Page 7

No wonder my mother hadn’t wanted me to go.

Hours later, land finally came into sight, a dark haze in the distance.

“Are we at the right place?” he called from the front of the boat. It was a test. He already knew where we were, but I wasn’t sure.

I opened the wet map and compared it to the compass that continued to spin out of control. “Yes…I think this is it.”

“You think, or you know?” he questioned.

“Yes, I know it is.”

Even through the rain, I could see him smile. “Attagirl.”

We battled the waves until we came to shore, rising up the beach in the rain. There was a dock there with galleons tied up. Cabins on the beach. Pirates inhabited this island, pirates who were loyal to my father’s rulership.

And then a dark mass came from the sky and landed directly before us, shiny black scales that dripped with rain. While my father brought the boat up the shore, Khazmuda lowered his head to look at me.Zunieth.

I ran to him and took shelter under his massive body. I gripped one of his legs and held on, using it for support as I let my exhaustion rise to the surface. “I was scared.”

I was above you the entire time. Would never let anything happen to one of my hatchlings.

“I know.”

You were brave. Brave like a dragon. You should be proud.

I watched my father secure the boat, soaked to the bone with rain, and then walk up the beach to where we were standing.

Khazmuda lowered his snout and greeted my father.

Even though he must have been tired and uncomfortable from the cold water soaked into his clothes, he stopped to embrace his dragon, to place his hand upon his snout in an affectionate gesture. They seemed to have a conversation in private because I couldn’t hear Khazmuda’s voice anymore. Their eyes remained locked on each other until my father withdrew his hand. Rain continued to drip down his face.

He moved underneath Khazmuda’s body and came to me before he took a knee. That way, our faces could be level with each other. “You have the strength of your father, the resilience of your mother, and the fire of Khazmuda. You’re a Rothschild, future Queen of the Southern Isles, and I’m proud to call you my daughter.”

Just like that, all the suffering I’d endured was worth it. To see him look at me like that. To feel his pride fill the space between us.

“I know this was hard, and I hope you never have to thank me for it.” He brought me into his arms and squeezed me tightly, cupping the back of my head in his hand. He held me like that for a long time, and his breaths grew deep and uneven.

I pulled away first and saw the mist in his eyes. “Dad, why are you crying?”

His eyes immediately shifted down to hide his emotion. He sniffed then quickly blinked his tears away. “It’s a privilege to be your father…and I never take that for granted.”

2

LILY

Come to me.

I stood there, frozen in place, the words inaudible but loud enough to grip me by the throat. I stared into the fog, eyes scanning and expecting to see a man or a monster or…I wasn’t sure.

Come to me, or I will make you.

When movement returned to my limbs, I put on the armor that my father had made for me, armor that I’d tucked below the decks in case I needed it. It bore the family crest that had been in my line for generations, the dragon in the sky above. With my sword sheathed across my back, I climbed down to the rocks and made my way on land.

Once my boots hit the sand, I felt it.

Death. Void. Emptiness.

The trees stood tall here, but none were alive. The small patches of grass were dried and brown. If we wanted to survive off theland, we would find it impossible because it lacked fruit and vegetables, anything that grew.