Page 251 of A Dawn of Gods & Fury

“It’s not enough.”

This is it.

Our darkest, most desperate hour.

“Call the dragons! One of them can fly you to Ulysede,” Elisaf urges.

And leave everyone else here to die? I don’t think so.

A strange calm washes over me as I reach into my satchel, my fingers wrapping around Aminadav’s horn. The smooth bronze bone that promises Islor’s salvation.

I know what I must do. What no one else can do.

I steal one last lingering look at Zander, surrounded by blades and beasts, fighting for his people. “Elisaf?”

“Yes, Your Highness?” His eyes are on the rush of Saur’goths charging toward us.

“Tell Zander I will find him in my next life.” I smile. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.

Elisaf breaks from his focus just in time to watch me bring the horn to my lips and blow.

92

Atticus

When Tuella warned me of my coming death, I assumed it would be with my sword in my hand, not crashing into the ground, clutched in the claws of a dragon.

A massive leathery wing covers my broken body as I struggle for breath, and Bexley burns everything within the path of her fire. She’s trying to shield me as the enemy charges in. That’s kind of her, given I can’t even lift my arms, let alone a weapon.

Somewhere above, her mate and her son screech, speeding to her rescue. The thought makes me smile as I admire her shimmering scales. “Did I ever tell you how much your friendship meant to me?” I doubt she can hear me over the shouts, but I ramble on anyway, eager to get my thoughts off my chest before I no longer can. “I keep playing our last conversations over in my mind. It all makes sense now. Well … a lot still doesn’t make any fucking sense to me.” My attempt at a chuckle dies on a groan. “I wish I had listened to you.” Would it have changed anything? Who knows, but I wish I had recognized who my true allies were.

Suddenly, all goes quiet. The clash of blades, the enemies’ shouts, the dragons’ roars.

All of it is gone.

And the sound Bexley releases bleeds with despair.

93

Romeria

My jaw drops as countless clouds of dust erupt and cascade to the ground.

The Saur’goths are gone, vanished.

So are the Nulling beasts that carried their weapons.

But I am still here, standing on the rampart, watching the tide of battle shift.

“He lied,” I say out loud to no one in particular. Or misled me. Aminadav made me believe I was sacrificing myself for the good of all, for the sake of the realms. And I did make that choice.

Yet I am still here.

“Who lied?” Elisaf asks, his face filled with wonder, his swords lowered.

Caindra’s forlorn screech brims with agony, drawing my attention to her.

“No,” I gasp, searching the fields for their forms. But Valk and Xiaric are gone.

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