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Fel knew the boundless wouldn’t leave them alone for long, and yet this fire ring, so soon, was still unexpected. There was no metallic rock near him, so if enemies flew through, he’d need to try to fight with his fire—his pitiful dragon magic.
Perhaps Leah could manage to get them out of here, but she’d done a lot already, and was perhaps about to overuse her powers. The last thing he wanted was to see her passed out, weak, to feel the life slipping from her. He stared at the circle forming near them, feeling his own fire burning in his chest, his own power wanting to be released.
A dragon flew in, a familiar blue dragon. Fel relaxed.
It was Ekateni.
There was barely room for him to land, as Fel was on the only flat surface in the area, but his uncle took his human form right as he landed, so that he didn’t take up as much space.
His uncle said, “You need to go. The Boundless will find you soon.”
Was that supposed to be some groundbreaking information? “I know. We’ve been running from them for a while, and don’t intend on lingering. I’m just waiting for my wings to get better.”
“Of course. I mean you need to get back to Aluria. The Boundless won’t realize you’re there.”
“How come?” It was Leah who asked.
“The way there through the hollow has been closed—for most dragons. So they need to fly, which will take them some time. The other reason is that they won’t be able to sense you. I think human magic masks dragon magic, and you won’t be as easily found there.”
“We were planning on getting back regardless, and it will be much easier to do with your help. How’s everyone? Did they survive?”
Ekateni rubbed a hand against his forehead. “Your cousins are alive. The village, I believe most dragons escaped.”
Fel felt horrible thinking he had ruined that sanctuary. “I’m so sorry. For bringing them there.”
His uncle shook his head. “You know it’s not your fault. It’s not like you insisted on coming, or that you wanted to announce that you were the iron dragon. That was foolish. Our mistake was believing that we were more invulnerable than we actually were. Lesson taken. That city was only ten years old regardless. No history left behind. We will regroup—likely not in such an easy target.”
“Tzaria was right, then. How is she?”
His uncle’s face became hard as wood. “Alive. Not that she will apologize—or explain anything. Oh, no. No explaining.”
Leah then said, “She might have saved Fel.”
Ekateni closed his eyes and snorted. “Saved him? Do you really think Relia would poison Isofel? Theiron dragon? Even if we were to assume this as a possibility, there’s no way she would do it in front of an audience. Relia has many flaws, butincredibly dumbis the extreme opposite of how I’d describe her.”
“What about Cynon?” Leah asked. “Couldn’t he be whispering ideas in her mind? Corrupting her, like Tzaria said?”
“It doesn’t work like that.” His uncle shook his head. “You need a long time in contact with his energy, a long time, something Relia wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do, being in the dragon city. You often need an object, which works like a conduit. It’s… I have no doubt that some Boundless are in contact with Cynon, but I doubt that’s the case with Relia.”
“Why then did Tzaria try to stop her?”
“Tzaria…” Ekateni sighed. “I think she meant well, truly. It must be guilt consuming her. I do think she wants to protect Ircantari’s son. But her hatred for Relia blinds her.”
“I’m glad you saved her.” Fel still wanted to talk to her, still wanted to understand what had happened to his father, and, more than that, he would have hated to see her executed.
Ekateni shrugged. “Principles are principles, even if it means defending a dragon I despise.” His nose wrinkled, as if he truly meant these words. They were a huge contrast to his feat in the arena, unleashing an incredible wall of fire. Fel hadn’t seen many dragons, but the little he’s seen of them fighting told him that what his uncle did had been far from ordinary. He looked down. “But my actions made you vulnerable to the boundless, and then it makes me wonder if Tzaria did it on purpose, if she brought them, but then… She’s the one who told me how to get you back, how to open this way, and then she’s kept your existence a secret for years. She knew my brother had a child, she knew it, and didn’t bother telling me.” He rolled his eyes. “To protect you. So then I find it unlikely that she’d bring the Boundless upon you.”
“Will… anyone come to Aluria? We need help.”
He nodded. “Of course, but first I have to make sure my children are safe, and I have to hide a traitorous, exiled dragon who can’t return to her winged form yet. Cynon is upon us. I know your human magic is impaired and you’re having issues with a kingdom, I know that, and I won’t forget you.”
It didn’t sound as if Aluria was a priority to them, though.
Leah then said, “Ekateni, I think Cynon is in Aluria. It might be the explanation for much of what’s happening. I heard something in my head.” Her voice was strained. “I think…”
“I will go and check. It’s a promise. Still, my understanding is that the human magic in Aluria has degraded a lot. Deathbringers can contact other realms.” His uncle had been informed about Leah’s magic. Everyone had, as seeing someone materialize in the middle of a battle wasn’t a regular occurrence for them. “It’s no surprise you’ll hear voices. It doesn’t mean it’s Cynon.”
“What if it is?” Leah insisted.
