Reynoski was murdered soon after he began asking questions no other professor dared to—questions he posed during the brief time I was recovering in the infirmary after the War Campaigns. Everyone knew the Campaigns were brutal—not just to win, but to survive the mountains at all.
Yet none of us were prepared to compete without access to our elements. Our team quickly realized that no one had full control over their magic once we set up camp. Davis and Shayde, as second-years, were just as stunned as Laney, Pehper, and me.
When Shayde and I were trapped in that fallen cavern, losing connection to our elements nearly cost us our lives. Between us and Davis above, we might have escaped if our magic hadn’t failed. By the time we were finally rescued and brought back to Mageia, I was eager to report everything—the strange occurrences during the campaign and the men we had stumbled upon inside that cavern. But no one asked questions—no one except Professor Reynoski.
The Grim didn’t just steal their lives and elements. She silenced them before they could become a threat.
Chapter 7
I’d kept my mental gates on lockdown since the moment I woke up. Just like Rhodes, I knew Lakota would stand by me after everything that happened. But during one of my classic moments of self-destruction, I was able to physically kick Rhodes out of my space.
Lakota, though—that would’ve been impossible. Our bond allowed us to communicate mind-to-mind, no matter how far apart we were. It was an unbreakable connection that let us share feelings, emotions, and even a sense of location.
That was how I found him so easily in an unfamiliar mountain stronghold—with the help of a kind villager who had given me a map of Hollow Summit, an item Mageia had forbidden. The Hollow stretched for miles in every direction, its heart centered around the small hut I then occupied. The village wound through the mountains, carved into natural caverns and nestled between towering peaks.
On the map, there was a cluster of larger huts in the southern region markedCommand,and a shaded area in the northwest labeledGolden Crest.The Golden Crest Rhodes mentioned during his visits lay about a mile past the last row of huts in this civilization. To reach it, I had to cross four swaying bridges stretched across the peaks, finally arriving at the entrance to what they considered this place’s version of Dragon Valley.
And this place’s version of a pest.
Lakota was growling at a young man as he guided a herd of sheep further into the crest. The shepherd cowered, arms raised over his head, while Lakota glared at him as if he were a snack. My bonded dragon was so focused on the man that he didn’t notice me approaching.
“There’s not enough protein in him to satisfy your hunger.” I crossed my arms and raised a brow—like a mother scolding her child. “I’d say I caught you red-winged, but that would just be too good of a—”
Before I could finish, Lakota pounced on me, knocking me flat on my ass. I leaned back on my hands, staring up at the majestic beast towering over me. He stood firm and regal, just as he had during our first true introduction. Sunlight gleamed off his deep crimson scales, and his massive wings arched high into the air as though he might take flight at any moment.
He lowered his muzzle closer, narrowing his eyes as if locking in on prey. Flames ignited behind his teeth, and even though I was immune to his dragon fire, a flicker of panic prickled across my skin. Pure malice raged in his stance. I drew back, meeting his stare.
A low growl rumbled from him. “Do you have any idea how insufferable it is to remain here with these two-legged sheep who limit my food while I resist the temptation to burn them alive and eat them instead?”
“I—no, Lakota. Eating humans will get us sentenced to the Barren Watch.”
He huffed dramatically,lifting his head into the air. “I must be hallucinating… from my insatiable—” huff“—hunger.”
The sight of this enormous dragon throwing a tantrum in front of me had a grin spreading across my face. I whispered, “I missed you too.”
Lakota curled his leathery wings against his body and settled back on his hind legs, his long, spiked tail resting lazily in the lush grass. I pushed myself up, taking a moment to absorb our surroundings.
The Golden Crest was the only place I’d seen grass since venturing onto that mountain. The landscape stretched out like a vibrant valley of greenery, with towering peaks forming a natural barrier. It was clear why the Hollow had marked this as their Dragon Valley—the grass was plentiful enough to keep sheep and other livestock well-fed.
The area lived up to its name with its enchanting atmosphere. Shielding my eyes with my arm, I gazed past Lakota to the peaks beyond. The sunlight in that part of the mountains played a trick on the eyes, one you’d have to see to believe. In the distance, a quad of dragons soared, their silhouettes fading as they disappeared behind a peak dusted with what looked like golden snow.
“We need to get out of here,” I said.
Lakota pivoted his head over his shoulder. “No. There’s something familiar about this place. Other than the two-legged sheep, the humans here look at me with recognition. That must mean something, right?” He faced me again. “And my Wylder boy needs help with the other Wylder boy. Things aren’t right back at Mageia. Being within the Hollow’s borders feels like where we ought to be. We can help. We have family here.”
Family.
The wordfelt like a knife to my gut. I closed my eyes, chest tightening, breath shallow, knees trembling.
Lakota’s guilt rang through me. “I missed you, too.”
I opened my eyes.
“These people recognize me. I can see it in their expressions when they visit the crest. That must mean I can recover missing memories here. Even if we have to put up with your evil twin.”
The thought of a mountain-sized dragon using playful banter to cheer me up tugged a smile to my lips. I didn’t try to fight it.
“She’s not evil.”
