The lips along his muzzle twitched. “She’s nots wrong.”
“I remembered him.”
There was no mistaking his shock because every scale on his huge body stiffened. His eyes gleamed with what could only be defined as hope.
“Not everything,” I hurried to add. “But I remembered bits and pieces of him growing up.” When his big metallic eyes gleamed at me, I realized I was grinning at him. And the lips slowly peeled back from his sharp teeth in a Dragonian version.
“That’s—promising,” he rumbled at me. “It’s greats, Razir.”
My grin faded. “Whoa, dude. I’ve got a long way to go before I regain that name.”
“Buts it’s a start,” Tyrez stated, and I sensed his relief.
My thoughts swung back to the issue at hand. “Tomorrow is the funeral,”
“Yess,” he affirmed, his own grin vanishing.
“Are you going?”
He looked away. “Ash says I haves tos. If I don’t shows supports for Taran—there ares those who might use my absence to start a civil war.”
I swallowed. “Don’t go. It is going to end badly.”
He snorted steam. “Ares yous an Oracle now, too?”
I gritted my teeth. “Call it a gut feeling.”
Energy rippled across my skin, a very strange sensation. Then Tyrez turned to look behind him. The meadow gate had just spat four individuals through it. They looked up at Tyrez, whose large beast stood out against the pale stone. In moments, they had shifted to Dragon, and were arrowing for us.
“Who are they?” I asked.
“Legion,” he hissed. “Theys can’t be allowed tos sees you. Get outs of here.”
But as I backed toward the door, they were already banking to land.
Tyrez placed his body between me and them. “Go,” he ordered over his shoulder.
If they were coming from the palace to see Tyrez, I had little doubt it was about the funeral. So I pulled up my hood and crossed my arms.
Tyrez glowered at me as they landed. He was bigger than them, but not by much. The rooftop was distinctly crowded until they shifted to human.
The one in the lead was older, and images flashed through my mind. I’d known him, once upon a time. Dang it.I pulled the hood closer around my face and questioned my life choices. But I was concerned enough about my brother to stay.
The older man planted his hands on his hips and addressed Tyrez. “You never used to be rude. At least meet us in your human form.”
Tyrez’s huge teeth ground together, but moments later, his form writhed its way to human. He traded forearm clasps with the older man.
“Hello, Ganit. Been a while.”
Ganit nodded. “Yes. Much has changed since the Emperor exiled you. And none of it is for the better.” He glanced toward where I stood in shadow, with my hood up. “This is a private meeting. We need to talk to Tyrez.”
“Are you here about the funeral?” I asked.
The old eyes sharpened. “We are. Among other things.”
“Riggs was just leaving,” Tyrez cut in, casting me a significant look.
I stood firm. The thought of my brother being trapped and possibly killed twisted me up inside. Maybe my memoriesweren’t as destroyed as I had assumed. “What assurances does Tyrez have that he will be safe, should he attend?”
