My father reaches out and takes my hands in his, his palms warm and calloused from years of sword work. I know I’m safe, but being this unusual scares the hell out of me. “You and Thorne are the first of your kind. To possess multiple species gifts is unheard of.”
The biggest smile crosses my father’s lips before he pulls me in for a fierce hug. His embrace smells like home—leather and steel and safety. “You are my greatest gift. I am so proud of you, Raven. One day you will rule the continent well and watch over those weaker than you.” He presses his lips to my forehead and purrs softly, the vibration soothing my frayed nerves.
“I’ll do my best.” My eyes move over to the cavernous hole my acid hascreated, now significantly larger and deeper than when I started. “Um, I think I found another hidden chamber.”
I break away from my father and walk around the opening, peering into the depths. It slopes down gently, creating a natural spiral into the mountain’s heart. The interior is illuminated by the soft bioluminescence of stones and fungi, casting everything in an ethereal blue-green glow.
Klauth examines the opening and smiles with genuine pleasure. “I’ll have the contractors tunnel to connect your space to the chamber you slept in.” He looks at us with paternal satisfaction and laughs warmly. “Consider it our gift to the start of your new life.”
He turns and heads back toward the main nest, his footsteps echoing off the stone. Slowly, my family retreats to the familiar halls and rooms of home, their voices growing distant.
Part of me wants to follow them inside, to chase my sisters through the corridors like we used to when we were children. The other part knows those days are over. I have three years of school left after this one, three years before I start a family of my own. There’s so much time stretching ahead, so much responsibility waiting.
Corvis moves to stand behind me, his chest pressed between my wings, allowing me to lean back against his solid warmth. I stare into the cavern that will become our home, breathing in the mineral-rich air rising from its depths. Right now, it’s just a hole filled with rocks and the smell of natural hot springs. But soon, knowing Dad and his attention to detail, he’ll have it transformed into a home worthy of his heir apparent.
The thought both thrills and terrifies me. Everything is changing, and I’m not sure I’m ready for the woman I’m becoming.
Chapter 25
Hemlocke
Something is off about today.
I can’t put my finger on it, but the air feels charged with tension, like the moment before a thunderstorm breaks. It’s been a week since the dragons’ yearly gathering ended, and we have an entire month before school resumes. The campus feels strangely empty without the constant presence of supernatural beings going about their daily routines.
Part of my tuition obligation is to take care of the warhorses and other horses on the campus grounds. I take them out in small herds to run across the rolling fields, then return them to their paddocks where they stamp and snort with contentment.
Titan is still here , and part of my duty today is to escort him to the lands to the north where Raven’s parents’ nest. The old warhorse has been restless since arriving, his dark eyes constantly scanning the horizon as if searching for his beloved rider.
I’ll get to see my mate again.
The thought sends warmth flooding through my chest, chasing away the morning’s unease. It feels like it’s been forever since I last saw her, though it’s only been a few weeks. The mate bond pulls at me constantly, an invisible thread connecting my heart to hers across the miles.
Callan and Leander warned me that the guard drakes have been starting trouble for Raven since the gathering. Since I am an unclaimed mate of hers, they may target me next. Or worse yet, they may target Titan, knowing how much the massive warhorse means to her. The thought makes my jaw clench with protective fury.
By midday, I’ve finished my chores and shifted to my unicorn form, feeling my human skin transform into armored hide that gleams like polished obsidian. I wait for Titan to join me for the journey to the Sovereign nest, my hooves pawing impatiently at the packed earth.
We walk slowly along the dirt road leading north toward the lands of my mate’s birth. The path is lined with wildflowers that release their sweet fragrance as we pass, and birds call from the trees overhead. Titan teases me in his deep, rumbling voice about seeing Raven again. He knew I had feelings for her long before I understood them myself, and he allowed her to ride him specifically to keep her in my orbit. Titan is not just a warhorse—he’s a really good friend.
His one question plagues me, echoing in my mind with every step:what if she rejects the bond?Males will remain tethered to the female forever, while the female will break free and feel nothing. Until he mentioned it, I hadn’t given the possibility any thought. The idea sends ice through my veins.
What if she rejects me?
What if I’m not worthy of a dragon?
A branch snaps sharply to our right, the sound cutting through the peaceful afternoon like a blade. Titan sidesteps quickly, the white showing in his dark eyes as he snorts loudly through flared nostrils.Something is there, watching us from the shadows between the trees. I can smell the acrid scent of aggression and malice on the wind.
I encourage him to move faster, our hooves thundering against the packed earth. There’s an open field just ahead where we’ll have better visibility and room to maneuver. If we can reach it, I may be able to turn and fight off whatever is hunting us, giving Titan time to escape.
We make it to the field and immediately position ourselves back to back, covering the small blind spot all equines share. My heart pounds against my ribs as guard drakes and ambush drakes slowly step out of the tree line in a calculated semicircle. Their reptilian eyes gleam with malicious intent, and the smell of sulfur clings to their scaled hides.
Corvis had warned me that Mina kicked them out of the gathering because one of them had tried to spit acid on Klauth. Now they’re here for revenge, and we’re their chosen targets. Slightly changing the angle of my head, I can see the distant mountains that Raven’s family calls home, their peaks purple against the horizon.
I encourage Titan to bellow for help. Raven knows his call and will come if she hears it—I have to believe that. Titan throws back his massive head and lets loose with his danger bellow, the sound echoing through the valley like a war horn. The desperate cry carries on the wind, and I can only hope it’s enough to reach her ears.
The drakes fan out and surround the field completely. There are no escape routes left for us, and the circle tightens with predatory patience. Titan stands tall beside me, his muscles coiled like springs, and tells me confidently thathisRaven will come.
My only other hope is that Leander hears the call and sends the dragons to help us. The minutes stretch like hours as we wait, tension crackling in the air like electricity.
