Illarion let out a tired sigh. Your Arel blood seriously screws you at times. What is this innate need you have to protect?
“I don’t know, but you should be glad I have it. A sane dragon would have left you behind.”
As they rounded them up, Lycaon and his army rode in to finish their slaughter.
Until the king saw Savitar. “What is the meaning of this?”
Savitar faced the king without fear. “I’m here to take them to their own lands to live.”
“You can’t do that.”
Savitar arched a brow. “You want to cross me?”
“The gods have decreed —”
“And I, as a Chthonian sworn to protect mortal life from the gods, overturn that decree.”
Lycaon shook his head. “You can’t do that! They’ll kill my children in retaliation.”
“It’s done.”
While they argued, Helena grabbed Max’s arm. “You can’t let me return to the palace. Not after what’s happened.”
Confused, he scowled at her. “You want to travel with us, the animals?”
“Please. I’m afraid of what Linus will do to me and my children. While he might keep me alive and claim me as his, he will never suffer my children to live. Not so long as they are heirs to their father’s throne. You saw him. His ambitions are ruthless and he will stop at nothing. Worse, we know he killed Eumon. So long as any of us are alive, he’ll view us as a threat and want us removed. Understood?”
Illarion had shaken his head. Max… I know that look on your face. You’re the one who’s always telling me to stay out of things.
Max had nudged the princess closer to Illarion. “Keep an eye on her, for a minute.”
Not quite sure what he was doing, he closed the distance between Savitar and the king. The moment Linus saw him, he did just as his sister-in-law predicted.
He ordered Max arrested for the murder of his brother, and demanded the return of Helena.
She was right. Linus would never suffer her to live and birth those children. He would kill them and remove them from the line of succession.
“He and his brother slaughtered mine, and I demand their heads for it!”
“Illarion is innocent. I, alone, am responsible.”
Savitar faced him with a stern glower. “Do you understand what you’re doing?”
Hell, no. But it seemed to be the only option.
He met Savitar’s furious stare. “I only understand what will happen if I don’t.”
Sighing in disgust, Savitar pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose as if he had a brain tumor forming. As the guards came to retake Max, Savitar stopped them.
“No! The Arcadians you’ve created are a separate race and shouldn’t be subjected to the laws of man.” Savitar glared at Linus and his father. “They are a sentient group and should make their own laws to govern them. If Maxis is to face judgment, it will be by a jury of his own hybrid peers and not handed down from a scheming brother and grieving father. If travesty is to be done, it should be impartial.”
“’Cause that makes it all so much better,” Max muttered.
Savitar narrowed a threatening glower at him. “Don’t lip me, dragon, or I’ll turn you over to them.”
“And what of this jury?” Lycaon demanded. “Who’s to oversee it?”
“I will personally guarantee it. You have my word.”
Fury, and the promise that this wasn’t over, glared out from the king’s eyes. “Fine. I’ll hold you to it. But I want that dragon’s head mounted to my wall for what he’s done! I will be expecting you to bring it to me when this is over. Otherwise, I’ll be declaring war on this new breed.” And with that, the king led his army away.
Illarion finally approached them. I’m glad that’s settled. Not even a little.
Savitar laughed bitterly. “You’re right. Nothing’s over. This is just the beginning. Wait until Zeus and Apollo hear of it.” He glanced around at the faces and animals…
Apollites, lions, eagles, falcons, hawks, tigers, wolves, bears, panthers, jackals, leopards, snow leopards, jaguars, cheetahs, and dragons.
“What the hell was Dagon thinking?”
Max let out his own exhausted breath. “That his wife was grieving for her brother and that he had the magick to make it better.”
“You consider this better?”
Max shrugged at Savitar’s question. “Better than death? Aye. Barely.”
“And you, dragon, are an idiot.”
“I’ve been called worse.” He glanced to Illarion. “And that was just a few hours ago.”
Savitar shook his head as he met the gaze of the princess. “Those are the first of their kind you’re carrying, you know that, right?”
Her face had gone pale. “What?”