And she would grow up never knowing what the fortress was.
Free.
With a handful of years’ grace before the Soul-Eater returned.
The attack came so fast he didn’t see what hit him. Something hit him in the neck. His wings flared automatically and slammed into the walls. Pain scorched down his neck, tearing through his scales, a burning sickness like—
Dragonsbane.
His dragon retreated faster than breathing. Julian fell to the ground in human form, rolling to his feet but not fast enough. The attacker slammed him to the ground again, arm around his neck, strangling tight.
He jerked his head back, cracking his skull against his attacker. Dragonsbane burned through his blood.
Click.
He was free. He stumbled, twisting to face his attacker.
A stranger from the ship, wearing one of Julian’s scales strapped beneath his armored uniform.
Julian snarled at him. He’d only caught a fraction of the dragonsbane attack, and the poison was already burning out. He called on his dragon to transform.
Pain shot through his neck.
A smug face leered at him. “Try that again and see how far it gets you.”
“What have you done?” Julian clawed at the collar around his neck.
“Earned my fucking paycheck, that’s what I’ve done.” The soldier pulled out a gun. “That cat bitch wants you alive, but she’s not the only one. Think we should have ourselves an auction after all—”
Something huge slammed out of the corridor behind him, smashing him to the ground. Julian put his back to the wall, still searching for a clasp or lock on the collar. Nothing.
What new hell was this? The collar stopped him from shifting.
He was trapped.
Rage and panic were a more potent cocktail than the dragonsbane. He drew himself up, his dragon thrashing beneath his skin, eyes locked on the three creatures who’d attacked the soldier—no, one creature—no, three—
Then it raised one huge head to stare at him. A dog’s head, huge and black and long-fanged. The creature’s other two heads were still watching the soldier, pinned beneath one massive paw.
*Run,*it told him in Nikolaidis’s voice. *We’ll deal with this one.*
“We?”
*Found it.*Another voice. A man, and something wriggled beneath the soldier’s jacket.
“I hope that’s a key you’re looking for,” Julian said, defaulting to distant iciness, and then his magic sparked a warning. “Wait, don’t—”
A rat emerged from under the soldier’s jacket and jumped to the ground. It was wearing what in any other circumstances would be an adorable harness, with one of Julian’s scales strapped onto it.
In its jaws, another scale, ragged-edged where it had been gnawed free.
Which meant—
“Wait!” Julian cried out.
The soldier wrestled one arm free and shot up at the three-headed dog. Nikolaidis drew back, growling.
And the soldier disappeared.
