Mortiven tipped her head back and laughed, and Trevare stared at her, seemingly stunned. She laid her hand on his arm and looked up at him through her lashes. Would something interesting come from the Summit, something we hadn’t expected?
We took our places on the thrones on the raised platform at the courtyard’s center. Adele sat beside me, her hand in mine, only a few tremors running through her.
It’s going to go well,I said.
Ithink so too, but that doesn’t mean I’m not terrified.
That’s why it will go well. If you were complacent, the fates would add a few glitches.
She squeezed my fingers, then released them as I addressed the crowd.
“Welcome to the Summit of Scales,” I said, my voice carrying across the courtyard. “We gather to strengthen bonds, share knowledge, and celebrate the ties that connect us all.”
Polite applause rippled through the assembly.
“This year’s Summit holds special significance,” I said. “We’ve witnessed cooperation that prevented tragedy, alliances forming from conflict. Queen Adele will now demonstrate the power of weather magic, a gift that has served not just Emberforge, but all dragon-kind.”
I smiled her way.
She rose and moved to the center of the platform, her posture straight. She closed her eyes, reaching for her magic, and the atmosphere shifted.
Clouds began gathering overhead, dark and heavy, rolling in from the volcanic peaks. Wind picked up, swirling through the courtyard in spirals that lifted banners. The temperature dropped, not uncomfortably, but enough to notice.
Then the rain came, a gentle cascade that fell in curtains of silver just beyond where everyone sat. It caught the light and transformed it into something ethereal. Adele shaped it, conducting the weather like an orchestra, creating a dance of water and wind that left the crowd gasping. A rainbow. She made the rain dance above the crowd, forming designs, weaving in faelights that made the air sparkle.
She spun patterns with the clouds, pulling them into shapes that told a story. Dragons soaring, courts coming together, peace spreading like dawn across mountains. It was art and magic and power all combined.
She stopped the rain as suddenly as she’d started it, and the clouds dissipated to reveal a clear blue sky. Sunlight broke through, and another perfect rainbow arched over the courtyard.
Silence echoed around us.
Then the crowd erupted, people roaring their approval. The applause was almost deafening.
Adele’s cheeks pinkened as she rejoined me, and I took her hand, kissing the back. “Amazing.”
The formal proceedings began, including reports from each court, discussions of trade and territory border changes, all the usual diplomatic dance. But the energy had changed. Adele’s display had reminded everyone what dragon-kind could accomplish when we worked together instead of against each other.
As the afternoon wore on, Queen Mortiven rose tospeak. “Many of you know that Silvervale recently faced a crisis. Our hatchlings were suffering, and we didn’t understand why. In our fear, we made accusations. We blamed our neighbors and threatened war. We acted rashly.”
Trevare stood as well, sending her a shy smile that she returned. “Goldwing did the same. We pointed fingers instead of seeking answers.”
“Queen Adele found those answers,” Mortiven said. “Not through politics or posturing, but through science and magic and genuine care for children who weren’t her own. She solved a mystery that could’ve torn our courts apart.”
“She gave us hope,” Trevare said. “And in doing so, she showed us a better path forward.”
After exchanging a heavy glance, unspoken words passing between them, they turned to face me and Adele.
“We propose a joint initiative,” Mortiven said. “Weather monitoring stations on the peaks between our courts. Shared information and cooperative analysis. An early warning system for both Silvervale and Goldwing.”
My heart kicked up. This was unprecedented. These courts had been rivals for generations.
“We’ve already drafted preliminary agreements,” Trevare said, producing a scroll. “Pending approval from King Raoul and Queen Adele, of course. Since it was your wife’s expertise that made us realize cooperation serves everyone better than conflict.”
Adele’s hand found mine, her grip tight. I could feel her shock and pride tangling together.
“This sounds wonderful,” she said.
“We’d be honored to help.” I kept my voice steady despite the emotions threatening to overwhelm me.
