Page 42 of A Court of Darkness and Dragons

I slapped a hand to my mouth. “Was that my outside voice?”

His smile was slow and wicked. “It was.”

I rolled my eyes, though heat crept up my neck. “It’s not like you don’t know it.”

“I appreciate your fondness for my body,” he said, still smirking, “but I assure you the feeling is mutual.”

I tore my gaze away from him and nodded toward the window. “What’s going on outside?”

“A courier is giving Major Ledor a missive,” Zander said, scanning the Ascension Grounds. His tone shifted, sharpening. “He looks a little panicked. I think we have to go.”

I grunted, dragging myself out of bed. “Wars are hell on one’s sex life.”

Zander actually laughed. “I promise to spend a week in bed with you when this is over.”

My heart gave a treacherous flutter at that, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I grabbed my leathers from the chair and began dressing. Zander did the same, the easy banter fading as the reality of another day’s fight settled over us like armor.

We moved quickly through the castle’s corridors, the sound of our boots striking stone echoing ahead of us. The tension in Zander’s stride told me that whatever Major Ledor’s message had been, it wasn’t good.

The Ascension Grounds were alive with motion when we arrived—dragons circling overhead, their shadows sweeping over the training fields. Major Ledor stood with Remy near the center, their conversation cut short the moment they spotted us. Relief flickered over Ledor’s face as he stepped forward.

“I was just about to send for you,” he said.

“Report,” Zander commanded, his tone clipped.

“Severeth has been located,” Ledor replied without preamble.

“Where is she?” Zander’s voice was curt, a flicker of tension in his jaw.

“She is leading the fae army,” Ledor said grimly.

Zander blinked, his surprise plain. “She left Warriath?”

“Why would she do that?” I asked, scanning the skies as though I might see her myself.

Remy’s gaze tracked the dragons wheeling above us. “She got what she came for. That, and she has people in place who will do her bidding.”

Zander’s expression hardened. “The assassination attempt on Ashe proves she has more spies in this castle than we thought. It may have been her plan to kill Theron and Inderia all along.”

I shook my head. “Not Inderia. Losing an apprentice would not be part of the plan—but she didn’t think twice about sacrificing her when it served her purpose.”

Major Ledor’s voice dropped lower. “The army is closing in.”

Zander turned toward the dragons overhead, his shoulders squaring. “Then it’s time to meet them.”

I took a deep breath, knowing that our time had run out. War was upon us.

Zander’s gaze cut to Major Ledor, his voice carrying like steel through the Ascension Grounds. “Call the squads to order.”

The command rippled through the field. Ledor barked orders to the heralds, and in moments the great horns sounded—deep, rolling notes that vibrated in my chest. Dragons above broke their lazy circles, wheeling into tighter patterns as riders streamed onto the grounds.

One by one, we took our places behind our banners, the air thick with the mingled scents of leather, dragon fire, and sharpened steel.

Zander stepped up to the podium in front of the gathered forces, the morning sun cutting over his shoulders and glinting off the gold of his pauldrons. When he spoke, his voice carried across the grounds, ringing with authority.

“War is upon us,” he began, eyes sweeping the assembly. “The enemy marches not only to claim our land but to enslave our people, our dragons, our very magic. But they will find no easy victory here. We have faced betrayal. We have buried our dead. And yet, we are still standing. Today, we take to the skies—not for glory, but for the survival of everything we hold dear.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the ranks, growing louder until it was nearly a roar.