Flames blasted from Madrood’s mouth, but they didn’t churn toward me.
“No!” Ivenrail flitted to the dais.
Madrood’s fire roiled across the floor where the king had been standing. It winked out, leaving the tiles blackened and the taint of scorched stone in the air. He pivoted to face Ivenrail.
“Madrood,” Ivenrail snarled. “What are you—”
Madrood blasted fire directly at Ivenrail.
The king flitted again, joining the high advisor and Kerune, who’d backed against the wall to get out of the way.
Madrood turned toward them. He tipped his head back and shot fire at the ceiling, dragging the flames down toward the three fae men.
The high advisor and Kerune flitted, disappearing from view, leaving the king staring in shock and horror at the beast he’d taken into his hands the moment it hatched.
I needed to grab Reyla, Brodine, and Vexxion, and flee this place. Killing the king could wait. In the uproar, we could escape, regroup, and form a new plan, one that would include Vexxion, because there was no way I was going to leave him behind.
Something told me I needed to stay here a little bit longer, however.
I walked along Madrood’s side, stopping by his left front leg with curled talons longer than my forearms.
The blade Vexxion gave me lay on the floor, and I scooped it up, tucking it into the waistband of my gown.
Madrood’s head curved toward me, and I braced myself to be burned where I stood, but he only nudged me in the side with affection.
When I touched his snout, a shock went up my arm. Something snapped between us, and Iknew.
Yes, little one,he intoned in my mind.
I was the Lydel heir.
I was Vexxion’s fated mate.
And I had bonded with Madrood, the king’s fierce dragon.
“Subdue him,” I hissed, pointing at Ivenrail. “Don’t kill him, because we need him alive.”
Madrood’s lips curled back in a gruesome smile. His head snapped around and he sucked in air so fast, my hair was lifted to spike around my face.
He shot a blazing red and orange tunnel of flames toward Ivenrail.
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Ivenrail flitted from the room.
Madrood roared with frustration. He shot flames where Ivenrail had been and scorched up the wall, reaching the ceiling and blazing across it, catching everything he touched on fire.
“Stop.” I placed my hand on his side, and his fire cut out. He curled his head around again to bump me with his snout, shooting sparks down the front of my dress. I quickly patted them out before he accidentally lit me aflame.
What do you need, little one?he asked in my mind.
We need to get out of here.
My back is yours. My will is yours. Command me.
This was going to take getting used to.
