Page 14 of Thauglor (Dragonis Academy Year 3.5 #5)

I feel my mate out there through the faintest of tethers that connects us.

The bond pulses with her heartbeat, letting me taste her fury and determination.

Another roar of pain vibrates through the air, and my mate’s dragoness picks this exact moment to sing.

Her voice cuts through the chaos like a blade.

Her voice resonates in my mind, a haunting melody of vengeance that makes my very soul ache with recognition.

Vengeance against her father. Against this female who dared steal my egg.

Her song speaks of Klauth, of the bond she shares with him.

There’s a promise of freedom in her melody, a promise edged with wrath and ruin.

The sound fills the hollow spaces in my chest I didn’t know existed.

Eventually, what sounded like a war goes silent.

The sudden quiet feels ominous, heavy with the aftermath of violence.

I hear movement outside near my egg—careful footsteps approaching.

“Thank you for igniting for me again,” she whispers.

Her voice is hoarse from battle, rough with exhaustion and emotion. “I’m going to take you somewhere safe.”

Without hesitation, she reaches out and picks up my egg.

Its warmth hums against her palms—a strange vibration that courses over her skin like electricity.

I’m safe within my mate’s grasp for the first time in ages.

The moment my shell settles against her, the humming intensifies, washing over her like a soothing balm.

I focus on healing my mate and taking away her pain.

She is battered, bloody, and bruised. I can feel the agony she’s trying to hide, the way her muscles shake with fatigue.

Through our bond, I pour what comfort I can offer.

Next, I hear my mate talking to others within her nest, telling them she has me.

Her voice carries pride and possessiveness that makes my heart swell.

The best part—she took the bitch’s head as a trophy.

I’m so proud of my mate. The fierce satisfaction in her tone sends warmth flooding through me.

She mentions she’s immune to toxins and poisons, and it makes me pause.

There are only three species that can boast one or the other, not both.

All three species—green, iron, and titanium—are enemies of black dragons.

They are also enemies of red dragons as well.

The irony tastes bitter, but the hope tastes sweeter.

I hear a male mention talking about what happened as a nest, and that makes the most sense.

I can only assume it’s the dominant drake.

His voice carries authority and concern.

I feel the flight back to her nest, the rhythmic beat of wings creating a soothing vibration.

I sense a descendant of mine has our mate.

Good. Klauth and I are truly safe now. The knowledge that my bloodline lives and protects her fills me with fierce pride.

“I need to see Klauth,” I hear my mate say, and we move away from my descendant. Her voice carries urgency and affection. “Iris, I’m home. Thank you for guarding Klauth for me.” She left another dragoness in charge of watching Klauth? That is truly odd, but it speaks to the trust she inspires.

She moves me, and I feel the moment my shell touches Klauth’s.

The contact is electric, familiar. I can feel his presence like a warm pulse against my consciousness.

Through images, he catches me up on what’s been happening.

Our mate is Mina, and according to my oldest friend, she’s a fierce dragoness who doesn’t leave him alone for long.

The relief of knowing he’s safe and cared for makes my throat tight with emotion.

We listen to her recount the gauntlet, and we learn our mate is highly intelligent. Iron dragons are extremely smart, sometimes too much for their own good. Her tactical mind impresses me even through the shell. Someone asks what she intends to do with us, and tension fills the air.

“I’m not putting the black one back. He’s staying with us,” she declares.

Then I feel her holding us tight against her warm body.

The contact sends contentment flooding through me like sunlight after endless night.

My descendant is proud of our mate, and to be honest, so am I.

“He can be unhappy all he wants. They’re mine, and he can’t have them,” she growls.

Her voice stays low, dangerous, and laced with finality.

I can feel how protective she is of us, the fierce possessiveness that radiates from her very core.

Klauth confirms this is how she’s been from the start.

We really got lucky having a mate like her.

After centuries of despair, after believing I would never know freedom again, hope blooms in my chest like fire catching dry tinder.

She fights for us. She claims us. She defies anyone who would separate us.

For the first time since my imprisonment began, I believe I might actually taste the sky again.