Warriors of Wind and Ash (Merciless Dragons #2)

In broken phrases I choke out the truth of Fortunix’s treachery and his kidnapping of Serylla.

“I’m not surprised he’s a bad seed,” Thelise says dryly. “I never liked that one. Varex, how old was Fortunix’s scent? How long ago did he visit Kyreagan’s cave?”

“A few hours, maybe,” he replies.

I swallow the liquid fire creeping up the back of my throat. “He must have arrived not long after I left.”

“A few hours…” Thelise muses. “So Fortunix has already reached the mainland with the Princess. By the time you make it to the coastline, Serylla will already be in the hands of the King of Vohrain. Rahzien knows you did not want to give her up. He’ll be hiding her somewhere, just in case you come after her. Vohrain’s army is much better armored and has stronger weapons than Elekstan, and now that your alliance with them is over, they pose a greater threat. You’ll have to be careful. Besides, you can’t charge into a newly occupied city, burning citizens and smashing buildings as you hunt for her. You need a plan.”

“She’s right, my Prince,” comments Ashvelon. “The Vohrainians have hand cannons that shoot armor-piercing projectiles. We’ve all seen them in action against Elekstan’s armies. It won’t take much for our former allies to turn those weapons on us.”

“They’re called guns,” offers Hinarax, a dragon with coppery scales. He’s been hovering nearby, listening. “A new kind of weapon, not very reliable or accurate, but dragons are large targets. The Vohrainian army didn’t have many guns at the start of the war, but the soldiers I spoke with told me their king is obsessed with such weapons, and is having new designs developed, along with better ammunition.”

“Guns, yes,” continues Ashvelon, with a sidelong look at Hinarax. “As I was saying… stealth and caution are required here.”

“I prefer the charging, smashing, and hunting idea,” I growl.

“You’ll end up hurting Serylla or getting yourself killed,” Thelise points out.

Varex moves a wingbeat closer to me. “She’s right, brother. Besides, we can’t risk angering Vohrain and jeopardizing our ownership of the Middenwold Isles.”

“Rahzien signed those islands over to us,” I say. “He can’t go back on his word.”

“Still, this will take delicate handling, unless you want another war,” Varex replies. “We can’t survive an all-out conflict with Vohrain. Whatever you do must be in the best interest of our clan—both dragons and humans.”

I bare my teeth at him, but I know he speaks the truth. In my urge to save Serylla, I must not forget my duty to my own kind.

Thelise taps her chin. “I’m having a thought.”

“Shit, we’re in trouble now,” mutters Ashvelon.

“Hush, you.” She smacks his neck, an affectionate rebuke. “The King of Vohrain may not know that dragons can take human form now. Fortunix might not have passed along that bit of information. And whether Rahzien knows about it or not, he won’t recognize you in human form. That’s your angle. Your human face is the perfect disguise. With it, you can stroll right into the Elekstan capital… or approach the King’s fortress in Vohrain, depending on where Fortunix took the Princess. You said he wants to use her to subdue the people, right? So I’m guessing he’ll keep her in Elekstan. He might try to impregnate her quickly, to legitimize his claim on the kingdom.”

My reaction to Thelise’s last statement is visceral, uncontrollable. A possessive fury explodes through my body, and I roar another burst of flame in the enchantress’s general direction. Ashvelon darts quickly aside so I don’t burn his precious life-mate.

“Avoid that topic,” Varex tells her sharply.

“Right.” Thelise looks somewhat paler. She extracts a tiny flask from a pocket in her clothing and takes a swig.

I toss my head, groaning as I fight to suppress another gush of fire. When I have myself mostly under control, I say tightly, “You’re forgetting one thing. I have horns, claws, and a forked tongue when I’m in human form. Won’t they give me away?”

Thelise arches a brow. “Your horns stay with you when you change? Interesting. There have been a few such vagaries among the others, too. I suppose even the best-planned spells can go slightly awry. While I can’t alter the spell itself, I can add a charm that allows you to dispel your horns and modify your tongue and claws when you’re in human form.”

Hinarax moves closer, inserting himself into the conversation again. He’s young, twenty-five like Varex and I, and a bit of a trouble-maker. During our alliance with Vohrain, I had to chastise him a few times for disobeying my orders and wandering off to chat with Vohrainian soldiers. He’s obsessed with humans and their technology, though he deeply distrusts their magic.

“My Prince,” Hinarax ventures. “Forgive me, but I don’t think this plan will work. You’d have to pass yourself off as human—not just human-shaped, but human-born, with all their knowledge and habits. If you plan to infiltrate the Elekstan palace or a Vohrainian fortress, you’ll have to dress convincingly, in the right clothes. You’ll have to know their protocols, their idioms, their honorifics. You’ll have to eat the way they do.”

By the Bone-Builder… he’s right.

“I’ll go with you,” Hinarax offers. “You know I spent time with the humans—I was punished for it often enough.” Unrepentant laughter shines in his eyes. “I can help you fit in, or at least advise you as you learn the humans’ ways.”

“This scheme sounds like it will take too long,” I hiss. “Too much time has passed already. Serylla could be in pain right now. She could be enduring—” I choke on the words, unable to verbalize my fear. “Besides, don’t you have a human captive to care for?”

“The girl I captured chose someone else,” Hinarax says carelessly. “I prefer male company anyway. Ilbryen, Thytar, and I weathered the storm together and explored some very interesting new ways to mate. I’ll tell you about it on the way, if you like.”

I don’t relish the idea of this bright-eyed, human-obsessed male accompanying me, but he’s a decent fighter and he’s willing to join me for what will be a dangerous mission. I’d prefer my brother’s company, but one of us must stay behind to lead the clan.

“I suppose you can come with me,” I tell Hinarax grudgingly. “But I’m in no mood for hearing about your mating habits.”