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“What’s wrong?” Valeen demanded. There was no way she would be here otherwise.

“Ten males came through the portal, heavily armored and carrying weapons, headed this way. They must have realized I was following them and split up. I lost track of half the group and rushed here. They might already be?—”

The stained-glass window behind Katana shattered. Her scream sliced into Valeen’s heart as shards pelted into Katana’s back. She fell to her knees and crawled to the corner of the room, with blood blossoms already staining her cream dress.

Valeen became shadow and reformed at Presco’s back, blocking the sword coming down at him. She shoved hard against the winged male who stood at least a head above her and drove him back toward the broken window.

“They’re coming over the railing!” Tif shrieked.

Hooks with ropes latched onto the metal railing that led to the greater library below. Valeen kicked her opponent hard in the gut and he stumbled, catching himself on the window’s ledge before falling out into the pouring rain. His dark eyes were rimmed in silver, a distinctive trait they were half-god and half-mortal, and could die by any blade, though they healed fast and moved even faster.

He jumped and flipped easily over her head and landed gracefully behind her. With a whirl, he struck out. Their blades hit and Valeen let her vines free. They curled around his neck and took hold of his wrists, dragging him back into the bookcase.She drove her sword through his chest. He let out a strangled cry then she whipped around, bloodied blade at the ready. There were seven more, all wearing a soft pink sash around their arms. Pink wasPricilla’scolor. Everything in her territory was infected with various shades of it.

Presco slashed his talons at one of the other dragon shifters. He ducked and tackled him over the edge of the railing. The loud crash of them hitting the bookshelves and the wood breaking below followed. Dust and debris billowed up in a cloud.

Cornered against the bookshelves by three of the assassins, Varlett growled. Black scales covered her body, and her talons doubled in size. “It’s pathetic it takes three of you to face little old me.”

“Don’t toy with them. Kill them,” Valeen snapped.

Her heart lurched into her throat seeing Katana curled up in the corner with Tif in her arms and an assassin closing in on them. “Katana run!”

Valeen’s vine shot at the assailant cornering Katana and speared him through the gut and pinned him to the wall.

With great leather-like wings, the other two came for her. One launched himself over Presco’s desk while the second charged around it. One’s shimmering scales a deep blue, the other a fiery-red, fully covered their skin. Dragons’ scales were naturally resistant to magic, and her vines wouldn’t be able to pierce them. She brought her sword at the ready position and curled her fingers, taunting them to come for her.

“KILL THOSE BASTARDS!” Tif hollered like a maniac.

“Get out of here, Katana!”

Her eyes watered as she slowly rose up and limped toward the stairs.

The two dragons backed her toward the broken window. “We hear you’re mortal now, goddess of night,” the one on the left said. “It’s a pity really.”

“Mmmhmm,” his partner agreed. “You were always one we worshipped for your greatness and prowess in battle, but the Council of the Gods payswell.”

“Well enough to die? You can’t take treasure to the afterlife.”

Talons slashed down at her,sidestep, swing. Zythara seemed to sing in her hand, vibrating with a power of its own as she cut across the dragon’s forearm and blood oozed between the scales. He hissed and with the other arm swung to backhand her. She ducked and pushed up, punching her goddess blade into his gut. He roared, half-beast half-human, and his friend charged. She became shadow; his wicked talons passed through her. Like a midnight wave, she curled behind him and reformed, shoving her sword through his back. She pushed harder to drive through the bones and muscles until the tip of her golden blade protruded out of his chest. “You chose the wrong side, dragon,” she said close to his ear. “There was a reason you worshipped me.”

Jerking the blade out, she turned just in time to duck under the slashing attack of another. His silver-rimmed brown eyes with the signature reptilian slit, told her he was both dragon and god, and other than a full-blooded immortal, he was the deadliest race in the realms. He was seven feet at least and corded with muscle. Long black hair was tied back, and a matching beard reached his collarbones.

“Where are your lover boys to save you now?” He drew a sword. “My mother sends her regards and hopes you will not be reborn again.”

Chapter 20

VALEEN

This half dragon, half god must be Pricilla’s offspring, and he was likely her most powerful heir sent to get the job done.

It was going to upset her when Valeen killed him.

He held a god blade in his hand; she knew by the particular shade of the golden color. It wasn’t made of gold, however, gold broke too easily. This metal, known asluthria,was found in the heart of the winter goddess’s mountain, or a deep cave in her own House of Night, and did not bend or break and would kill just about anything. Since he’d rather use a sword over scales and talons, he would lean into his god abilities more and depend less on his beast. That was how gods and goddesses usually raised their heirs.

“I am the goddess of night. It’s you that’s in need of a savior.”

He didn’t smile or show any signs of arrogance like his companions before him who now lay dead near her feet. His face hardened, eyes narrowing on her. He grabbed Presco’s desk with one hand and threw it over the balcony’s edge behind him like it weighed no more than a book.

Damn, he’s strong.“I might be impressed if you weren’t here to kill me.”