“That doesn’t count.”
Dash snorted. “I’m counting it.”
“You’re both idiots.” Dove hefted his axe over his shoulder as he nudged Viggo aside. “Ragna killed her father. Who’s in charge of the dragons now?”
Dash kicked back the centaur that came at him. “I assume Ragna thinks she is.”
Being the eldest daughter, it made sense. But technically, Marla would be the regent until Davin’s eldest son reached maturity. Which meant Marla and her children were in danger. No wonder she’d fled north to her father for protection. She must have suspected her sister-in-law was behind her husband’s murder.
Poor Tanis that she’d never once considered Ragna’s part in her brother’s death.
“Duck!”
Dash did so without hesitation.
Ryper sent an ice blast to catch the flames that would have torched him had they reached him.
Changing into a unicorn, Ryper drew the dragons further away from his position.
“No!” Dash started after him, but Dove grabbed him.
“He’s distracting them.”
“They’ll think he’s me.” While Ryper had a dark purple horn, he was still a black unicorn. And his purple horn could appear black in certain light. Especially to idiots who weren’t paying attention.
As Tanis had noted, most non unicorns wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. One black unicorn would be the same as another.
It would be easy to mistake them.
“Damn it, Dove! Protect that stupid asshole!”
“I am!” He shoved Dash in the opposite direction Ryper had taken.
Never had Dash wanted to slap Dove and Ryper more than he did right then. Normally, Ryper was as reluctant to take his unicorn form as Chrys was to leave her crow body. Of all the times for him to find his inner equine, this wasn’t it!
Fuck me!Ryper was going to get himself killed. Why would he do this?
My mother will kill me.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he felt a sudden rush of hot air fly over him. Turning, he saw a dark shadow emerge from the tunnels where Tanis had been.
It was a huge dragon. One he’d seen in a meadow standing over him when he’d been captured in a net.
Tanis.
What the hell?
Stunned, he watched as she flew straight toward her sister and the other dragons that were firebombing the palace and elves...
Chapter 19
Tanis knew she didn’t have long. The spell that Marthen had cast to make her a dragon again would burn out quickly. But she couldn’t breathe.
Couldn’t think.
Her father was dead.
Pain and agony burned deep inside her, and all she could see was her sister’s smug face when they’d spoken before the fighting began.
