Page 31 of Secrets of Ruin

When Orin scowled at him, Skog grinned as he leaned back on his heels and rubbed his beard.

“You’re an asshole,” Orin muttered.

“But you’re still a bigger one.”

Lexi suppressed a laugh as Sahira rolled her eyes and scrambled up Alina to settle behind Cole. Finally, Orin trudged toward Alina. He hesitated before using his one hand to climb up to sit behind Sahira.

When Alina rose and started flapping her wings, Orin muttered, “Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.”

Despite Alina’s revelation that Brokk was in rough shape, Lexi chuckled at Orin’s discomfort as Alina lifted into the air and soared back toward the castle. No matter what, they would save him.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Unable to walk on his own anymore, Ryker held Brokk under his shoulders, and Tucker carried his feet as they walked Brokk up the hill toward the palace with its golden turrets.

Soon after entering Dragonia, Brokk lost consciousness, and his chin rested against his chest. A trail of blood followed them up the pathway to the palace.

Kaylia hovered nervously at his side. She couldn’t see the extent of the damage done to his back, but his ciphers had faded to that awful gray color again.

Some of Dragonia’s citizens trailed them up the hill. The second they’d come through the portal from the human realm, a commotion had spread through the town.

When the realization of who the bloody, naked, filthy, and barely functioning new arrivals were sank in, chaos spread. Shouts filled the air, and the guards rushed forward to help them, but Kaylia waved them away.

She didn’t expect the ophidians to follow them here. If the ophidians had discovered their escape, then the snakes probably planned to leave the pyramid behind.

Those serpents wouldn’t dare enter this realm. The guards here would slaughter them, but she still told the guards, “We’ll be fine. You have to stay here and remain extra vigilant with the portals.”

One of the lycan guards nodded as they retreated to the portals and held their weapons at the ready. That didn’t stop some of the merchants and buyers in the town from following them as a dozen dragons circled above.

When the dragons’ bellows vibrated the air, Leland glanced nervously up at them. Her light brown skin was darker from the grime covering it, but patches of her natural tone poked through.

Tangles matted her long, black hair, and her honey-brown eyes were troubled as she searched the sky. Like the rest, she’d lost weight and had fresh scars, but those factors couldn’t obscure her natural beauty.

Brokk’s low groan drew Kaylia’s attention back to him. She rested her hand on his forehead and was relieved to find that he didn’t have another fever.

He’d been brutalized and weakened again but was still infection-free… for now. She hoped he remained that way, and once they got him to the infirmary, she would do everything she could to ensure he did.

“The dragons don’t seem happy,” Leland murmured.

“They won’t attack us,” Kaylia assured her. “They’re just letting others know we’ve arrived.”

“Are you sure? They’re not exactly known as friendly.”

“The Lord compelled the dragons to do his bidding, but Lexi wouldn’t use them in such a way. The dragons love her, and she loves them, and she would never command them to kill without their consent, and she especially wouldn’t use them to attack those she loves. The throne won’t rot her mind like it did the Lord’s.”

“I hope you’re right.”

A large shadow fell over them as a gust of wind blew back Kaylia’s hair and caused Leland to stumble as she threw up her arms. Ryker and Tucker came to an abrupt halt as a large red dragon settled onto the ground ten feet in front of them.

“Oh shit,” Ryker muttered.

“Alina,” Kaylia breathed.

The dragon took up so much space she didn’t see her riders until Orin slid off the Speaker’s back and staggered a few steps before righting himself. He was paler than normal, but his black eyes instantly found hers.

Orin was the last person she’d been looking forward to seeing again, but for some reason, a sob lodged in her throat, and she nearly fell to her knees as reality hit her. They were in Dragonia, but she hadn’t felt safe or fully accepted her new reality until now.

They were free. Those monsters wouldn’t follow them here. They had protection, food, medicine, and family.