It wasn’t one of fury.
It was command.
Siergen landed in the center of the Ascension Grounds like a meteor, crimson light cracking off his scales as his voice echoed across the entire kingdom. It wasn’t shouted aloud, but embedded in every dragon’s mind. Every rider’s soul.
Enough.
The dragons froze. Koddos and the Swordtail pulled apart mid-snarl. Ferrula dropped her fists. Perin backed away, eyes wide with something dangerously close to fear.
The air itself seemed to hold its breath as Siergen’s power settled over us all like a silencing storm. And just like that—the fighting stopped.
Ferrula dropped to her knees beside Jax, her fingers already pulling back the torn fabric of his tunic. Blood had soaked through the side of his leathers, but it wasn’t gushing. She pressed her palm gently to the wound, her brow furrowed.
“You’re lucky,” she muttered. “It’s shallow. Bastard missed anything vital.”
“I think he cracked a rib anyway,” Jax winced, but his smirk was still in place. “Or maybe that was from your elbow earlier.”
She shot him a look, then turned her head slowly toward the looming form of Siergen. His golden eyes blazed like twin suns, still holding the squadrons in awed silence.
Ferrula’s voice cut through it all, dry and laced with disbelief. “Is anyone else wondering how a pocket-sized dragon just split the sky with his voice?”
Kaelith’s laugh echoed in my mind.You should’ve heard him when we were hatchlings. He once silenced an entire rookery with a yawn.
Zander stepped to my side, his voice low. “They’re not going to forget this. None of them.”
I nodded slowly, eyes still locked on Siergen. “No. And maybe that’s the point.”
Chapter
Thirty-Six
The riders were silent, every gaze pinned on Siergen as his crimson form pulsed with quiet authority. No words passed from his maw, no orders barked. He simply rose, his wings unfurling in one graceful sweep, and took to the air.
One by one, the dragons followed.
It wasn’t spoken aloud, but every rider dismounted, sliding from their partners with reverent efficiency. As soon as boots hit dirt, the dragons leaped skyward and soared toward the Dragon Isle like shadows born of flame and wind. Within moments, the Ascension Grounds were eerily still, empty of every dragon save for Hein and Kaelith.
Zander must come to the Dragon Isle,Kaelith said, her voice sharp in my mind.
“I’m coming with him,” I said quickly, already moving toward her.
Then mount up, Ashe,she replied.
I didn’t hesitate. Zander did the same, swinging onto Hein’s back, and as our dragons rose in tandem, his voice brushed against my thoughts like a caress of Dark Fire.
It seems I’m not the only one with family issues.
My lips twitched despite everything.Do you know what this is about?
Not really. Hein just said I have to speak to the dragons. Siergen has called another summit.
We cut through the clouds as twilight settled across the sky like bruised silk. The isle appeared beneath us, verdant and timeless, its clearing filled once more with dragons. But something felt different. More still. More dangerous.
We landed with practiced grace, Kaelith’s powerful legs folding beneath her as she touched the ground.
Stay seated,Kaelith said, her voice low with something that felt like warning.
I obeyed, glancing toward Zander as he dismounted, his boots crunching softly against the grass. He moved toward Siergen, who stood at the center of the gathering, some dragons bowing their heads ever so slightly as he passed.
