But before he could make good on his threats, the news had reached the mage’s tower. Telluria and Drakazov had come to a ceasefire.
The war was over.
Which meant that all of the King’s mages had to report back to him. Even Rindais. And he’d grown too attached to the freedom to experiment with his magic as he wished.
So, he fled into the night before the soldiers came.
I had been hidden in the dungeons underneath the tower as the soldiers had swept through the tower in search of the mage, and finding him gone, they’d abandoned the tower. When I had broken free from my prison, the tower was empty of Rindais and Zaorak both.
I should’ve known Rindais wouldn’t have left without a plan to take back what was his.
I’d hoped Zaorak had perished when the soldiers had come, but I was not so lucky.
And now here he stood, in the middle of the tower that had been my prison but had then become my home, trying to provoke me into attacking.
Beneath me, Zaorak snarled, throwing a chair across the room where it shattered against the wall. My dragon roared within me, furious at the violation of what had become our sanctuary. The beast demanded to be set free, snapping at the air and longing to burn Zaorak to a crisp.
But I couldn’t afford to lose control. If I transformed now, I’d be sealing my own death sentence. The black gem in my pendant was dull, nearly lifeless—a constant reminder that my next shift would be my last. I clung to the rafters with iron determination, forcing my human mind to stay in control.
Because Zaorak was right. If I let my dragon out, even just one last time, I would still lose. Topaz was stronger, faster, wilier than my dragon was. I was no match for him head on. Which was why I needed to think like aman, and not like a beast.
I clutched at the rafters with my claws as I leaned out to look down at Zaorak. Where was Seranni? I’d told her to stay hidden, but with Zaorak’s abilities, he would be able to sniff her out in no time. She had to stay safe.
If he found her….if Zaorak got his hands on Seranni…
Just the thought of it had my blood roaring through my veins as my dragon longed to shift and rip Zaorak’s face off.
I battled down the surge of power. If I lost control and shifted, it would all be over. The pendant around my neck was a reminder of that. If I burned myself out by using up the last of my power, Seranni would be left defenceless. I couldn’t afford to leave her at Zaorak’s mercy.
I had to stay as I was, a human.
I crept through the broken tower, keeping to the shadows, even as Zaorak did the same. I could hear the floorboards creaking under his feet as he tore through the tower, only stopping to pick up a few books and thrust them into his bag.
Why was he here? If he was here for the mage’s books, why attack us?
None of it made sense.
Unless…the villagers had betrayed Seranni. They all thought she’d run away, but what if someone had seen the lights in the tower and figured out our secret? If they’d set the mage and his dogs onto the tower, Zaorak could be here forher.
I’d seen the mage work with others before, in the long year that I’d been his captive. One boy had come as a wide-eyed apprentice, eager to learn from the mage. Once he’d seen how the mage had been torturing us to succeed in his experiments, he’d threatened to reveal everything to the King. The poor boy had never realized that the mage was only working on a royal order.
For the folly of trying to do the right thing, the mage had killed him. And used him as as an ingredient in his experiments.
I shuddered. I wouldn't let that happen to Seranni.
She was toogood,too lovely for that to happen to her.
And I had brought Zaorak into her life. I had to protect her from him.
Zaorak flipped the kitchen table over, making plates and dishes clatter to the floor. But the space beneath the table was empty.
Where was Seranni hiding?
I understood at the same time as Zaorak did. His gaze went to the larder, a tall cabinet that we used to store our bread and cheese. It stood in one corner of the kitchen, shrouded in shadow. The only hiding spot in the whole room.
Zaorak smiled.
“Found you,” he cooed, taking a deliberate step toward the cabinet.
