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Not really. The first time she’d been in shock. Now, however, she was fully aware she’d be trusting her life to Starlight.

The dragon who’d returned to save her and thus obviously didn’t want her dead.

The reminder helped Avera to find the courage to climb atop the dragon.

The harness had several attachments that included a tether that went around her waist while two more straps cinched her legs.

Once buckled in, she clasped the loop between her legs.

“I think I’m ready,” she announced, her voice only slightly shaking.

Griff complained, “I’m pretty sure I split my groin.” His legs were spread wide to accommodate the girth of his mount.

The offer to travel in my mouth still stands.

“I’ll survive,” Griff grumbled. “But no fancy tricks.”

There was no countdown or warning, just a sudden lift into the air.

Avera gasped, not in fear, but in exhilaration.

Despite the night sky, from such a lofty height she could see far.

The spreading plain with its lines of orange and red lava.

The circling chasm, a black ring surrounding it all.

She even spotted the army camped beyond it.

The mighty wingspan of the dragons, even the smaller Starlight, had them moving rapidly, quickly crossing from the shrine to the ravine in minutes as opposed to the arduous trudge she’d endured.

They swept past the encampment with its shining lanterns and oblivious soldiers.

How long would they wait before they realized the emperor wouldn’t return?

What would happen to Merisu without a leader?

They’d have to figure it out, because Avera had more pressing issues.

Zhos and Benoit, with the latter not being as important anymore.

After all, Avera had discovered a world outside of Daerva where she was accepted.

A place with Griff and even his crew, people who didn’t care about her bastard birth, who didn’t think she’d plotted to kill her own family, who liked her and supported her.

Which led to her thinking of Gustav and Josslyn, the friends she’d left behind. How did they fare? And what of her trusty steed, Luna?

Sigh.

You seem pensive.

“I’ve got some weighty decisions to make.”

Would you like to unburden yourself by telling me? Perhaps I can offer guidance.

Much like she had with the other dragons, Avera related the story of her life. Laid out the dilemma she faced, ending with, “I know I have to return to Daerva. Zhos must be dealt with, but as for Benoit, I am tempted to let him have the throne he so coveted.”

You’d abandon your people?

“They abandoned me first.” And that hurt.

It is hard to forgive those who betray. Doing the right thing, though, should transcend that emotion.

“I’d say if I can rid Daerva of Zhos, I’ve done enough.”

This Benoit is corrupt, and I will wager your people regret not standing for you.

Avera sighed. “You’re most likely right.

After all, the citizens never really had a choice.

When your life and that of your loved ones is threatened, you do what you must, even support a murderer.

But…” Avera chewed her lip. “I’m struggling with the thought of putting my life on the line, perhaps even losing it, for people who most likely won’t appreciate it. ”

I understand.

Avera felt immediate chagrin. “I’m sorry.

Of all people, er dragons, you would know just how unfair it can be to give everything only to be betrayed in the end by those you sought to aid.

I want you to know that I don’t expect you to sacrifice yourself again when it comes to facing Zhos.

The dragons have already done more than their part.

It’s humanity who failed by squandering that chance. ”

How will you remove Zhos from our world without aid, though?

“I don’t know.”

A pity we don’t have a weapon from Zhos’ place of birth.

“How sure are we that it can’t be harmed by anything of our world?”

The dragons fought it. Or attempted to. While its magic has no effect on us, allowing us to get close, we could do no damage. We bit it. Clawed it. Lifted it in the air and dropped it. Zhos never showed any sign of injury.

“What of swords and other sharp weapons?”

All manner of weapons were tried. Even materials. Steel, obsidian, iron, poison. Even the mightiest of all, wolfframm. Nothing ever managed to even scratch its skin.

It seemed hopeless. “What does Zhos look like?”

It is small. Smaller even than you. Two-legged, two-armed, with a tail that ends in a barbed point. Pointed ears and horns. It most closely resembled a bat, but without wings.

“Why did it come here?”

I believe it was by accident. The rift it travelled through only opens every thousand years.

When it last opened in the sky, all manner of things dropped.

Rocks, much dust and sand, even a few creatures, including Zhos.

It emerged from the fissure atop the back of a flying beast. I was the one to first spot it from my cave along the lake.

Its mount was easily dispatched, but Zhos…

Starlight went quiet for a moment. It fled and I didn’t think much of it. I had other things to concern me.

“Oh?” Avera didn’t ask, but Starlight caught on.

The humans and blooded who served me at the time began to die. The lake that used to provide water became poisoned from the debris dumped by the breach.

It took Avera only a moment to make the connection. “You’re talking about the Lake of Tears. It wasn’t always acidic?”

No. The dust from the portal ruined it. While I dealt with the issues it caused, Zhos fled, and I thought little of it until it began causing problems.

“Do you think this rift will open once more in the same place?” Avera asked.

Thereabouts, yes. It’s been appearing for as long as my memories go back. Usually without incident. The previous fissures would appear, remain open for a few days, then disappear. The last one was the first time anything ever emerged from it.

“I don’t suppose Zhos could be convinced to simply return back to where it came from.”

It is a creature governed by its own greed for power and conquest. Here there is nothing that can impede it.

“Not true. You and the dragons figured out how to paralyze it.”

Starlight snorted. By accident. I confronted it and was injured. When I took flight to escape, my blood dripped onto Zhos, and it froze in place. The few drops, though, only paralyzed it for a few hours. It was suggested we use more blood. A lot more.

“And so the dragons sacrificed themselves. But how did it end up in Fraegus Spire?”

Because we needed a basin large enough to hold a copious amount of blood.

The spire had an empty mine shaft. While Verlora, who you know as Argent, was tasked with hunting down Zhos and spraying it with blood to freeze it, the others and I laid our heads down by the edge of the shaft and let our throats be slit.

From what I’ve managed to glean, it would appear they dropped Zhos into that pit of blood and used magic to freeze it, ensuring it would last longer.

“Then instead of hatching the eggs as promised, they were also used to secure the prison.”

Their presence would have kept the spell that froze the blood from degrading. Removing them would have caused the magic to fail as the blood lost its potency. Hence why Zhos can escape.

“Would putting the eggs back have made a difference?”

No. Once the spell began to unravel, nothing could stop it.

Avera digested what she was told before softly asking, “The blooded can dispel Zhos’ magic. Does that mean our blood would also paralyze it?”

Yes. But unlike dragons, you cannot be re-hatched. Leak too much of it and it would be a permanent death.

They both went silent after that, giving Avera time to think.

To wonder. There had to be a way to kill Zhos, but how to discover it?

The guardians had a thousand years to research and their only solution involved exiling it back to its world, which relied on too many uncontrollable factors.

Paralyzing Zhos with dragon blood had already been vetoed by said dragons.

Flying it through a rift was another impossible option without help.

Even if they could convince the dragons—which seemed doubtful—what if that plan failed?

If they couldn’t expunge Zhos, then everyone would end up slaves… or die.