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I winced, gripping the battlement as he fell from the sky. His wings spread, but black blood dripped from a gash in his side. I fought tears. I didn’t have time to lose it. I had to keep our powers together so he didn’t die.

SEVENTY

NYX

Streaks of lava seared through my scales, cutting down to my flesh and opening the muscle. My wings snapped closed as my body reacted to protect itself, sending me spiraling toward the ground. We weren’t high enough for this. I forced my wings out against all instinct and caught air, flying back over the city. I felt the moisture at the wound, knowing I was bleeding. Very little cut through dragon scales—only dragon on dragon battle could cut this deep.

I couldn’t let him get me again.

Zaria pushed even more of her energy toward me.

The charge of her power felt like light flowing through my veins. It sparkled through my black blood.

I turned sharply, sensing Octavian gaining on my tail, and cut back toward the outer wall of the city. I flew against the pain, utilizing mine and Zaria’s power combined.I had to take this fight away from the innocent fae in the city.

Volcano dragons from the Eleventh Kingdom were rare and secretive. Their family lines were like spider webs, and their magic was hard to trace. It made Octavian a formidable enemy. He might not look it with his advanced age and pristine appearance, but he was a ruthless dragon with exceptionally controlled magic.

We were pretty equally matched before I found my flyer, but with Zaria, I knew I had an edge. Now I had to get him away from the city. How could he be so reckless in a city he’d sworn to protect? He had a duty to every fae below us.

I worked to push him back with every bout, trying to get him over the open land behind the palace so I could unleash the full extent of my power.

“He’s charging his lava!”

“Thank you, Sol.” I didn’t know how she could tell, but I cut straight up, and he missed me.

He followed, beating his wings hard to try to catch me.

When he got close, I dove, shooting past him, raining fire on him as I did.

He wasn’t ready for the move, and he snapped his wings in, trying to shield himself from the blast. They deflected most of the fire, but the sparks of light in my black flame, which I suspected were from Zaria’s magic mixing with mine, burned tiny holes into his scales like acid.

It would leave him vulnerable.

I almost had him. I backed off, pulling him farther from the palace over the meadows.

Movement caught my attention, and I looked past him to see a horde of dragons launching from the palace. No, no, NO! If Octavian noticed and realized he was about to be outnumbered, he’d flee, and I could lose him. I couldn’t give him that advantage.

I pulled back to hover like I was giving him an in. His red eyes met mine, and he smiled. He was enjoying this too much, and I hated him more for it.

We dove at each other, and I pulled my power and Zaria’s together, amassing it to pour into my fire.

But he pulled up and turned away.

What was he doing? I shot after him.

He cut out a different direction, then dropped lower and lower to the ground, coming over a huge field, and pulled with his magic.

What the fuck was he doing?

Things burst through the ground, shooting up toward us. Tiny creatures bombarded me, hitting me from every side. They latched onto every part of me they could, biting. Their teeth broke against my hard scales, but that didn’tstop them.

“What the fuck is this?”

“I can’t see you. What’s going on?” Zaria called.

“I don’t know!” The things dug at my skin with unnatural strength.

“I’m getting a better vantage point—hold on!”