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Thud, thud, thud. That was…louder…
Thud, thud, THUD!
Actually…that sounded like footsteps…growing closer…
A lot of footsteps.
A sense of foreboding sank into her stomach. “Tristan?”
He stirred and snatched her naked body against him. “Eager for another go?” he asked drowsily.
“Tristan, wake up.” The urgency in her voice made his eyes flash open…right as the door did. June scrambled to cover herself with the sheet while Tristan catapulted out of bed.
“What is the meaning of this?” he bellowed.
Several soldiers rushed forward. Two restrained him by the arms while three levered swords at his throat. Another set entered behind them and started for June. She scrambled backwards off the bed, dragging the sheet with her and putting the mattress between her and the intruders.
Belinda’s voice halted them. “Don’t bother, boys. She is no threat.” She crossed the threshold, brandishing a broadsword. She spared June a dismissive glance before focusing on Tristan.
Tristan snarled, “If you wish to challenge me, Belinda, there is a more honorable way to go about it.”
“You know nothing of honor. You killed your father to take the throne and then you make our kingdom weak by choosing this human as your mate. You disgust me.”
June would feel the pain of those words later, but for now, she tried to remain innocuous as she inched back slowly, one tiny step at a time. One might think she was backing away in fear, and, in part, she was, but she was also closing the distance between her and the intercom that was fixed on the wall.
“Whoever told you I did anything to cause my father’s death is making a fool of you all,” Tristan spat. “I would have given my life to save him. You were not there, Belinda. You did not experience the chaos of that war, but many of your comrades were.”
Tristan eyed them all in turn. “Lyrian, Rangard, Eon, you were all there, fighting by my side. You saw what we were up against. I would have given my life to save my father if I could. I swear that on my life. Stand down now and I will no’ execute you for treason.”
Doubt crossed a few of their faces. Still, June continued her contrived retreat. Just a few more feet.
“Treason! Ha! You cannot betray the betrayer,” Belinda argued. “We have witnesses who can attest to your treasury firsthand.”
“Impossible. Who are these so-called witnesses and what do they have to gain by spreading such lies?”
“They prefer to remain anonymous.”
“Cowards,” Tristan hissed.
“I do this for our kingdom.” Apparently Belinda was done talking. She raised her sword.
June cried out and leapt for the intercom. “Help! We’re under attack!”
Belinda shifted her aim and launched her sword at June. June felt the wind of the blade as it sliced past her cheek and imbedded half into the wall, splitting the intercom down the middle. Sparks spurted from the device.
Then came a whirlwind of commotion.
Tristan roared, the sound so menacing, a chill ran up June’s spine. He was half into his transformation before she realized it, and then suddenly his big dragon body was taking up too much space. Jaws snapping, his wings stabbed into the walls on either side of him. June managed to duck just in time to avoid decapitation. Bits of plaster crumbled around her as dust invaded her lungs. His back punched through the ceiling, bringing down more debris. His hind leg spread out over the bed, cracking the frame and pushing the entire bed across the room toward June. She didn’t have enough time to move out of the way, but luckily it stopped just a few feet from hitting her.
In reaction to Tristan’s change, Belinda shifted, as did the guard to her right, and suddenly there were three snarling dragons in a space that barely held one. The other guards fled into the hall as the three beasts started snapping and striking at each other.
June was trapped in her corner on the opposite side of the room from the door. If she saw an opening, she might dare to sprint for the exit, but she’d be at the mercy of the guards that remained to witness the outcome. For now, she huddled, trying to become as small a target as possible as the attack turned into a frenzy of snatching teeth and slashing claws.
Tristan went for Belinda’s throat while the other dragon bit into Tristan’s shoulder. The sound of crunching bones made June nauseous. Then she nearly lost track of who was who as the creatures slithered around the darkened room and thrashed, aggressively writhing for supremacy in a space that could not accommodate them, smashing anything in their wake. Picture frames snapped, glass shattering to the floor. End tables were pummeled into splinters. More of the walls crumbled with each violent body slam. The ceiling was little more than scraps on the floor getting pounded to dust.
In the mayhem, June caught sight of blood dripping from all three sets of mouths. Across the room, a massive lizard-like tail busted through the balcony doors. Moonlight flooded in, glinting off the sword that was still lodged in the wall above her.
June secured the sheet around her naked body and then grabbed the sword’s hilt, ripping it free. This drew the attention of both the guard at the door and one of the dragons battling Tristan.
