“I–I was—”
“You don’t belong here,”he bellowed. All beast. No sign of the cursed man.
His dragonflame raged beneath his scales, the searing blaze threatening violence. Flames flickered in his gnashing maw. I gulped what may have been my last breath, my muscles turning into watery gruel. Had he finally decided to roast me?
I clambered to my feet. Not since we’d met at the lake had I truly feared the dragon. Until now. If he wanted me dead, there would be no escape. Still, I refused to go down without a fight. I snatched a sword from a bony hand and turned to face the beast.
Legs braced by shaky muscles, I held my ground. “I know who you are.”
This, at last, seemed to distract him. He paused, canting his head, snarling,“Do you now?”
“Yes.” My lip quivered despite my show of bravery.
The dragon took a thunderous step forward, the crack of his taloned foot shaking the floor.“Tell me then.”
My heart hammered.You’re wrong, you’ll die, don’t say it.But the truth burned inside me.
“You’re…” It had to be. It was the only thing that made sense.
“Tell me. What did you find with your snooping and sneaking about?”
“I saw—” My voice cracked.
“Say it!”He bared bone-crunching teeth, his heated breath painting my cheeks.
I firmed my grip on my weapon, steeling my spine. “You’re King Alaric Blackwing. Former ruler of Pyrrhus. You’re a Draconis. A cursed shifter. And this lost kingdom is yours.”
At my bold statement, Alaric’s anger broke apart, ebbing likea tempest retreating to the sea. His massive frame sagged, his tail twitching weakly.
He lowered his head, avoiding my gaze. What had been a powerful roar emerged as a whisper.“I was. Once. But no longer.”
“And Thorne. He lived here, too. With you.”
“Thorne is my brother,”he confirmed with a low grumble, as though loath to admit they were related.
“And he is also a Draconis. A dragon shifter touched by the gods.”
“Yes. The blood of the gods runs in our veins.”He cast a pointed glare at the sword I still held.“Do you intend to slay me, little warrior?”
I tightened my grip on the hilt. “That depends. Do you intend to eat me?”
“No.”He rasped a cough, shifting back on his hunches as if exhausted by his outburst.
“Same.” I tossed the weapon away.
“You shouldn’t be here.”He listed to one side, favoring his injury.
I lifted my chin. “And you shouldn’t have roared at me.”
“Fine.”He stumbled over the skeletons, snapping bones beneath his powerful legs. I winced at the crunch.
“Come.”He strode down the hallway, expecting me to follow.
Rather than remain with the dead, I followed.
“What happened here?” I hustled to keep up, leaping over a pile of armored corpses.
“What does it look like?”Alaric snapped, irritation in his deep voice.“We were attacked. We lost. The kingdom fell.”
