Page 17

Their Bond formed with a rush of ancient magic Aemyra could never have prepared herself for.

Fire skittered through her veins, the deep well of power Brigid had blessed her with expanding tenfold. The dragon’s magic rushed in, pressing against Aemyra’s skin until her heart tried to escape her rib cage.

Dragon and Dùileach loosed primal cries that echoed between the mountain peaks, never breaking their point of contact despite the pain.

Aemyra’s body began to shake, and the obsidian dragon pressed her against the mountain as if determined to maintain their connection. The dragon’s consciousness swept in behind the wildfire consuming her body and Aemyra briefly forgot who she was.

Such was the ancient beathach’s power, her very soul quaked to feel the merging of their magic. For the first time understanding the enormity of what was happening.

Lost within the roaring inferno, she barely registered her lips growing chapped as she weathered the firestorm wracking her body. Pain split her skull as the pressure crested inside her, doubled thanks to the newly forged connection with another consciousness.

Aemyra clutched the obsidian scales like they were the only thing tethering her to this world, feeling the vibrations of the dragon’s pain-filled growls. Panting, Aemyra tried to regain control of her body despite feeling as though the blood in her veins was being razed to cinders.

Steadily, the magic grew easier to bear and Aemyra gritted her teeth as the Bond settled. Stretched tight as a bowstring, her magic swollen and eager to be let loose, Aemyra trembled as sparks crackled at her fingertips unbidden.

The dragon’s pupils were blown wide.

Now Aemyra could feel something else alongside the magic. Emotions, feelings, memories that didn’t belong to her were surging in and overwhelming her senses. A Tìr Teine she didn’t recognize, cities that had long since crumbled passing beneath her. Blood, fire, and smoke accompanied memories of such intense rage that Aemyra had to steady herself when it felt as though a pair of wings were flexing across her own back.

As the last of the fire dulled to embers within her, Aemyra finally let her hand slip from the dragon’s face and she fell to her knees, weeping.

She was Bonded.

It was done.

Surprising her, the dragon let out a small whine and nudged Aemyra’s cheek with her snout.

This was too much.

This was everything.

Aemyra gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as if she could keep it all from spilling out.

A dragon had chosen her. Had chosen her.

With a laugh that sounded more like a sob, Aemyra let the tears fall and wondered why Orlagh or Draevan had never told her how wonderful being Bonded was. She might never have believed them had she not experienced it herself.

Looking up at the enormous creature, she felt more insignificant than she ever had before. What did queens or kings matter in a world where dragons existed?

After a few moments, Aemyra rose unsteadily to her feet and drew level with the amethyst eye that already seemed familiar to her.

“Thank you for choosing me.” The words seemed trivial, but there was nothing else to say.

The dragon let out a low rumble from deep in her throat, and Aemyra reached up to press both hands to her dragon’s face. A face that was three times the size of her own body.

If it was possible to actually hug a dragon, she supposed that it was what she was doing as they adjusted to each other’s consciousness.

“As intimidating as ‘The Terror’ is, I think you’re going to need a new name,” Aemyra eventually said with a smile, and the dragon seemed to be waiting for a suggestion.

Looking up at the magnificent creature that had somehow deemed Aemyra worthy to share her life, she took in the dark hide, the glistening scales, the elegantly fluted crest of her head and deadly spikes that littered her spine and tail.

Deciding that her dragon was quite terrifying after all, Aemyra grinned.

“Are you ready to change the world, Terrea?”

The dragon lifted her head to the sky and loosed a torrent of fire so hot that Aemyra cringed from it. Before she could blink the white spots out of her vision, Terrea bent her head and began pushing her toward the edge of the cliff.

“Uh, only one of us has wings, remember,” she said hastily, tripping over a rock.

The dragon seemed incensed about something, and Aemyra tried not to panic. Swiping her dagger up off the ground and tucking it into her belt, she searched within her for the answer. The Bond was so new that their fledgling connection was overwhelming, but there was only one tangible thought coming from Terrea.

Fly.

A grin spread across Aemyra’s face, and she launched herself at the dragon. Surging past the serpentine neck, Aemyra choked on a delighted sob as the dragon stretched her foreleg out. Hesitating for less than a heartbeat, she stepped onto the scaly limb lightly, using the knee and shoulder joint to rappel upward.

“This is incredible…” Aemyra laughed as her hands found easy purchase among the ridged scales.

Hardly daring to believe this was real, that she was Bonded to a dragon and about to experience their first flight, Aemyra settled herself into the space between Terrea’s neck and back.

Tucking her feet behind the wing joint to make herself feel a little more secure, Aemyra clutched the spikes in front of her and prayed to Beira that she was going to make a better dragon rider than horsewoman.

Bonding to a dragon was one thing, riding one was another.

Terrea didn’t give her a moment to consider the drop before launching herself off the edge of the mountain and into the clouds.

Aemyra’s shriek was swallowed by the rush of air as she left her stomach behind. Terrea tucked her wings tightly and dove into the clouds, Aemyra’s riding leathers squeaking against the hard scales underneath her.

Pressure built in her head as the dragon banked across the sky, strong updrafts stretching the thin wing membranes on either side of her. Risking a glance behind them, Aemyra watched as Terrea used her barbed tail to counteract the currents of air and keep herself balanced.

I had no idea the air moved so much…

Something that could only be described as a snort came through the Bond and Aemyra almost slipped from Terrea’s back. She had watched Orlagh and Draevan communicate with their beathaichean but had never expected it to feel as though their minds had merged.

Terrea began climbing, wings pumping strongly, and it was a challenge for Aemyra not to be impaled by the spikes either in front of her face or at her back.

No wonder Evander had been in full armor…

The sky was far more unstable than Aemyra could ever have guessed, and she was suddenly grateful for all the offerings she had given to Beira over the years. But as Terrea leveled out and her wings spread wide on either side of her body, Aemyra risked a glance down.

The view of the world from above took her breath away. She could see clear across the Saiphir Sea toward the outline of Tìr Uisge. Below them, the tall pine trees of the Sunset Isle looked like blades of grass. The boats on the water nothing more than drowned ants.

“This is unbelievable,” Aemyra breathed, flames she was struggling to control licking across her skin.

She had no idea she would be able to see for miles from up here. Terrea banked, turning them back toward the mountain, and Aemyra whooped aloud for the sheer joy of being alive. Happiness soaring through the Bond, Terrea loosed her own blissful roar into the sky as sparks cascaded from Aemyra onto her scales.

This was better than anything she could have imagined.

The sun was beginning to set, casting them both into shadow, and she felt tears spring to her eyes once more.

There was no undoing what had just happened between them, save death itself. Neither of them would ever be alone again. The last female dragon and Daercathian in existence. Aemyra spread her palm over the black scales of Terrea’s neck, pale against the dragon’s dark radiance.

“I was right. People will look to us and see hope,” she whispered.

When they reached the clouds, Aemyra trailed her fingers through the swirling mist, wondering why she had always thought they were solid.

“I could stay up here forever,” she said wistfully as Terrea hummed, the vibration passing through Aemyra’s fingers and warming her very heart.

They flew steadily, learning each other, settling into this new partnership. There were no more battles of will, no death-defying drops to the surface of the ocean that lay a mile beneath them. They had already tested each other on the mountainside. From the moment they had embraced the Bond, there was only quiet acceptance, and an unspoken agreement to respect each other.

It was the easiest and most uncomplicated relationship Aemyra had ever experienced.

“Where are we going?” she asked, leaning forward as if Terrea might hear her better as the dragon flew higher. The air around them was growing thin, but Aemyra’s magic was keeping her warm as Terrea emerged into the world above the clouds.

“Blessed Brigid…” Aemyra whispered.

In that moment, she decided that she would be happy to remain up here with her dragon, lost among the watercolor clouds, just a girl and a beathach who had finally found each other after years of searching for something more.

—

Having spent the first twenty-six years of her life with her feet planted firmly on the ground, watching her father take to the skies without her, Aemyra never wanted this first flight to end.

She had no idea how Evander had managed to descend from the skies above àird Lasair so soon after bonding to Kolreath. Aemyra hadn’t stopped trembling for hours, and Terrea wouldn’t have allowed their separation until the Bond was solidified.

But after flying through the night, Aemyra was stiff, and the overwhelming magic had finally settled enough to land. Even if her mind did feel decidedly squashed from the new presence making room within her.

The sun was just cresting the horizon when Penryth came into view, and as the great black dragon descended toward the ground, the bells began to toll.

Seconds later, screams sounded from the village.

Terrea growled deep in her throat, but the dragon kept her jaws firmly closed in spite of the soldiers running out of their barracks, arrows nocked in their bows.

Terrea splayed her wings to slow their descent, and before the soldiers could shoot, Aemyra fashioned a flaming crown atop her head.

With how much her magic had grown, Aemyra came dangerously close to burning her scalp, but the strands of living flame were enough to give the soldiers pause.

As Terrea lowered herself gracefully to the ground, Aemyra had to marvel at how well they were already communicating through the Bond. There were no words, no language of their own, just a simple sharing of thoughts and desires.

The gathered crowd threw their hands up in front of their faces to protect themselves from the gusts of wind that Terrea’s wings were creating. When she landed, Adarian sprinted out of the caisteal with a look of utter disbelief on his face.

The stone bridge cracked under the dragon’s claws, but thankfully it didn’t collapse beneath her weight. Eyeing the narrow space, Aemyra realized that she now had to find a way to dismount. In front of her entire court.

Fantastic.

She sensed something from Terrea, almost like the dragon was amused by her predicament, despite being surrounded by soldiers who still clutched their weapons tightly.

With a groan as her muscles protested, Aemyra swung her right leg in front of her and had no choice but to skid down Terrea’s left side. The hard scales bumped against her back as she shot down the dragon’s shoulder joint and, for a moment, Aemyra thought she was going to miss the bridge entirely and go careening over the side to hit the water below. Until her boots struck the ground with an excruciatingly painful jolt.

Biting back her shout of pain, she kept the burning crown atop her head as she strode away from her dragon on aching legs.

Terrea lowered her face, lips peeling back from her teeth. The beathach made it abundantly clear that if anyone loosed an arrow, they would be incinerated.

Aemyra held her chin high as everyone in front of the caisteal bowed to her.

Trying to hide the limp Terrea had given her with the tail thrashing back on the mountain, Aemyra felt the weight of the true crown settle on her shoulders. Claiming a dragon was about to look easy compared to the task ahead of her.

Adarian was approaching with a look of relief on his face.

“You idiotic, arrogant fool, ” her brother said, face as red as his growing crop of hair. “When you didn’t return last night, I thought you had died.”

Exhausted and aching all over, Aemyra rolled her eyes. “How quickly did you expect me to climb a bloody mountain?”

Spotting her split eyebrow, Adarian lifted his face, prompting Terrea to snarl warningly. “I’ve got a few choice words I’ll use for you later, Beastie. But right now my sister deserves a clip around the ear, queen or not.”

Aemyra felt Terrea immediately take a liking to her twin and she pulled Adarian in for a hug.

Her brother remained rigid in her arms. “I can’t lose you too.”

“Has there been news of our family?” she asked, instantly on edge.

“Nothing yet, but I made an offering this morning that they are safe.” His arms crushed her against his solid chest in a fierce hug.

“Ow, careful,” Aemyra gasped, her crown of flames extinguishing in a puff of smoke. “I think Terrea broke one of my ribs.”

Adarian’s eyes narrowed in the dragon’s direction. “ Extremely choice words,” he threatened.

Aemyra felt Terrea practically purring down the Bond and she whirled to face her beathach.

“When you first met me, you tried to club me to death with your tail, but you like him instantly?” she asked aloud.

Terrea snorted a puff of smoke before bunching her powerful legs underneath her body and launching herself into the sky.

Coughing and eyes watering, everyone gathered turned their faces skyward to watch the ancient dragon take flight.

Adarian nudged her. “Right. Let’s get you inside and fed.”

“And into a bath,” Aemyra groaned, stretching her stiff legs. The ride on horseback had been nothing compared to her subsequent flight through clouds and stars.

Falling into step with her, Adarian made sure no one in the crowd approached as they bowed to their queen. Aemyra disguised her limp as best she could, smiling at the sudden acceptance. Bonding herself to a dragon had won more loyalty than any temple visit would have ever done.

When the twins crossed under the portcullis, Aemyra stopped walking and huffed a laugh as her eyes fell on her father leaning against the caisteal gates, a satisfied smirk on his face.

“I should have known,” she said ruefully.

Adarian looked between them. “What?”

“You knew The Terror was still alive and nesting in Beinn Deataiche this whole time?”

Making a show of examining his fingernails, Draevan was slow to respond. “I suspected. Gealach has displayed an aversion to the north side of the mountain for as long as we have been Bonded. It was the only reasonable explanation.”

Adarian bristled with outrage. “Evander wants her dead for attempting a coup, the True Religion surely see her ability to resurrect the royal matriline as a threat, and yet you hoped she would go after the most bloodthirsty dragon in living memory?” Adarian asked, bristling with outrage.

Draevan shrugged. “She seems to have survived.”

“There was nothing left of that village but ash, ” Adarian ground out.

Aemyra winced as she recalled the heat of Terrea’s fire.

“They are dragons,” Draevan said calmly. “We cannot control the instincts of our beathaichean, but it seems The Terror did us a favor by ridding the stain of the Covenanters from these shores.” Draevan pushed himself off the wall. “You should be glad that your sister’s dragon has such a formidable reputation. It will make our enemies think twice before attacking.”

Wishing to be rid of them both and sink into a warm bath, Aemyra swayed where she stood.

Noticing, Draevan turned on his heel. “Come with me,” he said.

Urging her brother to stay put, Aemyra followed their father to his chambers.

Once through the door, he gestured to one of the leather armchairs before the fire. She sank into it gratefully and reached for the goblet of wine and a fresh meat pie that had evidently come straight up from the kitchens.

Too hungry to mind her manners, Aemyra took a bite that was certainly unbecoming of a queen.

“Is your Bond cemented?” Draevan asked, taking the other chair in front of the fire after the servants were dismissed and the door closed.

Aemyra slowed her chewing. “I think so. You never really explained to me what it would feel like.”

Draevan leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “You had to figure it out for yourself. A dragon searches within your soul before deeming you worthy of a Bond. If I had given you a plan to follow, if you hadn’t been acting completely on your own instincts and emotions, the outcome could have been vastly different.”

“Your arrogance almost cost me my life,” she replied.

Draevan’s eyes glittered. “Then may I express how glad I am that you let go of your own in time for your dragon to see beneath your swaggering insolence.”

She was too tired to argue with him.

“Can you feel your dragon now?”

Closing her eyes mid-bite, Aemyra searched within her. It took a moment, but she could feel Terrea, somewhere high above. “Yes. About four miles away, flying southeast.”

A triumphant grin from her father. “Good. Good. And your magic?”

Aemyra wiped her greasy lips with her sleeve. “I wouldn’t recommend giving a demonstration in here if you’re fond of the upholstery.”

By the Goddess, her father actually laughed in response. A sound that she had never, not in twenty-six years, heard pass through his lips. Aemyra was ashamed at how proud it made her feel.

“I’m leaving tomorrow with your brother,” Draevan said.

“Where to?” she managed to ask, sipping the wine. It was good. A rich, full-bodied red from Truvo, if she wasn’t mistaken.

Draevan stretched. “Adarian will journey to Atholl, Maeve will take the bulk of our army to Strathaven. It shouldn’t take more than two days by ship. You will remain here while the army makes camp. I journey to àird Caolas, as I believe the chimeras need more convincing to join our cause.”

“But—”

“I will not risk sending you alone to the mainland until we are certain of our allies. Laird Riya Iolairean will rally her host of phoenix warriors in the south. They will join the Balnain fleet at the mouth of the Forc within the month.”

Despite her exhaustion, Aemyra bristled. “I am the queen, I will not linger here and hide while I let others risk their lives for me. I want to fight.”

Draevan smiled. “There will be time enough for fighting. Conserve your strength for when it matters and use this time to get to know your dragon. How is your proficiency in the Seann?”

Aemyra rolled her eyes and replied in that language. “As fluent as ever, as you should know. You taught me yourself.”

The corner of her father’s mouth lifted in a smile. “Ah yes. I specifically remember the time you refused to sit down to your lessons until I had taught you how to flip your dagger.”

Aemyra nestled back into the chair. “So you made me conjugate every noun three times over, if I recall. I’ve never been so bored.”

Even as the words slipped easily from her tongue, Aemyra held back how often she had wished Draevan had acted more like a father and less like a tutor while she had been growing up. Adarian had always viewed Draevan as a secondary parent, content with the love Orlagh and Pàdraig showered on them.

While Aemyra loved her brother fiercely, she understood their father in a way most people never would. Especially his flaws.

“I suggest we keep the surprising information about your dragon between us for now. We don’t need anyone attempting to use you like a broodmare.”

Aemyra dropped her eyes to the worn rug. Of course her father had spotted Terrea’s telltale characteristics.

The Bonding of the last female dragon and the first female Daercathian in a century could be interpreted as a sign from the Goddess that all was not lost.

Perhaps Lachlann’s boyhood dream of having an egg to call his own was more than just a foolish hope after all. But Aemyra would be damned if she allowed someone else to make that choice for her.

An awkward silence descended on the room and Aemyra knew when she was being dismissed.

“Thank you, Father,” she said, setting her goblet down and getting stiffly to her feet.

Draevan cleared his throat. “I leave at first light. We will see each other in Strathaven before the week is out.”

Aemyra refused to let her limp show until she closed the door behind her.

Wincing by the time she made it to her chambers, she finally peeled off her leathers and hesitated when her eyes fell on the garnet she had discarded by the bed.

Plucking it from the bedside table as she stepped into the welcome heat of the bath, Aemyra connected to the fledgling Bond with her dragon. The ancient magic thrummed through her veins, and she knew instinctively she was now the most powerful Dùileach in Tìr Teine.

Sinking into the bath, heating it instantaneously with her new depth of power, Aemyra turned the gemstone over in her hand. Its weight steadied her.

The gem had been stolen from Fiorean in a moment of anger, but it had become a reminder that she would do whatever it took to protect her family and her people.

With those words in her mind, she sank under the water, auburn hair pooling around her like dragonfire.