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“Yes, where is she?”

Amalia looked away.

His chest tightened further, the pain he felt crawling across his torso near suffocating.

She slowly brought her eyes back to him. “I am sorry. He refused to do what she wanted, but he offered to take her to the Elders.”

Geryon’s wings drooped as his jaw fell open.

“The Elders? Why would he do that?”

The Elders could give her any kind of punishment, and there would be nothing Geryon could do about it. He’d been intending to keep her a secret from them, most likely forever.

“Blasted WitchSlayer,” Geryon snapped, turning away from Amalia so he could take flight.

He didn’t know how much time he had, but he needed to get to the Pinnacle of Dragons before her fate was decided.They will not hesitate to act on their decision.Once the Elders decided upon something, it was usually enacted the same day.

Why would Rurik take her to the Elders? He hates them.Just like how he hated everything. He usually liked to keep family issues within the family.

I am his fucking brother! Could he not have just waited for me?

No. Instead, he’d taken Valerie to the one place Geryon would much rather have avoided.

After they landed at the top of the magnificent mountain island, Valerie was allowed to walk beside Rurik. The entrance to the Pinnacle of Dragons was near the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. She knew if she had fallen off the edge, it would have been to her death. However, she wasn’t looking for death in particular; she just wanted to be cleansed. She knew no other way than fire.

Rurik only gave her a moment to look over the expanse of ocean before he ushered her through the entrance archway, one that had strange Dragonian symbols around the outside. It was large enough to fit two full-sized Dragons walking side by side.

The path was twisty, and it began to spiral downwards inside the mountain. They didn’t pass many Dragons, but there were some who peeked out from humongous alcove rooms to look at them.

Valerie mostly kept her eyes on Rurik, unless something wonderful came into sight. Something like the large rooms filled with tapestries she would have loved to read until the world around her crumbled away. There was also a room filled with statues and art that had obviously been created by large, inhuman hands.

She never thought they had culture and enjoyed things like this.There was still so much to learn.But she wasn’t sad about knowing that.

She was seeing more than any of her family had for eons,wouldsee for eons.I am blessed just to be here, even if it is the last place I will see.

The ceilings were painted with an array of patterns and colours. Tapestry rugs of Dragons flying in the skies, or just nature in general, hung along the path they were walking. Even the ground they were walking on had a neat stone path. Large, round firepits floating with magic lit the way for them.

Everything inside this place was cared for and cleaned. Magic radiated from every room.

Then, for a long while, there was nothing important to look at as they descended deeper into the belly of the Pinnacle of Dragons.

“What are you staring at?” Rurik barked when she’d been ogling him for too long.

There hadn’t been anything else to look at as they ventured further inside. He raised his brow when he got no reaction from her.

“I thought Geryon was magnificent, but I did not realise you all were.” She didn’t smile, but she also didn’t look away. “I did not realise you would be as frightening to look at in particular.”

His eyes squinted. “Are you saying I am unsightly?”

“Not at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. Seeing your scars makes me realise just how strong and powerful you are. No wonder many Witches have fallen to your claw.”

“Are... Are you complimenting me, Witch?” He growled as though he didn’t appreciate it, but even she could tell it held no real hostility.

“Think nothing of it.” She finally turned her gaze away to look forward. “I just never imagined I would meet a Dragon and not receive immediate death. I also never thought I would get to visit this place.”

“You speak as though you are joyful, even when you are about to ask for your death, and yet your face holds no emotion. Are you cursed to appear unfeeling?”

“No. It is just who I am.”