Page 116 of Ensnared

I follow Axel past it and into the dining room. It has a massive dining room table made from another raw-edge wood slab and the most gorgeous, luxe-leather chairs I’ve ever seen. If someone told me they were crafting furniture meant for a dragon lord, this is what I’d imagine.

“Did you have this made for you?”

“Apparently your captains of industry have similar taste to the blessed.”

Overinflated egos, too much wealth, and no connection with reality. Sounds about right.

He rolls his eyes as he walks me through the kitchen—all gleaming stainless appliances, including a catering kitchen behind it—and the family room, complete with a monstrously large television. Then he points. “There are at least six bedrooms.”

“So we’ll all stay here on this floor. That’s a good plan.” Or, even if it’s not a good plan, it’s the best one we’ve got.

“It is just one level down from where Azar lands. It seems the safest bet. There are also emergency stairs if the power ever cuts out.” He grins. “Not that you’d ever need that.”

The front elevator dings, and it’s time to wave the urchins in. Although I give them their choice, all three kids want to stay in the same room, just like before. I suppose fear does that to you. Gordon and Rufus would rather remain upstairs in their dragon shapes, but they agree to take turns having one of them down below in human form for safety’s sake.

“I don’t really see why we need them,” Axel grumbles. “Not when I’m here.”

“It’s always a good idea to have more than one dragon on call,” Rufus says.

“You can stay up with us too, when you want,” Gordon says.

“Yes, I agree. Keeping mostly upstairs is a great plan for you.” Gideon claimed the room on the far side of the kids. He’s not keen on any of the dragons being on our level, even though I explained that it’s for safety.

I said I’d take the master. Mostly I picked that because it has an antechamber. Axel can do whatever he does in there while I sleep in the bedroom. The bed looks amazing, and the door has a lock.

Before there’s time for an argument, Axel says, “It’s almost time for Liz to go upstairs. The blessed are gathering below.”

“How can you tell?” Sammy asks.

It’s a good question. He’s a smart kid.

“I feel them,” Axel says. “The earth blessed ones, anyway.”

“Can Azar feel them all?” I ask.

Axel frowns. “I’ve never asked him, but probably.”

When it’s time, we take the elevator up, leaving Gordon and Rufus with Gideon and the kids. Gideon wanted to come, but I convinced him to keep an eye on Coral, Jade, and Sammy in the new place. Eventually, he’s going to get sick of me asking him to do that. I’m not sure what I’ll do then.

Azar shifts the second we emerge from the elevator. I can’t tell whether the engine growling sound is actually smaller, or whether I’m just growing accustomed to it. Either way, his shifts seem less and less disruptive. Less shocking. He swirls his way, in a cloud of red smoke, into a dragon that can destroy the world.

My dragon who can destroy the world.

It’s a subtle shift, but when I think the words, they feel right. It may be scary, but I think he might have been right when he said we were inextricably connected. Instead of looking for ways out, I’m now contemplating a future that will always have him in it.

That alone is horrifying.

You need to change.

Lying on the ground next to Azar, right by where he just shifted, there’s a pile of clothing. It’s all red and brown and gold, and an even larger visor’s resting on top of it. “What’s that?”

You’re the entwined for the prince of flame. You have to look the part. Underneath the clothes are the two swords I pulled from the heart stone. Next to them, there’s another belt with three small daggers on it.

I duck into the bathroom and do my best not to struggle with all the strange and stiff clips and clasps. At first, I assume the entire thing is made of leather—it’s bright red and dark brown, made of a skin of some kind. It’s supple and it’s strong. But as I do the last round of buckles, I realize something.

I’m wearing dragon skin.

It must be.