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Convulsing in agony and shock, Uthyr gasped out the words: “What . . . are you . . . doing?Why?”

“We’re making sure you can’t shift into this form again.” With Nïx’s help, Cara dragged the weighty behemoth of a heart from his chest. “Isn’t this the key to a dragon shifter’s shifting?”

“No, nooo!” He began to transform, his scales disappearing, his body shrinking to become human in appearance. His dragon fangs and maw morphed into the face of a mortal man. “Why not . . . kill me?”

“Oblige him,” Emberine demanded, her palms full of fire. “He’s an enemy of the Lore.”

“He’s much more valuable to us alive,” Nïx said. “He’s a leaf on a current. You all are.”

Emberine exchanged a look with Portia and muttered, “Whatever you say, Nucking Futs Nïx.”

Uthyr bit out, “I’ll never . . . help you.”

“You will just by existing. Your leader, Orion, is said to be able to see the vulnerability in every being. So how did this attack on you come to pass? Either he can’t see every vulnerability, or he lied to you about yours. Regardless, you’ll return to your alliance as a grenade with thepin”—she patted his massive dragon’s heart—“pulled.”

Chest gaping, he crawled for his heart, clawing the ground for it.

Nïx snapped her fingers, and a witch tossed her a huge satchel. Nïx and Cara loaded the heart inside.

With exquisite timing, Bertil landed atop Nïx’s shoulder for their dramatic exit. “You’ll recover soon, my leaf. In the meantime, give Orion my regards.” Together, she and Bertil lightning-portaled to Dacia with the prize—and a wizard’s journal she’d just nicked from one of the witches—in hand.

This heart would change the entire war.

If I remember not to throw it away. . . .