Hunter’s fast and my heart near enough stops as he moves. His vampyre speed makes it impossible for the dragon to catch him as he spirals around the dragon’s legs, using shadows to knock the dragon off its feet several times. His shadows shape like daggers and slam into the dragon’s hard scales but don’t damage them because they are so thick. Hunter’s shadows and the dragon’s fire soon fill the entire courtyard, and I feel the heateven as his shadows wrap around me, the castle windows and the people inside to protect them. I press my back to the door, watching as he moves fast around the dragon, the two of them locked in battle. I turn my eyes up for a second, seeing the other dragons wrapped around their towers. They are silent, their eyes never leaving the fight, but I look to the smallest dragon — the kind one. His eyes find me, and for a moment, I see regret in them. A snarl makes me turn back to Hunter and the dragon. The dragon turns, snapping her jaw, nearly catching Hunter, and Hunter stumbles. It’s all she needs. Her tail whacks into Hunter, sending him flying across the courtyard, slamming into the wall with a crack.
“Hunter!” I scream. My feet are already moving, but his shadows lock me in, keeping me close to the door. I slam against them as Hunter shakily stands up, and the dragon opens her mouth to pour flames down on my mate. The world slows as blood pours down his head, his arm hanging limply at his side. Shadows burn higher, faster, more dangerous, and they smother Hunter as the dragon breathes fire down. Fear locks me in place as Hunter disappears in flames, and it feels like forever until the dragon stops, leaving a sphere of purple shadows. Hunter’s shadows part, and my mate roars like he’s a dragon himself as he runs straight at the dragon and jumps, grabbing her back, shadows like a leash wrapping around her throat. He yanks at the shadows, pulling, tightening the leash against her dark scales. The dragon roars, tries to throw him off, but Hunter keeps pulling. Yes! My hope lasts only a second before the dragon takes off, taking Hunter with her high into the bright sky.
“No!” I scream, looking up, barely able to see Hunter on the dragon’s back, the glaring sun blinding me.
The dragon swirls round and round, breathing fire so bright it rivals the sun. The purple shadows engulf them both, andthere’s a snap, a crack that echoes through the air. The flames go out and at the same time, the shadows protecting me disappear.
My eyes widen as I see the dragon falling, her head hanging limply at the side. I can’t see Hunter. It’s too late to do anything but watch as the dragon’s body slams into the courtyard with a crash that sends shockwaves across the ground, and the entire castle goes tumbling down with one bang. I scream just as a rock slams straight into my face and I fall into darkness.
I cough on dust as I wake up, pushing a rock off my chest, and I groan as pain radiates through my body. A woman is standing over me, pulling more rocks off my chest, her grey hair shining in the sunlight and dust. My head spins as I struggle to remember what happened, and I cough on the thick dust in the air as she pulls the last rock off me. “Give me your hand, Queen Wrenley.”
Hunter.
“Where is he?” I manage to get out. My head is spinning as I take her hand and stand up. People are screaming, crying, and all I can smell is blood, the thick taint of it lingering. “Where is my mate?!”
She points a finger behind me, and I turn to find him. In the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by rubble, is the dragon. Her head is bent at an unnatural angle, and on the floor next to her is Hunter. Blood pools around him, and there’s a coldness that I can feel, like it’s my own. Like the coldness is me, but it’s not — it’s Hunter. Fear like I’ve never felt rushes through my body as the world fades away, as all I care about is getting to him. I can’t lose Hunter... we have barely had any time. I run over to him, climbing over the rubble, not caring about my injuries, and crash to his side on my knees. He is bruised, bloody and broken... and so still.
“Hunter.” I shake his shoulders. He doesn’t move, staying pale and silent. I lay my head on his chest, listening for hisheartbeat, and relief fills me when I find it. It’s slow, so slow. As I listen, it slows further. He is bleeding out and I don’t know how to stop it. How to save him. “Hunter, I need you to wake up because I haven’t even told you that I’m in love with you. That I spent my life not knowing what I wanted and never saw being a queen as anything other than a responsibility. But with you? I see being your queen as a privilege. I need you to wake up and spend years with me... love me. Be my mate. You gave everything up for this world and your people... and you deserve to have someone. I need you as much as you need me... so you can’t die. Please don’t die.”
I sob on his chest, begging every god there is to help me. A dragon lands behind me with a thump. I cover Hunter’s body with my own and bare my teeth at it.
“Leave us alone,” I snarl.
I barely register it’s the kind dragon. The one that kept my secret. “It is time to use your magic, Queen Wrenley. You are his mate and you can use his power now too.” He lifts his claw and slices the other dragon’s belly open, hot blood pouring onto the ground. “Use your magic and open a portal. We will not stop you; we wish to return to our home now our leader is gone. We want our young to be as free as the dragons I’ve seen in your mind. Use the water.”
“There is no water—” Let alone I have no idea how to tap into Hunter’s magic.
“Open a portal. Do it. It’s the only way to save your mate.”
I look down at Hunter. The only way to save my mate — the male who killed a dragon for me. I nod once and close my eyes. There’s barely any water in this world. Trickles are buried deep underneath the castle, and they lead somewhere far away from here. It’s too much... too far... but I don’t stop. My body shakes as I let myself drown in my magic and let it take over, knowing full well this could cost me my life. I pull and pull at the magic aswater starts to fill the courtyard from the ground. People scream in fear, but I let myself dive into it. I let the magic take over me, control me. I levitate the water as it surrounds me and Hunter, my body glowing as I open my eyes. I hold on to his body tight, pulling him against me as the water mixes with the blood and his power slams through me like it’s natural. I hold my hand out as it shoots from my palm, Hunter’s shadows exploding out with the water, swirling around each other. His magic feels colder than mine, more brutal and demanding. A portal explodes, bigger than the castle, and it pulls us through.
It pulls everything and everyone through.
I barely manage to hold on to Hunter as we are slammed through the portal into the sea. Cold waves wash around me as I cling to Hunter under the water, looking at him as I hold the portal open while people fall into the ocean next to me and a dragon swims through straight into my world. It swims around me once, watching me.
“We are free,” it says, holding my dragon egg under its claw. “And I’m sorry.”
I can’t focus on the dragon as I swim with Hunter, dragging him to the beach of a tiny island, and collapsing next to him. The world is blurry as I lay my head on his chest, waiting to hear his heart beat... but there is silence.
My mate isn’t breathing.
CHAPTER 8
“You’re okay. Everything’s okay, Wren.” A soothing female voice whispers, brushing my cheek with her hand. I breathe in the scent of a nearby fire, the salt from the sea breeze blowing through the air, and the familiar comfort of my room. I’m home.
“Mom?” I whisper, looking up at her leaning over me. My body hurts everywhere, but nothing is that bad. It’s real. I’m in my childhood bed — my room. There is a dragon painting on the wall opposite and piles of books on the cabinets. My mom’s face slowly comes into view, starting with her bright red hair and ending with her kind smile I’ve missed. Tears are running down her face, and she looks so tired — like she hasn’t slept right in weeks.
“You’re safe.” She sobs, pulling me to her and holding me tight. I cry in her arms, holding her back just as tightly. Eventually she breaks away, tucking some of my hair behind my ear. “I’ve heard unbelievable stories from the survivors of what happened. The same survivors who call you their queen and claim you are also their saviour. But I would like to hear it from my daughter.”
“Wait. No. No. Hunter?” I shake my head. “Where’s Hunter?”
“Hunter?” She frowns at me as I push my sheets back and try to stand, only for everything to spin. She grabs my shoulders gently and helps me stand up. “Stand still for a moment, let your body get used to it. The healer said you used up too much magic, Wren. Tell me about this Hunter male. We had so many taken to the healers or saved by our people. Many had nearly drowned, but of course we wouldn’t let that happen.”
“He’s half vampyre, half fae. He’s tall, has dark hair and wears a cloak. He has shadow powers like Dad, but they’re different. They’re purple. He’s practically a king to his people and he’s amazing, Mom. He’s kind and generous, and funny. Where is he? I was with him on the beach, but his heart... I couldn’t hear it beating before I passed out.” I begin to panic.
My mother runs a soothing hand down my back. “Yes. A portal, or what we’ve been told they’re called, opened right outside the beach and dropped over a thousand people into the sea. Only a few died, who were said to have been injured when a castle fell in your world. Dragons came through too, purple dragons like that egg of yours, but they’re long gone. I’m sure this Hunter friend of yours is with the healers downstairs. We can go search together once you have a drink and some food. You can barely stand, let alone search through a thousand sleeping fae.”
“I can—” the castle shakes, and we both turn as the door opens.
