“It makes sense, though,” he says. “Even you have to agree with that.”
Orion arches a dark eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“How is the title and position of Seelie Queen passed to the next person?”
“It’s inherited by the eldest daughter of the previous Seelie Queen.”
“And who gets the title and position of Unseelie King?”
“Anyone who can take the power and hold it.” Orion raises his chin slightly. “In our court, bloodlines don’t matter. Only skills. You’re not born into royalty. You become royalty if you’re powerful, skilled, cunning, and ruthless enough.”
“Exactly. And that kind of mindset creates a ruthlessly ambitious people who crave power at all costs. Which isn’t exactly a great foundation for this kind of union bond.” Ejnare raises his eyebrows. “You have to see that, right?”
Orion gives him a cold and utterly lethal smile. “If you don’t feel safe here, you are welcome to leave at any time.”
“That’s not what he meant,” Diana interjects, her voice strong but not challenging. Instead, her eyes are calm and serious as she looks back at the Unseelie King for a few seconds before she slides her gaze back to the other dragon shifters. “Weshouldprobably leave, though. We should all fly back to our lands and get the rest of our warriors, and then we should meet up at the Seelie Court so that we can start forming these union bonds as well. We’re going to need all the extra power we can get if we are to win this war.”
Rin and Ejnare nod. As do the soldiers from all three clans. A few steps from them, Galen and Lyra look to Draven, who is still in dragon form.
Black smoke fills the air as he shifts again. The moment he does, I can feel that soft union bond in my mind fade out. According to Lavendera, once he returns to his dragon form, weshould be able to just open the bond now without doing this whole ritual with blood.
With a gust of wind from his storm magic, Draven shoves the smoke aside and then strides back towards us in his half-shift form.
“We should head home and get the rest of our soldiers as well,” Draven says, his golden eyes on Lyra and Galen. “Diana is right. This union bond is going to be our secret weapon. We need to have as many soldiers as possible with this kind of bond.”
Lyra’s eyes light up. “We’re going home?”
A smile drifts over Draven’s lips. “Yes, at long last, we are going home.” Then he slides his gaze to the other clan leaders. “We’ll decide on an exact day and time when we meet back up again, so that we all get to the Seelie Court at the same time, in order to minimize the risk of an ambush.”
“Agreed,” Diana says.
“Sounds good,” Rin agrees.
Ejnare just nods.
A short distance away, Orion lets out a cold laugh and shakes his head. Ice fills his gaze as he gives us all a sharp smile. “Well, best of luck to you.” Spinning on his heel, he flicks his wrist dismissively. “Come find me when you’re ready for war.”
Then he strides away across the grass.
Draven reaches me right as Orion starts walking, and he opens his mouth as if to tell the Unseelie King something. But before he can, someone else speaks up.
“I’m staying here,” Isera announces. As usual, there is no emotion on her face, but she glances towards Orion for a second. “I need to take some time to process everything. Bane’s death and well…” Trailing off, she lifts her shoulders in a casual shrug that feels slightly forced. Then she simply repeats, “I’m staying here.”
She was in bad shape after all the emotions that hit her when she killed Bane, so I understand that she needs time beforethrowing herself into the next part of this war. But I have a feeling that there is another reason she is staying here.
Without waiting for us to reply, she simply starts after Orion.
“The dryads and I will see you in the Seelie Court,” Lavendera says. “Well, at least one of them. Or two, counting me as well. Though that might technically be three, then, since I’m two people.”
The other dragon shifter soldiers, who don’t know that she has an immortal dryad trapped in her head, frown at her in bewilderment. She just gives them a smile and then twirls around before strolling after Isera and Orion.
Draven turns to me. His eyes glitter like pure gold in the sunlight, and a smile spreads across his face as he holds my gaze.
“So, little rebel, are you ready to see the Western Isles?”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Forests and blooming fields and glittering rivers flow past below us as Draven, Galen, Lyra, Alistair, and I fly towards the home of the Black Dragon Clan. The Western Isles. Excitement thrums inside me at the thought. I can’t wait to see what it looks like. To see where Draven comes from. I want to know everything about him. See everything he loves. Learn about everything that has made himhim.
