“How do you know it’s a she?”
“The females don’t have horns.”
I’d never noticed that and how it made Eltanin differ from Athebyne. For this wondrous moment in history, battle on the ground didn’t exist. But in the sky…
A bright collision stole my attention as I realized Astraea battled Auster with unfaltering might above us. I knew she was far more powerful than him, but sometimes all it took was the right precision strike to win.
The blue dragon threw its head back as if watching Astraea and Auster too. Then its roar mixed with a shriek that pierced my ears, causing everyone to wince. We had to shield our eyes next when its wings cast out and sent powerful gusts of wind that threatened to knock all of us off balance as it took flight.
“Where is she going?” Nadia asked.
Dread twisted in him as the blue dragon looked to be heading toward Astraea.
No, not Astraea. The dragon pivoted when space stretched between Auster and Astraea, heading for…
“The dragon chose Auster,” Drystan breathed in disbelief.
“Why? He has wings!” Nadia cried bitterly.
“They don’t choose by species; they go where they feel needed.”
I couldn’t believe my eyes when Astraea struck Auster hard with her violet light, tumbling his flight. Then the blue dragoncaught him.
“That bastard,” Nyte seethed under his breath.
The dragon’s roar shook the stars, and it began to fly away. It was small with an incredible speed that took the cowardly retreating Auster Nova away from Astraea’s vengeance fast.
Nyte thought the battle was over, until Astraea began to chase.
23Astraea
I didn’t want to harm the beautiful blue dragon, but when it kept carrying Auster, darting with him to avoid my attempts to knock him off, frustration turned me ruthless.
Gathering a bigger force of light, I projected it toward the dragon instead. It slammed into its side, and the dragon roared its pain, knocked violently off course, which threw Auster off its back.
I didn’t waste a breath, diving after him, and when I touched him, I pulled us both through the void.
When the shadows dispersed and our feet felt ground, I summoned enough magick to clash with Auster’s lightning. My attack was quick, pushing distance between us.
We both let go, panting to catch our breath, but the air was thick with our heartache and tension.
Auster surveyed the wreckage around him with loathing plastered on his face. I’d brought us to the destruction of his castle, but the devastation didn’t end here. His entire province had suffered because of him.
“Why did you bring us here?”
“To remind you of all you’ve done. You’ve made a ruin of your lands and an enemy of me.” Auster’s rage climbed to frightening heights over the accusation I threw and those brown eyes speared me with it.
“You are the cause!” He spat.
I shook my head, despising thepityI felt for him after all he’d done.
“I am your blame. But every path you took toward your own spiral of madness wasyourchoice.”
“You think yourself so mighty and pure when even the gods who created you see your failure to your duty. You were to be a beacon of hope, an example of perfect order, for the people. Instead, you became a symbol of corruption. A rebellious leader with a poisonous influence that had to be stopped.”
“I pity you, Auster Nova. To be so alone and power hungry that you ruined everything you could have had.”
“You made me this way!”
