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Prologue

Four kynd dwell upon the world,

Water, Fire, Earth, and Air.

Flaws and power,

Magic and vice,

All these traits they share.

Then one breaks true;

Darkness to rise,

And the world begins to tear.

~a youngling’s chant from the age of Matriarch Elixane

T he dragon Matriarch flew as close to the sea as she dared, waves crashing against the island of Sugarrabota beneath her. Watching for swells of magicked salt water, she led her group above the coastline.

The humans, eyeing her from their settlement below, had first reported the signs of the Sea Queen’s growing power.

Rumbling earth. Beached sea life. Afraid and lacking the earth magic they once used to fight the sea, the humans had given the dragons permission to soar over their territory.

Unlikely allies against a common enemy. When Matriarch Amona saw no further evidence of a coming flood, she banked away from the glittering ocean.

A human female ran toward her, holding a tiny bundle in her arms.

The way she moved caught at Amona’s heart. So fierce. So determined.

She was fast. But the water was faster.

As she shrieked for help, the sea heaved, and a wave ten miles across exploded over the wall protecting the human city.

Dragonfire rumbled in Amona’s chest, her blood racing.

She broke formation.

The other dragons shouted through the Bond, a jumble of confused and afraid voices inside Amona’s head. They wanted to flee.

The spelled salt water, deadly to any dragon, cascaded into the streets and over the buildings, rushing to swamp the entire city.

The dragons begged Amona to leave.

But she was their Matriarch, and they could not stop her.

The water rose to the human female’s waist as Amona reached her.

The dragon extended her talons. Their gazes met.

The human recognized that Amona was not attacking, knew the dragon was trying to help.

Amona could see the knowledge in the human’s round, brown eyes.

The salt water rioted around them, splashing and full of spells.

If that water took Amona down, she would die. The human knew it. She lifted the bundle as high as her small arms allowed.

Amona grasped the baby in her talons, clutching on as gently as possible. The sea folk swarmed, arms and legs lined with fins, teeth like razors. The water bubbled to the human’s shoulders as Amona rose into the sky.

“Her name is Vahly, Blooded for the battle !” the human shouted just before the sea folk pulled her under the vicious waves.