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He tossed one at Drazen, then knelt between my legs with another, cleaning me thoroughly. Both of them kissed me in turn again, though this time, there was no lingering want. My eyes were heavy, and I allowed the males to shift me around until they got comfortable and covered us with the blankets. With a sigh, I turned on my side, curling into a ball with my back touching Drazen and a hand draped across Endre’s chest.
A heartbeat moment later, I drifted off to sleep with a soft smile tugging up the corners of my lips.
46
Drazen and I braved the blistering cold to survey the day’s training. It was as if the Fates decided to fuck with us this winter, bringing in bitter winds from the mountains and snow that needed to constantly be cleared. Fires were fueled by magic day and night to warm the area, and as we passed one, a blissful moment banished the misery of the weather. Thankfully, tents had been converted into stone buildings before the harsh season set in, though they were crude and lacked the normal comforts of a true home. They stretched all the way to the base of the mountains in the distance, housing the tens of thousands brought together to defend the Iron Realm
Smoke curled from chimneys, the sign that our army was settled in for the winter.
We’d lost too many in that first battle against the Night Realm.
The sun broke through the clouds overhead, scattering light across the mountains surrounding us. A flash of scales caught my eye, and I followed the flight of six Dragons through the peaks, patrolling the Iron Realm’s borders. Once they’d passedus by, I commented, “We should fly with them. I’m itching to shift.”
Drazen met my mischievous grin with one of his own. “Rares should have thought this up years ago if he wanted to stay on your good side.”
“He should have,” I replied, striding into the officers’ quarters and rushing to shut the door behind us. It was quiet as we walked the length of it, waiting until we neared the end that opened into a clearing before stripping out of our clothes. We stowed them in an empty corner, then braced ourselves for the ball-shrinking greeting that awaited us. Calling on the well of black fire slumbering in my chest, I stoked it into an inferno and raced out the door. In three steps, my scales scattered over my skin, and in another three, wings burst from my back. The shift tore through me, and I flapped wildly, shooting straight toward the clouds.
A roar filled the air as I burst through them, echoing around the valley that nestled Radence in its protective embrace. I loved flying before, but soaring among the peaks in my massive Dragon form was incomparable. Drazen bellowed a response, finding me in the air, and I swiped my tail at him. Smoke trailed from his nostrils, and he gnashed his teeth at me. Undeterred, I dove at him, forcing him to flare his wings and slow his momentum. The air I left in my wake buffeted him, and he chased me once he’d regained his bearings.
We rolled through the sky and twisted through the peaks of the Agrenak Mountains until we caught up with the other Dragons, joining them in dipping through the clouds and surveying the snowy landscape beneath us. Lazy smoke drifted from the small villages tucked into valleys, and the din of metal striking rock reached my sensitive hearing from the mines within the mountains. With my keen eyesight, I spotted little white bundles of fur trekking through the snow, the rare hareswith thick, warm fur that lined the cloak and boots I had gifted to Izidora upon arriving in the Iron Realm.
We drifted toward the coast, the mountains growing shorter as we neared the ocean. The briny air hit my nostrils before the deep blue water entered my vision. Among the multitude of dark haired Fae below us, blondes slipped about, the refugees from the Crystal Realm finding solace in the small fishing village. Many looked up and waved to us as we flew overhead.
Banking again, we turned toward the border with the Night Realm, flying closer to the rolling hills than the sharp peaks as we scanned for attackers. More small villages lined this side of the border than the one with the Day Realm, the mountains beginning to soften as they exited my kingdom. In the distance, they bustled less than they used to, a testament to just how many Night Fae Kazimir had conscripted into his army.
Dipping lower, I left the cover of the clouds for better visibility as we neared the Zherzha Pass, the only true path between the Night and Iron Realms. The ice and snow was thick in the harrowing pass, and precariously perched boulders threatened to tumble down and crush anyone attempting to traverse the rocky path below.
Turning nearly sideways, I skimmed between two narrow peaks, challenging my agility and flying prowess. Behind me, the other Dragons banked and flipped, slipping between them without breaking formation. Once the challenging course was complete, I slowed, allowing the wind to carry me forward.
Drazen released a strangled sound, jerking me from the peaceful moment. His massive lapis lazuli Dragon form entered my field of vision, and he jerked his long neck toward the rolling hills to our left. I followed his direction, trying to discover what had him in a panic.
My wings nearly seized when the clouds parted, casting light on the landscape beyond.
Hundreds of thousands of Night Fae, dressed in matching leather armor, landed across the hilltops, some popping into existence, while others tucked their black feathered wings away and strode forward, bundles in their arms.
They hadn’t seen us yet.
Quickly and noiselessly, I aimed upward, leading the Dragons into the clouds and high enough that the air grew thin. Drazen was right beside me, trying to communicate as best we could when our speech was limited.
But there was no mistaking what we’d seen.
They weren’t waiting for the snow to thaw before launching their next campaign.
No, the Night Realm was preparing to attack the Iron Realm, through the Zherzha pass.
***
The Angel female fell to her knees, bruising them against the hard floor. Her eyes turned milky white, and she froze, head tipped toward the ceiling, palms braced against her thighs. The male raced to a nearby desk, snatching parchment and ink to record the female’s words. She trembled from head to toe, orbs of her eyes roaming over something beyond this world. When she finally opened her mouth to speak, a rough, unearthly voice pronounced a prophecy that raised the hairs on his arms.
“The ones that are part of all will be born under a full moon
Her white light will fill the land
But her mates darkness will rise
Kings will fall
Rivers will run with blood
