Page 40 of The Queen of Ash and Magic

I throw my arms around him and hug him tightly triggering a wave of cheers and claps and he picks me up into a hug as he stands. “I love you too, dad. Thank you for saving her.”

“I love you so much, Balor,” Mom says as she hugs Dad.

“I love you too,darling. “Let’s do this.”

Dad steps back with the others and Drake is the first to shift. This is the first time I have seen his Dragon so when he transforms into a massive creature that looks like it came from the depths of hell, I smile. His scales are black and dark red. His armor is perfect as well. The three most important men in my life are in one spot, and I’ve never been happier.

I go to Drake, and he lowers himself for me. I take a second to rest my hand on the side of his head before speaking softly to where only he can hear me. “Shanorak thal drak, il ne varu,” I say. “Bound by fire, we are one.”

Drake huffs and nuzzles his head against me, making me giggle. I gently kiss the side of his head before going to his back. I climb up and position myself into the saddle. “Do it. Give it to her,” Julianna says as she pushes Eyrx toward me.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Yeah,” he says as he takes my hand. “I wanted to give you something. Julianna, Drake, and your parents helped me make it last night.”

I gasp when Eyrx slides a ring onto my finger on the opposite hand as the one Drake gave me. It is black obsidian with a dark purple amethyst in the center. There are flakes of Ignisium on the inside of the band as well. He hands me a similar ring and I read the inscription on the inside. “Arazen dorak, ilsuren,”I say.

“With every breath, I am yours,” he says. “No matter the distance, I will always be with you…. You don’t…”

I grab his hand and slide the ring into place before kissing him. “I love you, Eyrx,” I say.

“I love you too, Lysa,” he smiles.

“Let’s go kick some ass, ham hock,” I tease.

“I’ll give you a pass since I can’t get you down from there anyhow,” he laughs.

Eyrx steps back with Julianna and shifts right as Dad does. One by one, everyone shifts, and the papers are loaded. We have them in enchanted bags that allow for less to keep up with, so we are ready in a short time.

Drake and I are the first ones off the ground. As soon as he leaps, his wings take us higher and higher. I close my eyes and let my head fall back as I extend my arms out from my body. Feeling the wind rush past me and the power behind every movement that Drake makes, I feel at home. This is where I belong.

Chapter Fourteen

Lysa

The wall comes intoview and right away I sense an attack. I duck down and lay my body across Drake to signal everyone behind me to prepare. I can feel the force of the spells, but Drake moves through the air unfazed as he starts to descend into the first pain city. I sit up just enough to see that we are nearing the ground. Everyone is standing around frozen as we start to sling the papers into the air to float down to the ground. We keep tossing them out along main roads and anywhere that is populated.

The more flyers that are tossed down to the citizens, the less attacks that are cast toward us. By the time we get to the capitols and the castle comes into view, I am in tears. I’m not sad, I’m angry. I’m angry that we have to do this at all. I’m angry that mom was taken from me. My entire life was stolen before I was even born. Innocent people will lose their lives in this war, and the fault lies with Rystar, Isolde, and Aldric.

“We are landing to make the official declaration of war,” Drake tells me through our link before he descends toward the castle. It’sa ghost town, but I can feel their presence. As soon as we land, I know they are close. I quickly slip down from Drake’s back, and he immediately shifts. Eyrx and dad shift also but Julianna is sent back to be with Keril and Petra.

I am standing between Drake and Mom. Dad is on her other side and Eyrx is behind her and I. We walk toward the front steps of the castle and mom grabs my hand and squeezes as Rystar, Isolde, and Aldric step out.

“You are not allowed on our land,” Rystar booms.

“The moment you broke the treaty, the land no longer belonged to Thalorin,” Drake says simply.

“You,” Isolde hisses when she notices mom and me. Rystar and Aldric turn their attention to us and anger sweeps over.

“Miss me,” mom says with a sweet smile.

“We don’t want to have to…” Aldric starts to say.

“Have to what?” I snap

“I don’t believe anyone gave you permission to talk, Lysa,” Aldric says with a smirk.

“Permission?” I laugh dry.

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