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Griff found riding upon the dragon’s back preferable to being carried around like a bag of potatoes. Warmer, too. The scales on Argent’s back radiated heat warm enough to make him drowsy, not that Griff fell asleep.

He couldn’t. He kept glancing over at Starlight and Avera, reassuring himself she truly was safe.

Although safe might be a misnomer. They’d gotten rid of one threat—the emperor—but the initial ones—Zhos and the pretender on Avera’s throne—remained.

Argent refused to discuss either matter, claiming they were human problems.

“What’s your plan now?” he asked the dragon.

Return you to the ship.

“And then what?”

The same as before. We shall seek out the guardians so they might be punished.

“By we, do you mean you and Starlight?”

You will help as well.

“I don’t know where they went, though.”

I’d say it’s rather obvious.

Griffon could have slapped himself. “They’re heading to Daerva to deal with Zhos.”

Most likely.

“Can these guardians fly the dragons that far? It’s more than a week’s sailing from Daerva to Merisu.”

No, they cannot. Like us, they will require a ship.

“If they’re sailing, that gives us a chance to catch up.”

Only if you can move your vessel much faster. I would imagine they flew to a port on the northern end of the continent, putting them ahead of us.

Griff did the math in his head. “We’re on the east coast of Merisu. By the time we arrive at my ship we’ll most likely be a day or so behind them.” He paused and added, “If we do manage to track them down, then what?”

You will kill the guardians.

“Because they’re blooded,” he muttered, assuming that was why the dragons couldn’t. “Taking out the witches won’t be easy. If the other dragons are being controlled, they’ll go after the non-blooded, possibly even attack you.”

I’m aware. Unfortunately, they will have a short resurrection if they attempt it. But once they are freed of the guardians’ control, I can ensure a quick hatching.

“And then you’ll fly off into the sunset. Sounds great for you, but have you given thought to what will happen if Zhos is left to rampage unchecked?”

I’ve told you, not my problem.

“So you’re not worried at all about humanity being wiped out?”

Why would I care? They didn’t care when my kind was erased.

“I guess you don’t need servants, then. Because Zhos isn’t going to kill just the non-blooded. Everyone will die. And once there are no humans left, I imagine it will go after you.”

I will not be swayed. Humans wasted the chance we gave them. Now they reap what they sowed.

“You’re talking about people long dead.”

Not all of them.

“Meaning what?”

The guardians we seek were alive during that time.

“Impossible,” Griff scoffed.

Not when they did the most heinous thing imaginable.

Argent paused before adding, I’d wondered why Spelix wasn’t among the others when Basil brought us down from Fraegus Spire.

There should have been six eggs. Given the guardians have obviously been keeping themselves young, I can only assume they ground up Spelix’s egg to create an elixir of youth.

Griff whistled. “Shit. No wonder you hate them.”

There is no guarantee they wouldn’t do so again should we make ourselves vulnerable.

“I understand.” Much as he hated it, Griff couldn’t blame Argent. The dragons had been ill used. “Guess we’ll have to find another way to get rid of Zhos.”

It is not only dragon blood that can paralyze. The blooded share that trait with us. Of course, once you die you don’t get to come back. Hence why none ever volunteered themselves in the past.

“Good to know.”

Not that Griff grasped how that would help.

During the flight to the volcano, he’d been privy to Starlight and Argent’s conversation.

The pale dragon had been the one to come up with a hypothesis of the guardians’ plan.

Freeze Zhos with dragon blood and when some kind of portal opened, have a dragon drag Zhos through.

A dragon who most likely couldn’t return.

However, Griff wouldn’t give up. There had to be a way to ensure Zhos couldn’t ruin the world.

The soothing motion of flight lulled Griff to sleep, and he woke midday to bright sunlight and Avera’s excited shout.

“I see the ship!”

His ship bobbed offshore and, upon seeing the approaching dragons, a skiff launched with only two of the crew rowing.

Understandable. When Argent had originally agreed to take Griff and a few friends to the volcano, Griff had the dragon drop him on deck where he’d been bombarded by his frightened crew.

“Is the dragon gonna eat us?”

“Why didn’t the dragon eat you, Cap?” To which someone replied, ‘‘Cause he’s tougher than that bread your mom makes.”

As expected, they’d figured out Argent’s secret.

“You mean to say we been travelling with a dragon this entire time?”

Griff did his best to assuage them, assure them that Argent wouldn’t cause them harm. That the dragon was his friend—of sorts. But he could see his crew didn’t entirely believe him.

Hopefully, now that he’d returned with Avera and the others, they’d calm down, or he might very well have a problem. Argent wasn’t the type to take aggression or insults without action.

The dragons landed on shore, disgorging their passengers. Griff stood waiting as the skiff rowed to shore, the rowers being Garth and Kelly and not the younger crew.

“Cap, good to see you,” Garth beamed. “And there’s that sneaky bastard.” Garth strode right over to Argent and gave his scales a slap. “Knew there was something different about you, boy.”

Argent, to his credit, didn’t eat Garth for his familiarity. Simply dipped his head and huffed hotly.

But did that scare his onboard mechanic?

Nope. Garth rubbed his hands. “Do I smell a hint of sulfur? Is that what makes you breathe fire?”

Poor Argent. Griff could see Garth pestering him for answers.

Griff headed to Avera who’d disembarked and patted Starlight’s side. “Thank you.”

Starlight murmured, You’re welcome.

“Where are you going now?” she asked.

With you to Daerva.

“I thought you didn’t want to be involved.”

I don’t, but that is where the guardians will have taken my kin.

Avera pursed her lips. “How will you get there? I don’t think Griff’s ship is big enough to hold you, let alone Argent.”

Griff swaggered over in time to catch her question. “Don’t you know? Dragons can shrink.”

At the claim, Avera eyed Argent skeptically. “Into what? A smaller mountain?”

Argent shook with amusement. Shall we dazzle her with my beauty?

“I’ll show you,” Griff offered. “Simhi?”

“Got a cup right here, Cap. Knew you’d need one eventually.”

Avera frowned as Griff pulled a dagger and her mouth rounded as he slashed it over his palm.

Simhi stood ready to catch the dripping blood in the vessel.

The queen’s confusion mounted when he placed the cup on the ground in front of Argent.

He then returned to Avera’s side and murmured, “Watch this.”

Argent made a show of clasping the cup between its thin dragon lips and swallowing the entire thing whole.

As Argent shifted, an ogling Avera exclaimed, “He turned into a man!”

“Shocking, right?” Griff muttered. “Not something the stories ever mentioned.”

“I wonder if that was in the missing pages of the book,” was Avera’s cryptic reply.

“Ah, you warm me with your admiring stare. It’s not easy being this beautiful.” Argent struck a pose.

“Pants,” Monty barked, thrusting a pair at him.

Starlight nudged Avera and Griff heard the other dragon ask, Would you do the same for me?

“I don’t have a cup,” Avera replied weakly.

Kreed bellowed, “Oy, anyone got a mug?”

Kelly, who’d never left the boat, shook his head only to exclaim, “Would a bailing bucket do?”

Starlight sniffed. A bucket. I used to get my blood in a golden chalice back in the day.

“You don’t have a choice. It’s all we got,” Griff said as he retrieved it.

“Does it have to be full?” Avera eyed the bucket many times larger than the cup he’d filled.

No. Seeing as how I’m still rather diminutive, I won’t require as much as Argent either.

“Okay.” Avera pursed her lips. “Guess I’ll need a knife.”

Griff could see her trepidation and didn’t hand it over. “I can do it instead. I’m already bleeding.”

I’d rather take a female form, Starlight interjected .

“Why?” Avera blurted.

“Their sex depends on the blood,” Griff explained. “It’s not that bad.”

“I know. I’ve had to slice myself before. Doesn’t mean I like it.” Avera sighed. “Will you hold the bucket?”

Griff held it under Avera’s arm. She ran a blade over the flesh, hissing at the stinging pain.

Blood seeped and dripped, and it wasn’t long before they had enough to offer Starlight.

Griff set down the bucket in front of the dragon and then returned to Avera, slapping his hand over her wound and applying pressure.

As Griff bandaged her, Starlight ingested the blood and changed.

Her shimmering dragon scales receded, revealing skin pale as moonlight.

Long, silvery hair hung past her waist while her eyes gleamed a bright amethyst. Like Argent, she was completely naked, which led to a few ogling men.

Not Griff. He remained focused on Avera.

Poor Monty got a cuff upside the head by Simhi who then stalked off stiffly toward the skiff.

Monty grinned. “I do believe she’s jealous.”

Griff had a feeling he might be right. It would seem romance blossomed, if Simhi would ever admit it.

He slipped an arm around Avera’s waist as Kreed donated his jacket to Starlight.

“Why thank you.” Starlight had a delicate, dulcet voice. She slid her arms into the garment which hung down to her knees. “Goodness, you’re a big fellow. How lovely.”

A comment that made Kreed blush. “I’ll make sure we find you something more proper once we’re on board,” he promised.

“How kind of you. Let us be on our way then.” With an imperiousness only Argent could match, Starlight stepped into the skiff and stood waiting in the prow.