Itis our minds.Longago, dragons devised this method of communicating with the fae.
Stopthat!Canyou always read my thoughts now?
Onlywhen you are letting them run rampant, as you are now.
So, knowing me, always.
Underneathme, a deep chuckle rumbled throughAbraxas’ chest.Junlet out a small squeak, andIsqueezed his hand again.Thelaugh died quickly.Ididn’t have to hear his thoughts to know why.
Wewill get there in time.
Yes, and then what?Mypeople will see a dragon descending on them, just as one did five hundred years ago.Morefear, more death.
Thescales of his neck were warm asIstroked them.YousavedXyrthen; you will save it now.
Isurrendered.Thatis no salvation.
Doyou think the survivors of that day would agree with you?Hedidn’t answer me.Ilay my head down to hear the beating of his heart under the rush of the wind.
Thesurrounding clouds broke, and the warmth of the sun on my skin was blissful.Mymomentary relief was broken whenIlooked down at my city.Smokebillowed from every quarter.Icouldn’t hear it yet, butIcould see our soldiers clashing with the enemy in the streets.Citizensfled in every direction.
IfeltAbraxas’ massive jaw clench.It’sjust like five hundred years ago.Whatwill the beast inside me do when it finally smells all that blood?
Igripped down onto his neck with my hand.Itwill be different this time.Thistime, we fight together.
Heturned his head, his golden eye landing on me.Yes, we fight together.
Hedescendedfrom the heavens like the god of old that he was.Thegreat plaza ofXyrwas filled with bodies running in every direction; shouting and screams filled the air.ButasAbraxasbroke through the clouds, an unnatural silence fell as every head turned towards the sky; swords and spears were held aloft but unmoving.
Timeto be a bit dramatic,IheardAbraxassay.
Iclutched ontoJun’shand tighter.Abraxastucked in his wings, and we dove from the sky; the wind was so fast thatIfelt it might rend the skin from my flesh.Then, in an instant, he spread his wings wide; they stretched nearly over the entire plaza.Mylegs shifted as he pulled in a great breath, and his heart glowed.Aroar so deep it resounded in my whole body filled the plaza as dragonfire filled the sky.
Therewas only one place to land where our people wouldn’t be crushed underneath him.Thestone statue of the dragon at the center of the plazaIhad once thought enormous was now nothing but a tiny, pale imitation of the real thing.AsAbraxas’ claws gripped it to find purchase, it crumbled beneath him.JunandIjolted as the statue gave way, butAbraxaswas unphased as he finally landed on the stone floor.
Faceslooked up at us, both friend and foe.Noone moved.Noone dared.Thewind swept up in a flurry, and a voice was carried to me on that harsh breeze.
“PrincessTori!”Isaw the source;LadyBogata, accompanied by a group ofDragonArmysoldiers andCommanderTalius.Hershout broke the spell on the plaza, and the soldiers of theGoldenArmymoved forward.Mybrother andIlaunched ourselves offAbraxas’ back.Ipushed him behind me and swung my sword to engage one of the soldiers fighting nearby.Helooked at me for only a moment before he was crushed under a giant claw.Ilooked back atAbraxas.
Ican handle myself, you know.
Henodded.GettoLadyBogata.
IgrippedJun’shand to pull him after me asIfought my way through, but to my surprise, he stepped in front of me and shouted, “MOVE.”
Thesoldiers in our way parted like a giant invisible hand had swept them to the side, and we dashed through.Afew errant swords came at us, butIblocked them and quickly dispatched their wielders.
Wemade it across the plaza quickly, andTaliusand his men parted to let us enter their circle of protection.
“Thatwas quite an entrance,YourHighness.Iassume that is our king behind you?”LadyBogata’sface held the shadow of a smile, but it was lost amongst the dirt and exhaustion.
“Yes.Butfor now,Ineed a battle report.”Taliushad shifted himself inside the circle to talk with me.
“YourMajesty, the enemy was spotted early due to our patrols.Buttheir numbers overwhelmed us, and they were able to enter the city.Theyhave been using it to their advantage, engaging civilians to divide our forces.”LadyBogata’smouth twitched at the honorific he gave me but said nothing.
Angerroiled in my chest untilIcould feel the dragonfire licking at my fingertips. “Whichdistricts have been taken, and which are still safe?”
“Themarket and gardens district have been overrun.Weare evacuating the seaside district up to the mist district and the castle.”
