“I have to lie down,” he said, his voice rough with fatigue. “If I don’t, I might fall asleep right here.”
I leaned up and kissed him softly. “Then go. You’ve earned it.”
He lingered for a second, like he didn’t want to leave, then nodded and turned toward the castle. I watched him disappear through the archway, the heavy doors closing behind him, and something in my chest tugged—tired, grateful, still afraid.
Kaelith’s mind slid into mine like silk drawn over steel.
We have company.
My spine straightened. I glanced around the grounds, eyes scanning the shadows of the Ascension Field.Who?
Not here,she said, her voice darker now.In the Hollows.
My heart stuttered in my chest.Who is it?
Representatives from the lost horde.
I stopped breathing for a beat, then looked toward the others. Jax sat against Kass’ flank, pale but upright, the rest of ThrallSquad circled around him. They were bruised, battered, utterly drained.
Maybe I should take Teren,I thought quickly,or a few from Lowborn Squad to back me up?—
No,Kaelith said firmly.You must go alone. There will be a test. And you are the one who called them.
I didn’t mean to.
I am aware. But your call was heard. Their assistance could mean the difference between victory and destruction.
I swallowed hard.Why would they help us?
I have no idea,Kaelith admitted.They left long before I was even born. Until they answered your call, I didn’t know they still existed.
The wind shifted, carrying the faint scent of ash and wild herbs from the direction of the Hollows. It smelled like somethingold.
Then I guess it’s time I find out why they came.
Yes,Kaelith said.And why they chose to answer you.
I mounted Kaelith in silence, one hand still tingling from where Zander had held it. The Ascension Grounds buzzed with motion, riders tending to wounded dragons, patching gear, exchanging exhausted commands. No one noticed me slip away through the chaos. No one looked up as Kaelith spread her wings and launched into the sky.
I leaned low against her neck, her scales warm and familiar beneath my palms. We cut through the air like a breath through smoke, rising above the fractured battlefield that sprawled below. The wind stung my face, sharp and biting, and for a moment I let the sound of her wings drown out everything else.
The Hollows emerged beneath us, quiet, unscarred by battle, cloaked in mist and trees ancient enough to remember the first war. The clearing Kaelith glided toward was ringed in shadow and silence, untouched by the madness we’d just left behind.
They were already there.
Three dragons waited in the glade.
I didn’t need Kaelith to tell me they weren’t ours.
A Swordtail, slender and sharp, stood with wings tucked tight to her sides, her gray scales dulled like storm-worn stone.
A Clubtail, broader and hunched, his claws digging into the earth like he didn’t trust it.
And a Striker, lean and coiled with potential energy—but his scales were faded, matte silver-gray that bore none of the shimmer our dragons carried.
They were smaller than Kaelith, smaller than any dragon I’d seen in our ranks. And yet… they radiated something ancient. A quiet defiance that made the air heavier just by their presence.
Kaelith circled once, slowly, before descending.
