Page 31 of Dragon Heir

“Dragon king?” I blink at the man, surprised he answered me so readily. “There are nine dragon kings in Wysongue. Which one?”

Scholars don’t learn as much as the liaisons do about the dragon court, but Professor Sinetar gave us an introductory lesson. Each type of dragon has its own king and court, with the exception of moon dragons, who were hunted to extinction by humans and other supernaturals for their rare skin, which is still sold like a precious luxury on the black market today.

“There were nine kings,” Bradley says, looking unconcerned. “Now there will be only one.”

“Which one?”

“The Sun King, of course,” he says with a scoff, as if it’s obvious. “All the heirs will be of his kingdom.”

Suddenly, an unnaturally cool swirl of air circles me, and I gasp as strong hands grip my arms from behind.

“I’ve got her,” True yells, and I’m again launched off my feet.

“I’ve got your back,” Pax yells. “Go!”

My belly slams into True’s shoulder as he tosses me over it, and then his feet are pounding the cobblestones.

“What’s happening?” I cry.

There’s an ear-piercing cry, a flash of bright blue light, and scalding liquid spatters onto my cheek. I wipe it away, finding it crimson and viscous.

Whose blood?

“Pax,” I scream.

The lights go out, plunging us into darkness. Shrieks and yells echo from every direction. Racing footfalls sound. There’s clamor in the streets.

“The Wild Hunters are here,” explains a familiar, masculine voice beside us. I try to comprehend, but the fabled fae hunters are something out of a childhood fairytale to me, the boogeyman who will get you if you don’t come home by dark.

“Pax!” I scream.

“I’m here, Nessie,” he calls, his footsteps falling in on True’s other side, calming my panic.

The faint red glow of my ring is the only light, but I know the feel of Pax’s presence, my only comfort in this moment.

“It’s a trap,” True rumbles. “Take her through now.”

“Now?” Pax asks incredulously. “She’s not nearly ready for—”

“Now!” True commands, his voice almost a shout.

He literally tosses me through the air. I cry out as I’m airborne, but the next second, Pax catches me as we round the corner in the pandemonium. He races to the door of the alehouse where we came last time we went out. Heavy wooden doors crisscrossed with iron bars block our entrance this time.

“Where’s True?” I cry, glancing around into the darkness. A few people are running by, scattering in every direction.

“Fuck,” Pax mutters, glancing around before pounding on the door.

“Give him a second.”

I jerk around to see Professor Sinetar beside us.

My head spins with confusion, even more so when the door swings open before Pax can knock again. True stands before us, inside the door, his eyes alert and fierce, glowing an unearthly white like two round moons with a black hole in the center of each.

The grumpy troll bouncer stands next to him, looking as annoyed as last time. He scans our faces and costumes in one quick glance before jerking his head in a nod for us to enter. He must remember us from last time because he lets us through without another word, pulling the door closed behind us.

We’re suddenly immersed in such pitch darkness that the only thing I can see is the strange pulsing red glow from the stone on my ring.

“Down here,” Pax says, hurrying me through the place. I stumble my way along, trying not to trip and fall. I dart a glance around, but I can’t find True anywhere, and I’m suddenly terrified he went back out to fight.