Page 146 of The Dragon Warlord

The Elven ears suit him, of course. Long white hair extends all the way to his hips in the place of the usual blond, and his exotic ice-fire eyes glow. He’s still wearing his collar though and I don’t know how that could be. How did he get here if he didn’t fly? There’s something off about him. He’s missing a thread of the usual lordliness he flaunts.

Tension floods the room. I know he’s here to bring me home. Doing the math, it’s been a long time for him without me, and like it or not, we’re bonded. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t noticing the ache. It’s never been the kind of pull I have to River and thus easier to live with, but when I’m in his presence like this, the relief is noticeable.

I’m inclined to open my neck for him.

“Is it time, my lord?” If it is, I’d rather know. There’s nothing I can do about it if there is.

“Yes.”

The tears come unbidden. I barely got any time with my family. This schedule is wearing on me.

“Let me tell you what’s happening at home and see if you don’t agree with me. If you don’t, I’ll allow you to make a case for staying.”

I nod, but the dragon lord is too confident that I’ll agree with him. He’s usually right and it’s annoying.

“The emperor has been attacking again. We’ve lost some dragons. We lost a wizard.” His hands clench and I sense his deep hatred of the emperor. He’s a dragon out for blood doing his best to remain calm, but barely hanging on.

The worst feeling slices through my gut. I got to know all the wizards. They became admired mentors and my friends. I never wanted to lose a single one of them, but from the way his lip trembles speaking about it, I know which one we’ve lost.

“Simone,” I say.

River’s Pa.

Tears drip down the dragon lord’s face, and mine. River’s going to be devastated. He doesn’t need to say more, I’m already convinced to return to The Tower. Maybe it doesn’t have to be for so long this time. Maybe I storm into the fucking Underworld and gut the emperor once and for all.

I’m reminded that sometimes we don’t get to say goodbye and have to wrack my brain for if River got to say a proper goodbye to Simone. I can’t remember. The day we left was rushed and filled with other emotions. Anxiety for sure, but most of all joy. I was about to meet my son Luken for the first time, and I was dying to get back to my family.

The guilt is immediate. I’m responsible for everyone. If I had been there, could I have stopped Simone’s death?

“This war needs to end, and I’m going to end it,” I declare.

He sniffles and it’s weird to see him like this. The dragon lord is so cold, calculating, and manipulative. It’s hard to imagine that he has a heart to break, but that’s exactly what he’s suffering. A broken heart. “Have you done as I’ve asked?”

He wanted me to forge as many alliances as I could with other armies. We held an important Outsider’s Ball, which served more than one purpose. The Elven king wanted to open Mortouge’s doors once again. I took the opportunity to perform my task for the dragon lord and network with as many Warlords from other places as I could.

“I always do, my lord.”

“And?”

“We have Markaytia’s support and the Elves. We have a few other provinces as well, but some are reluctant to believe that the danger I spoke of could come to pass. My plan was to do some more traveling and hold more Outsider’s balls.”

“That’s enough for now. You’ll have time. I’m not going to keep you for long. Could I, I would, but you have work to do. In fact, I have a gift for you.”

From his robes, he pulls out a small box. Inside are two bracelets made of copper, quartz, and sarsen stone. I know what these are. Ikara had a similar pair when we traveled to the Wastelands. “Remember the sarsen stone you collected for me?”

“I remember.” How could I forget? Wasteland beasts tried to take my omega.

“That’s what it was for. It took me decades to get it right, and a lot of wasted sarsen stone, but these work.”

“I don’t understand. Didn’t you have a pair already?” I’ve always been a little bitter about that. In my estimation, I should have been able to portal back and forth all this time.

He shakes his head. “Those were the first pair I’d been able to make. They didn’t work at this great of a distance and there had to be a strong moon. This pair has three preset destinations because they’re keyed in with stars. Someday I hope to make a pair for you that will allow for more travel.”

I’m kind of in awe. I have some idea of what an acrobatic act of magic it would have been to make these. “Wicked. Where can they go?” I say to move past the awkwardness that he’s spent a lot of time on something he didn’t have to do just for me.

“The first realm of Mortouge, Markaytia and … Dragon Land as you call it.” He rolls his eyes.

All my homes. “How do I use them?”