Page 61 of Dragons' Future

“The throne of Massa’eve is no one’s to take,” I shout toward the crowd of confused, unreadable faces. “It is yours to give. You, the people of Massa’eve, must decide who to believe. What proof to demand. Which ruler you wish to follow.” I swallow the blood dripping from my nose into my throat.

“Imposter!” Salazar bellows, pointing at me. “Traitorous whore! Our real dame is resting in her chambers. Guards, arrest this raving lunatic at once.”

Five guardsmen break toward me. I’ve seconds left. Maybe less.

“Go check for yourselves,” I plead to the courtyard, where people are now looking in confusion between Salazar and me. They are also pulling out handkerchiefs to hold against their noses to ward off my stench. “Go into the throne room for stars’ sake. See the truth. The future of Massa’eve is in your hands. Your choices. The only power a king has is the power his people give him. Use that power. Make your choice. And for stars’ sake, defend it.”

The guards reach me, shoving me to my knees.

“Wait,” a female voice from the crowd calls over the rising murmurs. “What if there truly are blight monsters in the palace? We should look for ourselves. Let us into the palace!”

“Yes, where are the royal princes?” another voice picks up. “What do they say?”

“If that’s an imposter, show us the real dame, Salazar.”

“Let us through!”

“Let us in!”

“Enough of this madness,” Salazar yells. There is a flash of light and a humongous black dragon takes the place of the false king's face. The dragon’s neck shifts in a serpentine pattern and stretches toward me, its head half the size of my body. Stars he is big. And fast.

The guards holding me scatter.

The dragon’s nostrils flare as it inhales and sends a torrent of flame straight at me.

It happens just as it did in the citadel. I shift without thought, throwing my wings out wide in a makeshift barrier between Salazar’s flames and the people crowding the courtyard behind me. The heat scorches my scales and lungs, and I scream—but stand.

Get out of there, Tavias screams at me through our bond. Fly wildcat. Fly as fast as you can.

I shove off the ground. Not to run away, but to circle around Salazar’s other side and draw his wrath away from the crowd he’d nearly incinerated in his quest to end me. I may not be much, but I’m not letting any innocents die today. Not so long as I can fly.

Salazar’s black dragon dives for me, its jaws open wide and aimed at my neck.

I swerve upwards toward the graying sky, my smaller wings beating twice as quickly as Salazar must.

He matches my pace and I see him preparing to belch flame again. I know the fire won’t kill me, but it will hurt, and its brightness will blind me for precious seconds.

I twist. The flame sears my back. Before I can recover, the black dragon whips its tail at my side. A sharp pain flares along my ribs and my ears ring. My depleted magic struggles to rise as I roar my fury to the sky.

Thunder answers, the dark clouds around us cracking into a sudden torrential downpour. Rain pelts my scales, the droplets turning to steam wherever they hit the still-warm patches of dragon hide.

Salazar dives at me from above, his claws outstretched.

I veer to the left, dodging his attack, and climb.

Salazar rushes me again. I twist away, but not fast enough. Claws cut through my flank, drawing hot blood against the cool rain. The pain is sharp. Deep. But it means I’m still alive. Still in the fight.

The storm thickens, the wind shoving at my wings and veering me into a spin. I lose track of the earth and sky. Of Salazar. Shapes race before me. Clouds. Dragon. Palace. Ground. Sky. I can barely make them out in the downpour.

Salazar’s black dragon disappears completely into the gray veil of rain before reappearing suddenly at my right side, startlingly close. His claws swipe through the air where I was just a heartbeat ago, nearly catching my wing. His roar of frustration vibrates through my bones.

I narrow all my focus on the darkest, angriest of the thunder clouds and fly toward it with all my might. Up, up, up. Faster. Harder.

Salazar follows on my tail, his enraged growl promising death.

My wings burn from the effort but I don’t dare slow. Don’t dare take my eyes off the cloud I’ve chosen. The tiny shreds of magic I’ve replenished pull together for a single desperate charge. I will have one chance.

Three wing beats left. The cloud envelops my head. Two. I’m in the middle of it, its energy crackling around me. Now.

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