Page 110 of The Dragon Queen

I felt the weight leave my shoulders, feel the despair lighten. “I remember.”

“But it sounds like this girl is even more out of your league.”

“I guess I have a type.”

His smile nearly turned into a chuckle.

I felt my mouth lift from a frown, felt like I was back in time before I’d lost everything. Perhaps that was why Riviana projected this surrounding…so she could give that to me. A moment I would cherish forever.

“I hear that you slew Barron and those idiots Jairo and Kael—and now you’re King Talon Rothschild, Ruler of the Southern Isles.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his physical mannerisms identical to what they were decades ago.

It was a moment I wanted to pause to savor, to appreciate longer than time would allow. “Yes.”

Now the smile reached his eyes, the joy mixed with familial affection. “You burned them.”

“Each one of them—for you.”

He gave a slight nod in appreciation. “Good.”

“I made Barron watch. And then I watched him scream.”

The affection remained in his eyes despite the violence we pictured together. The pride in his eyes was unmistakable, looking at me the way he did when we were boys, like I was his idol, the man he always aspired to be. “We’re all proud of you, Talon.”

I took a slow breath as I felt the burn return to my eyes, the words I longed to hear but never expected to receive. “I’ve carried you in my heart every single day these past decades. I conquered kingdoms, paid for the army of the dead with my soul, forged a long-dead alliance with scarred dragons for this moment—and it was worth it.” Tears came free, rivers down my cheeks. “It was worth it to hear you say that.”

“Brother.” He moved into me and gripped me hard, clapping me on the back before he clutched me.

I clutched him back, my mouth against his shoulder, my lungs screaming from the tears I wanted to shed. I gripped him so tight that I had force myself to relax out of fear of hurting him, even though I wasn’t sure if he could be hurt. But he felt real to me, as real as Vivian had felt when I’d held her. “Brother…”

Chapter 32

Calista

I looked at Constantine’s body, which had several perforations that continued to bleed. The rain made rivers of blood flow down his scales, perhaps made it look worse than it really was. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I will carry these scars forever, and that will hurt more than the wounds that caused them.

“I’m sorry.” I placed my palm against his leg and patted him, unsure if he could even feel it. He was much bigger than Khazmuda, his proportions completely different.

No dragons were lost in this fight. The Realm of Caelum has been saved. Bahamut has been slain. My scars were a small price.

“You’re still beautiful, Constantine.”

I know.

I reached my mind to Khazmuda, whom I’d forgotten in the chaos.Are you alright?

I’m weak, but I’ll live. I can’t feel Talon.

He hasn’t returned from the Realm of Caelum.

He returned to us once. He’ll return again.

Many elves died in the battle, more than could be counted. When I found Queen Eldinar, she was tending to the wounded, along with the others who had survived.

“Is my uncle okay?” I asked.

She finished applying the bandage to the elf on the ground before she rose to meet my look. “He received many injuries as a result of the battle, but he’ll survive. They’ve taken him to the infirmary.”

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