Page 97 of Clash of Kingdoms

A guard entered the room. “Your Highness, the dragons have been sighted to the east.”

My heart lurched as I got to my feet, knocking over the chair in my haste. “How many?”

“It seems they are all accounted for.”

I turned to my father. “They’re back.”

He took his time getting to his feet, not jumping in excitement the way I did. “The dragons are back. Doesn’t mean their riders are.”

It was dark and cold, the wind harsh as it swept over the flat land. There was a line of torches in a circle for the dragons to land and for us to see. My father put on a coat and came out with my mother. A guard had been sent to King Serpentine’s tent to inform him of the dragon’s return, and when he arrived, he was in his full armor, like he was about to enter battle rather than reunite with his sons.

Twenty minutes passed before the first dragon landed, Nightshade. Uncle Ian was the rider, and he immediately unfastened his legs before he dropped down. He moved to my father, who had walked to him the second he landed. They shared a quick one-armed hug before they looked at each other.

Uncle Ian spoke without being questioned. “The crystal is destroyed.”

My father’s gaze had been hard and serious, but slowly, a smile moved on to his lips. It even reached his eyes. “I knew they would succeed.”

“Most of the vampires are gone,” Uncle Ian said. “Only a handful remain…and most of them are injured.”

My father’s smile disappeared.

My heart dropped like a stone. “Aurelias?” I moved forward, needing to know he was still alive. “Tell me he’s made it, Uncle.”

Uncle Ian’s eyes shifted to me. “Yes.”

My hands came together against my chest in relief.

“But he’s injured. So are his brothers. They’ll survive, but they aren’t in the best shape.”

Dragons started to drop behind him, one by one, some with riders and some without.

Uncle Ian continued to stare at my father. “Aurelias says there will be repercussions.”

“They’ll come for us.”

He nodded. “They’d rather risk permanent death than let us live.”

My father took this news with a straight face. “Then we prepare for war.”

I turned to the other dragons, searching for Aurelias on one of them. Finally, Storm landed, and that was when I saw him, Cobra sitting in front of him and tied to the saddle. Clara and Larisa rushed forward to help Aurelias get him down to the ground.

“Baby, I’m okay.” Cobra winced as he straightened and stood on his own.

“You are not okay.” Clara threw his arm over her shoulder to support him. “You look dead.”

“Well, I am dead…”

“You need to feed. Come on.” She continued to help him walk away.

Larisa disappeared with Fang to find Kingsnake on another dragon.

Aurelias hopped down next, looking as pale as his brother, but his eyes still shone when he looked at me. His face was bloodied and bruised, and there was a huge gash in his armor. It barely looked intact.

I moved into him and hugged him tightly.

He squeezed me hard, his chin resting on my head, his hold not as strong as it normally was.

“Are you okay?” I whispered.

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