“Yes.” He furrows his brows and draws in a breath audibly. “Think of it this way. If the queen and the nest mother stand side by side, and the nest mother commands more respect, how does that look?”
“The older dragons look to you first, then Mom. But when it comes to the flights, it’s the female’s power that they look at.” I look down at our joined hands, his skin warm against mine.
“Which means at events we have to keep you and your mom far apart. If they feel a difference in power between the two of you, it can cause problems. The clans can call for your ascension long before you’re ready because of your commanding presence.” Klauth lays yet another concern in my lap, adding to the crushing weight.
“Okay, so let me get the big picture here. I have drow hunting me.” He nods. “I’m going to have to fight my mom at some point for the position of dominant dragoness.” Sadly, he nods again. “Because of my legendary bloodline—” I motion to him, then touch my black scales on the side of my neck, “—I have a commanding presence that may cause issues for you and Mom.” He nods again, this time slower. “We still don’t know which teacher helped Abaddon hunt Mom. And to put the icing on this disaster cake, I have a fifth mate out there somewhere that I can and cannot feel to be able to track him.” I slump back into the chair and run a hand down my face, feeling overwhelmed.
“That pretty much sums it up.” He says calmly, like we’re discussing the weather. “We’ve been hunting and killing drow for weeks now. Keir’s pack has been instrumental in eliminating the threat.” There’s an air of pride in his voice mentioning my mate’s pack.
“I think for summer break we’re going to stay on campus. Hemlocke needs to be here for the horses.” My eyes turn to the doors leading to the balcony, watching the clouds drift by. Slowly, I stand and hug Klauth when he stands with me. “Thanks for everything, Dad.” I kiss his cheek and leave before he can say anything else.
I didn’t want to say that I’m afraid of tearing my mom apart if we come home. I’ll keep those fears to myself for everyone’s sake. Staying here on campus would be easier for Hemlocke. The rest of us have nothing to do except Keir, and he can blink to wherever he needs to be.
There’s one question I don’t have an answer for.
What the hell am I supposed to do for the next three years?
The weight of my station, my power, my future—it all presses down on me as I fly back across campus. The sun is warm on my wings, but inside, I feel cold.
Lost.
Terrified of what I’m becoming.
Chapter 48
Keir
Klauth toldme he admitted to Raven that my pack has been hunting every drow that has crossed the mountains. The kills have been brutal, necessary. What he withheld was that we have also killed four manticores and worgs that had come over. But the bigger concern—the one that keeps me awake at night—is that Raven and Mina are having a harder time being in the same space. The tension between them crackles like lightning.
Klauth and Thauglor pulled all of Raven’s mates together and told us what was going to happen. The meeting was tense, their voices low and serious. Each year, Mina is going to test Raven. This is probably the last year it will be as humans. Raven damn near overpowered Mina. If it wasn’t for Hemlocke’s quick thinking, Mina may have died at her daughter’s talons. The thought makes my stomach turn.
I watch Corvis and Raven spar, and I know for a fact she’s holding back with him. The clack of their wooden practice swords echoes across the training ground. Callan and Leander come to join us, watching them train.
“She’s holding back.” Leander says as he leans against the wall next to me, his arms crossed.
“Yeah, she’s working more on form than power.” I answer him and shrug my shoulders, though the observation bothers me. Vaughn walks around the corner as I finish speaking, his footsteps heavy on the stone.
“Do you need to fight harder, Raven?” Vaughn shifts on the spot, and his gargoyle form is huge and terrifying. Stone-gray skin, massive wings, horns curving from his skull. The transformation makes the air shimmer.
“Sure.” With a flick of her wrist, Corvis’s blade goes flying and embeds in the wood of the door across from us with a solid thunk.
Corvis just stares at his sword, then kisses Raven on the cheek before moving to stand beside me. “Remind me never to piss our mate off.” He whispers close to my ear, his breath warm.
“That is the understatement of our existence.” Our gaze falls on Raven and Vaughn as they face off. Raven doesn’t have a blade in her hand. Instead, she has her talons extended—silver and razor-sharp—and scales covering her hands and forearms like armor. They both flex their wings and strike at each other with the spikes at the ends. The sound is like steel on steel.
“Is that even safe?” Corvis asks, and Callan shakes his head, looking at the two of them with concern etched on his face.
“No, but Vaughn has been teaching Raven to fight like a gargoyle since she was little. They use their entire bodies as weapons, not just the talons.” Callan says as he rolls his eyes. “She’s been taught to fight like all our species except Leander’s, for obvious reasons.”
“It’s not my fault she’s not an equine.” Leander huffs, feigning irritation, though there’s affection in his tone.
The next thing I see is a blur of motion, and Raven is on Vaughn’s back, her scaled arm around his neck from behind. She has him locked in a vicious headlock, and the more he fights, the more she adjusts her grip—precise, unforgiving. Abraxis walks in as Vaughn drops to a knee with a growling Raven on his back, her teeth bared.
“What the hell is going on here?” He says just as Vaughn passes out and shifts back to his human form, collapsing in a heap.
“Training. Wanna jump in the ring, General?” Raven reaches over her shoulders and draws her matched swords with a metallic whisper, then drops into a fighting stance—balanced, deadly.
“I’m good.” He raises both hands and takes a step backward, and I don’t blame him.
