you.”

I released a breath of hot air onto the crowd, and several of the Demi-Humans leaped back with cries of fear.

“Y-You don’t scare me!” Nahuel insisted and clenched his fists. “I’ve lived here my whole life, a-and no one is going to come to my home and break the l-law!”

“While I don’t agree with the law, I didn’t come here with the intention to break it,” I hissed as I brought my snout within inches of his face. “I came here on a mission, and no one is going to get in the way of that. I have thousands of lives on the line, so moving you from my path means nothing to me.”

Nahuel gulped audibly and took a step back before he took a deep breath, turned his back to me, and faced the quivering crowd.

“Did you hear this so-called Noble of the Sword threaten me?” he yelled with his hands in the air. “I merely asked for a trial, and he says he’ll get rid of me! What kind of hero is that?”

“Okay,” I huffed as I plucked Nahuel up by the collar of his robe and brought him up to my level. “If I wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead, my friend. Take my words for exactly what they are. I want you out of my way, and I will move you where I want you.”

With as much dramatic flourish as I could muster, I planted the polar bear on the other side of the courtyard, where he stumbled for a moment as he regained his footing and stared at me with his mouth all the way open.

“Is there anyone else who would like to stand in Lord Evan’s way?” Tawa called out with amusement in his voice.

No one spoke, and I took a slow step toward the group of slightly less angry people.

Then the dam burst.

The crowd scattered like roaches when the light came on with intermittent gasps and screams, and I held back my own laughter as they ran into each other in their attempts to escape before I moved anyone else out of my way. I knew my dragon form was terrifying, especially for people who hadn’t seen one before, and I rarely took advantage of it on innocent civilians.

Today, however, was a different story.

I had to make an impact on these people who had no idea what they were fighting against. All they seemed to want to do was follow Nahuel’s lead, and he was no one worth following. Despite the work I’d put into making sure dragons weren’t always feared, I felt a sense of satisfaction at the result of my badass dragon mode today.

There was no more mob, the king and queen looked relieved at the quick exit of the crowd, and Nahuel was nowhere to be seen. I’d defused a volatile situation. Granted, I’d basically thrown a match into the fray, but lucky for me, my match outweighed any of their fuses.

When the courtyard was nearly empty, I transitioned back into my human form and let out a sigh of relief.

Then a movement-- or lack thereof, really-- caught my eye.

One lone figure remained in the courtyard.

The person was small, but I couldn’t tell how small because he or she was curled up almost into the fetal position in the middle of the snow. Jet-black hair billowed in the wind behind the tiny body, and the face was buried underneath two small arms wrapped around scrawny legs.

I looked back over my shoulder at Isi and Tecumseh, who appeared just as confused as I felt. They didn’t seem to know why anyone would have remained behind, and something told me I needed to check it out.

So, I tiptoed forward until I got close enough to see the last person in the courtyard was a child. She looked up at me as I approached, and fear filled her watery chocolate-brown eyes as she scooted backward. Small antlers peeked out from under her dark hair, and the dark tip of her nose wiggled as I knelt next to her.

“No, wait,” I said in a gentle voice. “I was only scary because I was trying to be. I’m not here to hurt you. Are you okay?”

“You were very loud,” she whispered and shook her head. “I didn’t like that.”

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. “You aren’t hurt, are you? There were a lot of people running around here.”

“I’m not hurt,” she murmured. “I just had to stay here.”

“Why?” I wondered. “Where are your parents?”

“Gone.” The girl choked on the word and swallowed before she spoke again. “I don’t belong anywhere, but the voice told me to stay here.”

“What voice?” I pressed. “Here, let me help you up.”

She reached her hand out cautiously to accept my help, and I pulled her to her feet. I was surprised to see a small, bushy tail that poked out of a hole in her robe, and I couldn’t figure out what kind of Demi-Human she was.

“Thank you, my lord,” she whispered.

She didn’t answer me about the voice, so I tried a new tactic.

“What’s your name?” I asked. “You can call me Evan. That’s what my friends call me.”

“You’d let me be your friend?” The girl stared up at me in awe. “No one wants me to be their friend. They all call me Cho-tub.”

“What does that mean?” I wondered.

“Flea,” she answered in a voice so small, I could practically feel my heartstrings being tugged.

“I didn’t ask about the name stupid kids call you,” I said as I crouched down to look her in the eyes. “I asked your name because I’d love to be your friend.”

“Kiona,” she finally answered as she wiped a tear from her cheek. “My name is Kiona, and the voice said to tell you something really important.”

“What’s that?” I gently took her hand and waited.

“I’m the new shaman,” Kiona whispered.

My heart thumped against my ribcage as I stared at the girl who couldn’t be older than seven or eight. The thought of her taking on the role of the shaman was overwhelming, and it was even more terrifying to realize she had no idea what it meant. She only knew some voice in her head had told her to tell me, and I wasn’t sure what to do with the information.

You need to get her inside, my lord, Miraya urged me.

I’d nearly forgotten the sword spirit was still hanging out in my spiritual sea, and her words spurred me into action.

“How would you like to meet the king and queen of Odrein?” I asked the young girl with a smile.

“They want to meet me?” Kiona asked with wide eyes.

“They’re dying to meet you,” I confirmed and offered my hand again. “I’ll even walk you there myself. It would be my honor.”

“It isn’t very far, Evan,” she giggled as she slipped her hand into mine.

“Well, then it will be a short-lived honor.” I winked and guided her toward the stairs with a pointed stare at the royal snow leopards. “I’ve invited Kiona in to meet everyone. She has some important news for all of us, Your Majesties.”

“What could this child possibly have to tell us?” Tawa huffed until Nokomis elbowed him in the ribs. “What? She’s clearly an orphan.”

“Hey, orphans don’t choose to be orphans,” I said in a low voice. “So, cut the kid some slack.”

“I suppose the child can join us for breakfast,” Tecumseh murmured as he narrowed his eyes on me. “Would that suffice, Lord Evan?”

“For now,” I agreed. “Trust me. This is a big deal.”

Kiona held tightly to my hand as I led her inside, through the great room, and around to the dining hall. She was trembling with nerves by the time I found her a chair and a couple extra cushions to bring her to a comfortable height, but I patted her head gently to comfort her.

“Thank you,” she said in a voice even I could barely hear.

“You’re welcome,” I replied before I stood next to her and waited for everyone else to be seated. “I’d like to introduce Kiona. She has been told by a voice that she’s the next shaman.”

“A child?” Isi gasped and covered her mouth. “But she couldn’t--”

“Is she even old enough to read the tomes?” Tecumseh interrupted with eyes as wide as the plates being carried in for breakfast. “This is insane!”

“I know it’s a lot,” I agreed. “Even Kiona doesn’t know what it all means just yet, but how else would she know to tell me if the spirit world didn’t tell her?”

“Maybe she heard it on the streets,” Tawa suggested. “It wouldn’t be too hard for a street kid to realize we were going to need a new shaman eventually.”

“Hold on one damn minute,” I growled and pounded my fist on the table. “We can continue this conversation in another room.”

“I agree,” Tecumseh said with a nod. “Kiona, please eat some breakfast. We’ll return shortly.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Kiona replied in a soft voice as she picked up her fork.

I caught a glimpse of her shoveling scrambled eggs in her mouth like she hadn’t eaten in days as the rest of us breezed out into the great room, and I had to keep my anger in check when I turned to face the snow leopards. Nokomis looked uncertain, while Tawa had a smirk that I wanted to smack off his face. Both the king and queen seemed to at least be willing to listen to what I had to say, but they didn’t look any less doubtful than their daughter.

“Why would you say that in front of her?” I demanded of Tawa. “She’s a kid!”

“Kids do stupid things all the time.” He shrugged and glanced over his shoulder. “Mine make up stories daily. It doesn’t mean I believe my daughter fought a giant snow monster or my son rescued some mystical creature. They’re kids.”

“Well, this one doesn’t have a father to entertain with her stories,” I pointed out through clenched teeth. “She’s a kid who apparently other kids have nicknamed Cho-tub, and I’m guessing you know what that means. She doesn’t think anyone wants her around, and she was terrified of me before I calmed her down. If she was playing some kind of con game, don’t you think she would have come to us instead of me going to her?”

“Not if she’s street kid smart,” Tawa argued. “They know how to get under people’s skin. I can’t help it if you fell for it, but I’m not convinced.”

“Neither am I, Lord Evan,” Tecumseh chimed in with a frown. “I couldn’t figure out why I recognized the child, but I remember who her parents are-- ah, were. Her father was a caribou Demi-Human, and her mother was a, um… what was she, Isi?”

“A squirrel Demi-Human,” his wife supplied and pursed her lips. “They were an odd couple, but they were incredibly intelligent. They went on an excursion to find a new energy source they read about, and they never came back.”

“And they left her here?” Alyona asked with an ache in her tone.

“I’m sure they intended to return,” Isi said. “But none of their group did. We never knew if they got lost, killed by a beast, or anything.”

“That’s awful,” Skye breathed.

“So, she feels abandoned, she’s bullied, and she has no one to call her family,” I said. “Not to mention, she obviously doesn’t fit in with one group of Demi-Humans or another, but you think she decided today was the day to make a show in front of the palace to try and become a shaman?”

“Well, we can’t possibly know what the girl hopes to accomplish,” Isi insisted.

Unbelievable, Miraya muttered. She’s telling the truth!

Maybe they need you to convince them, I suggested.

Before I realized what was happening, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the room, and Miraya stood before us with an angelic glow.

“The sword spirit, right?” the queen asked with an arched eyebrow.

“Yes, Miraya,” she replied with a small curtsy. “Your Majesty, I can enter the spirit world to verify Kiona’s story if you wish, but I must tell you, it seems to me that she speaks the truth.”

“Do you have a magical ability to know when someone is lying, Miraya?” the queen sneered.

“No, Your Majesty, I do not,” Miraya said in an even tone. “But I can speak with the Iudices, though they do not like to be summoned frivolously.”

“I would imagine not.” Isi frowned.

Suddenly, four more lights lit up the great room, and the other sword spirits joined Miraya in the center. Then Aine, Juniper, Gratia, and Brenna stood next to their sister with their chins held high.

“Your Majesty, we all agree the girl is telling the truth,” Brenna said in her low voice. “She is the one who was chosen.”

“Did any of you speak with the Iudices?” the queen retorted.

“No, but--” Juniper started.

“Then I do believe we’ve gotten no further than where we began,” she said with a huff. “Unless someone knows how to read minds--”

“I can,” Nokomis said suddenly and then covered her mouth.

Her new empathy power would indeed allow her to see if Kiona was lying or truly listening to a spirit voice in her head, but the snow leopard princess had yet to inform her parents of her magical ability.

And it was too late to turn back now.

“What do you mean?” Tecumseh demanded.

Rebecca walked over and squeezed Nokomis’ hand for encouragement, and the snow leopard Demi-Human took a deep breath before she answered.

“I learned how to channel the magical abilities of the Sword of Mercy,” Nokomis explained, and her parents gasped in surprise. “It gives me the power of an empath, so I can read the emotions of other people.”

“How could you!” Isi shrieked. “You know the law!”

“Yes, Mother, and the law is stupid,” Nokomis shot back. “The law is to prevent criminals from attacking us, but it also keeps good people from learning amazing things! I can use this power to help us!”

Isi stared open-mouthed at her daughter for a few seconds before she clenched her fists and paced around the room.

“Look what you’ve done to your mother,” Tecumseh said with a grimace. “She can’t even speak.”

“Well, as much as I hate to say Lord Evan was right about something, I have to agree that magic isn’t so bad,” Tawa sighed. “I learned how to use my sword’s power, too. I can use my sword to cut through pretty much anything.”

“Through anything at all,” Brenna added with a smirk.

“And we’re all just perfectly fine with breaking the law and using magic and doing whatever the hell we want all of a sudden!” the queen huffed until she finally came around to stand in front of me. “This is your fault, Lord Evan!”

“I completely agree.” I nodded, and Isi froze. “And I take full responsibility for teaching my fellow Nobles of the Sword how to properly use their magic to defend themselves and their people. Now, can we also use that magic to see if we have a new shaman or a criminal on our hands?”

Nokomis’ eyes were so wide, I thought they might pop out of her head, and she and Tawa stared at Isi’s back while she eyed me with frustration.

“Fine!” she yelled. “But if this doesn’t work, you can take your whole group and your mission and get out of Odrein!”

“I’m good with that,” I said with a shrug. “I know Nokomis can do it. She’s a natural.”

Nokomis blushed and offered me a half-smile before she turned to march back into the dining hall, and the sword spirits quickly disappeared back into their respective spiritual seas as the rest of us followed the snow leopard princess.

“Kiona, do you know who I am?” Nokomis asked in a gentle tone.

“Of course,” the little Demi-Human giggled. “You’re Princess Nokomis. Everyone knows who you are.”

“Well, I need to try something,” the princess continued. “And it might look a little scary because I’ll be using my sword, but I promise I won’t hurt you. Is that okay?”

“I trust you, Your Highness,” Kiona replied and pressed her lips together.

“Okay.” Nokomis slid the Sword of Mercy from her scabbard and held it out toward the girl.

Then she closed her eyes, and I could see the soft smoke that left the tip of the blade and danced across Kiona’s body. It reminded me of the way my flames trickled over a surface before they caught fire, and I was mesmerized until Nokomis dropped the blade and grinned.

“Did I do good, Your Highness?” Kiona asked timidly.

“You did splendidly,” Nokomis said. “I’m very proud of you, Kiona.”

“Thank you,” the girl whispered as a blush colored her cheeks.

Nokomis turned around with a triumphant smile and gave us all a thumbs-up. It seemed Kiona had passed the test, and the king and queen reluctantly walked back to their chairs to finish breakfast.

“So, if she’s the new shaman, does she just move into that house?” I wondered. “She can’t live there all alone.”

“I wouldn’t dream of putting her there,” Isi said with a frown. “Especially not after… what happened. Anyway, we’ll find room for her here.”

“And all the texts from the house?” Alyona pointed out. “Would you have them brought here for her to read?”

“Of course,” Tecumseh confirmed. “Our little Kiona has much to learn.”

“She can go to classes with the twins,” Tawa said before he tossed a piece of bacon in his mouth and swallowed. “She shouldn’t be without a regular education as well.”

“I agree.” Isi nodded and turned to Kiona. “And I think maybe a good bath is due as well. What do you think?”

“In a real bathtub?” Kiona stared at the queen for a moment. “I can have a real bath?”

“Oh, gods, you poor child,” the queen chuckled. “Yes, Tecumseh, please have the staff draw her a bath at once.”

Tecumseh nodded and murmured into the pendant at his chest.

“While I’m here, Your Majesties, I’d be happy to teach her a few things about protective barriers and seals,” Alyona offered. “I already had to use one seal on the rift in the forest, so it would be good for her to know some of those things until we can get the Breach closed.”

“I think that would be good,” Tecumseh said. “She needs to learn plenty, but if she can learn from a priestess, that’s even better than from a book, I believe.”

“And Alyona is the best,” I pointed out. “So, she can learn a lot from her. And maybe the messaging thing you and your father do.”

“Oh, yes, that’s a great idea!” my wife agreed and clapped her hands. “I can teach you a way to talk to me even when I’m not here, so if you have any questions, I can still help you.”

“That’s kind of you, milady,” Kiona giggled. “You’re very excited to help me. Why is that?”

“I think magic is a wonderful thing, Kiona,” Alyona said with a motherly smile. “It can be used to help so many people, and I love learning new things about it. In fact, I have a huge library back in Hatra filled with thousands of books that I hope to read some day, so I’ll know even more about magic.”

“I love to read,” the young shaman breathed. “I’ve never even seen a thousand books.”

“Perhaps a visit to Hatra will be in your future.” My wife patted Kiona on the hand.

Even Isi and Tecumseh seemed interested in what Alyona had to say, and I wondered if their views on magic would change. I couldn’t force them to get rid of their ban on magic, but maybe seeing some of the good things magic could do would give them a new outlook. It didn’t all have to be scary and violent, and Kiona seemed like a perfect example of how to teach the right person the right way of using it.

We continued to eat breakfast until a female penguin Demi-Human waddled into the room and bowed.

“Lady Kiona, your bath is ready,” she announced.

“Lady?” Kiona giggled. “Is that me?”

“You are now a lady of the castle,” Tecumseh said with a kind smile. “You will be treated as such. Now, go enjoy your bath.”

“Of course, Your Majesty!” Kiona squealed as she scooted off her stack of cushions and followed the penguin out of the dining hall.

“She’s a sweet kid,” I said. “The spirit world definitely could have chosen someone much worse.”

“Yeah, like Nahuel,” Tawa muttered.

We all laughed as we finished up our plates and began to discuss our plans for the day.

Then a guard sprinted into the room and slammed his staff into the marble floor with a sound that echoed around the dining hall.

“Your Majesties, I apologize for the intrusion,” he said in a rush of words. “But there’s a problem. A big one.”

And just like that, our plans were made.

Chapter 10

“What is it?” Tecumseh demanded.

“Something is attacking the city,” the guard explained and looked back over his shoulder. “I-I don’t know what it is, Your Majesty. It’s flying around and starting fires, and everyone is terrified!”

“A dragon?” the king murmured as he turned to give me a confused look.

“Dammit,” I muttered. “No, it’s not a dragon, but I can almost guarantee I know what it is. It’s one of the hellbeasts from the Underworld.”

“We can’t let that thing fly around for long,” Nike said as he unsheathed his sword. “Its lava magic would destroy Narsglow in a matter of minutes.”

“Lava magic?” Tecumseh repeated with wide eyes. “There’s no lava around here!”

“I’m sure it’s figured out a way to use it,” I said and pulled out the Sword of Hatra. “Trust me. They’ll do anything to destroy a city and its people. You need to stay inside and stay safe. We’ll handle this.”

“I’m going with you.” Nokomis held the Sword of Mercy so tightly her knuckles were white.

Before I could argue, I heard the strangled cry of the hellbeast as it swooped over the palace and poured lava on the streets below. We sprinted to the front door of the palace, and as the portal swung open, we saw the destruction the lava monster was causing. The snow melted instantly, but when the lava hit the ice blocks of the buildings, it formed huge orange and black bubbles that popped and spewed more lava onto the surrounding snow. It seemed the lava wouldn’t melt the buildings, but the melting snow had already sent rivers of hot water down the streets, and that alone would become dangerous quickly.

“Try to get everyone to safety!” I ordered. “Ravi and I will have to get him out of the sky before you’ll be able to do much else to help!”

I turned to the phoenix, who nodded her head, and we sprinted out of the castle, took our winged forms, and launched ourselves into the sky. It didn’t take long to lock onto the hellbeast, and its beady black eyes were already on us. I curled my lip in disgust at the creature’s oily black skin and cringeworthy gray wings that looked like they belonged on a sick bat, and I couldn’t wait to put this motherfucker in the ground.

The hellbeast unleashed a screech as it hurtled through the air toward us, and I wasn’t sure what to expect from the creature when fighting it in the air. Last time, the hellbeasts had had the distinct advantage of being able to fly where I couldn’t. This time, I was nearly double its size and in the same airspace.

As it came closer, I opened my maw and released a plume of flames onto its slick skin. The fire seemed to glide over its frame without doing any damage, and the hellbeast collided with me in mid-air.

I tried to get a grip on it, but its skin was just as slippery as it looked. Instead of sinking my talons into its flesh, the hellbeast slithered out of my grasp and poured its lava onto my foreleg. The molten liquid merely dripped off my impenetrable scales, but Ravi had to dodge the droplets before they caught her feathers on fire.

The hellbeast shrieked again and flipped around to kick me in the underbelly. I opened my mouth and shot a web that wrapped around its head, but the webbing didn’t stick to its oily skin. As the hellbeast struggled to finish wiping off the web, I looked around until I saw what I needed.

Just past the city walls opposite the forest, the foothills of a set of low mountains held dozens of boulders. I’d never tried to use my stone magic from so far away, but it was worth a shot.

I activated my stone magic and yanked one of the boulders toward me. The large stone flew through the air, and I spun around to kick it down onto the hellbeast below me.

The creature squealed in pain as the boulder carried it down to the ground, where it crashed with a thud.

“Now!” Rebecca yelled.

She and Nike led the charge as they ran toward the hellbeast while it thrashed on the ground. As they got closer, I realized the boulder was even bigger than I’d thought, and the hellbeast was about to throw it at them.

“Wait!” I bellowed as I dove toward them with Ravi right next to my snout.

The phoenix skidded through the snow in front of our people, while I landed solidly between them and the hellbeast just as he got his feet under the boulder. He launched it at me anyway, and I cast it aside without a second thought. Then I continued toward the beast with my claws at the ready.

I partially expected Nokomis to try and stop me as the hellbeast cowered on its back in the snow, but she didn’t say a word when I plowed my talons into the hellbeast’s belly. The familiar orange blood squirted out of the wounds as the beast howled and thrashed underneath me, but in my dragon form, it didn’t stand a chance at overpowering me.

Then I slashed at the hellbeast’s throat and didn’t stop my violent attack until its body was completely still and the life had left its soulless eyes. It seemed even Nokomis agreed the hellbeast didn’t deserve our mercy, and she looked rather satisfied as she stared at the beast’s lifeless body on the ground in front of me.

“Is it dead?” she asked after a moment.

“Yeah, it’s done.” I stared at the orange blood on my claws as I tried to determine what to do with the body. “I don’t know if it will burn.”

“It’s worth a try,” Alyona said. “Or throw it in the ocean.”

“I like that plan,” I agreed as I gripped one of the hellbeast’s wings. “I’ll be right back.”

I took off into the sky with the dead hellbeast swaying in the breeze below me. Then I headed south for the ocean and went well beyond the water’s edge before I let go of the hellbeast. Hopefully, it would get swallowed up by the sea instead of washing up on the shore to scare anyone else.

As I turned around to head back to Narsglow, a thought struck me.

We’d already sealed the rift, so how had a hellbeast shown up? It seemed unlikely it would have hidden itself away with no lava source on Odrein, but there was no way Alyona’s seal had broken.

There had to be another rift.

I picked up speed as I zoomed back toward the city, and I landed in front of the castle with a heavy thud. Nike, the royals, and my lovers stood on the wide steps in front of the double-doors and watched my approach.

“Alyona, do you think--” I started.

“There’s another rift?” she finished with a grimace. “Yeah, that’s the conclusion we also came to.”

“You’re sure the seal you already did is still in place?” Isi asked and crossed her arms over her chest. “With everyone doing magic all willy-nilly, it could have affected your spell, right?”

“No.” Alyona shook her head. “That’s not how it works, Your Majesty. Mine is still in place. I can feel it. There’s a chance the hellbeast got out of the rift before we sealed it, but it’s not like them to hide out.”

“Especially without lava,” I added. “They use it to restore their magic, and that one had plenty of lava when he got to Narsglow. My guess is it escaped a rift and came straight to the city to attack.”

“But why attack us all of a sudden?” Tecumseh wondered. “We’ve never had this issue before.”

“It’s all the Breach,” I answered. “The Demon King is trying to get a stronger grip on our world to make it easier for them to push through King Rodion’s seal. Every time they open another rift, it puts more strain on the magic that’s holding them back.”

“My gods,” the king muttered. “How do we stop this?”

“First, we have to find the rift,” I said. “Once Alyona seals it, we need to do the Redimi Vincio ceremony. It’s the next step in our mission to become strong enough to defeat the Demon King. Without that, we’ll never win.”

“You seem pretty certain about that,” Tawa grunted.

“I am.” I turned and met the snow leopard prince’s gaze. “I know it’s difficult, and I don’t like the idea of doing the ceremony with your daughter given her age, but until we find another solution, that’s the only way to keep moving forward with our mission. And as you can see, we can’t just let the Breach finish opening. That was one hellbeast. There could be thousands on the other side.”

“Half of Narsglow is already flooded from that creature’s destruction,” Tawa said with a frown. “We can talk more after you find the rift. We need to make sure no more of those creatures make their way through.”

“I can agree with that.” I nodded. “Has anyone said which direction the beast came from?”

“One of the guards thought it came from the hills,” Isi answered and pointed to the west side of the city.

“Then we’ll start there,” I decided and glanced over at Ravi. “Ready for another flight?”

“Ready,” the phoenix replied.

“I’d like to stay here and work with Kiona,” Alyona said. “When you find the rifts, I’ll come seal them. Until then, I need to get her as prepared as possible for whatever is to come.”

“That’s a good idea,” I agreed. “If this random rift thing is going to be a regular event, she needs to know how to seal them, too. And maybe a spell to kill the hellbeasts.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Alyona smirked.

“We’ll make sure nothing gets to them, my lord,” Skye said as she brandished the Sword of Youth.

“Yeah, they’ll be safe here with us,” Isabella added.

“If anything at all shows up, I want to know immediately,” I said.

“I can send you a message,” Alyona promised. “Now, go. We have to find the rift to close it.”

“We’ll be back soon,” I replied with a fanged smile.

With that, Ravi and I took to the sky again, and we headed for the small mountains that lined the western edge of Odrein. As we flew over the rest of Narsglow, I was pleased to see several Demi-Humans had already gathered to clear some of the water from the city, and they’d begun the process of shoveling snow on top of the hot lava bubbles that had stacked up against the buildings.

It would take time to get Narsglow back to normal, but it would be an easier process without the threat of more hellbeasts coming to do their damage.

Once we were past the city walls, the snow began to fall in large drifts, but it wasn’t the level of the snowstorm we’d experienced on our way in. It was more like flakes the size of my claws that floated down in every direction and made it slightly more difficult to see. I remembered the snowstorm on Bruven’s Peak and how I’d used my fire magic to melt the snow around us, so I decided to try it again now.

Within seconds, the large snowflakes hissed and steamed as they hit the warm air around Ravi and me.

“Oh, that’s nice,” she chirped. “It reminds me of the desert. Well, except for the snow. I like the warmth.”

“Me, too,” I chuckled. “Do you see anything yet?”

“Just mountains,” Ravi replied as she focused on the ground below us. “It’s so quiet up here.”

“Yeah, I guess no one lives over here,” I said. “What do you think about the people in Narsglow?”

“They’re a little high-strung,” the phoenix snorted. “But I like Nokomis. And Kiona is sweet. She’ll do well with the princess teaching her.”

“I think so, too,” I agreed.

We flew on in silence while we searched the ground for any signs of the rift. I tried to use all my senses to find its location, and I was rewarded for my efforts with the stench of miasma.

“Ugh, I think we’re getting close,” Ravi said as she managed to scrunch up her birdy face. “That smell is awful.”

“Yeah, we need to get a little closer to the ground,” I decided.

We lowered our flight path until we were close enough to see even the smallest creatures as they jumped from shadow to shadow below us. Then I saw a violet glow in the valley between two of the mountains.

“There!” Ravi called out.

I started to nosedive toward the rift when I realized the phoenix was headed in a different direction.

“Wait, where are you going?” I called out over the snow. “The rift is down here.”

“Then what’s that?” Ravi pointed to the ground below her.

I flew over to where the phoenix hovered and growled in frustration. A second rift was torn across the ground at the base of another peak.

“Gods, there are two right here,” I muttered. “How many more do you think there are?”

“I don’t know,” she said in a sad voice. “But we’d better find out.”

Over the next hour, we flew over the entire mountain range, and I left four of my messenger dragons floating in the air above the rifts we found. It was the best mark I could come up with on such short notice, since I hadn’t exactly been expecting to find so many rifts when we’d left the castle.

“What about the forest?” I pointed out. “With four over here, it’s possible there was more than just the one we found there.”

“Shit, you’re right,” Ravi agreed.

We looped around the northern shore of Odrein and headed east to the forest. The sun was brighter on this side of the country, but it illuminated the forest perfectly as we searched for more rifts. By the time we’d finished, it was well into morning, and I’d left two more messenger dragons hovering above rifts.

Then we headed back to Narsglow to pick up Alyona, so she could seal them and keep the people safe from more hellbeasts or whatever else the Demon King had sent through his hellish portals.

We landed in front of the palace, and the guard at the door turned to run inside and alert them of our arrival. It was only a few seconds later when Nokomis, Alyona, Kiona, and Skye rushed out to greet us.

“Lord Nikolaus offered to stay with Rebecca and Isabella,” Alyona explained. “They’re talking to Tawa about the ceremony. He’s asking a few more questions now.”

“Good,” I said with a nod before I raised my eyebrows at Kiona. “Are you sure she’s ready to go?”

“She needs the practice,” Alyona insisted.

“Well, she’ll have plenty to practice on,” I muttered. “We found six rifts, four in the mountains, and two in the forest.”

“Oh, gods,” Nokomis breathed. “We could have had six of those creatures in our city?”

“Yeah, and we’re lucky you didn’t,” I said. “So, we need to go seal them up, or you might get them anyway.”

“Let’s go,” Alyona agreed.

She climbed onto my back without hesitation, but Kiona looked at me with absolute terror as she cowered behind Nokomis.

“Hey, it’s me, Evan,” I whispered to her with a smile. “I know I looked scary last time I went into dragon mode, but right now, this is the best way for us to go help your people. Plus, it’s super fun to fly.”

“The best,” Ravi agreed with a grin.

“It’s not scary?” Kiona whispered.

“Oh, it’s scary at first,” Alyona said as she reached out to the girl. “But lots of fun things are.”

Kiona touched one of her tiny antlers before she took Alyona’s hand and climbed onto my back. Nokomis and Skye hopped on behind her, and a few seconds later, we were back in the air. I tried to find a happy medium between hurrying to seal the rifts and taking it slow to avoid scaring Kiona, but when I craned my neck to check on the little shaman, her face was the epitome of freedom.

Her tiny arms were gripped tightly to my spike, but her eyes were wide open, and her mouth had erupted into an ear-to-ear grin.

I grinned back and soared toward the first messenger dragon.

When we landed near the rift, Kiona’s face quickly changed from sheer happiness to apprehension as she eyed the rift.

“Okay, since we have several to seal, I’ll do the first one,” Alyona told her. “You just watch and ask me any questions once I’m done.”

Kiona nodded her agreement, and she watched the princess get to work. As each magical ring slammed down into the ground and the purple light began to fade, the Demi-Human girl didn’t even flinch. She even took down a few notes in a small notebook she pulled from her satchel, and I was impressed.

It seemed she was just as much of a learning addict as Alyona was.

When Alyona had finished the first seal, we moved on to the next one, and the duo worked together to cast the spell. Kiona sounded uncertain with the first incantation, but her voice was stronger with each ring. Then the young shaman looked to Alyona, and the princess offered her a reassuring smile.

“You’re doing well,” my wife said. “We’ll do one more together.”

“Are you sure I can do one on my own after that?” Kiona asked with trembling hands. “I-I didn’t even know a single spell before today.”

“I can tell when someone has power,” Alyona assured her. “You, dear Kiona, have been chosen for a reason. The power you possess is greater than you may ever know.”

The next seal went even more quickly, and Kiona chanted each line of the spell with more and more confidence.

She’s a natural, Miraya observed. I think even if Ubira hadn’t been killed, Kiona would have been a mage. She’s brilliant with magic.

It’s a shame the royals still want to ban it, I replied as I rubbed my beard in thought. She could do a lot of things for Narsglow if they let her grow.

Don’t count them out just yet, my lord, the sword spirit said with a mischievous grin.

Do you know something I don’t? I wondered.

I know a lot of things, Miraya giggled. But I just have a feeling we came at the perfect time to help them see the good things magic can do.

I hope you’re right, I mused.

If the spirit was right about the timing of our visit to Odrein, then it could mean a whole new world for Kiona. She had a lot of potential to be a powerful priestess like Alyona, but she would never be able to thrive in a place that didn’t want her to use magic unless non-magical people told her they needed something. I had a feeling the pendant King Tecumseh wore around his neck was the perfect example of magic that had been requested from a shaman, but that would have resulted in severe punishment had it been done on his own.

We continued to the last rift in the mountains, and Alyona smiled at Kiona.

“I’ll lend you my strength, but you must say the incantation,” the princess said.

“Okay.” Kiona nodded and nervously approached the rift.

The young shaman held out her small hands and began the spell, and the magical rings of the seal slammed into the soil with more force than I ever imagined could have come from such a tiny person. When she was finished, the little Demi-Human turned around with a cautious smile until Alyona began to clap her hands.

“Splendid work, Kiona!” the princess cheered. “You’re such a fast learner!”

“I have a wonderful teacher,” Kiona shot back with a grin.

The new shaman made quick work of the two rifts in the forest, and we headed back to Narsglow. Kiona was practically vibrating with excitement, and she squealed with glee as I dipped and spun around in the air until we reached the city.

It was nearly lunchtime, and my stomach reminded me that I’d basically sprinted through breakfast once we’d found out about Kiona. I was ready for our next big meal, and once my passengers were on the ground, I shifted back to my human form and followed them into the castle.

“Well, I’m assuming you found it?” Isi asked as she eyed Kiona doubtfully.

“Them,” I corrected her. “And yes, Your Majesty, we found all the rifts, and Kiona and Alyona sealed them. You should be in the clear, at least for a while.”

“And I know how to seal them all by myself if another one happens,” Kiona said with a twinge of pride in her high voice. “I’ll be honored to help our people, Your Majesty.”

I swore I saw a flicker of fondness in the queen’s eyes as she looked down at the Demi-Human, but she blinked it away and smiled coolly.

“Then we’ll all be much safer if you continue your lessons,” Isi said and turned back to me. “The trial for Catahe will begin in less than an hour. I assume you and your people are planning to attend.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I confirmed. “How does it work? Will his, ah, representative want to talk to us?”

I didn’t think attorneys would be a thing on Inati, so I had to find another word that would convey my question without making it obvious I was an outsider.

“Representative?” Tecumseh repeated and cocked his head to the side. “Why would he need a representative?”

“Someone who knows the law,” I said with a frown. “Isn’t he innocent until you prove he’s guilty?”

“He’s guilty unless he can show that he didn’t break the law,” Isi answered and waved her hand. “So, if he requests it, he can ask you to be a witness to whatever it was he was trying to accomplish, but otherwise, you’ll merely be a member of the audience.”

“And the audience will be large, I imagine,” the king murmured. “We’ll need to make sure we have extra guards, so no more mobs form.”

With that, he scurried off to discuss security with his men, and the queen sashayed into the dining hall.

“Okay, so we just watch him argue about why he’s not guilty of breaking the law?” I pressed as I followed her. “But we already know he was doing magic. He said it himself.”

“Then it should be a rather short affair,” Isi said with a shrug before she sat in her chair and waited on her food. “Wouldn’t that be easier on you? Less time to waste before your ceremony.”

“Well, sure, but he was only trying to help,” I insisted. “He didn’t know what the rifts were, so he tried to do something to get rid of the monsters that came out of them. Isn’t that basically what the shaman was trying to do when he was looking at ways to fix the barrier?”

“The shaman has permission to perform magic,” the queen corrected with an icy stare. “Catahe acted of his own accord and without any discussion with us or Ubira as to what he could do to help. He sacrificed animals in the forest, for the gods’ sake! You saw it yourself!”

“Yeah, but would you have let him help even if he’d asked?” I clenched my fists in frustration.

The queen was so hell-bent on following the letter of the law, she had no sense of appreciation for what Catahe was trying to do. I didn’t particularly like the guy after he’d tried to get Alyona and me in hot water with him, but I didn’t think he deserved to die for trying to save everyone from the hellbeasts.

“I’m sure we would have at least heard him out,” she insisted. “But, nevertheless, he knew the law and chose to break it, so he must face his people and suffer the consequences of his actions.”

“They just seem like shitty consequences,” I muttered.

“I beg your pardon?” Isi gasped and put a hand to her chest.

“Lord Evan feels strongly about the use of magic to protect people,” Alyona stepped in and curtsied to the queen. “He isn’t used to the customs of other kingdoms, but we will not prevent you from using the justice system you and your ancestors have created.”

“Thank you, Princess Alyona,” Isi said as she straightened in her chair and jutted out her chin. “Now, I’d like to eat my lunch without any more discussion of the impending trial.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” I grumbled as I plodded over to my chair.

I ate the food in silence as I considered what to do next. It seemed outrageous to punish Catahe like that, and I wondered if there was anything else I could do, but by the time we’d finished our meal and the queen stood to head out of the dining hall, I’d come up with squat.

We followed Isi out to the great room, where Tecumseh waited for her with his elbow out. She looped her arm through his, and they continued out into the courtyard, where someone had set up a large table and stocks. A huge crowd had already gathered in front of the table where the royals sat down with Nokomis and Tawa on either side, and then the crowd parted to let the guards through as they dragged an angry Catahe to the stocks.

The guards locked the ox Demi-Human into the stocks and walked back to keep the crowd several feet away. I led our group to stand a little way off to the side, where we could jump into action if necessary but stay out of the spotlight while the trial began.

“Ladies and gentleman of Narsglow!” Tecumseh bellowed as he stood from his chair to address the crowd. “Today, we gather for the trial of Catahe, who stands accused of using magic. As he is not a shaman, the use of magic is strictly forbidden, and the punishment if he is found guilty is death!”

The crowd roared with applause and screams of both support and anger, but Isi silenced them all with one hand in the air.

“First, we will allow Catahe to make his case,” she said.

Catahe took a deep breath and cleared his throat as he tried to look at both the royal family and the crowd while locked into the stocks.

“My fellow people, though I am a tribal and do not reside within the walls of Narsglow, I care deeply for each and every one of you,” he began. “I saw the terrible gashes made in the soil that opened to a world you and I cannot begin to imagine, a curse laid upon our great country by an evil I have yet to name. When I saw them, I knew I had to do something about it.”

“What evil?” the crowd began to whisper in confusion.

“The creature that attacked only this morning escaped from one of the cursed holes I found,” Catahe continued. “Despite my best efforts to plead with the gods to help me block their entrance to our world. I killed one of the beasts and strung it up as a sacrifice to the gods in the hopes they would give me the power to close these evil portals!”

“Blood magic!” a man yelled from the crowd. “He admits it!”

“I admit to trying everything I could to save people!” Catahe begged. “You must understand, I would never hurt anyone!”

“I think we’ve heard enough,” Isi said in a stone-cold voice. “Now, we will hear from Prince Tawa about what he witnessed in the forest.”

“Right.” Tawa curled his lip as he stood and faced the crowd. “I saw the hellbeast tied to a tree and cut open with some bones on the ground.”

“And you described the scene as a ritual, correct?” his mother pressed.

“I did,” the prince confirmed.

He was doing his best to answer honestly without convicting Catahe on the spot, and I was surprised to see his support of magic had grown so much in such a short amount of time. I figured it had at least a little to do with finding out he could use magic to help people, too.

“Anything else you’d like to add?” the queen asked with an arched eyebrow.

She was daring him to question her judgment, and I wondered how deep Tawa’s conviction was. He seemed to have an internal battle for a few moments before he shook his head and sat down.

“Next, we will hear from Ekouat, who found the sacrificial ritual site and reported it to the guards,” Isi continued without batting an eye.

For the next hour, the queen had multiple citizens recite the gruesome details of the dead animals they’d found in the forest as Catahe had searched for the right sacrifice to gain favor with the gods. They were all convinced he was a nutjob who didn’t even know how to use magic but still chose blood magic to break the law. I could see the disgust and anger on the faces of a large majority of the crowd, as well, and I knew things weren’t looking good for the musk ox.

“Catahe, do you have any witnesses who can show you did not act in complete abandonment of the laws of Odrein?” Isi asked the Demi-Human.

“I’d like to hear from Lord Evan!” Catahe yelled.

A ripple of surprise whispered through the crowd, and I clenched my jaw as I walked closer to the stocks.

“Go ahead,” the queen urged him with an eye roll.

“Did you witness the sacrifice of the creature in the forest?” the tribal asked me.

“I witnessed the dead hellbeast hanging from the trees,” I clarified. “I didn’t see anyone kill it.”

“And you recognized the bones and symbols of a sacrificial killing that surrounded this so-called hellbeast?” Catahe pressed.

“Yeah, I’ve seen some stuff like that before,” I hedged.

“But you only saw me when I came out of the trees,” he said.

“Right, I can only confirm the dead bodies,” I agreed.

“Yet, Catahe has already admitted to killing the hellbeast to offer it to the gods along with the rest of his sacrifice,” Isi interrupted. “Isn’t that what you heard him say?”

“Yes,” I said through clenched teeth.

“And he attacked you and my children with magical spells in an attempt to sway you to leave his ritual killing ground?” she continued.

“Well, he didn’t use any deadly spells,” I tried to argue, but the damage was already done.

The angry crowd began to mutter and yell at Catahe, and someone even threw a tomato at him. The fleshy red fruit splattered against the wooden stocks and looked like blood as it trickled down into his bushy hair.

“I believe we have our answers!” Isi declared. “Catahe has been found guilty of using magic! Therefore, he is sentenced to death!”

Screams and cheers and applause echoed all around the courtyard as Catahe began to shake with terror.

“Wait, you can’t just--” I argued.

“I can, Lord Evan,” the queen hissed. “I advise you to return to your people.”

“Fuck,” I grunted and took a step back from the royals’ table as Nokomis offered a sad look at Catahe.

“As is the Odreinian custom, Catahe will die by a thousand fires!” Isi announced to more applause. “We will--”

“No!” one voice rang out above the others. “Stop this!”

Everyone turned in surprise as a man shoved his way to the front of the crowd.

A snow leopard Demi-Human stood in front of Catahe with his arms crossed over his chest and a snarl on his face as he glared at the queen.

Chapter 11

Something about the man was familiar, but the only other snow leopard Demi-Humans I’d seen in Narsglow were the royals. His teeth were bared in a menacing scowl, and his eyes flashed with anger as he stomped toward the queen. I couldn’t believe none of the guards had moved to protect her, and I furrowed my brow as I stormed over to stand between them.

“Slow down there, pal,” I grunted as I held my hand out in front of him. “No one needs to get hurt right now.”

“That’s exactly my point,” he said in an exasperated tone before he looked over my shoulder at the queen. “See, Isi? Even a dragon understands.”

He’d just addressed her by her name, and Isi didn’t even bat an eye. In fact, she rolled her eyes and motioned for me to move.

“He’s harmless,” she muttered. “Usually, it’s him who needs protecting from me.”

“Always so tough,” the stranger said and clucked his tongue. “Are you trying to prove that point with Catahe? That you’re a strong queen and tough on those who break these so-called sacred laws?”

“Okay, I’m missing something,” I interrupted. “Who are you? And why are you talking to the queen like that?”

“Lord Evan, this is Sewati,” Isi sighed. “He’s my brother.”

“And your voice of reason,” Sewati added. “Always have been, always will be. And right now, I’m telling you you’re being overzealous with the decision to put this man to death.”

“He knows the law,” the queen argued. “He chose to try to perform a dark magic spell.”

“Was it really dark magic?” her brother shot back and crossed his arms over his chest. “You never wanted to learn much about magic when we were growing up.”

“It was a series of blood sacrifices,” Tecumseh said with a grimace. “I’d say that qualifies as dark magic, wouldn’t you?”

“But it wasn’t for the purpose of gaining power.” Sewati glanced over at Catahe and frowned. “He was only trying to help get rid of the curse.”

“How do you know?” Isi asked. “Were you there for his rituals?”

“No, but I just witnessed his entire ridiculous trial,” he shot back with an eye roll. “You’d already determined his guilt, and I understand your need to follow the law, but can’t you see Catahe was only trying to protect our people? He deserves your mercy.”

“He deserves the punishment set by our laws!” a man in the crowd yelled.

More of them cheered their agreement, and Sewati whirled around to face the people who’d gathered for the trial.

“You all think a man who tried to protect you from the hellbeast deserves to die?” the snow leopard asked as he strode forward and put his hand on Catahe’s shoulder. “You think he should have let the beast he killed attack Narsglow as well?”

A few members of the crowd murmured in confusion, and I took a step back to let Sewati lead the charge for mercy. I wasn’t always on board with a plan to let a criminal live, but in this case, the reason far outweighed the crime itself. I glanced over to see Isi was searching the audience for support, but even the people who had moments ago cheered for Catahe’s death now wore mixed expressions.

“Perhaps some more thought is in order,” Isi murmured.

“That is certainly a reasonable idea,” Sewati said as he turned back toward his sister. “The law has room for kindness and mercy at the hands of the queen, if she allows it.”

“The law has no room for traitors!” another woman screamed.

The crowd began to get antsy again, and I could see the queen was frustrated with their wishy-washy attitude, but she had to make a decision soon.

“The law is whatever I make it!” Isi declared and clenched her fists at her sides. “And today, I will take my time to ensure the right choice is being made! A man’s life hangs in the balance, so I do not make this choice lightly. For now, Catahe will continue to be held in the royal prison until his punishment is determined.”

“You just said his punishment is death!” Nahuel roared as he tore through the crowd to stand a few feet from Catahe and Sewati. “Now, you take Lord Sewati’s side instead of that of your people?”

“Yeah, you already said it!” a few people agreed.

“The punishment is death!” some shouted.

“We want our justice!” Nahuel continued and motioned for the crowd to join him. “We want justice! We want justice!”

The crowd surged forward again as mob mentality took over, but a few of Sewati’s supporters ran to join him next to Catahe.

“This isn’t justice!” a polar bear woman insisted as she stood in front of the mage. “This is madness! He was trying to help!”

“That’s like saying you can rob someone if you’re using the money for something you need,” Nahuel snarled. “It’s the law for a reason!”

“It’s not the same thing,” Sewati said as his ears flattened against his head. “You’re stretching what I’m saying!”

“Maybe it’s time we make sure the law is followed for ourselves since our leaders aren’t doing it!” Nahuel continued.

A sinking feeling hit my gut, and I stormed forward to stand with Sewati.

“Don’t do anything you’ll regret, Nahuel,” I warned the polar bear as he started toward us.

“Alright, that’s enough!” one of the guards yelled and put one large paw on Nahuel’s chest. “You can get out of here, Nahuel. All you’re doing is making things worse.”

“I’m just making sure our fearless leaders are following the laws that keep us safe,” he sneered as he held his hands up in surrender and backed away. “Justice will come.”

“And it will come now!” One of his companions sprinted toward Catahe with a dagger in his hand.

The guards moved into action, and within seconds, the attacker was swept up in a swirl of polar bear Demi-Human guards and carried off. The rest of the mob looked at each other with uncertainty, and even Nahuel seemed surprised at the swift reaction of the guards.

“Anyone else?” Isi asked with her arms wide open. “I didn’t think so. As I said, the decision will be announced later. Get to your homes! Anyone still in the courtyard after the next five minutes will be sent to the dungeons with Catahe!”

After a few grumbles, the crowd dispersed in the various directions of their homes, and no one tested the queen’s threat. The guards escorted Catahe back to the prison cells, while we followed the king and queen into the castle with Sewati hot on his sister’s trail.

“That trial was appalling,” Sewati said as soon as we were in the great hall. “He had no chance of making his case.”

“Because his case had already been made!” Isi snorted. “He admitted to doing exactly what he was charged with. He tried to perform magic!”

“To protect everyone from the curse,” her brother pleaded. “He wasn’t trying to take over. This isn’t a fresh Vis Imperio here!”

“It could have been,” Tawa muttered. “All it takes is one person who thinks they’re above our laws.”

“This morning, you were all about using magic,” Nokomis said with a dramatic roll of her eyes. “Now, you want to hang Catahe like the rest of them!”

“Well, unless the laws change, Catahe broke them!” her brother shot back.

“And we haven’t changed anything,” Isi agreed.

“But you can,” Sewati said and clenched his fists at his side. “There’s always room for kindness, Isi. You don’t have to follow the path of our ancestors just because it already exists.”

“Yes, Mother, we can forge our own ways,” Nokomis agreed.

I quickly noticed how Tawa and Isi had seemed to form a team against Sewati and Nokomis, and I couldn’t help but notice the similarities on each side. Tawa was stubborn and determined to follow the letter of the law, as was his mother, while Nokomis and her uncle desperately wanted a change that allowed for mercy.

It seems we’ve found the former Nobles of the Sword of Mercy and Strength, Miraya observed.

That’s exactly what I was thinking, I agreed. But how do we get them to agree?

I’m not sure yet, the spirit replied. I need to talk with my sisters.

Before I could respond, Miraya had zipped out of my spiritual sea but didn’t appear in the physical world, so I could only assume she’d traveled to the spirit world to meet up with the other sword spirits.

I glanced over to see Alyona’s face was lined with concern, and she twisted her hands in front of her as we all tried to decide what to do. It didn’t seem right to intervene in the argument-- hell, even Tecumseh was staying out of it-- but I wasn’t sure how easy it would be for Sewati and Nokomis to convince Isi to change her mind.

“Even if I wanted to change the law, how does that look to the people?” Isi demanded. “Like I’m weak!”

“It takes great strength to admit when things need to change,” Sewati insisted. “It isn’t weak to be merciful.”

“Then why are we opposites?” the queen shot back as she threw her hands up in frustration. “We never agree!”

I recognized the flashes of light that signaled a spirit’s entrance to the physical world, and a few seconds later, all five of the sword spirits stood in the center of the room.

“You were never meant to be opposites,” Miraya said with a soft smile.

“You were always meant to be two sides to the same coin,” Aine continued and glanced at Brenna and Gratia. “Always together but with different views of the world.”

“We don’t always agree, either,” Gratia said as she stepped forward to stand with Nokomis and Sewati. “But we have to listen to each other.”

“We each have our own strengths and weaknesses,” Brenna agreed. “And if we listen, they can balance each other out. Neither of us is always right.”

“Well, this time, I am!” Isi said as she glared at her brother. “The queen cannot ever appear weak, so giving in to this madness would be insanity!”

“But why?” Gratia pressed. “Because your brother and your daughter believe mercy is more important than following the old laws of your people?”

“No, because I already said Catahe would die,” the queen replied with an icy stare. “If I go back on my word now, I look like a fool.”

“Or you look like someone who has given deep thought to a situation that is made of more than meets the eye,” Sewati said.

“This is more than someone simply breaking a rule because they could,” Miraya pointed out. “This wasn’t an evil person trying to do an evil thing and hurt people.”

“But he knew the law!” Tawa growled with exasperation. “This is useless! What could you possibly tell us that we don’t already know?”

“That strength and mercy go hand in hand,” Brenna said in a calm voice. “Sometimes we need to be the fist that strikes down an enemy, and sometimes we need to be the hand that lifts up someone in trouble.”

“If Catahe thought he was in trouble, he should have asked us for help,” Isi huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “He made his choice, and I need to make mine.”

“Well, maybe I’ll just help him escape, and you can’t do anything to him!” Sewati said and narrowed his eyes on the queen. “Then what?”

“Dear Sewati, that isn’t the answer, either.” Juniper shook her head and frowned. “Catahe must still be held accountable. His actions were dangerous.”

“Finally, someone agrees with us!” Tawa said with a triumphant grin.

“That’s not what I said,” Juniper retorted. “The law against magic prevents people from being educated, so Catahe didn’t know what he was doing, and that made his actions dangerous. ”

“I am not here to debate the law!” Isi shrieked, and her face turned a deep shade of crimson. “I’m done with this conversation! I’ll decide when I decide!”

“I’m sure it’ll be with great consideration,” Sewati sneered.

The brother and sister glared at each other for a few seconds before they both spun around and stormed out of the great hall. Isi headed for the throne room with her husband and son right behind her, while Sewati made his way toward the dining hall.

Brenna and Gratia frowned before they flashed back to the spirit world.

I’d felt like I was watching a tennis match for most of the conversation, but now my attention was focused on Nokomis, who looked devastated with the result of the family discussion. No one had come to any sort of decision, and neither the queen nor her brother was willing to admit to a compromise. And now, it looked like Catahe would sit in limbo for a while.

“I think that went well,” I said sarcastically.

“My lord, I don’t know how to get them to see the truth.” Miraya looked down at her hands and frowned. “We can normally guide people, but they don’t want to listen.”

“Maybe because they’re no longer the ones we must guide,” Aine pointed out with a shrug.

“Well, there’s no way you’ll convince Tawa to say anything that doesn’t agree with my mother,” Nokomis muttered. “He always takes her side.”

“Except about magic,” I said with a smirk. “She wasn’t very happy he agreed with us on that one.”

“But he’s being fickle,” she pouted. “He wants it for himself, but he’s not going to argue with Mother about it for Catahe. I don’t know if Uncle Sewati will ever be able to convince her to leave Catahe alone.”

“I agree with your uncle, death seems unfair,” I said. “But we can’t leave him alone completely. What he did was reckless.”

“But you agreed Catahe had good intentions,” the snow leopard princess insisted.

“Yeah, and the road to hell is paved with them,” I muttered and shook my head. “I know that may not make sense to you, but it’s something my mom used to say all the time. Even if someone was trying to do the right thing, they can still do it the wrong way.”

“That doesn’t seem possible,” she said with a frown.

“Okay, what about the Demon King?” I asked. “The gods told me I have to defeat him, right? But there were a few times I thought about just going to the Breach and fighting him before I’d finished the mission.”

“Thought about?” Nike raised a sarcastic eyebrow.

“Yeah, yeah, I’d pretty much decided it,” I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. “If I’d done that, it would have been the end of the world. Literally.”

“Why?” Nokomis asked.

“Because I wasn’t ready,” I answered. “And it wasn’t the way to win this war. I had to see it for myself.”

Images of the desecrated world Aeron had shown me flashed through my mind, and a shiver raced down my spine. It had been horrible to see everything I loved completely destroyed, and I didn’t even want to think about what would have happened to my family.

“How did you--” she started to ask.

“The gods made sure I knew the consequences,” I cut her off with a wave of my hand. “You don’t want all the gory details, trust me, but the point is I had good intentions. I wanted to do the right thing and save the world and all that shit, but I wasn’t going to do it the right way, and it would’ve cost me and everyone else. Now, compared to Catahe, for all we know, he accidentally opened more rifts with the spells he tried to do, and that made things more dangerous for all of Odrein. I’m not cool with that.”

“So, you do think he should die?” Nokomis cocked her head to the side as she stared at me with accusing eyes.

“No.” I shook my head and took her hands. “I think he needs to understand what he did was incredibly dangerous, but he won’t learn anything if your mom just gives him the Queen of Hearts treatment.”

“What treatment is that?” she asked with a furrowed brow.

“Off with his head,” I chuckled and ran my fingers through my hair. “We need to come up with a counter-offer.”

“You mean a different punishment?” Alyona asked.

“Yeah, Catahe broke the law,” I mused as I began to pace back and forth. “So, he can’t just walk away like it wasn’t a big deal, but killing him doesn’t solve anything.”

“What do you think, my lord?” Rebecca wondered.

“It has to be something that lets people know the queen is serious,” I murmured. “No one else should get curious about using blood magic or anything like that again.”

“What about chopping off his hand?” Isabella suggested.

“That seems… extreme.” I frowned and looked at her.

“That’s what happens in Yrosa,” she said with a shrug. “You steal, you get your hand chopped off. There aren’t many other crimes.”

“Yeah, I’ve never heard of a place that outlawed magic before, so it’s difficult to suggest a reasonable punishment,” Alyona agreed. “My father used to have people flogged if they were found performing black magic.”

“Okay, that’s a little more reasonable,” I said. “It can be done in the courtyard, so people get their bloodthirsty need for revenge.”

“Is that really a thing?” Skye asked with a horrified look on her face.

“Didn’t you see that mob?” I pursed my lips. “They would have been cheering if Isi had beheaded him while he was in the stocks.”

“Yeah, they almost fought when she wanted to wait,” Ravi agreed. “I think flogging is a fair compromise.”

“But how do we make sure he doesn’t do it again?” Miraya asked. “There have been many floggings throughout time, and I’m sure the queen will point out they don’t always discourage the criminal from trying again.”

“That’s true,” I murmured. “I wish there was a way to make sure he can’t access any dark magic again.”

“Well, how did he know what spells to try the first time?” Alyona asked. “He didn’t pick random bones and symbols. If he had the right incantations, that setup would have done something.”

“He’s a tribal,” Nokomis chimed in as her eyes lit with excitement. “They used to practice all kinds of magic outside the city walls. The ancestral royals couldn’t do much about it being out there in the forest and the foothills, but I bet they have some kind of information they passed down.”

“Like what the shamans do,” Alyona said. “Perhaps the books should be stripped from the tribals, though I don’t like the idea of stealing their heritage.”

“A lot of this boils down to people not knowing what they’re doing,” I muttered. “If they’d just been taught how to use it correctly, Catahe might have been able to prevent the whole hellbeast attack. Maybe even the rifts.”

“My mother won’t agree to get rid of the ban on magic,” Nokomis said and let out a sigh. “She’s too scared of it.”

“Everyone is,” I agreed. “The only way to avoid being scared is to learn more about it, but she has to be open to that.”

“She agreed to let Kiona learn,” Ravi said. “Why not herself? Or Catahe?”

“That’s a good point.” I stopped pacing and faced Nokomis. “What if we offer the flogging as his main punishment and being Kiona’s servant as an additional part of it?”

“How does that help?” she asked as her furry white ears twitched in confusion.

“Well, the flogging is the physical deal,” I explained. “He messed up, everyone knows it, everyone sees him getting punished, but being a servant would give him a chance to learn what she’s learning and understand where he went wrong. Plus, it’s like community service.”

“She might be willing to at least consider it,” Nokomis murmured. “I know she likes inflicting pain on criminals, but she may not like Catahe in the castle.”

“Well, she can think of it as keeping him close since she doesn’t trust him,” I offered. “She can keep an eye on him, and he can look out for Kiona. He obviously wanted to make sure no one got hurt before. He dropped a pile of snow on me, so it’s not like he tried super hard to kill us.”

“This could work,” the snow leopard Demi-Human said, and now she started to pace the great room. “Mother likes this phrase about keeping your enemies close. I can’t quite remember it.”

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer,” I chuckled. “Yeah, I know that one.”

“Well, she believes whole-heartedly in it,” Nokomis said with a smile. “I think it could convince her, though I wouldn’t want to try it right now.”

“No, I think it’s probably better to wait until after dinner,” I agreed and grinned. “I know I always feel better after I have a full belly.”

“Does your belly ever actually get full?” Nike smirked.

“Sometimes,” I chuckled.

“I’ll go see if the kitchen staff has prepared enough for all of us,” Nokomis said before she headed for the dining hall.

As she disappeared around the corner, I turned back to the rest of my group.

“Do you think this will work?” I asked.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Miraya answered with an encouraging smile.

“Queen Isi seems rather stubborn,” Aine pointed out and grimaced.

“Yeah, but so is Tawa,” I said. “And he mostly agrees that magic isn’t a bad thing. He just doesn’t think Catahe should get away with using it, which I understand. I’m just not on board with the whole killing him part.”

“I don’t really understand why he took her side,” Alyona murmured. “He knows magic can be used for good things now. He even said it’s more about the person than the power.”

“It’s his mom.” I shrugged. “I mostly get it. He already upset her once by taking my side about the whole magic thing. He probably didn’t want to do it again about Catahe, especially not in front of everyone else.”

“I suppose,” my wife said, though she didn’t look convinced.

I considered the fact that her mother had died a long time ago, so they never had the kind of relationship that would let her understand how Tawa felt. I knew upsetting my mom was in the top three on the list of worst feelings ever, so I just figured he didn’t want to disappoint her more than once in a day. He probably wasn’t used to doing it at all since they both had been claimed as the Noble of the Sword of Strength.

I could only imagine how much they had in common.

“Dinner’s ready!” Nokomis called out from the dining hall.

We filed into the room, and it seemed odd to sit around the table without the king and queen present. Sewati sat in the chair furthest from the head of the table, and he already had a plate in front of him, though it looked like he’d only picked at his food. The plate was still nearly full of baked chicken, mashed potatoes with a dark-colored gravy, and pale-green veggie stalks.

“I suppose you’re here to continue to tell me why we need to kill Catahe,” he muttered as we walked in the room.

“Nope,” I replied and sat in my chair. “We’re here to eat some food. You should, too.”

“My appetite seems to have vacated since my sister wants to kill a man over an honest mistake,” Sewati grumbled before he set his fork on the table with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll never understand her.”

“And this is why your swords moved on to the next generation before you were ready to give them up,” Aine said in a stern voice that caught even my attention. “You and Isi never tried to see both points of view.”

“I understood she was strong,” he argued. “But she never wanted to see how to use kindness to win battles.”

“Because you can’t always use it,” I interjected. “Sometimes, yeah, you don’t have to kill someone to prove a point, but sometimes you do. Trust me, I’ve been put in the position more than once to decide someone’s fate, and it’s not always death, and it’s not always mercy.”

“Lord Evan is right,” Miraya said with a fond smile toward me. “He has learned a lot over the past year, but it takes patience, even when he thinks he’s lacking in that area. You and your sister did not put in the time or effort to connect with each other.”

“How do you know?” Sewati asked and arched a doubtful eyebrow. “You don’t even know us.”

“Our sisters do,” the sword spirit scoffed. “They can already see a difference from you and Isi to Tawa and Nokomis. They try to bond and talk about their disagreements instead of fighting until you have to be separated.”

Sewati pursed his lips as he glanced over at Nokomis, who quickly dropped her gaze to her plate and shoved a bite of chicken into her mouth.

“If you spend your whole life thinking you’re always right, you won’t end up with many people who agree with you,” Aine declared. “The fact the gods allowed the two swords to be together is a miracle that can’t be denied.”

“It means they should always be used together, not be at arms with each other,” Juniper added.

“Are you sword spirits always so philosophical?” Sewati asked with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

“Yes,” I laughed. “They’re guides for us, and they know a hell of a lot more than we do. Maybe it’s time to talk to your sister and figure out some common ground. Hell, Nokomis and I found a compromise for Catahe that we think Isi might actually agree with.”

“That would be another miracle,” Sewati chuckled.

“Uncle, don’t be so negative,” Nokomis chided him. “Mother isn’t unreasonable. She just needs to know her voice has been heard.”

“Do you and Tawa fight all the time?” he asked.

“Not all the time,” the snow leopard princess giggled. “Sometimes, but we usually work it out. I know where we get our tempers from, though.”

“I suppose I might know, too,” Sewati said with a playful sigh. “Okay, I’m curious. What is this plan you think your mother will agree to?”

“Okay, so--” I started.

Then a blood-curdling scream echoed down the hallway.

Chapter 12

We dropped our forks and raced out of the dining hall as the screams continued. I could smell the blood before I saw the source, and I mentally prepared myself to see another bloody crime scene like the one at Ubira’s house.

Then we rounded the corner to the entryway and found the screams coming from a guard.

And he was still alive.

The royal guard was a musk ox Demi-Human, and he’d been stabbed in the arms and the belly just under his breastplate. His wounds bled profusely, but he was still breathing, and that meant I could still save him.

“Okay, don’t worry,” I said. “I got this.”

I dropped to my knees and sent out a wave of healing magic just as Isi, Tecumseh, and Tawa ran over from the throne room. The glittery power settled over the guard like a blanket, and we all watched as his skin began to knit itself back together.

“Oh, my gods,” Isi whispered as her eyes widened.

“I told you magic can be used for good,” Nokomis said with a triumphant smile.

“What happened here, Mahpiya?” the king asked as he kneeled next to me and put his hand on the guard’s heaving chest.

“I was attacked,” the guard replied as he sat up and took a deep breath. “I-I thought I was going to die, b-but the pain, it’s… gone.”

“Lucky for you, Lord Evan can use his magic to heal,” Tecumseh said in a low voice. “Who attacked you? Why?”

“I’m not sure why.” Mahpiya shook his head. “But it was Yaholo. He just ran up the steps and went after me. I barely made it inside, and he ran away. A few of the other guards chased after him, but I’m not sure if they caught him.”

“We didn’t,” an arctic fox Demi-Human muttered as he stepped inside. “We lost him. Those damn squirrel Demi-Humans are quick.”

“You should be faster,” Tecumseh growled. “He nearly killed Mahpiya. If Lord Evan wasn’t here, he’d probably be dead already.”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” the fox said and dropped his head. “We’ll find him.”

“Has Yaholo ever done anything like this before?” I asked.

“Not that we know of,” Tawa answered and shook his head. “I can’t imagine what started such violent behavior now.”

“I can,” I muttered. “Remember the mob? They were all pretty pissed Catahe didn’t get executed. I don’t think it’s a coincidence Mahpiya is the same kind of Demi-Human half of them were trying to kill.”

“You think he was attacked because he’s a musk ox?” Tecumseh asked with wide eyes.

“It makes sense,” his son agreed and pressed his mouth into a thin line of dismay.

“Did Yaholo say anything before he attacked?” the queen pressed.

“He mumbled something about his duty,” Mahpiya said as he climbed to his feet and checked his nearly healed wounds. “I had no idea what he was talking about, but I didn’t exactly get a chance to ask. He just started stabbing.”

“What did his knife look like?” I asked.

The similarities to the shaman’s death were too close for comfort, and I wondered if Yaholo was the culprit of both crimes.

“Uh, just a regular dagger,” the guard replied with a frown. “I didn’t notice anything special about it.”

“I don’t think it’s the same weapon,” Ravi said into my ear. “The wounds weren’t the same.”

“Well, we need to find Yaholo just the same,” I decided. “Does anyone know where he lives?”

“Several of the squirrel Demi-Humans live near the greenhouse,” Tawa replied. “I can show you.”

“Take some of the guards with you,” the queen ordered. “I don’t want anyone else getting hurt by this criminal.”

I started to argue that we could handle ourselves, but I needed Isi to trust me when I presented the compromise to her, so I figured I’d take the surprise win of letting her see me heal someone and roll with the punches.

Alyona arched a surprised eyebrow at me when I didn’t say anything, but I shrugged and offered a wink. I was upping my diplomacy game, and even my wife was impressed.

“Lead the way,” I said after a moment.

Mahpiya started to head for the door, but the king put his hand on the guard’s shoulder.

“You should stay here,” he decided.

“I’m fine now, Your Majesty,” the ox Demi-Human insisted. “Lord Evan completely healed me.”

“Your physical wounds are healed,” I confirmed. “But your body could use the rest. It went through a big ordeal. We can handle Yaholo, trust me.”

“I just…” Mahpiya pushed his scraggly hair back from his face and frowned before he nodded and stepped out of the way. “Okay. Thank you for healing me, my lord.”

“You’re welcome,” I said and smiled.

“Amaru, gather three more men and take Lord Evan and his people to Yaholo’s house,” the king ordered the arctic fox. “I want Yaholo brought back alive.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Amaru nodded and motioned for us to follow him out the front door.

As we trotted outside, the fox pointed to a few of the other guards, and within seconds, we had two polar bear Demi-Humans join us before we headed toward the greenhouse.

“Yaholo is lucky my father wants him alive,” Tawa muttered as we jogged along the snowy street. “Mahpiya is a good man. He didn’t deserve to be attacked like that.”

“No one deserves that,” I agreed. “I’m just glad I was able to help him, you know, with magic.”

“Yeah, me, too,” the prince said as he narrowed his eyes on me. “Are you angry with me for taking my mother’s side?”

“Not angry,” I said and shook my head. “A little disappointed, if I’m being honest, but I get it. You don’t want to upset her, but at some point, you have to get her to realize what you’ve already figured out.”

“I know,” he grumbled before he jogged ahead of me and ran next to the guards.

“He doesn’t like being called out,” Nokomis said with a half-smile.

“Not many people do,” I chuckled. “But I don’t mind doing it. Sometimes we all need it.”

“Stop,” Amaru called out as we reached a small gathering of houses that butted up to a large greenhouse. “This is where the squirrel Demi-Humans live.”

There were seven or eight houses made of the same ice blocks as the others, and they reminded me of townhouses with their narrow forms and two or three-story structures. A single evergreen tree jutted up from the center of the houses and hung over the rooftops like an umbrella, and a few squirrel Demi-Human children scrambled around on the branches.

“Where is Yaholo’s house?” Tawa yelled up to the children.

“There,” one of the little ones answered and pointed to the house on the far left.

We marched over to the two-story ice house, and Amaru banged on the door until it looked like it would come off its hinges. There was no movement from inside, and I coaxed my way to the front of the group to stand with him. I started to suggest we go in anyway when we all heard a muffled voice.

“Go ahead and come in,” a man called out from inside the house.

Amaru twisted the knob, and we burst into the house to find a squirrel Demi-Human man in the front room. He was on his knees with his hands in the air, while a woman stood a few feet behind him with tears streaming down her face. The man had an arrogant smile on his rodent-like face, and I wanted nothing more than to wipe it off for him.

“Yaholo, you are suspected of crimes against the royal guard,” Amaru intoned. “Present your hands for detainment.”

“The knife is in the sink,” Yaholo said with a feral grin as he put his arms out in front of him. “I figured I’d let my wife know I had done my duty before you came to take me away.”

“You rotten bastard!” his wife screeched as she choked back another sob.

“Your duty?” I repeated as the other guards shuffled in and began to tie him up. “What does that mean?”

“No one wants criminals in Narsglow.” Yaholo smirked. “So, I made sure to get rid of one of them. The king should be thanking me.”

“How was Mahpiya a criminal?” Amaru grunted as his white ears flattened against his raven-colored hair.

“He’s no better than his dark magic brother,” the squirrel sneered. “We all know the musk oxen were in it together. I just did my part to get rid of one of them. And unlike Catahe the coward, I’ll accept my death with pride.”

“Oh, you think you killed him?” I chuckled. “Nah, I saved him. So, you don’t get to be a martyr, Yaholo. You just get to go to jail.”

“What?” Yaholo gasped as he clenched his fists and glared at me. “No, I gave him mortal wounds!”

“Sure, if I didn’t have healing magic,” I said with a shrug. “But I do, so he’s good. And it looks like you’ll get to learn quite a bit about Catahe the so-called coward since I’m sure your cells will be close together.”

“No!” Yaholo wailed and tugged at his bindings. “I have to finish my duty! All the musk oxen must die!”

“Please, take him away,” his wife begged. “I can’t bear to look at him any longer.”

“With pleasure,” Amaru snarled as he ripped Yaholo to his feet.

The guards muscled the Demi-Human scum out the door and led him to the dungeons, while the rest of us took a slower walk back to the castle.

“What are we going to do?” Alyona asked in a quiet voice. “I can’t imagine Yaholo is the only one in Narsglow who believes this way.”

“Me, either,” I agreed with a frown and glanced over at Tawa. “What do you think?”

“I think it sounds like the stories of the Vis Imperio all over again,” he muttered. “They thought they were better than everyone else, and they sought to get rid of those below them, including the royal family, so they could rule Odrein.”

“We need to get back to the king and queen and let them know about Yaholo,” I decided. “We have to get rid of this idea everyone has that Catahe talked all the other musk oxen into doing magic with him.”

“It won’t be easy,” Tawa said.

I knew he was right, but I didn’t want to agree out loud. We had to do something to get this city back to normal, and it wasn’t helping to be downers about it.

There had to be an answer.

We walked up to the palace, and the guards let us in without a word. The blood had already been wiped clean from the marble floors of the entryway, and we continued to the throne room, where Isi and Tecumseh waited impatiently.

“Has Yaholo been captured?” the queen asked as she rose from her throne.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “Amaru and the others took him to the dungeon already.”

“Then he is alive,” Tecumseh exhaled. “You were able to defeat him?”

“He didn’t even put up a fight,” Tawa said with a scowl. “He wanted us to take him to be executed for his cause.”

“And what cause might that be?” Isi asked and arched an eyebrow with concern.

“He said his duty was to kill Mahpiya for being Catahe’s dark magic brother,” I explained. “Which leads us to believe others are of the same mindset, and that’s dangerous for any of the other musk oxen in Narsglow.”

“Gods,” the queen sighed with exasperation. “When will this end? This is exactly why magic is forbidden!”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, Yaholo’s actions have nothing to do with magic itself,” I said carefully. “They’re more about people who know nothing about magic.”

“They seem to think the power is shared among similar Demi-Humans,” Alyona agreed. “This simply isn’t true, and if they understood more about magic, they would know that already.”

“Well, then we’ll issue a declaration saying the other musk ox Demi-Humans have been cleared of any crime,” the king said. “And then issue a ban on their attacks.”

“I don’t think that will work.” I shook my head and frowned. “The real problem is your people have no idea what’s going on. They don’t know why you haven’t killed Catahe or why he did what he did, not really. In Hatra, we keep our people informed of everything we can, and we try to keep them involved with big decisions.”

“The people don’t have a vote on our decisions or how we handle criminals,” Isi seethed. “What a preposterous idea.”

“I didn’t say they have a vote on all your decisions,” I said. “But if it’s something that affects your people, shouldn’t they at least tell you how they feel? Then you could make a decision based on everyone, not just how you feel about it.”

The queen sputtered for a moment as her eyes lit up with anger, but Tecumseh put his hand on hers and looked at me with genuine curiosity.

“What do you propose, Lord Evan?” he asked.

“In Hatra, we do city meetings,” I replied. “We gather everyone in one place and talk about any issues at hand. People tell us what they think, and we take it into consideration when we make our decisions.”

“It keeps our people involved,” Alyona added. “And they appreciate that we listen to them.”

“Instead of just running over their feelings like tyrants,” I said and then grimaced at my choice of words. “Not that you’re tyrants, but there are rulers out there who are. We’ve seen them, and they don’t care about their people. We know you care.”

“We do,” Tecumseh agreed and turned to his wife. “Isn’t it worth considering, my queen?”

“No,” she muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest. “No one has done such a thing in all this time. Why should we start now? The next thing you’ll suggest is letting the people judge criminal trials!”

“Well, I know a bit about that, too,” I chuckled. “But that’s not the point today. Right now, all I’m suggesting is to try it once. Tell the people about Catahe and the poor choices he made, but also let them know why he’s the only one being held accountable. And then ask for their reasons about why they think other ox Demi-Humans should be punished, too. Maybe there’s a rumor going around the city you don’t know, and it would explain everything.”

“And you think they’ll just tell us?” Isi asked. “Just like that?”

“I think if you invite them to be open and honest with you, it’s got a better chance of happening than if you continue to ignore the reason and ban the action,” I said grimly. “I know it’s hard to make changes, Your Majesty, but sometimes it’s necessary.”

The snow leopard rulers looked at each other with mixed expressions, and I felt like they had a whole conversation without words. They both wanted to do something to stop the violence, but there wasn’t an easy solution. Tecumseh seemed open to trying something new, and Isi was stuck in the ways of the past. I hoped I’d convinced her to open her mind, but I couldn’t read their faces as they silently decided.

“Fine,” the queen finally answered. “We’ll have this meeting.”

“Awesome,” I said with a grin.

“Sotsona!” Isi yelled.

Within a few seconds, a small fox Demi-Human woman scurried into the throne room and stood in front of the king and queen with her head bowed. She wasn’t an arctic fox like most of the others I’d seen, and her hair was the same fiery red color as her ears, which were at least twice the size of Ruslan’s.

“Yes, Your Majesty?” Sotsona murmured.

“I need you to take down a declaration,” the queen ordered.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” the fox said as she pulled a quill and a sheet of parchment from her satchel and prepared to write.

“By order of the king and queen, the city of Narsglow is holding a city meeting tomorrow morning,” Isi announced. “Everyone is required to attend, and we will be checking against the population records.”

“Where will the meeting be held, Your Majesty?” Sotsona asked as she looked up and cocked her head to the side.

“Ah, I suppose we’ll have to use the Volin,” the queen said with a glance at her husband. “That’s the only place with enough room, don’t you think?”

“Yes, that should be good,” he agreed. “I’ll have the staff begin cleaning it up at once.”

As he issued the order into his pendant, Isi turned back to Sotsona.

“Okay, tomorrow morning at the Volin,” she continued. “Everyone must attend, and we will discuss, ah, the current issues in Narsglow. Is there anything I’m forgetting?”

“What should we tell them if they ask for more information, Your Majesty?” Sotsona asked as she looked up from her notes with a frown.

“Tell them they will know everything when they get there,” Isi replied and waved her hand to dismiss the girl. “Now, make sure everyone gets the message before sundown.”

“At once, Your Majesty,” Sotsona said with a curtsy before she scuttled out of the throne room to spread the word.

“Just one girl to tell everyone in Narsglow?” Nike whispered in surprise.

“She dictates all our declarations,” Tecumseh explained with a smile. “She has a group of other staff who help spread the messages.”

“Fair enough,” I said and nodded. “I have one other thing I’d like to--”

“What’s this about a mandatory meeting?” Sewati asked as he stormed into the throne room. “I don’t know anything about it.”

“You aren’t the king,” Isi said in an icy voice. “Everyone will be required to attend the meeting, and we’ll discuss the current problems with people attacking other people and using magic and such.”

“Oh, so another public trial for Catahe,” her brother scoffed. “It wasn’t enough to declare his guilt once, so you need to do it again?”

“No, Uncle,” Nokomis said and took his hand. “Mother is trying to handle the issue of ox Demi-Humans being attacked simply because Catahe is one also. She hopes to involve the people in finding a solution.”

“That sounds… reasonable,” he murmured as he glanced up at his sister. “Who gave you the idea?”

“I did,” I said with a half-smile before I turned back to the queen. “And I have another one to suggest for you.”

“Of course, you do,” Isi sighed. “What is it now?”

“It’s about Catahe,” I said, and I held up my hands in mock-surrender when she opened her mouth. “I know the punishment for using magic is death. I understand that’s the law in place, and he was reckless in breaking that law. I also know Catahe wasn’t trying to form his own Vis Imperio to take you and your husband down. He was trying to protect the people of Odrein.”

“Get to the point, Lord Evan,” she hissed.

“I don’t think death is appropriate in this situation,” I continued. “Nokomis and I discussed an alternative punishment that would satisfy everyone.”

“You knew about this?” Isi turned her annoyance onto her daughter.

“Please, just hear him out,” Nokomis insisted. “I think you’ll be more supportive of the idea than you think.”

The queen hardened her stare before she turned back to me and nodded silently.

“Okay, so Catahe fucked up and needs to be punished,” I said. “For breaking the law, he gets a public flogging, but not death. Death should be reserved for traitors and murderers, and he was only trying to get rid of what he thought was a curse.”

“Death is the written punishment for using magic,” Isi argued. “Why should he get to live?”

“Because that punishment was written at a time when people tried to use magic to hurt the city, not help it,” Nokomis cut in. “Catahe never even set foot in Narsglow. He wanted to save the people from the rifts, even if he didn’t know what he was doing.”

“Which is why the flogging is acceptable,” I added. “He was reckless and put people in danger with his efforts, but he wasn’t trying to. I think that’s worth a little bit of leniency.”

“And mercy,” Sewati murmured. “This alternative seems quite fair, Isi.”

“Of course, you think so,” the queen said with an eye roll. “No one dies.”

“But everyone will be able to see that you are fair and reasonable, even without an execution,” I pointed out. “The punishment should fit the crime and its motivations, not just the papers written out by your ancestors from a long time ago. Plus, after that, he can serve some time under your roof as a personal servant to Lady Kiona. Perhaps he’ll learn the true nature of magic and why his choices were so dangerous, and maybe he’ll even share with her how he and the other tribals knew the rituals he used. It could give you quite a bit more than just killing him.”

“And you’d get to keep him close in case he tries anything else,” Tawa mused as he rubbed his chin. “Not bad, Lord Evan.”

The queen appeared to mull things over as she turned and took Tecumseh’s hand in hers. They looked at each other for a while, and again, I got the feeling they were able to talk without anyone else knowing it. I wondered if the king’s pendant had telepathy or something, but my musings were soon interrupted.

“I think it best we talk more about this option,” the king finally said.

“I agree.” Isi nodded and looked at me. “We will discuss it, but there is no promise made that we will utilize your, ah, alternative punishment idea.”

“I understand, Your Majesty,” I said with a smile. “I’m happy you’ll consider it. That’s all I can ask.”

“Then we will see you at the meeting, I presume,” she said.

I got the distinct impression we were being dismissed, and I nodded my head as I motioned for my people to follow me out of the throne room. The rest of the snow leopard Demi-Humans stayed behind, but Nokomis offered me a kind smile before she faced her parents.

“Well, that went better than I expected,” Ravi chirped as we headed for our wing of the castle.

“Yeah, I really didn’t know if she’d even consider it,” Isabella agreed. “She’s been so harsh since we brought Catahe back from the forest.”

“The art of compromise,” I chuckled and led my people up the stairs. “As long as everyone feels at least one thing they wanted is accomplished, there are many things that can be done.”

“Your diplomacy skills seem to be growing,” Miraya giggled.

“I’ve been practicing.” I winked, and Nike, Aine, and my lovers laughed as we all found our rooms.

It was getting late, and I imagined the meeting tomorrow would be long and arduous, even if the queen did decide to use the alternative punishment for Catahe. Alyona followed me into the last bedroom, and I debated whether or not to shut the door in case Nokomis decided to join us again. Then I decided to leave it partially open and followed the princess to the large, plush bed.

The staff had obviously changed the sheets and remade the bed, and I pulled back the silky sheets with a sigh. The bed looked so inviting, but so did my wife. She had already dropped her slippers on the floor and loosened the belt of her robes as she searched her spatial storage for a nightgown.

I dropped my boots and pants on the floor, and Alyona turned around just as I slid beneath the sheets and leaned onto my elbow to watch her.

“Surely, my dragon lord husband isn’t going to bed before his pregnant wife?” she teased.

“Oh, no, just warming up the bed for you,” I shot back with a grin and patted the bed next to me.

“How kind of you,” she giggled as she slipped into a white nightgown.

She unconsciously placed her hand on her growing belly as she walked toward me, and I quickly sat up to lean over the side of the bed. Then I kissed the small bump between her hips while I lovingly squeezed her ass.

“Hey, son,” I whispered to our unborn child. “I’m working on fixing things up out here for you. We can’t wait to meet you.”

I looked up to see tears welling up in Alyona’s eyes before she blinked them away and climbed into bed with me. She snuggled up next to me, and the dirty thoughts I’d had about taking off that silky nightgown drifted away. The princess was clearly exhausted, and I could only imagine the strength it took to deal with the stress of our mission while simultaneously growing a new person.

There was no way I could do it.

Instead, I pulled her close and kissed the top of her head as she fell asleep. I stayed awake for a little while longer, but it wasn’t long before I drifted off, too.

I dreamed of little snow leopard babies with Nokomis, and I wondered how easy it would be to make some kind of snowy room at the Lunar Palace. Then I felt a strange sensation of something pulling at my dreamscape. It was as though I was inside a moving plane, and someone was trying to open the cabin door from outside. I knew if they succeeded, I’d be sucked out into nothingness, and there was no way I’d let that happen.

I focused my attention on the source of the tug and soon recognized the figure on the other side of the door.

The Demon King roared with fury as he banged on the door to my Arxo, but the obsidian block I’d built held firm. He couldn’t get past the magical lock or the lava-stone barricade I’d created to protect my dreams from his projections. He slammed his fists against the stone, and still, he couldn’t enter.

After a few minutes, he gave up and disappeared, and I was left standing just inside the stone tower with a satisfied grin.

Not only had he not been able to access my dreams this time, but he’d given me a new sense of awareness inside them. Miraya had already warned me it was difficult to navigate my dreams, but I had a feeling I could find exactly what I was looking for.

I wandered the never-ending corridors of my Arxo until I heard the giggle of the dryad sisters. Then I pushed open a wooden door, and the loud creak alerted my lovers who sat inside a room that resembled my chambers back in Hatra.

“Finally!” Polina squealed as she looked over her shoulder at me.

My gaze traveled down her smooth bare skin to where she sat on Trina’s face while Marina fondled her emerald breasts.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” Valerra said in a husky voice.

My dragon mate laid naked across a velvety red cushion with her legs spread wide open, and Naomi was perched in front of her. Every single one of the lady lizard’s magenta scales were clearly visible, and she moaned as she suckled on Valerra’s mound.

“Fuck,” I groaned.

As I walked into the room, the rest of my lovers appeared, and I had the best dream of my life.

I woke up before the sun had risen to find my body was drenched in sweat, and I opened my eyes to see Alyona watching me as she bit her lip. Then her gaze dropped down to my rock-hard cock that was currently pressed against her nightgown.

“Would you like some help with that, my lord?” she asked in a hoarse whisper.

“Hell, yes,” I growled.

By the time the sun crested the horizon, I was satisfied in every way I could imagine. Then we heard the voices of the rest of our group in the hallway, so we quickly got dressed to join them.

“I think we have just enough time for breakfast before the meeting, brother,” Nike said as we headed for the stairs. “I heard a few people already awake downstairs.”

“Perfect,” I agreed. “Then we can see how this city meeting goes.”

“It works well for Hatra,” Rebecca said with a smile. “Perhaps it’s exactly what Odrein needs, too.”

“I hope so,” I murmured.

We made our way down to the dining hall, and I felt my stomach twist itself in knots when I saw the guards in front of the doorway and heard sobbing from inside the room.

“What is it?” Alyona asked in a quiet voice as we neared the dining room.

“Nokomis is crying,” I said and stormed to the doorway only to have the guards stop me with harsh stares. “Get out of my way.”

“The queen has ordered only family is allowed right now,” Amaru thundered. “You cannot disobey her orders.”

“I don’t care what they are,” I snarled. “I’m going to check on Nokomis, and you won’t stop me.”

“Please, let them in!” Nokomis pleaded. “We need their help!”

Amaru nodded and moved out of the way without another word. I seemed to have gained at least a little favor with the guards since I saved Mahpiya, and I got the feeling the polar bear Demi-Human was welcome to my help for whatever else was going on now.

We marched into the dining hall, and I was shocked to see Isi standing with red-rimmed eyes as she patted Nokomis and Sewati on their backs while they sat at the table and wept. The king stood at the other end of the table with a map spread out on the table, and a handful of guards were listening intently to his every word.

“What the hell is going on?” I demanded as I hurried over to kneel next to Nokomis. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she gasped as she took a shuddering breath. “B-But Mata… she’s-- oh, gods!”

“Wait, who’s Mata?” I asked. “What happened to her?”

“My wife,” Sewati moaned. “She’s gone!”

Chapter 13

“What do you mean?” I demanded and turned toward Sewati. “Where did she go?”

“I don’t know!” the snow leopard Demi-Human sobbed. “I went home after our conversation last night, and we went to bed. Then I woke up early this morning, and she was missing from our home!”

“Was anything else taken?” I asked. “Her clothes? A bag? Are you sure she didn’t leave?”

“Lord Evan, I know Mata,” Sewati said in a low voice as he met my gaze with tear-soaked eyes. “She would never in a thousand years walk out on our life. I know someone took her.”

“And we’ll find her,” Isi promised. “I won’t let anything happen to her. We’ve already sent dozens of our men out into the city to find her.”

“They need to search everywhere,” her brother said as he wiped away another tear. “No stone should be left unturned.”

“And none will be,” she agreed. “The guards have been ordered to search every house in Narsglow.”

“We’ll join in the search,” I said, and the rest of my people nodded their agreement. “Just tell us where to go.”

“Talk to Tecumseh.” Isi pointed at her husband across the room. “He’s been sending out the marching orders.”

“Got it,” I said as I turned and led my people over to the king. “Tell us where you need us. We’ll look for her, too.”

“That’s kind of you, Lord Evan,” Tecumseh replied and sent off another group of guards. “Are you sure--”

“Yes,” I cut him off. “Ahem, Your Majesty, I’m sure. We want to help.”

“Okay,” he murmured and spun the map around to face us. “Here’s the castle, and I’ve sent guards to these four areas already. I could use another set of people to search the market. It’s right over here.”

The king pointed out a section of the city that looked to be about four by five blocks.

“Yeah, we can handle that,” I confirmed. “So, what does Mata look like?”

“She looks like a snow leopard Demi-Human.” Tecumseh stared at me with an arched eyebrow. “What else would she look like?”

“Well, some people like to shake things up,” I said and pursed my lips. “How about what she’s wearing?”

“Ah, she usually wears blue robes,” he replied. “And she always has her blue earrings. They were a gift from her mother.”

“That helps,” I said with a nod. “And we have no idea who took her?”

“None.” Tecumseh shook his head and looked past me to his weeping daughter and brother-in-law. “This city has lost its mind.”

“We’ll get it put back together,” I said as I put my hand on the king’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Your Majesty.”

“I’m going with you,” Nokomis said as she rose from her chair and wiped away her tears. “I need to find my aunt.”

“You really shouldn’t--” I started to argue.

“I’m going,” the princess growled as her furry white ears pressed against her head.

The thought of leading her to what could be a very bad situation for her aunt made my heart sink, but Nokomis was determined. I didn’t have a good argument without saying the negative possibilities out loud, so I decided to just let her join us.

With that, I guided my team out the front door and headed for the market. I wasn’t sure how pleased the shopkeepers would be when we searched each one, but it didn’t matter right now. All that mattered was finding Sewati’s wife and making sure she was safe.

“So, are we going into every store?” Nike asked as we marched across Narsglow.

“Yep, no stone left unturned,” I said. “Queen’s orders.”

“Who would kidnap Sewati’s wife?” Alyona wondered. “It seems like an odd crime.”

“Sewati had to have upset quite a few people yesterday,” Skye pointed out.

“Yeah, stopping the execution might be exactly what put a target on his wife’s back,” Isabella agreed. “At least we know it wasn’t Yaholo. He’s still in the dungeon, right?”

“He’s not getting out any time soon,” I said. “We still haven’t caught Ubira’s murderer, though.”

“But wouldn’t a murderer have just killed Mata, too?” Alyona wondered and then looked at Nokomis, who had stayed pointedly silent during our speculation.

“Depends on what the point of it all is,” I murmured. “The most blood or the biggest emotional turmoil.”

“You were right, Lord Evan,” Miraya said in a sad voice. “The people are bloodthirsty.”

“And their thirst was not quenched yesterday,” I agreed. “Which means we have to find her before they take out their frustration on an innocent woman instead.”

Our conversation ceased as we reached the first row of shops, and we split into two groups to cover more ground. Nike, Rebecca, Ravi, and Skye went along the north side of the road, while Alyona, Miraya, Nokomis, Isabella, and I took the south. I twisted the knob of the first shop and was surprised to find it unlocked, and we crept inside a building with several rows of shelves filled with bottles, vials, and jars.

“I thought they didn’t allow magic,” Isabella whispered as she examined a row of bottles. “These look like potions.”

“They’re medicinal,” Alyona explained as she picked up a jar filled with a red goo. “No magic necessary. And sometimes no logic, either.”

“Apothecaries are not trained properly,” Miraya agreed and tapped on a metal bottle. “I highly doubt this actually contains a lizard that brings you luck.”

“Well, it might contain a lizard,” Alyona said with a smirk.

I motioned for everyone to quiet down as we continued through the building, but nothing looked out of place in the front room or the storage area in the back. There were just more vials and strange liquids stacked up in boxes and on shelves. I used my echolocation magic to be sure, but it seemed the building was empty.

“Okay, let’s keep moving,” I said and led them back out the front door.

We cleared the next store without incident, but the owner of the third store had already started preparing his displays for the day. He stared at our silent entry with a mixture of confusion and concern, and I held my finger up to my lips and pointed to the back of the store.

“Who are you?” he whispered and then realized Nokomis was with us. “Uh, wait, Your Highness?”

“Orders of the king and queen,” I answered under my breath. “We need to check the building.”

“O-Of course,” he stammered and stepped behind his counter.

We brushed past him and opened the door at the back of the shop, but it held nothing more than a broom, mop, and some buckets.

“Is this all of your store?” I demanded.

“Yes, my lord,” the shopkeeper confirmed. “Mine is smaller than the others because I don’t have any need for the storage. The store to the east has all the space behind that back wall.”

“That’s where we’re headed next,” I said and led my lovers outside again.

“I have a bad feeling about this one, my lord,” Isabella whispered as she pulled two small daggers from her belt.

“Me, too,” I agreed. “Be ready for anything.”

Nokomis and I unsheathed our Noble Swords, and I gently eased the door open without a sound.

Our silent entry made no difference.

What had once been a flower shop full of bright colors and beauty was now covered with spilled soil and heavily armed men who gripped swords, knives, bows, and morning stars. There were at least ten of them, but I couldn’t see any of their faces, thanks to black hoods pulled down over their faces with only tiny slits cut in the fabric for their eyes.

My biggest concern, however, was the snow leopard Demi-Human woman who was tied up at the back of the room. I could see the brilliant blue sparkle of her signature earrings, just as Tecumseh had predicted. Two of the men stood on either side of her with knives held in easy throat-cutting distance, which meant I couldn’t blitz attack the kidnapping club. The stains of tears on Mata’s cheeks and a bruise just below her eye made my jaw clench with anger, and I tightened my grip on the Sword of Healing as I slowly stepped further into the room.

“I wouldn’t come much closer, dragon,” one of the masked men chuckled. “I could have Mata killed in a matter of seconds.”

“I’m a pretty fast guy, asshole,” I snarled. “I could kill all of you in a matter of seconds, too.”

One of the men who stood behind the apparent leader froze for a moment, but the leader shook his head and clucked his tongue.

“Now, that isn’t any way to treat the citizens of Narsglow who have apparently welcomed you with open arms,” he said and pressed an offended hand to his chest. “Our lovely king and queen have shown you great hospitality, and you come in here calling me names?”

“I could think of a few worse things,” I growled as I summoned a fiery shield. “Want to see?”

Even through the small holes, I could see several of the men’s eyes widened with fear at my small show of power, and I bared my teeth in a feral grin as I waited for one of them to make a move.

“That won’t be necessary,” the leader said with a wave of his hand. “We only want one death.”

“And who might that be?” Nokomis demanded as she stepped forward to stand next to me.

“Catahe, of course,” he shot back. “He’s the only one who deserves such punishment.”

“And you don’t?” she retorted. “You’ve kidnapped a member of the royal family and are holding her hostage.”

“She’s only a member of the royal family by marriage,” he replied with a shrug. “That hardly counts, and since the queen’s gone soft, we could argue it isn’t treason.”

“If I walk over there and take her, what will you do to stop me?” Nokomis asked as her grip tightened on the Sword of Mercy. “I’m not a royal by marriage, right?”

“Come now, Your Highness, we don’t need to do anything rash,” the leader said and shook his head. “We have no intention of harming you or Mata. We merely wanted the queen’s attention. Where is she?”

“At the palace with Mata’s husband,” I replied. “And they’re all going to be pissed when they get here, so the smart choice would be to just let her go now and surrender.”

As the leader pretended to think it over, I tried to figure out a way to send word to Isi without conjuring a messenger dragon right in front of the kidnappers. I didn’t want her or the king to barge in and get attacked, too, but she needed to know we’d found Mata.

Then I remembered something Miraya had said to me a few weeks ago about how I could always call to her even if she wasn’t in my spiritual sea.

Miraya, can you hear me? I asked her.

“I’m afraid we can’t do that,” the leader finally said. “We currently have leverage, and we intend to keep it that way until we have our audience with the queen and the musk ox’s head on the ground.”

“You have no idea what you’re asking,” Nokomis hissed. “There is more to the situation than you know!”

I can hear you, the sword spirit said. What do we do?

You need to go get Queen Isi, I told her, and I kept my eyes on the kidnappers as I spoke to her. Tell her Mata is unharmed for now, but she needs to talk to them. Can you tell one of your sisters to go get her?

Bastards! Miraya grunted. I think I’m close enough to call out to Juniper. Then Skye can go tell the queen.

Do it, I said and then refocused on the conversation with the kidnapping leader.

“…so, I’d say I know enough,” he finished and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, yeah, magic is banned, he broke the law,” I said as I rolled my eyes. “That’s the only part anyone cares about, but like the princess said, you don’t know everything.”

“He didn’t even stop that creature from attacking,” the leader insisted. “He didn’t become a hero who deserves pity! He’s a criminal, and so are you. Maybe I should demand your head, as well. I’m sure the queen will agree Mata’s life is worth that much.”

“You’d threaten another royal?” I arched an eyebrow at him and laughed. “I really think you might have lost your marbles.”

“My marbles?” he echoed. “Don’t speak in riddles, dragon! There is no justice for the crime until the mage is dead!”

“You don’t even know what justice is,” Nokomis argued. “Justice is about setting things right, and killing Catahe doesn’t do that! It doesn’t help anyone!”

“It helps all the people of Odrein feel safer,” he said as he took a step closer to Nokomis. “We’d all sleep better knowing Catahe couldn’t use any more blood magic. For all we know, he’s the one who summoned the beast that attacked us!”

I took a half-step in front of Nokomis to keep him from getting any closer to her as the fire burned in my chest.

“If you only knew how ridiculous you sound,” Isabella muttered under her breath.

“Does the fairy have something to add?” the kidnapping leader asked as his eyes darted past me to Isabella.

“I’m not a fairy,” she spat out. “And you’re making a big mistake. If the queen doesn’t kill you, Lord Evan will. He doesn’t take kindly to people hurting innocents.”

Isabella had obviously picked up on my barely controlled rage, and my inner dragon roared with the desire to roast the kidnappers where they stood, but I wasn’t sure if I could keep the flames away from Mata so I resisted the urge as my lip curled with disdain.

“She chose to marry one of the royals,” the leader snorted.

“Are you implying she chose to be kidnapped?” Nokomis asked as her mouth dropped open in shock.

“Well, I’m just saying--” he started.

Then the cold air seemed to drop another twenty degrees as Isi, Tecumseh, and Tawa barged into the shop and stood next to me. Nokomis shrugged her shoulders back with triumph, and the kidnappers all took a cowering step backward.

“You were just saying what exactly?” Isi asked in a chilly voice.

“I was just saying how reasonable our lovely queen is when it comes to handling criminals in Odrein,” he said as he adjusted the grip on his morning star. “I knew you’d come and agree to finish the execution to save Mata.”

“I agree to nothing,” the queen hissed. “And if you think I don’t recognize your voice, Lenno, you’re an even bigger fool than I thought.”

The other men sucked in sharp breaths as the leader fumbled for a moment and then removed his mask.

Lenno was some type of reptilian Demi-Human, though I wasn’t sure what type would live in such a cold climate. His yellow eyes blinked once as he gaped at the queen, and yellow and brown scales dotted the skin on his forehead and cheeks.

“I’m no fool, Your Majesty,” he retorted. “I knew you’d come running for Mata. You always have.”

“Taking advantage of a long-time friendship is beneath even you,” Isi said and put her hands on her hips. “But our friendship has been over for many years, and I will not hesitate to offer you the punishment you seek for Catahe if you don’t release Mata in the next ten seconds.”

Lenno froze, and his mouth hung open in surprise.

This was an unexpected development, and I could see the reptile seemed to expect some kind of special treatment since he knew the queen, but Isi had no intention of letting him get away with the kidnapping.

“B-But we just want--” Lenno started.

“Six,” Isi cut him off and began to tap her toe on the floor. “I have no problem giving Lord Evan permission to use the various forms of magic he has available on you, Lenno. Four.”

“Come on, Lenno!” one of the other kidnappers begged. “Just do it!”

“It’s not justice!” Lenno stomped his foot in frustration.

“Two,” the queen nearly whispered.

I let the flames on my shield rise and flicker for dramatic effect until the Demi-Human leader finally threw up his hands and sighed.

“Let her go,” he said with a look of defeat on his reptilian face.

The other kidnappers lowered their knives to cut the ropes around Mata’s torso, and she raced forward to sag into Tawa’s arms.

“Thank you,” she breathed with relief.

“Guards, take Lenno and his cohorts to the dungeons,” Tecumseh ordered. “I think they’ll find some company there.”

“The same place where Catahe is?” Lenno grumbled. “He’ll probably put some evil magic on us or something.”

“Or you can get to know him and see he’s a reasonable person,” Nokomis said with a furrowed brow.

“Doubt it,” the lizard Demi-Human muttered.

“Do oxen eat lizards?” I wondered. “Because I’d much prefer he does that than evil magic. Evil magic wouldn’t take as long.”

“I’m a gecko Demi-Human.” Lenno scowled as the guards tied thick cords around his hands behind his back. “Not a lizard.”

“Maybe they eat geckos,” I said with a shrug. “I could roast you up for him, you know.”

Lenno’s yellow eyes widened with fear, and then he looked down at his feet as the royal guards led him out the front door with his men right behind them.

“I’d very much like to watch you roast him for doing that to Mata,” Isi said with a curled lip as the last of the kidnappers left the shop. “I can think of at least ten different ways he should be executed for this fiasco.”

“Let’s not be hasty, my queen,” Tecumseh advised her. “We have our city meeting in a little while, and we can deal with your old friend after that.”

“Yeah, what was that about?” I asked. “You knew that lunatic?”

“Lenno and I were classmates when we were children,” the queen explained as we all began to make our way back to the castle. “As were Mata and I.”

Some of Isi’s fiery rage began to subside as she held Mata’s hand and walked down the road away from the market.

“I guess I never thought about the queen going to school,” I chuckled.

“Of course, I had to have a proper education,” she replied and pursed her lips. “You’re a lord of your city. Didn’t you take classes?”

“Uh, yeah,” I said with a half-smile. “I sure did.”

Granted, they were regular classes at a regular school for your average, everyday human, but she didn’t need to know all the Earthly details.

“We should get back to the palace,” Tecumseh urged us. “I don’t think Sewati was very happy we made him stay behind.”

“It was for the best,” Mata said and offered the king a soft smile. “He would have been devastated to see me like that.”

“He’ll still be devastated that you were injured,” Isi murmured and gently touched the bruise on Mata’s cheek.

“I can help with that,” I suggested before I quickly healed the bluish-purple mark that blemished her skin. “There, it’s gone.”

“Your healing power is quite remarkable,” the queen said as she looked over Mata’s face. “I’ve never heard of such an ability in a dragon.”

“He was born with it,” Alyona explained. “It’s been quite handy on our mission.”

“I’m sure it has.” Isi smiled as she squeezed Mata’s hand and continued to the palace.

No snide remarks about my use of magic, not even a stern glare at the fire shield she obviously saw when they came into the shop.

Maybe the queen was warming up to the idea that magic could be used for good.

Sewati was already on the front steps when we came into view of the palace, and he raced across the snow with the deftness of his cat side before he scooped his wife up into his arms and hugged her close.

“Thank the gods,” he murmured.

“And your sister,” she reminded him with a glance over her shoulder. “I’m very proud of the restraint she showed with Lenno.”

“Lenno kidnapped you?” Sewati asked and looked at his twin. “What did you do to him?”

“Well, I didn’t kill him.” Isi smirked. “But he’s in the dungeons now. I guess he thought taking Mata would make me go through with Catahe’s execution.”

“What did you promise him?” Sewati narrowed his eyes on the queen with apparent suspicion. “Is there an execution planned now?”

“Why would I give into him?” Isi retorted. “I told him to let Mata go, or he’d be the one getting an execution today. I don’t let criminals tell me what to do with criminals.”

“And then you let him live,” her brother said, and the suspicion didn’t quite leave his voice.

“Yeah, I don’t just go around executing every criminal on the spot,” she shot back and pursed her lips. “I can’t guarantee that I won’t kill him, but I haven’t.”

“Listen, Isi,” Sewati sighed. “I know you want revenge for what he did to Mata, but you can’t let their actions determine yours. You did the right thing by putting him in jail for now.”

“Your mercy knows no bounds,” Isi said in a sarcastic tone. “If it was Tecumseh, I’m not sure if I’d be able to resist the urge to have my revenge.”

“And then you would be the one living with that decision,” he reminded her. “I’m always here to remind you that strength isn’t always about who can tear the most heads from their shoulders. Sometimes, it’s about who can understand their people best.”

“I have been feeling a little disconnected,” the queen said and scrunched up her nose in annoyance. “I suppose this little city meeting should help with that.”

“Absolutely!” I grinned. “But I do suggest getting breakfast first. It’s hard to deal with the annoying ones without food.”

“Yes, breakfast, then meeting,” Tecumseh agreed as he ushered us inside.

Mata and Sewati sat together at the dining table and huddled closely as they ate their breakfasts in content silence. Isi and Tecumseh took bites and intermittently discussed what would happen at the meeting, and I considered joining in the conversation but decided against it. I’d given them a few ideas already, and I didn’t need to hold their hands through the entire process. They had just needed a different idea to get back in touch with their people, which was made very clear by the kidnapping this morning.

There was obviously an issue with the way Catahe’s trial had been handled, and it felt like the people really had no idea what was going on with the tribal’s use of magic. I really wanted the royals to agree to get rid of the ban and start magic education for the citizens of Narsglow, but we needed to take baby steps.

And the first step was making sure they didn’t kill a mage just because he’d tried to help them with magic.

By the time we finished breakfast, it was time to leave for the meeting, and the guards formed a protective circle around all of us. I wasn’t used to having a royal guard-- and honestly, we didn’t need it-- but it certainly brought extra attention to us as we walked toward the Volin.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when the king and queen had named a location large enough for all the citizens of Narsglow to gather, but I could agree the Volin certainly fit the bill.

The building reminded me of a stadium or coliseum with a huge open space surrounded by row after row of seating. There was room for thousands of people to fit comfortably in the audience, and several rows were already filled with Narsglow residents. A large table had been set out in the middle of the Volin, and half a dozen chairs were lined up against it.

“I don’t think there’s enough room for all of us out there,” Nike said with a sly smile. “So, I guess you can be the one in the spotlight, brother.”

“Oh, thanks,” I muttered as Nike led Mata and my lovers over to the stadium seating.

I plopped down next to Nokomis, and Tawa, Tecumseh, Sewati, and Isi sat down at the table and read over their notes.

“This is very exciting,” Nokomis said in a low voice as she looked around at the gathering crowd. “I feel like we’re about to perform.”

“This is much more like a stage than our meeting place in Hatra,” I replied with a grimace. “There aren’t stacking rows of people watching us there.”

“Maybe I’ll get to see it one day,” she nearly whispered.

“That would be great,” I agreed as I turned to smile at her. “You’re always welcome to go wherever I do.”

I felt a warm glow across our soul bridge, and something told me the snow leopard Demi-Human would be more than happy to go back to Hatra with us.

Nokomis giggled and turned her attention to her father as he rose from his chair and held out his hands.

“Thank you all for coming!” he boomed. “Today, we are here to discuss a few current issues in our beautiful city, and Queen Isi and I have decided we’d like to include our people in that discussion.”

Shocked whispers rippled throughout the crowd at the king’s words, and Isi stood up to address the people as well.

“It’s something we’ve never done before, but with all the violence and uncharacteristic behaviors taking place as of late, it seems we have to step outside the norm to find a solution together,” she declared. “First, we will discuss the violence against our fellow citizens, the musk ox Demi-Humans.”

A few of the ox Demi-Humans in the crowd turned to each other with looks of concern and confusion, and the guards had to quiet the rising voices of the other people.

One ox Demi-Human relatively close to us raised his hand, and Isi pointed at him to give him permission to speak.

“Your Majesty, we have done nothing to warrant the treatment we have received,” he said carefully, and he looked around as though he waited to be attacked. “My home was vandalized, and my children have been called names and been picked on for two days straight. It’s outrageous!”

“Yeah, outrageous!” another musk ox agreed.

“Well, you shouldn’t be associating with criminals!” a woman called out from a few rows over.

“None of us even know him!” the man insisted as he wrung his hands in front of him and snorted with frustration. “Do you see what we’re dealing with? I’d never even seen Catahe until his trial, and the other Demi-Humans are acting like we were in the same herd!”

“That’s certainly one of the points we’d like to address,” Tecumseh said and motioned for everyone to sit back down. “We have investigated Catahe and his associations thoroughly, and we have found absolutely no relationship between him and the musk oxen Demi-Humans living in Narsglow. In fact, it would appear Catahe had never entered the city walls until he was brought here for his trial.”

The musk ox man smiled with triumph, while the outspoken woman crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance, but no one argued with the king’s information. Most of the people actually seemed satisfied to hear the royals had looked into the possibility of Catahe having made friends in Narsglow, and they couldn’t dispute the facts.

I had high hopes the first part of the city meeting would shut down the behavior against the ox Demi-Humans, and I smiled as Isi glanced over at me with a sigh of relief.

“Now that we’ve established there is no reason to attack our fellow citizens, we can move on to the issue of Catahe’s execution,” Isi said. “I would like to hear from someone who is in support of the punishment of death.”

Dozens of hands shot into the air, and the queen narrowed her eyes before she pointed to a squirrel Demi-Human a few rows from the bottom.

“Thank you, Your Majesties,” the woman said with a curtsy. “My friends and I have discussed the trial at length, and we believe Catahe deserves execution because the law clearly states practicing magic is punishable by death. He admitted to his illegal action, and he should get the consequence written.”

There were a few murmurs of support as the squirrel woman sat down and put her hands in her lap.

“Thank you.” The queen nodded and focused on the rest of the crowd. “Now, does anyone have a different reason in support of execution?”

No one moved, and I glanced at Alyona, who shook her head in disbelief. It was just as we’d thought. The only reason people wanted an execution was because of the way the law was written. It had nothing to do with believing Catahe actually deserved to die since they had no clue why the magic he’d done was dangerous.

“Perhaps you should ask if anyone is against the execution,” I suggested in a soft voice.

“Alright,” Isi agreed. “Is there anyone who does not support Catahe’s execution?”

A slightly smaller number of hands shot up, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the crowd was almost evenly split. After the mob we’d witnessed, I’d expected to see the ones who didn’t favor death to be a much less populated group, but it seemed more people had been swayed by the ox Demi-Human’s explanation.

The queen pointed to an arctic hare Demi-Human, and the man trembled as he stood up and looked at the queen.

“Y-Your Majesty, a lot of us don’t understand why Catahe has to die for trying to save us,” he said in a shaky voice. “We know it didn’t work like he planned, but he could have easily let the creatures he killed attack the city, and no one would have ever known he’d seen them before. It just… doesn’t seem right.”

A round of applause echoed through the Volin, and the king held up his hand to silence the crowd again.

“I see,” Isi murmured and turned to her husband, who nodded his head. “It would appear our people have good reasons for both sides, and perhaps now you understand why we decided to wait to make a decision. A man’s life is at stake, and that is a decision no one should take lightly. The law was written a long time ago, and we want to ensure it makes sense for our people today.”

“Does anyone even know why the law was written?” Nokomis asked suddenly. “I mean, we know the stories of the Vis Imperio, but do they?”

The queen paused and looked at her daughter with a thoughtful gaze before she turned back to the audience.

“By raising your hand, who knows why the ancestral royals banned magic?” she asked.

My eyes widened as I looked all around us and saw less than twenty hands in the air. The rest of the people whispered to each other to try to figure it out, but it seemed no one even had a clue about the Vis Imperio or their attack on the palace.

“Your Majesties, could I suggest something?” I whispered.

“O-Of course,” Isi answered as her brow furrowed in confusion. “Do you think we should tell them why?”

“Here?” I chuckled. “No, I don’t. I do think you should remember that you and King Tecumseh are the current leaders of Odrein, which means you can change anything you want, including the punishment on the magic ban.”

“Are you reminding me of your alternative idea, Lord Evan?” she asked with a slightly amused smile.

“Yes,” I admitted and grinned. “But this would be the perfect way to satisfy the people. If half of them only want to execute Catahe because the law says you should, but the other half thinks he deserves mercy, then why not rewrite the law to say you and the king may decide what punishment the person deserves?”

“He has a point, my dear,” Tecumseh said in a low voice. “We’re in charge, and we can change things to keep our people happy.”

Isi chewed on her bottom lip as she met her husband’s gaze, and after a few seconds, she finally nodded.

“Let’s make a change,” she agreed before she raised her voice to address the crowd again. “We have made our decision. Two decisions, actually. First, we declare a change to the law regarding the use of magic in Odrein. Violation of the law will result in punishment, though the decision of execution is not guaranteed. The decision will be made by the king and queen and based on the extent of magic used and for what purpose.”

A few people in the crowd gasped, and a mixture of cheers and groans erupted from the stadium.

“Your queen is not finished!” Tecumseh thundered.

His voice brought the conversation to a screeching halt, and Isi smiled at him before she continued.

“Secondly, with the new change in place, Catahe is not sentenced to death,” she continued. “He will receive a public flogging and is ordered to complete one year of servitude in the palace, where we will ensure he has learned his lesson.”

There was a brief pause, and then most of the crowd burst into applause.

I grinned as I watched several of the people who had supported execution clap and look at each other with obvious appreciation for the king and queen’s decision. It had been the best of both worlds, and now, the outliers were the few who still grumbled with disgust at the queen’s announcement.

Then one man caught my eye.

He looked more than annoyed or disgusted with the decree, and his face was twisted with rage. He appeared to be a penguin Demi-Human with his orange beak-like nose and dark hair that outlined his pale face.

Suddenly, he leaped from his seat and stomped down the steps, and before the guards could react, he had jumped down onto the field and began to sprint toward the table with his enraged eyes focused on the queen.

Then he pulled a shiny dagger from his robe and lifted it above his head.

Chapter 14

Without a second thought, I activated my swiftness and sprinted in front of the would-be assassin as I formed a fiery shield on my arm. The dagger hit the flaming surface and sent shockwaves back through the penguin Demi-Human’s arm. He stumbled backward in surprise, and I took advantage with a stunning blow to his face.

I heard the crack of a broken nose as my shield connected with his beak, and blood gushed from his nostrils as he took another step back and fell on his ass with a grunt. The dagger skittered away on the snow, and I snarled when I realized its shape was incredibly similar to that of an icicle.

Then I pounced on the Demi-Human and pinned his arms and legs down as I lowered my face to his.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I growled.

“Ending this madness!” he yelled as he struggled fruitlessly to get out from under my grasp. “No one wants to do what is necessary!”

“And you thought assassinating the queen was necessary?” I said in a voice just loud enough for the royals to hear.

“She wasn’t going to do what Narsglow needs!” the penguin squawked with a hateful glare past me. “You should have executed Catahe when you said you would! His kind has no place in Odrein!”

“His kind?” Isi repeated as she stalked over and loomed over us. “What kind might that be?”

“Magical,” he hissed. “Your dragon friend here was next.”

“You couldn’t have touched me,” I laughed.

“I have to agree,” the queen said and narrowed her eyes on the penguin. “Why do you hate anyone with magic?”

“Because magic destroys everything it touches,” the Demi-Human sneered. “The law was clear. At least, it was until you decided to join in on the madness this dragon has brought to our home.”

“No, it doesn’t,” I argued and pressed his shoulders further into the snow. “Is that why you killed Ubira?”

“He was no better than the mage,” he said with a huff. “And obviously, his magic didn’t even protect us from the evil creatures who nearly melted our entire city.”

“Y-You killed Ubira?” Isi covered her mouth in shock.

“Yeah, this looks like it made the wounds we saw,” Ravi said as she picked up the dagger and examined it. “See? It’s sharp from the tip to the hilt and thicker here.”

“It’s made to drain power,” the penguin declared before I shoved his head back against the snow. “It’s been passed down in my family for generations. Now, no more shamans can try to use magic in Narsglow!”

“Joke’s on you, dumbass,” I chuckled. “The spirits already chose a new shaman, and she’s already started her training. Your little knife didn’t do a fucking thing.”

“What!” he screeched and began to struggle against me again. “No! That’s impossible!”

“I don’t even know if a mortal weapon could prevent the transfer of power,” Alyona said as she pursed her lips. “It sounds like a fairytale you tell your children about the scary magical people.”

“So, you not only tried to assassinate the queen, you killed the shaman for nothing,” I declared and turned toward Isi. “What’s the punishment for murder?”

“The punishment is death,” the queen announced as she looked at the audience.

It seemed like every citizen in Narsglow was on the edge of their seats as they waited to see what would happen. Not a single one begged for the penguin Demi-Human’s life, and it was obvious he wasn’t going to get the same courtesy granted to Catahe. He’d killed someone who had done nothing wrong, not even illegal, and he’d just admitted it in front of the entire city.

“And he has just confessed to his crime,” Tecumseh said in a booming voice.

The king’s statement was met with cheers from the crowd, and they suddenly turned toward the penguin with a new thirst for blood.

And I knew exactly what they needed.

“Your Majesty, if I may,” I said, and Isi nodded as I yanked the penguin to his feet and wrenched his arm behind him. “I think that means we can solve this problem now.”

“W-Wait, what?” the would-be assassin gulped and tried to loosen my grip.

“The people of Narsglow have been waiting for a public execution!” I boomed as I pulled the Sword of Hatra from my belt with a dramatic schwing. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes! Yes!” the crowd chanted and pumped their fists.

I felt like the star of an old gladiator movie as I paraded the criminal around the snow and waved my blade in the air.

“And this murderer has already confessed!” I continued.

“He confessed! He confessed!” the audience screamed wildly.

“And we all witnessed his attempt on the life of your beloved queen!” I added with another flourishing gesture toward Isi.

“Death! Death!” they wailed.

“And now, he shall be put to death!” I finished as I kicked the backs of the penguin’s knees to drop him into the snow.

“Wait!” the penguin begged. “I-I won’t do it again!”

“Enough!” the king roared and pointed at the Demi-Human. “You have confessed to the vicious murder of our beloved shaman Ubira and openly attempted the treasonous murder of our queen! I sentence you to death! Lord Evan, do as you wish!”

“With pleasure,” I growled.

I let go of the murderer and stepped back while I swung the Sword of Hatra around, and then I sliced the sharp blade through his thick neck. The penguin’s head stayed for less than a second before it rolled off his shoulders, and his body toppled forward as the snow turned crimson with his blood.

The entire Volin roared with applause and cheering until I was nearly deafened by the echoes of their excitement.

The city’s thirst for blood and revenge had been satiated, and I hoped it would be enough to end this war against magical people. From the looks on the citizens’ faces, I suspected the public execution had been enough to both satisfy their violent urges and deter anyone from trying the same approach to lawbreakers.

A handful of guards made their way over to the body and carted the penguin off, while Isi looked at me with genuine appreciation on her face as the crowd slowly began to evacuate the Volin.

“Thank you for saving my life,” she said in a soft voice. “I’m very grateful, and I have a new sense of appreciation for the magic you and your people can do. I suppose we’ve never considered the good possibilities of magic.”

“Does this mean you’ll change more than just the punishment in your laws?” I asked with a grin.

“Don’t push it, Lord Evan,” the queen chuckled. “I’m just glad your plan seemed to work. Everyone left happy, and the murderer has been brought to justice. Now, our kind Ubira can rest in peace, and Kiona will be safe.”

“That’s the important part,” I agreed and winked. “The rest might come later.”

Isi laughed and shook her head as she took Tecumseh’s hand and walked over to where the rest of my people had made their way down from the stands. Nokomis and Tawa looked to be in a state of shock, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the execution or their mother’s admission about magic.

“I suppose our first city meeting went well,” Tawa laughed.

“It certainly won’t be forgotten,” Rebecca agreed.

The tension that had plagued us for several days seemed to ease, but I knew we had to continue with our mission soon, so as we walked back to the palace, I slowed down to talk with Alyona away from the others.

“We need to get back to the mission soon,” I murmured. “The Demon King doesn’t care about magic laws and dead shamans.”

“I know,” she agreed in a soft voice. “But we still don’t have Tawa on our side yet. Who would you bond with?”

“Do you think I could ask Queen Isi?” I wondered.

“I thought about that, but if the spirits said she and her brother lost the swords because they couldn’t work together, I have a feeling her bloodline ability may not be strong enough,” the princess said with a frown. “She may be more willing but not necessarily the right match.”

“Dammit,” I cursed. “Tawa’s kid is so young. How can I ask him to let me bond with her?”

“It’s not easy for either of you,” she agreed with a half-smile. “But I think you’d be surprised with how much support you’ve gained since we arrived.”

“Like mine,” Nokomis said as she slowed down to match our pace. “I want to do the ceremony. I know I’m not the only one you need, but maybe if I do it, it will help Tawa understand.”

“Maybe he should go with us,” I mused. “If he sees how fast it is and what the bond is like, maybe it won’t be as difficult.”

“That’s a good idea,” Nokomis agreed as we came to the steps of the palace. “I could--”

“I’m still thinking,” Tawa grumbled and stopped just outside the door to turn around. “It isn’t a simple decision. You’re talking about a blood ceremony with my child! She won’t know what that means or why it hurts, even if you heal her quickly, my lord. It’s too much to ask of a ten-year-old girl!”

“That’s why I haven’t pushed you,” I agreed. “My children are still in the womb and the egg, so I can’t completely understand how you feel, but I’m trying. I don’t like the idea of doing the ceremony with a child, either. I just have to weigh my personal feelings against what the entire world needs, and I keep coming back to her.”

“Tawa, can I say something?” Nokomis asked in a gentle voice as she put her hand on her brother’s shoulder.

“Of course, sister,” he replied with his head down.

“I know it’s a lot for a child, but you must remember Denali is no ordinary child,” she said. “She is a future Noble of the Sword, and she has your ability to be strong. I think the decision should be hers.”

“I have to agree.” Alyona nodded and took Nokomis’ other hand with a squeeze. “I don’t know your daughter, Tawa, but if she’s anything like I was at that age, she would want to know how she can help. She wouldn’t want everyone else deciding she can’t do something important.”

“And this is incredibly important,” I said in a low voice. “If I can’t get all the Nobles of the Sword to bind their power with mine, we may not have what we need to defeat the Demon King before he rises up against all of us.”

“More of those hellbeasts?” Tawa asked with a frown.

“At least,” I confirmed. “And it seems he has a few new creatures up his sleeve at every turn. We can’t let him get to our realm, and that means doing things we don’t want to, so we can stop him.”

Tawa took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he glanced over at his twin, and their eyes met for a tender moment before he patted her hand.

“Alright, it should be Denali’s decision,” he finally agreed. “If she says she’ll do it, then she may go, but I go with her.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” I said with a nod.

“I think we should talk to her.” Nokomis looked at Alyona. “It would be better to hear about it from us, especially since Alyona has already done the ceremony, so she can answer Denali’s questions.”

“Good idea,” I murmured. “We’ll go, but you do the talking.”

“I’ll take you to her room,” Tawa said.

We walked inside the palace, and everyone else had stopped in the great room to wait for us. I quickly explained our plan, and Isi pursed her lips in disapproval but didn’t argue. Nike, Miraya, Skye, Isabella, and Rebecca followed us to the wing where Tawa and his wife and children stayed, and as we got closer, I could hear the soft conversation of children. Then, a few seconds later, we reached a door that was partway open.

Tawa gently knocked on the door and pushed it all the way open, and we could see two young snow leopard Demi-Humans sitting on a bed. They each had the same long raven-colored hair, though the boy’s had been twisted into a braid that grazed the skin just below his shoulder blades while the girl’s hair flowed freely to her waist. Both wore royal-blue robes and brown leather boots, and they gasped as we entered.

The boy held a small furry creature in his lap as he stroked an injured leg, while the girl flicked a jeweled dagger back and forth and watched us carefully as we filed into the room.

“Denali, Dakota, I have some people you need to meet,” Tawa said as he gestured toward us. “This is Lord Evan--”

“The dragon,” Denali interjected and cocked her head at me. “I heard you have magic.”

“I do,” I confirmed with a chuckle. “Check this out.”

I conjured a fiery version of her jewel-covered dagger into my hand and showed it to her, and Denali’s eyes widened as she watched me mimic her movements with the fire blade.

“Wow,” she breathed. “Can you teach me that?”

“Fire magic isn’t for everyone,” I replied and grinned. “I’m sure there are a few things I could teach you some day, but for now, I think your aunt and my wife would like to talk to you about something else.”

“Aunt Koko, what’s going on?” Dakota asked as he looked over at all of us with concern.

“Nothing you need to worry about, ciqala,” Nokomis answered with a soft smile. “Stay with your little one.”

“His leg is finally healing,” her nephew said as he brushed his fingers over the tiny creature’s fur.

I couldn’t tell what kind of animal it was, but Dakota had obviously been nursing it back to health. Apparently, he was the one who would be getting the Sword of Mercy someday, which was why Nokomis had already known she’d have to talk to her niece.

“Good job,” she replied and patted him on the head. “Now, be a good boy and go into the hall, so I can talk to Denali.”

“Yes, Auntie.” Dakota carefully wrapped his furry animal in a small piece of cloth and carried it out the door.

Tawa motioned for me to follow, and we walked out of the bedroom to leave Alyona and Nokomis with Denali. Then I pulled the door nearly shut, so Tawa and I could lean in and listen to the conversation.

“Do you know why Lord Evan and I came to Narsglow?” Alyona asked.

“No,” Denali answered, and I could hear her still tossing the dagger around as it slapped against the skin of her palm.

“We’re looking for special people to help us fight a big bad person who’s trying to hurt everyone he can,” the princess explained carefully.

“He’s the reason Catahe was trying to practice magic,” Nokomis added. “He thought he could stop the big bad person.”

“That sounds like a hard job,” Denali said in a soft voice. “He was going to do that all by himself?”

“He thought so,” Alyona answered. “He didn’t know how hard it would be, but Lord Evan and I have been working on a way to stop the big bad person for a while, and now, Nokomis decided she will help.”

“Wow,” the little Demi-Human sighed. “That’s wonderful, Auntie. How are you going to help?”

“I’m going to help Lord Evan with a ceremony to let him use my power sometimes,” she replied.

“Once he’s done the ceremony with all the special people, he’ll be strong enough to fight the bad guy,” Alyona added. “Isn’t that incredible?”

“I’ve heard Lord Evan is already very strong,” Denali said in a matter-of-fact voice. “Does he need all that power to win the fight?”

I smirked at Tawa, and he rolled his eyes.

“Yes, the gods told him he did,” Alyona explained.

“They talked to him?” Denali gasped.

“Yes, they bless each of the ceremonies,” my wife said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. “Nokomis will be there to see it for herself soon. I’m sure my father, the king of Rahma, is preparing for the ceremony as we speak.”

Alyona’s voice got louder on the last sentence, and I knew it was directed at me. We hadn’t even told the king we had one of the Nobles of the Sword ready for the ceremony yet, and one of us had to let him know so he could get all the supplies to the ceremonial valley.

“Shit,” I mumbled under my breath as I summoned my messenger dragon to my palm. “Go tell King Rodion we have at least one of the next nobles ready, and we’ll portal straight to the valley this afternoon.”

The dragon dipped its head and zoomed into the air, and I realized Tawa’s eyes were nearly the size of saucers as he watched the dragon disappear.

“Your magic can do that, too?” he asked in a shocked whisper.

“Yeah, that one’s pretty neat,” I chuckled. “I’ll teach you someday.”

Tawa rolled his eyes again, but a small smile crept onto his face as we turned back to the conversation with his daughter.

“How many more special people do you need?” Denali wondered.

“There are twelve Nobles of the Sword,” Alyona answered. “Your aunt and your father are two of them.”

“But my dad isn’t going to do the ceremony?” I could hear the slightest bit of confusion in the young Demi-Human’s voice.

“He can’t,” Nokomis said. “It has to be a girl.”

“Why?” Denali asked.

“Well, even if they don’t like to admit it, I think the boys know we’re really strong and good at helping each other,” her aunt replied a little more loudly than necessary. “So, we make a good team when we do the bonding ceremony with a boy like Lord Evan.”

“Well, can I help, then?” Denali wondered, and her father sucked in a sharp breath.

I patted him on the shoulder while we waited.

“You can,” Nokomis said. “It isn’t an easy ceremony, though. It might hurt a little bit, but Lord Evan has healing magic he’ll use to make sure it doesn’t hurt for very long.”

“Well, I can be hurt for a minute if it saves everyone from the big bad man,” Denali declared. “It’s more important to keep everyone safe.”

“I can agree with that,” Nokomis chuckled. “Can we tell your dad what you’ve decided?”

“He won’t like it,” the little Demi-Human muttered.

Tawa eased the door open and scooped Denali into his arms.

“No, I don’t like it,” he agreed. “But you’re incredibly brave to do it. I didn’t know if you were ready.”

“Of course, I am, Papa,” she laughed. “I’m strong like you.”

“Well, I want you to be sure,” her father said and looked at me. “Tell her what happens in the ceremony, please.”

“Alright,” I agreed.

I laid out every detail of the Redimi Vincio ceremony, from the ingredients I could remember, to the cut on each other’s hands, to the blessing from the gods. When I was finished, Denali’s dark eyes were focused on me with intense concentration, and she nodded her head.

“Okay, I can do it,” she said in a firm voice before she glanced over at her dad. “But you can come with us, right? Even though you can’t be on the team with Lord Evan?”

“Absolutely,” Tawa agreed and smiled. “I’ll be with you every step.”

“Then what are we waiting on?” Denali asked. “It’s time to save everyone!”

I grinned at Alyona and Nokomis, and they began to help Denali get ready to go. Then I looked back at Nike and the rest of my lovers, and I realized Dakota still cradled his small pet against his chest as tears welled in his eyes.

“Hey, she’ll be okay,” I said in a quiet voice as I knelt in front of him. “I’ll bring her back safe and sound. Don’t worry.”

“She’s always okay,” he murmured. “I’m still worried.”

“I understand,” I chuckled. “You love her. I promise I’ll take good care of her. Just try to relax until we get back.”

“Do we need to go talk to Imala?” Nokomis asked her brother.

“No, she said the same thing as you,” he replied and shook his head. “She said her daughter would choose what was right. She already knows we’re going.”

Nokomis laughed as they tucked some clothes and water into Alyona’s spatial storage for Denali, and the young snow leopard slid daggers into holsters on each of her thighs and a larger blade into a carrier on her back. None of her family seemed surprised by her weaponry, so I shrugged it off and let Tawa and Nokomis lead us back out of the room while Dakota sat on the bed and let a solitary tear drip off his face.

I chewed on my bottom lip for a moment and then conjured another of my messenger dragons.

“Stay with Dakota until we return,” I ordered the little creature. “Keep him company and make sure he doesn’t go after us.”

Dakota gasped in surprise when the kaleidoscope-colored dragon sailed across the room and curled up against his leg, but he looked up at me with a smile as he began to pet both of his small animals.

Then I followed the others downstairs to the great hall, where the king and queen quickly greeted us with parcels of what smelled like roast beef and bread. My mouth watered at the smell, and I nodded my thanks as I unwrapped mine and stuffed a bite of the sandwich into my mouth.

Within minutes, everyone had finished the small lunch, and we headed out into the courtyard.

“You might get a couple magic complaints again,” I said with a smirk as Alyona began her portal spell.

Without the magic barrier to stop us, it would be faster and easier for Alyona to portal us to the valley and back. We had to get the ceremony done soon so we could move on to the next part of our mission, and I figured by now, the king and his helper would be ready for us to get started.

Before either the king or queen could ask what I meant, the sparks and crackles of Alyona’s portal snapped in the air in front of us, and all the snow leopard Demi-Humans took a step back in surprise.

“It won’t hurt,” Alyona promised. “It just takes us straight to the ceremony location in Rahma, so we don’t have to take the time to fly there.”

“Even though flying is the best,” Ravi pointed out and pursed her lips.

“If you say so,” Nokomis said and took a deep breath. “Let’s do it.”

“We’ll be back soon!” I called out to the awestruck royals.

Then Alyona and I led the group through the magical doorway and stepped into the grassy valley I’d cleansed for our Redimi Vincio ceremonies. The air was considerably warmer, and I immediately shrugged off my fur coat and let the sun shine on my face.

“There’s no snow here?” Denali asked in confusion.

“Nope,” I laughed. “It’s green grass here in the valley. Oh, and this river over here is not frozen over.”

“Wow.” She looked around in bewilderment. “Can I look around?”

“Don’t go too far,” her father warned.

Denali nodded before she scampered off to explore the grass, the flowers, and the clear water of the river. Within seconds, Rodion and Castor walked through their own portal, and the king’s right-hand man got to work setting up for the ceremony.

“Who have you found?” Rodion asked with a curious glance at the twins.

“Oh, this is Princess Nokomis, Noble of the Sword of Mercy,” I introduced her. “And this is her twin brother, Prince Tawa, Noble of the Sword of Strength.”

“It’s nice to meet you, um…” Nokomis trailed off as she looked at the king.

“King Rodion,” he supplied with a smile. “And nice to meet you, too, Princess.”

“Oh!” Nokomis gasped and dropped to a full curtsy. “Your Majesty!”

Tawa followed suit with his own bow as he gave me a sideways glance of annoyance.

“Sorry,” I chuckled. “I’m still learning all the diplomatic stuff.”

“He’s a work in progress,” Rodion laughed and motioned for the twins to stand up. “Now, I assume you’ll be bonding with Princess Nokomis, but I thought you couldn’t bond with the prince.”

“I can’t.” I shook my head and pointed at Denali. “His daughter is here, too.”

“A child?” the king gasped as the smile fell off his face. “I don’t think so, my son. I just… No, I can’t imagine such a thing.”

“Father, I know it’s difficult,” Alyona stepped in. “Lord Evan didn’t like it at first, either, but I spoke with the child myself. She’s much wiser than you’d think.”

“She can’t possibly understand what she’s undertaking,” Rodion insisted. “It isn’t a decision to be taken lightly.”

“And it wasn’t,” I said with a grim smile. “It took days for us to even bring it up to her. Talk to her yourself. You’ll see.”

“Denali!” Tawa called out and waved her over. “Come meet the king of Rahma, King Rodion.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty,” Denali said with a low curtsy.

“And you, young lady,” he murmured. “Do you know why you’re here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” she confirmed. “To save the world.”

“Well, that’s true,” he chuckled, and a little bit of the tension eased. “How are you going to do that?”

“I have to be strong, like my dad,” Denali answered in a sure voice. “I’ll bind my power with Lord Evan’s, so he can use my strength when he fights the big bad guy.”

“Impressive,” Rodion said. “And why do you want to do this?”

“Because it’s important,” she replied easily. “Only a few people are special enough to bond with Lord Evan, and I’m one of them, so I have to do what I can to help everyone else.”

Rodion mulled this over for several seconds, and I wasn’t sure what he would say. I knew as a father, he likely had several reasons why a little girl shouldn’t be allowed to do a blood ceremony, but as the king, he probably also understood why we had to. Plus, it helped that Denali had a good grasp of what she needed to do for the people, and she was much smarter than most kids her age.

“Alright,” the king finally agreed. “I think you’ll be a wonderful addition to the bond. Your strength is in both your power and your character, young Denali.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she replied with another curtsy.

“So, how does this work?” Tawa asked as he bounced back and forth on his feet. “Is it going to be fast?”

“Yeah, it’s fast,” I assured him and looked at Alyona. “Could we do theirs at the same time? Or have Nokomis go first, so Denali can watch?”

“I think Nokomis will have to go first, but we can check the--” Alyona was cut off by the sound of Skye drawing her weapon.

“What is it?” Rodion asked as his brow furrowed with concern.

“I can feel it,” Skye murmured.

I looked around with concern, but the only thing I could feel was a strong desire to finish the ceremony, so I put my hand on Skye’s arm and tried to get her attention.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. “What do you feel?”

“It’s getting stronger,” she nearly whispered, and her chocolate-turquoise eyes darted around the valley.

“We need to get this going,” Nike said as he wrung his hands in front of him.

“Yeah, this is taking too long,” Rebecca agreed.

“Okay, calm down,” I said to the whole group and searched for Castor. “Is everything ready?”

“Almost, my lord,” he answered.

“Can’t you feel it, Lord Evan?” Skye asked as she gripped my arm.

Then I did.

The energy around the valley made my skin prickle as though lightning bolts zipped through the air. My heart pounded in my chest, and everything around us seemed to move faster, as though someone had sped up a movie.

“What is that?” I asked. “What’s changed?”

“I’m not sure,” the naiad-Nepin answered with a frown. “Something is different, though.”

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning crashed across the sky and zigzagged to the valley like a meteor. It snapped against the ground, and we all shielded our eyes as a blinding light illuminated the area for a second then disappeared.

The God of Punishment stood where the lightning had landed, and he held a huge golden sword in one hand and a thick shield in the other.

“Get ready!” Aeron yelled as he pointed the sword at us. “There’s about to be a fight.”

Chapter 15

“Keep them safe!” I yelled to Alyona.

The priestess quickly formed a protective barrier around her father, Castor, and Denali, while the rest of us armed ourselves and prepared for the fight Aeron foretold. Miraya disappeared in a flash of light and reappeared in my spiritual sea, and I was grateful for the rush of strength I felt as our powers became one.

Then a large black mass grazed over the top of the mountain on the south side of the valley, and it almost looked like a dark rain cloud as it hovered above us for a few seconds.

“What the hell is that thing?” Rebecca asked.

“No idea,” I muttered. “But I’m about to go find out.”

I shifted into my dragon form just as the shadowy mass flew directly above us, and I soared up to investigate it before it could land. Isabella flapped her wings and flew up into the sky with me, and we looked at each other with concern as we examined the mass.

This doesn’t look good, my lord, Miraya said with apparent unease as she paced back and forth on the beach of my spiritual sea.

The edges of the cloud were nearly transparent, but the innermost area looked as black as night, and it sent a chill down my spiked spine as I got closer.

“I don’t understand it,” Isabella whispered as she reached her sapphire-skinned hand out to touch it.

“No,” I said firmly, and she pulled her hand back. “We don’t know what it can do.”

Suddenly, a high-pitched clicking sound that reminded me of cicadas erupted from the cloud, and it burst into dozens of smaller shadowy figures that sailed down toward the ground. I reached out to grab one, but my talons slipped through it like it was only smoke.

Isabella grasped at the small shadows, too, and I looped around and tried to stop the others from their descent, but they continued to rain down onto the valley.

“Okay, you little shits, I’ve got something else for you,” I growled.

I opened my maw and poured flames onto the raining shadows, and a few caught fire as they tumbled to the ground. They landed on the grass with a hiss, but the others landed and took another shape.

The shadows turned into spiders the size of cats, and they skittered across the ground toward my people. Ravi snapped her fiery whip on the one closest to her, and the spider screeched in pain as she burned it to a crisp.

“Destroy as many as you can!” Aeron yelled as he swung his sword at the large arachnids. “We can’t let them--”

His warning was cut off as the spiders suddenly changed direction and scuttled into one big pile.

“Oh, fuck,” I said.

The shadowy spiders rolled and climbed on top of each other until they looked like one teeming mass of legs and fangs, and then my stomach dropped as the shadows began to melt together and form one huge spider.

The giant spider towered over my people, and its fangs dripped with yellow venom as it gnashed its jaws together and let out another ear-piercing screech. I nosedived toward the beast with my maw open and unleashed another wave of flames onto its jet-black body.

But the fire didn’t destroy the shadowy arachnid like it did the smaller ones, and the creature shrieked with rage before it scuttled across the valley toward Skye and Nokomis.

“Watch out!” Alyona screamed.

Skye and Nokomis glanced at each other and split to let the spider run between them, and then they whirled around and slashed their swords into its spindly legs. The blades seemed to cut through part of the beast’s skin, but they couldn’t cut through the bone.

Or whatever the hell was under there.

“Use your magic!” I yelled to Skye.

The naiad-Nepin furrowed her brow and called on her sword’s energy power, and jolts of red lightning zipped down her blade and into the spider’s leg. The beast howled in pain, but then it dropped its head for a venomous strike.

Skye dodged its long fangs and rolled just out of its reach before Nike and Tawa took their shot at the beast. Nike activated the Sword of Light’s blinding beam and shined it in the spider’s multiple eyes, while Tawa used his strength to cut one of its legs off. Then Rebecca sprinted in and slid underneath the beast’s belly, and the bear Demi-Human began to shred its skin with her sharp claws as Tawa prepared for another devastating strike.

“Don’t kill it!” Aeron shouted.

“What else are we supposed to do?” I asked before I swooped down and blew another round of flames onto its back.

“Trap it!” he replied as he blocked a strike from the spider’s fangs with his shield.

Why the fuck would we want to trap this shadow spider thing? It obviously came from the Underworld, and I hadn’t spared a single one of those beasts’ lives yet. The God of Punishment had to have a reason, and I snarled as the spider tried to bite him again.

Then I lowered my large form over the spider and tried to clamp down on its furry body with my talons, but my claws went right through the shadow spider, so I growled and decided to try something else to stop the beast.

“Back up!” I yelled before I opened my maw to release a cloud of petrification magic.

The yellow-green puff of magical smoke oozed over the spider’s shadowy figure, and it squealed as it tried to scuttle out of the cloud. Its remaining legs stiffened, and then its body froze, though its eyes continued to zip back and forth as it searched for an escape.

“What did you do to it?” Aeron asked with a confused look on his face.

“Petrification,” I said as I flew next to him and shifted back to my human form. “It should be frozen like that for a while.”

“Don’t their eyes normally stop, too?” Isabella asked and frowned.

“Yeah, they usually look almost dead,” Ravi agreed.

“Can you build a trap?” I asked Nokomis.

“I think so,” she murmured as she walked around the side of the large spider with a thoughtful expression.

“I can help you,” Skye offered. “I have nature magic.”

Nokomis directed Skye as the naiad-Nepin accessed her nature magic and pulled roots and branches from the forest next to the valley. She twisted the pieces together while Nokomis moved them into place until the shadow spider was trapped inside a wicker box. Its eyes continued to dart around at each of us, and the feeling of it watching us was unnerving, but it didn’t seem to be able to get rid of the petrification on the rest of its body.

“Alright, I’m taking this back with me,” Aeron said as he gripped one of the branches.

“Where?” I asked. “You always just appear and disappear, so where will you take this thing?”

“So many questions,” the god chuckled. “We have a home, you know.”

“Like Bruven’s Peak?” I wondered.

“Lord Evan,” Rodion chided as he strode over to us. “You ask too much of the gods.”

“It’s alright, Rodion,” Aeron said with a grin. “He trapped the beast without questioning me, so I’ll reward one of his diplomacy improvements. We have a spatial realm that allows us to see everything and be anywhere in a matter of moments.”

“Spatial realms are real?” Alyona asked as her jaw hung open in surprise.

“Yes.” The God of Punishment nodded and smiled. “I see you’ve done some research into them.”

“They sit between the worlds, right?” the princess asked, and her amethyst eyes lit up with excitement. “So, you can see here and there.”

“Exactly,” he confirmed.

“Wait, so, where exactly is ‘there?’” I wondered.

“Oh, you can’t have all the answers yet, Evan,” Aeron laughed. “Just know we can see everything we need to. For now, I’m taking this beast there, so we can understand where it came from. Hopefully, it will help us figure out where this Demon King is from, too.”

“You don’t already know?” I furrowed my brow with doubt.

“We have our suspicions,” he hedged and looked around. “Alright, I guess you’ll probably have to cleanse the valley again, but now, you can do the ceremony. I’ll see you around.”

“You aren’t doing the blessing?” I asked.

“Nah, I have a spider to deliver,” Aeron chuckled. “Someone will be here, though. Don’t worry.”

With that, the God of Punishment grabbed the spider and the nature-made trap, nodded his head, and disappeared with a flash of lightning.

“Great, that was helpful,” I muttered. “I guess I’d better get to cleansing.”

The others mulled around while I got to work. I was glad to have Miraya with me as I began the process of combining my healing power with my nature magic, and I plunged my hands into the soil to cleanse the valley of the evil left behind by the shadow spider.

I cast my power out through the ground, and I was happy to feel most of the valley had been spared from the spider’s venom. Then I pushed out the pieces of dark magic that had soaked into the ground and watched them evaporate like drops of black mist. After a few minutes, the fresh, clean smell of the valley had returned, and I took a deep breath of the newly cleansed air.

“Much better,” Skye said with a satisfied smile. “The energy is back to normal.”

“Now, we can get down to business,” I agreed.

Castor returned to his job of setting out the ingredients, and then Rodion took his place at the podium with his large text spread out in front of him. He pulled the Blade of Wystonia from his robe and set it on the stand as Castor scurried over with the ceremonial bowl.

“I think we can do the ceremonies together, but we’ll have to bind one and then the other,” Rodion murmured as he ran his finger over the pages of his book. “I assume Nokomis will be first?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the snow leopard Demi-Human confirmed. “Then Denali can see it all happen before she does it.”

“I’m ready,” the younger snow leopard said in a small yet firm voice.

“Okay, you stand right here.” The king directed her to a place just a few feet behind Nokomis.

Then I stood across from Nokomis while Rodion took his place and began the ceremony. He used the dagger to cut the ingredients and place them in the bowl, and then I added a little bit of dragon fire to set them ablaze.

The king handed Nokomis the dagger, and she hesitated for a split second before she took it with a deep breath. I held my hand out to her, and she slid the blade across my palm. Then I squeezed my blood into the bowl and opened my hand again to reveal the cut had nearly disappeared already.

She smiled as she handed me the Blade of Wystonia, and I took her hand and flipped it palm-side up. Then I dragged the blade across her skin and turned her hand over to squeeze a few droplets into the flaming bowl.

I activated my healing magic as I turned her hand back, and her skin had already begun to heal when she looked at it with surprise.

“I barely felt it,” she whispered with a smile.

“That’s my goal,” I replied in a low voice and winked.

“Now, bring the child,” Rodion commanded.

Nokomis turned and took Denali’s hand to pull her forward. The little snow leopard looked even smaller as she looked up at me with her round, chocolate-colored eyes, so I offered a disarming smile and knelt in front of her as I held out my hand.

“I’ll make sure you’re okay,” I promised in a soft voice.

“Okay.” Denali nodded and put her hand in mine.

I could just see Tawa out of the corner of my eye, and he clenched his jaw while I swiped the blade across his daughter’s palm. I let her blood drip into the bowl and healed her hand in mere seconds, and she looked at her skin as it stitched itself back together before her eyes.

“There, that wasn’t so bad, right?” I asked.

“Not at all,” she said with a grin.

“Great gods of the land and sky, we present the dragon and the snow leopards for your eternal blessing, as they bond their magical souls,” Rodion declared and spread his arms wide as he looked up above us.

“Get ready,” I whispered.

Denali squeezed my hand with anticipation, and the thunder crashed above us as a bolt of lightning zigzagged across the sky. The electricity smashed down into the ceremonial bowl, and it shattered into pieces as a series of multi-colored lights flashed in the air.

Then a feminine form floated down from the clouds and landed gracefully in front of us among wisps of white and gray smoke. Pale-blue hair was pulled away from her creamy bronze face and laid in small braids that draped down the back of a white robe. Her small mouth was twisted into a shrewd scowl, and her bright green eyes slowly scanned each of us.

“Hulda, Goddess of the Unrevealed,” Rodion breathed. “We’re honored--”

“As you should be,” Hulda cut him off and waved her hand. “I agreed to bless this ceremony on behalf of my allies, not to listen to speeches and squander my precious time.”

“Then we offer our humble gratitude,” the king said with a bow.

“She’s not as nice as Aeron,” Denali whispered.

The young Demi-Human’s whisper was just as other children whisper, which was not typically very quiet, and I had to stifle a laugh as the goddess whirled to face us.

“Your secrets are not secrets from the Goddess of the Unrevealed,” she said in an icy voice. “I am not known for my kindness.”

“Neither is Aeron,” I pointed out with a shrug. “But he isn’t rude.”

Alyona and Rodion covered their mouths as their eyes widened in shock, and even Nokomis and Tawa stared at me with their jaws nearly to their chests, but I wasn’t about to go out of my way with kindness when the goddess clearly had no intention of treating even King Rodion with respect.

“If I didn’t already know the good you’ll do for the world, I’d strike you down where you stand,” Hulda seethed. “Because I know what has yet to be revealed to you mortals, I shall let you live. You are, unfortunately, far too important to suffer my wrath today.”

“We are grateful for your mercy, Great Hulda,” Nokomis said and dropped to one knee.

“Indeed,” the goddess replied with a disdainful roll of her green eyes. “So, with that, I hereby bless this ceremony. May you use this power to reveal all that is to come.”

A quick flash of lightning blinded us all for a moment, and after a few blinks, I could see the Goddess of the Unrevealed had disappeared. Then a rush of power surged through my body and nearly had me staggering, and I grabbed the edge of the podium to keep my balance as the magic from the Swords of Strength and Mercy rushed from my head to my toes.

Fear, stress, worry, excitement, pain, and love poured into me like a river of emotion, and I nearly fell to my knees. My head pounded to the beat of my throbbing heart, and my eyes swam with tears. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as the emotions from everyone around me fluttered into my chest, and then the strength magic seemed to shove them all back and keep them at bay.

“My lord!” Alyona gasped as she rushed forward and took my hands. “Are you alright?”

“It worked,” I choked out. “I feel their power now, and I definitely understand why they have to work together.”

I cleared my throat as my vision returned to normal, and I could finally stand up straight. I probably should have been expecting something more intense when binding with two Noble Swords at once, but I didn’t think anything would have prepared me for the onslaught of magical energy that had flooded me.

“I gave you some more of my strength,” Denali said and patted my hand. “I felt like you needed it.”

“I did,” I agreed with a gentle smile. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” The little snow leopard jutted her chin out with pride before she glanced at her father. “I did it, Papa. Did you see?”

“I saw it all,” Tawa said as tears threatened to fall from his dark eyes. “I can’t believe it. You are so strong, ciqala. Much stronger than I could ever be.”

“I think she’s learning from you,” Nokomis countered as she put her hand on her brother’s shoulder.

“I promise to be a better teacher,” Tawa vowed. “And you must promise to stay strong. You’re very important to this mission. Can you do that?”

“Of course, Papa,” Denali giggled and flexed her bicep. “I’m strong, just like you.”

“Hell, yeah, you are!” I said with a grin.

“Can I see it now?” she asked.

“See what?” I cocked my head to the side in confusion.

“The place where the bad guy is,” Denali said in a more serious tone. “I can tell it’s close. I felt it when we got to the valley.”

“The Breach,” Rodion sighed and shook his head. “It’s no place for a child.”

“I know, but--” Denali started.

“Absolutely not.” Tawa took her hand and dropped to his knees in front of her. “You can’t go near that thing. It’s dangerous.”

“But I want to--” she tried again.

“Denali, you have no idea what’s in there,” Nokomis interjected.

“Or what can come out of it,” Ravi agreed with a shiver.

“It’s terrible,” Isabella murmured, and Skye nodded her agreement.

“I think it’s a good idea,” I said.

Everyone turned and stared at me with eyes as round as saucers, and I shrugged as I looked at Denali.

“See, Lord Evan understands,” the little Demi-Human declared. “I need to see it for myself.”

“I don’t know, my lord,” Alyona murmured. “It’s unstable. The seal has been weakening.”

“But it’s still in place,” I said. “Everyone is telling her to be strong for this mission, but right now, it’s just words. If we truly want her to maintain her strength and our bond, she needs to see why.”

“I don’t like it,” Tawa grumbled and looked into his daughter’s eyes. “What if it’s scary?”

“Then I’ll want to fight it even more,” she replied. “I don’t want something scary to come here and hurt everyone. I’m one of the special people who can help stop it, right, Lord Evan?”

Denali looked up at me, and I could see the mixture of innocence and warrior bravery in her dark eyes. She was young, but she was smart and understood what needed to be done. Now, all she wanted was to grasp the full picture of why she had to stay strong, even once we were gone from Odrein.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “You’re a big part of the solution.”

“And you think she should see this Breach?” Tawa asked as he narrowed his eyes on me.

“Yeah, I do,” I said. “She wants to understand. I get that. I can fly her over, and she’ll be perfectly safe.”

“Fly?” Denali looked at me with her big eyes full of excitement.

“Yeah, dragon style,” I chuckled. “But your dad has to say it’s okay first.”

Denali turned to Tawa, and I could practically feel the puppy dog eyes even from here. It made me slightly terrified for fatherhood as I watched him wither under her stare.

“Okay,” he sighed. “You can go, but no stops! Just fly over it and come right back here.”

“We will!” Denali agreed with a wide grin before she turned to me. “Let’s go!”

I smiled at her and nodded to Tawa before I stepped back away from the group to take my dragon form. As my scales rippled down my skin, and I grew in size, Denali watched me with intense curiosity. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes focused on my growing body until I towered over them and flexed my wings.

“I’ll help you get on,” Rebecca offered.

The lady bear lifted Denali onto my back, and the small Demi-Human wrapped her arms and legs around my spike.

“Ready?” I asked as I craned my neck back to look at her.

“Ready.” Denali nodded her head and tightened her grip.

Then I kicked off into the sky, and the little snow leopard let out a whoop of joy as we soared above the mountains that surrounded the valley. Denali watched as we passed over the forest and the river that wound between the Mihireti Mountains, and then she took in a sharp breath as the Breach came into view.

The murky depths of the rip in our realm were filled with the shadowy figures of demons who swam beneath the surface. They slithered and moved in the darkness like snakes in the grass, and she shivered as she peered down at them.

“They’re demons,” I called out over the wind rushing past us. “They’re just waiting for the king’s seal to break, so they can come into our world.”

“And destroy it,” she said in a voice I could barely hear. “They’re horrible.”

“The worst,” I agreed. “That’s why we have to fight. We can’t let them hurt our people.”

“There are so many of them.” Denali wiped a lone tear from her cheek. “If they got through, no one would survive.”

“I’m afraid you’re right,” I said. “There’s even more now than there was last time I was here. They seem to be growing in number, but I’m not sure why.”

Or there are more who have risen to the surface, Miraya pointed out. Either way, the level of danger is rising.

“Where do they come from?” Denali wondered.

“I-I’m not sure,” I admitted with a frown. “I just know they’re in the Underworld now, and they want to come here to destroy everything.”

“Then we can’t let them,” the little Demi-Human decided. “I’ll give you as much of my strength as you need.”

“You’ve done more than I ever expected,” I said as my frown faded with growing hope. “Now, let’s get back to the others.”

“Yeah, you need to get all the other special people,” she agreed. “Your mission must come first.”

“You got it.” I smiled and looped around to return to the valley.

When I landed, Tawa was at my side before my wings even stopped moving, and Denali slid down my side into his arms.

“Did you see what you wanted to see?” he asked her.

“Yes, Papa,” she confirmed with a nod. “I’m glad I decided to help Lord Evan. We can’t let those ugly demons get out.”

“Indeed,” he murmured as he kissed her on the head.

I shifted back to my human form and nodded to everyone else. Denali was good to have on our side, and one day, I had a feeling she’d grow into as fierce of a warrior as her father and aunt.

For now, we needed to get her home and move on to the next Noble Sword location.

“We should get back,” I said. “We still have a lot to do, and the demons are growing.”

“That isn’t good,” Rodion murmured and shook his head. “They’re gaining confidence that the seal will break soon.”

“Then we must hurry,” Alyona agreed. “The portal is still open. We can hurry back to Odrein, then we’ll go back to Hatra to coordinate with the others.”

We said our goodbyes to Rodion and Castor, and they stepped into the king’s portal back to the White Jade Temple. Then we all picked up our coats before Alyona and I led our group back through her portal into the courtyard in Narsglow. The drop in temperature gave us all the shivers, and our teeth clattered as we stepped into the snow in front of the ice palace.

“Is it done?” Isi asked as she rushed forward to look over Denali.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “She was perfect, as was Nokomis.”

“Thank the gods,” the king exhaled and hugged his daughter. “We were worried about you.”

“Lord Evan would never let anything happen to me, Father,” she said with a glance over her shoulder at me.

“Damn straight,” I growled and then winked.

I heard the portal snap shut behind us, and then another sound caught my attention.

Applause.

I whirled around to find dozens of Narsglow citizens had gathered in front of the castle, and they all clapped, cheered, and whistled at our arrival. Even Nahuel stood among the celebration with an excited fist pumping in the air, and I turned and looked at the king and queen with utter confusion.

“We told them what Denali volunteered to do,” Isi explained. “Not everything, as you requested, but we told them she and Nokomis agreed to accompany you on a mission that would save everyone on Inati.”

“They’re obviously pretty excited about it,” Tecumseh chuckled.

“Even though we used magic?” Alyona asked in surprise.

“Yes,” the queen confirmed as she turned to face the crowd. “Thank you all for your support! Our daughter and granddaughter have successfully completed their part of the mission with Lord Evan! We are one step closer to safety!”

The crowd roared with more applause, and I quickly pinched myself to make sure I hadn’t fallen asleep and woken up in some alternate dream world. The people of Odrein were actually okay with our use of magic.

The royals changed the laws, Miraya reminded me. You aren’t technically criminals now that the king and queen gave you permission to use magic.

Yeah, but they didn’t get rid of the ban on magic, I countered. Why are these people so happy?

Maybe because it’s magic they didn’t have to be scared of, she suggested. They can see their own people went with someone magical and returned unharmed with the promise of a brighter future.

I considered that idea for a moment. The royals may not have given the citizens all the details of our mission, but they’d given them enough to tell them we weren’t there to hurt anyone, even with our magic. We only wanted what was best for everyone, and it seemed everyone could finally see that.

“May I say something, Your Majesty?” Nahuel called out above the noise.

The crowd quieted down as everyone turned to look at the polar bear Demi-Human in surprise, and he cleared his throat as he stepped to the front of the group.

“Go ahead,” Isi said with a cautious nod.

“When you told us Princess Nokomis and Lady Denali had left with the dragon lord, we all worried about how his magic could hurt them,” he said carefully. “Now that we’ve seen their pride upon their return, we all can see even the child was willing to trust the right person with magic. If she can do something to help this mission, then we can all do our best to be better people for her. To Denali and Nokomis!”

“Denali and Nokomis!” the crowd cheered and pumped their fists.

“Wow,” I breathed. “They all came together.”

“And you helped with that,” Tecumseh reminded me. “You gave them something to believe in, and you gave us someone magical to understand besides the stories of our ancestors. Odrein has a whole new future ahead of us, thanks to you and your people.”

“I’m glad we could help,” I said with a wide smile.

Then I felt a small tap on my side, and I turned to find Kiona standing next to me with a solemn look on her face as she stroked one of her antlers with anxiety.

“Evan?” she whispered. “I hate to interrupt the celebration…”

“It’s okay, Lady Kiona.” I dropped to one knee and took her hands in mine. “Are you alright? What’s going on?”

“I’m afraid we aren’t done yet,” Kiona said.

Chapter 16

I narrowed my eyes on the somber Demi-Human child as she tugged my hand to pull me into the castle. I turned and motioned for the rest of my people to follow, and I heard the royals yell more thank yous as they followed us inside.

“What do you mean?” I asked once we were in the palace. “We finished the ceremony we came here for.”

“Yes, but I haven’t finished the barrier,” Kiona replied and dropped her head to her chest. “I can’t quite figure it out. Ubira’s notes are jumbled up, and the ancestor journals are even worse. It’s like they’re all speaking another language.”

“Perhaps they are,” Alyona mused and tapped her lip before she turned to the king. “Your Majesty, do you happen to have another pendant Kiona could use?”

“Like mine?” Tecumseh grabbed the pendant that dangled on his chest with surprise. “I-I don’t know. This was a gift from Isi’s father.”

“That makes sense,” Alyona said with a nod. “Do you have any other jewelry similar to it? The inscriptions make it susceptible to magic, and I think I can use one to solve Lady Kiona’s problem.”

“Oh, wait,” Isi cut in. “There’s a bracelet in my jewelry box. Nokomis, you know the one with the turquoise stone?”

“Yes, Mother, I’ll be right back,” Nokomis replied.

The snow leopard princess sprinted up the stairs and returned a few moments later with a gold bracelet that featured a turquoise stone the size of a dime. Each of the links in the bracelet were carved with intricate designs, and Alyona grinned as she inspected each one.

“This will work perfectly,” she said as she clasped the bracelet around Kiona’s wrist. “Tongue of yours, tongue of mine, whisper truths most divine.”

The bracelet glowed a soft blue light and then faded back to normal, and Kiona stared at the jewelry with round eyes.

“What did you do?” she asked the princess.

“I enchanted this bracelet, so whenever you read a language you don’t know, you can still understand it,” Alyona explained. “Now, even if the journals didn’t make sense to you before, they will. Shall we try one?”

“Yes!” Kiona grinned and slipped a text from her satchel.

She and Alyona put their heads together as they skimmed through the scrawled pages of a former shaman’s journal, and I looked up to see the king and queen watching their new shaman with fascination. Isi’s mouth had curled into a small smile, while the king couldn’t seem to help but stare at the small Demi-Human.

Maybe now was the right time for my other questions.

“What if they find the barrier spell?” I asked carefully.

“Then we can prevent magic again,” Tecumseh replied after a brief hesitation.

“You can,” Alyona agreed as she turned from the table with Kiona and squared herself to face the royals. “But do you want to?”

“Why have we always banned magic?” Kiona asked with an air of innocence. “I’ve already used it a few times to help.”

“But you’re the new shaman,” Isi argued. “You’re supposed to use magic to help us.”

“Other people could, too.” Kiona shrugged and looked down at her book. “I guess I just don’t get it.”

“A long time ago, some people used magic to hurt Narsglow,” Alyona said. “And the royals before decided to make sure that never happened again.”

“Well, no one is going to hurt Narsglow while I’m here,” the little Demi-Human said with a small smile. “I would never let anyone do that. I love it here, even though sometimes other kids are mean to me.”

“You won’t have that problem living in the palace,” the king pointed out. “So, you can just use your magic to protect people.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to have some help.” A pink blush colored Kiona’s face as she looked down at her books. “Some of these spells only work with more than one mage. I wouldn’t be able to do them all.”

“Not everyone should be able to do spells,” the queen said with a harsh bite. “They are for special people like you.”

“If you say so, Your Majesty,” Kiona replied and turned her attention back to her book.

“Even the child shaman disagrees with the law, even if she doesn’t know how to say it,” I said.

Isi and Tecumseh looked at each other and frowned, while Tawa ushered Denali back to her room. Then he stood and crossed his arms over his chest as he awaited his parents’ decision. I wasn’t sure if he’d speak out again, but I was fairly certain his mind was made up. He enjoyed using his magic. I’d seen it on his face when we’d fought the shadow spider today. And there was no doubt his daughter would enjoy it, too, and she had the potential to be one hell of a fighter when her time came.

“You’ve seen for yourself how good magic can be,” Nokomis pointed out. “I used it to determine Kiona’s honesty, and she has already helped heal our land of the rifts. And Tawa used his power against an evil creature today, and then Lord Evan used his magic to cleanse the evil from Rahma. Magic isn’t always bad.”

“We can agree with that,” Isi said with a curt nod. “But there’s no way to know if someone will use it in a bad way until they do.”

“And there’s no way to know if someone will kidnap your sister-in-law until they do,” I chimed in with a smirk. “You had no idea Lenno would do something like that until he did it. He didn’t have magic to turn his choices into bad ones. He did that one on his own.”

“Well, if he’d had magic, that could have been much worse,” Tecumseh argued. “He could have used one of those portals to take her somewhere we couldn’t find her.”

“And if your people were allowed to protect themselves with magic, he may not have ever been able to take her,” I said with a shrug. “There will always be an argument one way or another with magic. The way it’s used will always depend on the person using it.”

“So, how do we know if people will use it in a good way?” Isi asked with tears of worry in her brown eyes. “What if more Vis Imperio come up?”

“You can’t stop every bad thing, Your Majesty,” Ravi said with a kind smile. “Trust me. My people are only known for doing good, yet that is exactly what drew the demons to us in the first wave of the Breach war. We never did anything to hurt others, and our purity became our weakness. Evil will always want to do evil, but the good ones must do their best to fight it.”

“But they can’t fight it when they’re only allowed to bring a dagger to a sword fight,” Rebecca added.

“Well, perhaps you could put a barrier that blocks dark magic,” Isi suggested. “Then they couldn’t possibly hurt good people or stop good magic, right?”

“I’m afraid there’s no spell for that,” Alyona said and then furrowed her brow. “But there’s something that may ease your mind. Are you willing to allow magic in Odrein?”

“We… are considering it,” Tecumseh replied haltingly. “What do you have in mind?”

“Rather than a barrier against all magic inside it, why not a protective spell for Odrein?” Alyona suggested. “If it is maintained, it could alert the shaman of anyone who enters the barrier without good intentions for Odrein in their hearts. The spell wouldn’t keep them out, but the shaman would know immediately when someone with ill intentions passes through.”

“Magic can read someone’s intentions?” Isi asked with wide eyes.

“Not specifically,” Alyona admitted. “But I think I can combine the protective barrier with Nokomis’ empathic ability, and it would read the emotions of ill will toward your people. Then you could protect yourselves from the enemy, magical or not.”

“Will you give us a few minutes, please?” Tecumseh asked as he motioned for Isi to follow him into the dining hall.

The royals disappeared from sight, and I looked at Alyona with an impressed smile.

“That’s a pretty good compromise, Your Highness,” I said.

“I’ve learned a few things from my oh-so-diplomatic husband,” she giggled.

“Me, too,” Nike agreed. “Like how not to talk to the Goddess of the Unrevealed.”

The rest of us started laughing while Kiona watched us with raised eyebrows and confusion until we saw the king and queen return to the great hall. Then we straightened up and waited for their decision.

“Princess Alyona, we have decided to accept your suggestion,” Isi declared. “It is in Odrein’s best interests to open ourselves up to new magical possibilities, and we can no longer avoid its existence in our lands.”

“Really?” Tawa gaped at his mother in shock.

“Yes,” Tecumseh chuckled. “With that said, we will also issue a decree throughout the country that magic is no longer forbidden, though dark magic will be. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee dark magic won’t be practiced, but with this protection spell in place, we have high hopes that no wrongdoers will be given free entry into our home.”

“That’s wonderful!” Nokomis clapped her hands and hugged the queen. “I’m so proud of you, Mother.”

The two snow leopards shared a fond smile, and Alyona grinned as she turned back to Kiona.

“Alright, you’re getting a good lesson today,” she said. “We’ll be combining power into a written spell. Come on, I’ll show you how to rewrite one.”

The princess led the little shaman to the table near the couches, and they set to writing out a new spell. While we waited, I was pleasantly surprised at the appearance of the kitchen staff with small pieces of fruit and bread, and we scarfed them down and chatted about the new laws regarding magic.

“I would be very clear about dark magic,” I suggested as Sotsona took notes from the royals. “You can’t just say ‘no dark magic’ because someone new to the stuff might not know. It needs to be like ‘no necromancy, no spell that requires a living sacrifice,’ stuff like that.”

Except to please the gods, Miraya added.

“Oh, right, except for the ones to the gods,” I agreed. “Some of the old rituals have that.”

“How dreadful,” Isi murmured. “Do the gods truly want that?”

“Yeah, I have a feeling a few of them are perfectly fine with it,” I said as I thought back to the angry Goddess of the Unrevealed. “They aren’t all nice.”

“You really have met the gods?” Tecumseh asked as he narrowed his eyes on me.

“A few.” I shrugged and bit into a tender orange, which dribbled juice down my chin.

“We met one today,” Tawa said. “The Goddess of the Unrevealed.”

“Oh, wow,” Isi breathed. “At your ceremony?”

“Yeah, although she didn’t seem too excited to be there,” Nokomis laughed. “And she didn’t like when Lord Evan told her she could be nicer.”

“You didn’t!” the queen gasped and covered her mouth.

“Well, I only agreed with Denali,” I chuckled.

Isi nearly choked on her apple as she looked over at Tawa, who nodded his head and grimaced.

“Yes, my outspoken daughter informed the Goddess of the Unrevealed that she wasn’t as nice as the God of Punishment,” he muttered. “Luckily, Lord Evan agreed with her and took the focus from Denali, or I’m afraid her threat to strike someone down may have been followed through.”

“Done!” Alyona called out.

Kiona held up a piece of parchment paper with a triumphant smile, and the two magical ladies walked over to join us.

“What do you need for it?” I asked. “Bones of a chicken? Skin of a super rare fish?”

“None of that,” Alyona giggled. “We only need to channel Nokomis’ power with the blessing of a leader of the land.”

“Well, that’s easy enough,” Isi said with a smile. “How do we bless it?”

“We’ll start the spell, and when I look at you, you’ll say, ‘I bestow it,’” Alyona explained. “Can you do that?”

“Of course,” the queen replied with a regal lift of her shoulders.

“Great.” My wife smiled and turned to Nokomis. “For you, I’ll just need you to stand behind Lady Kiona with your hands on her shoulders. She will access your power through physical contact.”

“Easy enough,” Nokomis agreed as she positioned herself behind Kiona.

Then Alyona walked to stand in front of Kiona and kneeled down with the parchment between them.

“Are you ready, little one?” she asked in a soft voice.

“Ready,” Kiona said with a nod.

“Then let’s begin.” Alyona closed her eyes and took Kiona’s hands as they began to chant the spell together.

“North, south, east, and west, guardian of life and land so blessed,” they intoned. “Heart of hearts, soul of souls, protect Odrein from danger’s tolls.”

Suddenly, a blast of brilliant blue light burst from their hands and erupted in every direction around us. It blew past me like a gust of cool air, and it disappeared past the walls of the castle. Then the air stood still again, and Alyona and Kiona opened their eyes with delighted smiles.

“We did it!” Kiona gasped as she hugged Alyona. “We did the spell! The barrier is up!”

“Great job, Lady Kiona,” I said with a smile. “You’re a quick study. I think you’re a natural.”

“Thank you, Evan,” she replied and blushed a bright red. “I’m very grateful for all of you. The voice told me you could help, but I wasn’t so sure then. I’m glad I listened.”

“Who was the voice anyway?” I wondered.

“I don’t know,” Kiona said with a shrug.

Her own spirit guide, Miraya answered. She doesn’t have a Noble Sword, but many things can bring a spirit guide to someone who needs it.

“Well, I have it on good authority it was your spirit guide,” I echoed. “So, I think you’ll be in pretty good hands even after we leave.”

“Oh, that reminds me!” Alyona jumped up and grabbed Kiona’s hand. “Let me show you the mirror messaging before we leave.”

The magical duo returned to the table to go over their communication spell, and Nokomis still stood in the same place with a dazed look on her face.

“Are you okay?” I asked softly as I stepped closer to her. “You look lost.”

“I am, a little,” she admitted. “I know you said I could go wherever you go, but I’ve always come back home when I leave for an adventure. If I go now, then it’s for good. And I’ve never been anywhere without my brother.”

She looked wistfully over my shoulder at Tawa, who stood with his parents, Nike, and the rest of my lovers as they discussed the barrier and new laws.

“It doesn’t have to be for good,” I pointed out and lifted her chin to look at me. “And it’s not like you’d never talk to him again. We have many ways to communicate, and Alyona can make a portal whenever she wants. If you miss them, you can come visit.”

“It’s that easy?” Nokomis asked as she peered into my eyes.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “You can send one of my messenger dragons if you just want to check in, or you can portal home if you want that. I’ll never keep you from your family. I only want to add to it.”

“And the others will welcome me?” she wondered with an uncertain grimace.

“Can’t you feel their love already?” I chuckled. “They can’t wait to meet you. Listen to the soul bridges. They love you without having even seen you yet. I think they’d probably want to fight me if I don’t at least bring you to meet them.”

“I-I honestly can’t imagine letting you leave without me,” she whispered.

“Then don’t,” I said and pulled her in for a warm kiss.

The snow leopard Demi-Human gasped against my mouth but then seemed to melt against me as she pressed her lips to mine. I kept my hands in G-rated places since Kiona was in the room, and when we finally pulled apart, I realized every eye in the room was on us.

My lovers looked thrilled at the PDA, but the royals were in complete shock as they stared at us with open mouths and eyes so wide, I could see the whites around their irises.

“My daughter, what is going on here?” Tecumseh finally asked.

“Father, Mother, I’m in love with Lord Evan,” Nokomis declared as she slid her hand down to mine and squeezed. “I’m leaving with him, but he promised he would help me come back to visit whenever I want or if you need me.”

“B-But what about…” Isi trailed off as she looked at Alyona with bewilderment.

“We welcome her into our family with open arms,” my wife filled in as she stepped forward and took Nokomis’ other hand. “She has become a sister of the heart, and we all love her.”

“Koko, are you serious?” Tawa asked in a hushed voice.

“I know it’s hard to think about not being together all the time,” Nokomis said softly. “We’ve always been together, Tawa, but this is real love. I didn’t get that before, but I have the chance now. I can’t possibly let it go. You understand, right?”

“I understand love,” he countered with a frown. “But is that how Lord Evan feels about you and his wife?”

“And all my women,” I added. “I love them all equally, and they love me and each other. It’s a bond not many people understand, so I know you might not get it, but I promise it’s real.”

“You love… several women like this?” Tawa asked and looked over at Skye, Isabella, Rebecca, Ravi, and Alyona, who all nodded their confirmations. “And you all love him?”

“With all our hearts,” Rebecca answered without hesitation.

“I suppose if the love is real, I can understand that,” Tawa murmured with a glance at his still-shocked parents. “I would never let Imala go without me.”

“Exactly,” Nokomis said and smiled. “You love her like I love Lord Evan, and I’m going with him. I know you’ll take care of Odrein.”

“Of course,” he agreed before he stepped forward to pull her into a hug. “I hope this makes you happy. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you smile so much.”

“It’s been a long time since someone made me smile this way,” Nokomis replied in a soft voice.

“I suppose that’s it, then,” Tecumseh declared as he swept the room with his gaze.

“I’ll miss you, my daughter,” Isi said and choked back a sob.

“Oh, Mother, I’ll come visit,” Nokomis promised. “We just have to finish this mission first. It’s more important than anything else.”

“I know,” the queen whispered as they hugged. “And you’re the perfect person to help Lord Evan finish it. Go kill that Demon King bastard.”

“No mercy,” Nokomis agreed with a grin.

We all shook hands and hugged our goodbyes, but Alyona saved Kiona for last. She pulled the little Demi-Human to the side, and they were both in tears as they prepared for our departure. I knew Alyona already cared deeply for the tiny shaman, and it hurt her heart to leave Kiona behind, but it was for the best to let Kiona shine in her new role. She was already gifted in her magic, and her power would only grow as she learned more.

Not to mention, she had to stay and maintain the barrier spell to help keep Narsglow safe. And something told me the royals would be giving other mages a chance to show their abilities to use good magic as well. Odrein would be better off with good, knowledgeable mages ready to learn more about their power and how to protect their people.

Once Alyona was finished talking to Kiona, the little shaman squeezed her so tightly, Alyona looked like she might burst. Then they let go, and Alyona led us out the front door to the courtyard without another word.

She opened the portal to Hatra, and I caught a glimpse of the warm, sandy ground ahead.

“Oh, gods, yessss,” I groaned and turned to Nokomis. “Get ready to not need that big ass coat.”

“I’m ready,” she giggled as she squeezed my hand.

We all waved to the royal family and then followed Alyona through the portal into our home city. We stepped into Hatra, and I took a breath of the arid wind and warm sunlight.

Much better than Inati’s version of the North Pole.

Then I realized the city was teeming with activity. People of all kinds rushed past us with little more than a “good afternoon, my lord” before they continued about their business.

“Odd,” I murmured. “Normally, people are way more excited to see me.”

“Oh, no, are you alright, my lord?” Rebecca teased. “Should I massage your pride?”

“Maybe a little.” I stuck out my tongue and laughed. “I’m just surprised to see so much going on. We haven’t been gone that long, right?”

“Only a week,” Alyona agreed. “Something is certainly happening.”

“Well, let’s get to the Lunar Palace and find out,” I decided.

We meandered through the busy streets of Hatra to the castle, and I was both surprised and pumped to see my father standing out front talking to two dragons. He looked completely baffled as he listened to them tell a story that involved a lot of hand movements, and he tugged on his bushy red tail as he listened.

Then Ruslan seemed to notice our arrival, and he turned toward us with a wide grin. He held up a finger to pause their conversation before he rushed down the sidewalk to greet us.

“My son has returned!” he declared and squeezed me into a hug. “How was Odrein? Did you-- oh! I see you found someone.”

My father eyed Nokomis, who had shed her fur coat with the rest of us and now stood in a leather crop top and skintight leather pants with the Noble Sword hanging from her belt. The coat had hidden her spotted tail, and it now swayed freely behind her as she looked at Ruslan with an amused smile.

“Is this your father, my lord?” she asked.

“I am,” Ruslan replied proudly. “And you are?”

“Nokomis of Narsglow,” she answered with a small curtsy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you… ah, sir.”

“Ruslan,” he filled in. “And you are a Noble of the Sword? Which one, might I ask?”

“The Sword of Mercy,” Nokomis said and smiled.

“Alright, alright, stop staring, Pops,” I laughed. “Now, tell me what’s going on here.”

I jerked my head toward the dragons in front of the Lunar Palace, and Ruslan’s smile quickly faded.

“Ah, yes, we must discuss this,” he said in a solemn voice.

I motioned for everyone else to wait as I followed Ruslan over to the dragons. They had a familial resemblance with the same slender build and pale-yellow scales on their forearms. They shared the same straw-colored hair and bright blue eyes, but they both looked worn down, like they’d spent weeks walking across the desert to get here, though that seemed unlikely since they could have flown.

Something else must have been the culprit for their exhaustion.

“Is this Lord Evan?” the one on the right asked with a cautious glance at me.

“Yes, he’s the one who sent the message,” Ruslan confirmed. “Lord Evan, these brothers are Mikhail and Angelos. You might have guessed they are also dragons.”

“I gathered that,” I agreed with a grim smile. “You two look like you need a hot meal and a bed. Have you had a chance to rest since you arrived?”

“No, my lord.” Mikhail shook his head and frowned.

“Why not?” I asked with a confused look at Ruslan.

“They insisted on waiting for you,” he explained. “I wouldn’t keep them from what they need, son.”

“Of course not,” I said. “We will make sure you have what you need. Let’s have Forsythe prepare a meal. I’m starving anyway. He can make enough for these two, and we’ll sit down and discuss how they can be part of Hatra. Do you two have any skills?”

“We do, my lord, but there’s a reason we waited for you,” Angelos replied and wrung his hands in front of him.

“I’m often gone for weeks at a time,” I said and arched a curious eyebrow. “I don’t think you would want to wait weeks without a meal, brothers. You look starved.”

“We wanted to speak with you before we rested,” Mikhail insisted. “It is of the utmost importance.”

“You have my attention,” I said. “What do I need to know?”

“We have come from Afur,” Angelos answered as he wiped the sweat from his brow and left a streak of dirt across his forehead. “We received your message, though we still flew with caution. You said the Sage is dead?”

“Yes,” I confirmed with a nod. “My dragon mate beheaded him here with this very blade.”

I gestured to the Sword of Healing in my scabbard, and they both nodded approvingly.

“This is a great relief, my lord,” Mikhail said. “But the Sage was not the only enemy of our kind.”

“What do you mean?” I demanded.

“We are not from Afur,” he explained carefully. “We are from Rahma, but many years ago, a group of men took us captive. We were already hiding from the Sage, and they took advantage of our fear.”

“They preyed on our worries of fighting or flying away,” his brother added and furrowed his brow with anger. “They didn’t kill us, and we figured that was better than the Sage, who had already promised death to all of us.”

“But they were just as bad,” Mikhail continued. “They forced us to do their bidding, which usually meant destroying their enemies with our fire.”

“If we refused, we were tortured,” Angelos said as he lifted his shirt to reveal numerous scars across his belly.

The pink lines criss-crossed nearly his entire torso, and I growled at the thought of someone hurting one of my brothers. The familiar fiery rage rumbled in my chest, and I clenched my fists as I listened to them continue.

“When we received your message, we felt hope for the first time in years,” Mikhail explained with a half-smile. “We knew if we got away from our captors, we’d be safer than with them, instead of worrying about the Sage killing us.”

“So, we waited a few days to plan, and then we escaped,” Angelos sighed. “I have never appreciated the open skies more than I did this morning.”

“I know that feeling,” I said and smiled, though my heart pounded in my chest. “You are welcome to stay here as long as you like. It sounds like I have a slight detour on my mission I need to take care of.”

The blond-haired dragons looked at each other with disbelief before they turned back toward me.

“But they killed dozens of people who stood in their way,” Mikhail said and lowered his head. “And we helped them.”

“Under threat of torture and death,” I grunted. “I do not hold you responsible for these deaths. Who are these people?”

“We only ever heard one name,” Mikhail replied. “The guy who ran the place, everyone called him Kocin.”

“Then that’s whose head I’ll be removing,” I snarled. “Where can I find him?”

“That’s not everything, my lord,” Angelos said with a grimace. “There’s something else you need to know.”

“Well, what is it?” I demanded.

I wanted nothing more than to take off into the skies, find this Kocin guy, and rip his head from his shoulders. Anything else they told me would likely just add fuel to my fire.

“We weren’t the only dragons being held in Afur,” Mikhail nearly whispered.

And then my fire raged over the edge.

No one fucked with my brothers.

End of Book 18

End Notes

Thank you for reading Dragon Emperor 18! 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

.

End Notes

Thank you for reading Dragon Emperor 18! 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