Adriana’s brow furrowed, the doubt plain in her features. ‘Let’s hope that trust is well placed.’ She rose, the scrape of her chair against stone echoing in the ruined temple. With a nod, she gestured for Keir and Cronan to follow. But before stepping away, she turned once more to Ash.
‘The god who wishes to see me dead is named Eris,’ she said, her voice low. ‘And her brother, Thanatos, is the one at your wife’s side right now. He is the one whispering comfort, offering protection… and perhaps, more.’ She sighed, her expression unreadable. ‘Don’t be so certain, Ash Acheron, that either of us is safe here. Because if Eris and Thanatos lay claim to your wife, then both you and I are already as good as dead.’
Each year, the Kingdom of Fire hosts a grand tournament. Dragon fighting. The Council receives its invitation without fail, and I’ve attended by my mother’s side for as long as I can remember. I can’t say I’ve ever truly enjoyed it. There’s something unsettling about watching two dragons tear into one another while the crowd erupts in applause. No, I’ve always preferred the thought of riding one instead, of soaring through the skies rather than witnessing blood spilt for sport.
I often wonder what it must feel like… to fly.
Tabitha Wysteria
‘By tomorrow, we’ll be crossing into phoenixian lands,’ Kai said, crouching low as his eyes swept across the cracked terrain. The forest had withered away behind them, each day thinning the trees until there was nothing left but brittle scrub. Now, the world was a canvas of dry, crumbling earth, soon to harden into jagged rock, and eventually, surrender itself to the shifting dunes of the desert.
‘Then we ought to look the part,’ Dawn declared, her fingers glowing with a glimmer of emerald. With a flick, the green witch’s robes melted away, replaced by phoenixian travelwear. The outfit clung in all the right places, loose where it offered grace and movement, tight where it flattered. Her midriff andarms were left bare, her boots thick-soled and suited for unforgiving terrain.
‘Well?’ she asked, spinning slightly. ‘What do you think?’
Kai turned his back on her. ‘I think I don’t care.’
‘I’m rather fond of the skirt myself,’ she said with a smirk.
‘I am not interested,’ he muttered.
‘Oh, but phoenixians do know how to dress their women. Shall we see what they might give a man?’ Before she could complete the spell, Kai wheeled around and caught her wrist in a firm grip.
‘Don’t you dare. I’m not changing.’
‘Your wyverian garb reeks.’
‘Let it reek.’
‘You stink.’
‘I’ve grown fond of it,’ he said with a wolfish grin. ‘Shall we move along now?’
Grumbling, Dawn turned with a dramatic huff and began walking, kicking at a loose stone as she went. Her boots thudded against the dry earth, dust lifting with each step.
After several minutes of her sulking silence, Kai arched a brow. ‘Are you truly going to ignore me all the way to the border?’
Still, she said nothing.
‘You know I much prefer you quiet, don’t you?’
More silence.
Kai chuckled under his breath and shrugged, allowing the stillness to settle between them like an old friend. Then, almost against his own will, he asked, ‘How does it work, your magic? The clothes you wear now… are they merely illusion?’
Dawn offered no reply, her gaze fixed firmly ahead as she continued along the cracked path, the folds of her phoenixian garb rustling faintly with each determined step.
‘You’re beginning to test my patience, witch,’ Kai muttered, irritation creeping into his voice.
She spun around, eyes wide with incredulity. ‘I’m the one getting on your nerves?’ she cried.
Kai chuckled under his breath. ‘Got you talking, didn’t I? Wasn’t so hard after all.’
‘I swear, I’m going to turn your head into stone.’
‘You could try,’ he said, laughing. ‘But I doubt I’d be quite as handsome a boulder.’
‘Who said you were handsome?’
