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Part One
Mages, Memories, and a Dragon’s Rage
Prologue
Isa Fireborn,
daughter of the last great dragon queen
Caldaria
Twenty-four years earlier
Do you see that? I nudged Radnor’s chest, the fire beneath his scales warming my snout.
My mate craned his long neck and looked down at the smooth crimson shell that contained our hatchling. A crack.
Not long and our hatchling will be here, I purred while resting my snout on my paws, my nose pressed against the nest. I was still in awe of the delicate egg no bigger than the pad of my paw. I couldn’t wait to hold our little fiery bird within the safety of my bosom, my flames warming her, my wings shielding her, my heart beating for her.
I want to name her Triss.
If it’s a girl.
It will be.
To think, out of the ashes of Malvolia’s destruction, new life would soon be born. My soul ached from the devastation around us. My mate and I had found sanctuary at the edge of the Sorel Forest, though many of the treetops still smoked after the sorceress queen’s fire mage army had swept it clean. As emissaries from Caldaria, we’d tried, and failed, to bring peace to Delfi. Now we were escaping for our lives as madness raced across Delfi like a plague, the rest of the dragon emissaries and their riders that had accompanied us having been killed or captured. We’d originally gone on a peace-keeping mission for what we’d thought was a minor disturbance. Had I known the queen had succumbed to the mind spinner’s spell, we never would’ve gone. But at least we knew now what we were up against. The mind spinner’s supernatural magic could only be the result of one thing—a demon infestation that was sure to spread from Delfi to Windhaven and then to our home country of Caldaria.
Steam blew out of my mate’s nostrils, fogging our egg. The babe has bad timing.
No. Her timing is perfect. With a growl, I pushed his snout away from our egg then licked a stray ember off the shell. We need to go to Fallax now.
It was the only place we could ensure the safety of our hatchling after our weak Fae monarchs had failed us, for the world would surely soon fall to demons. The wyverns wouldn’t hurt us, for I had Fireborn blood, and they had once served my mother’s bonded rider, the Fae goddess Maiadra. There we would wait for the birth of the prophesized white witches, for only a witch with immense power could defeat the demons. If Malvolia’s (now deceased) prophets had been correct, her sister Flora would give birth to two white witches. Until they came into their powers, the world would be unsafe, and I wouldn’t risk my hatchling for anything.
Radnor sat up and stretched his wings, his nostrils flaring as he scented the air for threats. We can’t flee until after we warn the satyrs.
I let out a low growl. With all due respect, to hell with the satyrs.
Radnor steamed the air, his eyes narrowing as he gave me that judgmental snarl I’d come to loathe. Isa, the mind spinner will destroy them.
He may try. He may not. I nodded down at the nest. Is the journey worth risking our hatchling’s life?
Already his gaze was fixed on the southern skies. Go to Fallax. I’ll find you.
Rage boiled my blood. How could he put those lesser Fae above me? Above our own hatchling? Don’t you dare.
His heavy jowls turned a frown. Isa, I must.
Elements, what a fool I’d been to pick such a softhearted mate. And if the mind spinner intercepts you?
He flexed his wings, steam pouring from his snout. Then I shall burn him to a crisp.
Flames of ire scorched my lungs. You underestimate his power.
And you underestimate mine. Radnor turned up his chin as his eyes simmered with anger. Your lack of faith in me is insulting.
I turned on him with a snarl, swatting his haunches with my barbed tail. And your lack of consideration for your mate and hatchling is infuriating!
He jumped back with a roar, panting as if I’d struck him with a spear. It is for you that I do this! The satyrs are Fae-kind’s last hope! Only they grow the herbs that can protect against the mind spinner’s spells. If we can’t stop the spread of lies, the demons will win. What kind of future will our hatchling have if that happens?
