Queen Mily was in the room below as was another woman who looked vaguely familiar, probably one of the many courtiers I wished I could scrub from my memory. I grimaced, trying to make sense because the other courtier held the crown and then leaned over the queen and laughed. Queen Mily, still in her party dress, had her hands cuffed behind her back. Several other Azuli’s were lined up too. I could feel Draedyn’s power and mentally added several additional layers to my veil. I panned my vision back from the two women and saw him.
I stared at my father, never having seen him in his human form. His hair was dark brown, almost black, but the sunlight picked up the burnt umber’s reddish hue. His face was angular and skin pale, probably from living in a cave. He had to be hundreds if not thousands of years old, and yet he appeared only a few years older than Tyrrik. The Azulis around him fidgeted incessantly as if subconsciously they knew. Prey had a natural instinct to run from their predators, and Draedyn was all predator. They were nothing, and deep down, they knew it. He sat, one leg crossed over the other, in an everyday wooden seat. He didn’t wear an aketon. He wore no trousers or boots, no hose or belt. He wore a misshapen, unadorned knee-length and sleeveless tunic. To call the garb a tunic was even a stretch. The garment was at odds with his angular and sharp appearance, and I couldn’t understand the intentional juxtaposition of it. He thrived on power. He’d killed thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands over the millennia. Why was he dressed like a pauper? Wouldn’t he want sleek clothes to match his cruel heart? Not look as though he’d crawled out of a cave?
I tore my gaze from the conundrum and massive threat of my father, and I choked back a gasp.
Kamini!
I leaned farther over the railing, inching my hand to cover my mouth. Kamoi was down there, too, standing in front of the two other Phaetyn who’d been taken. They were corralled at the far end of the room, near the base of another spiral stairwell.
Pulling back, I huddled behind the pillars of the railing once more, mind working frantically.
Mistress Moons. Lani’s family was down there. I lifted my head. Could I save them? I had my Phaetyn veil on, but the emperor was there. Was an attempt to rescue them now too risky? Yes. There were too many down there for the disappearance of four Phaetyn prisoners to go unnoticed. And how would I get them out? We could still be caught though invisible.
I shook my head, realizing the effort at this point was futile.
Someone screamed below, and I jumped and then huddled over the banister again. My stomach clenched as I saw several Azulis fighting Druman captors. The mules rounded up dozens of the scantily clad humans, herding them into a corner, and then drew large swords.
Shock seized me, rendering me immobile, and I gasped, screaming silently as the Druman slaughtered the Azulis. Blood sprayed, and I closed my eyes, bile burning the back of my throat. In my mind’s eye, I heard Arnik screaming my name. Nightmares from that past moment solidified in my mind and left me momentarily reeling.
Ryn. Tyrrik trembled to avoid shifting and was only vaguely aware of Gairome and Zarad leaving, but through Tyrrik’s eyes, I saw the prince and his first storm off.
I’m coming to you, Tyrrik said, moving in a blur.
Only then did I realize he, and the few remaining members of our party, were tucked around a corner from the room below.
No, I gasped. I’m safe. Don’t. If he did, he’d risk exposing them all. I felt his control slipping and sent him a pulse of comfort and love. Really. I’m okay.
A lie but a necessary one. The power must’ve helped because I felt his control tighten.
Queen Mily was on her knees, her head bowed. The courtier stood over her, speaking, and the stunning redhead brought her hands to her face. The other woman kicked the queen, the former queen, I realized. No matter what she’d been a few hours ago, it didn’t look like she was the ruler any longer.
Draedyn approached her.
My heart thundered against my ribs, my limbs begging to shift or fly or run. I watched, filled with terror as Draedyn’s hand shifted. His emerald talons slid out, and he crouched in front of Mily. His face was impassive as if speaking about the weather, and then his eyes flooded.
The emperor of Draeconia slid the tip of his talon into the abdomen of the young woman.
Mily jerked her head up, her eyes wide and her mouth opened to scream. Only nothing came out. Her hands went to Draedyn’s wrist, and she clawed and tugged, uselessly, to free herself.
Draedyn leaned over, grabbed her hair, and yanked her head back. In one fluid movement, he pulled the embedded talon upward and then straightened and stepped back.
Mily’s hands went to her stomach a moment too late. Her entrails spilled out in front of her. Grayish pink bowel fell to the ground, sliding out on the glass in front of her. She leaned forward, hands grabbing her insides as she scrambled to gather them back to her.
My mind blanked, and I turned away and retched, my stomach heaving at the gruesome sight.
Ryn!
Tyrrik. I closed my eyes, opening them again immediately when the scene repeated in my mind. He has Kamoi and Kamini.
I know. We’re waiting for a chance to save them.
I waited. I can help. I can veil you.
Tyrrik said nothing, and I was still reeling enough to glance around, and my gaze snagged on my father. Draedyn was standing. He said something to the new queen, who was wiping her mouth, and then he addressed the room. Scales rippled on his skin, crawling up his arms, and I blinked, trying to make sense as to why he, of all Drae, would have a difficult time controlling his shift.
And then he was moving. He was moving! The muscles in my thighs tightened as I tensed to run. Downstairs. Draedyn was gone. He’d disappeared past the staircase and out of my sight. Which meant we needed to strike.
Ryn! Tyrrik bellowed in my head, his voice filled with terror.
What? I snapped. Draedyn just left. We need to—
Your veil and shield are down. Why is your veil down?
I blinked, stunned as realization pummeled me. I’d been so shocked by Draedyn’s presence and the brutality—
Black spots flashed across my vision as pain bludgeoned my head and then my chest. Bright-green slithering power coated my mind before I even had time to close my eyes against the lancing hurt in my skull. Draedyn’s power.
I sunk to the ground, clutching my head, neck muscles taut with silent agony. But before I could fall, liquid fire cooled me, pouring down from the crown of my head into every searing facet of my mind, calming my fear. A flood of Tyrrik’s power pushed away Draedyn’s attack, filling me until there was no room for anything or anyone else.
I’m sorry, he said. So sorry.
Only this time, I wasn’t mad. He’d saved me. There was a difference between helping me fight and knocking me out against my will.
You need to get your veil back up, Tyrrik said, his voice strained. Veil first, shield second. Hurry.
I took a deep breath, doing my best to settle my mind and my racing heart so I could concentrate. I forced my attention to my energy and worked at stretching my Phaetyn veil over me. No problem there. I added a few extra layers of the mossy-green web and then focused on my Drae shield, wrapping the blue around my head like a helmet.
All that practice, and my defenses had crumbled in a matter of minutes. I couldn’t let that happen again. Draedyn had attacked me, which meant he now knew where I was. He could be upon me any second. Actually, it was surprising he wasn’t here already with how fast Drae could move. Tears burned my eyes, and I hurried back the way I’d come. I don’t know how I dropped it.
But I did. We both knew I was still haunted by my time in the dungeons. We both were. I’d lost my concentration, and I was furious at myself.
Are you okay? I asked him, wrapping my arms around him when he suddenly appeared. I would never forgive myself if harm befell my mate, and that’s what I’d nearly caused.
I’m fine. I’m just relieved you’re okay. He kissed my head. Veil me?
I pulled the mossy net around him, clearly not thinking straight even now. I’m sorry.
Not all your fault. Now let’s get out of here.