“Don’t get too ahead of yourself.”
Zath shifted, laying his head back on her thighs with a sigh. “I’m just waiting for you to catch up.”
My heart swelled with so much love for the both of them. For everyone in this room.
Zath was right: war was on our doorstep and we couldn’t waste a second on any negative feelings.
“I doubt they’ve all bonded,” Drystan said, completely lost in his own thoughts about the dragons. “There could still be a chance of other vampires finding bonds with them. I’m hoping for it. It’s about time the world started to see we are all one people. There are no chosen ones.”
My wound from Auster emitted a sharp pain and I rubbed over it absentmindedly.
“The blue dragon that chose Auster, Edasich…” I trailed off.
“She can bond again,” Drystan assured. “It might take a while for her to heal and trust again, but it’s been recorded in the past that dragons have had multiple riders, or never have had any at all, but those are typically the most vicious dragons. Rastaban is a prime example. They don’t crave companionship, only their own power, and they will slay kin for it. They’ve even been known to lure humans into a false bond for their own gain before killing them.”
“All those dragons and we never got one,” Zath said to Rose with a sigh.
Drystan knew exactly how many of each color were roaming now, but the knowledge already left me with so much to keep track of.
“Lilith did,” Davina said casually.
“You didn’t mention that,” Drystan accused. “Which one? What’s her name?”
Lilith giggled. “Hisname is Altais. The yellow one we freed in Pyxtia.”
Wonder filled my mind as I imagined a sky of colorful and colorless dragons dominating our skies.
“That’s incredible,” I said to her.
“Where is he now?” Drystan quizzed, scribbling more notes.
“Eating or sleeping, I presume. He likes the forest, though he’s seemed a little distressed ever since he woke up. I’m still figuring out this bond between us so I can know what’s wrong.”
“The yellow dragons will be suffering the most without the sunlight,” Drystan informed. Then he asked, “Any other particularly vicious or wary looking dragons I should know about?”
Everyone shook their heads.
I turned my attention to Davina, about to ask about the fae resistance, but I was distracted by her fingers lacing with Lilith’s. My brows curved in a questioning look, and a blush fanned across Lilith’s freckled cheeks.
“Is there something you two have to share as well?” I teased.
Davina smiled fondly at Lilith, brushing her thumb along her fair cheek, like it was habit. “I guess war has a way of making people say ‘fuck the doubt and take the leap,’” she said boldly.
We all chuckled at that and I was bursting inside. After this last month of travel and failure and quests and trials, feeling a slow spiral into helplessness,all I needed was to come home. To see all was never lost so long as I had everyone in this room—my family.
Even after two days of mostly rest—since Nyte all but held me hostage in my rooms to heal—I still had to lean a hand on the council table everyone stood around.
Drystan, Nadia, Zathrian, Rosalind, Davina, and Lilith were here. The others had not returned. Filling up the rest of this meeting were generals of the Maiden’s resistance from across the continent. Vampire leaders Laviana had sent while she was still working on convincing others, and a couple of celestial higher ups from Auster’s court, who swore fealty to me.
We gathered to share knowledge to figure out how the Gods of Dusk and Dawn might plan to attack.
“Katerina—Dawn—has still been sighted in the Luna province, maintaining her guise,” Drystan reported.
Zephyr was still being safeguarded with his children in Nadir’s home. I didn’t want to risk Dawn coming after them. I just couldn’t wrap my head around her objective in being idle in the Luna province.
“And Dusk?” I asked.
“He’s fully taken on the guise of Aquilo,” Elliot informed. Nyte had tasked him with leading a scouting team for Dusk. “The armies of house Sera are gathering, and what’s worse, Notus has joined him. I believe he knows he’s allying with the God of Dusk and not Aquilo.”
