Page 26 of The Bond That Burns

Nyxaris’s command slammed into my mind. I shifted to dive away but before I could, an arm wrapped around me, and the world became a blur of motion.

I hit the ground hard, the weight of someone else beneath me. My heart thundered as I turned my head just in time to see Nyxaris unleash a torrent of flame.

Dragon fire wasn’t like ordinary fire.

It was an overwhelming force, beautiful and terrible in equal measure. The fire that roared out of Nyxaris’s open jaws was molten light, impossibly bright. Streaks of crimson and gold spiraled like living veins, radiating into the air like deadly ribbons.

Witnessing it was like staring into the heart of destruction. A reminder of why dragons had once ruled the skies—and why Viktor Drakharrow wanted control of one so badly.

I supposed we were lucky Nyxaris was an experienced dragon. Showing rather impressive restraint, he directed his flames straight down at Lord Mortis and not into the crowd as a whole.

Instantly, the highblood man was engulfed in the flames. His scream was sharp and brief, quickly drowned out by the crackling of burning flesh.

When the flames died out moments later, their fuel source had been utterly obliterated. Only ash and char remained of the man who had so arrogantly dared to approach a dragon.

I felt the body beneath me shift and quickly looked down.

Kage Tanaka’s dark eyes stared up at me. There was something to be said for vampire speed.

“You’re safe,” he announced, so matter-of-factly that it almost felt dismissive. As if he went around rescuing people from dragon fire every day.

Shakily, I pushed myself off him, my legs trembling as I turned to face Nyxaris.

The dragons’ gold eyes were fixed on me. Trying to ignore the still-smoking remains of Lord Mortis, I stepped towards him.

“Miss Pendragon!” Viktor Drakharrow’s voice snapped across the courtyard.

I turned to see him marching forward. He stopped, staring down at Lord Mortis’s corpse. I had no idea just how far dragon fire could reach, but perhaps Viktor did.

“Maybe you’d better keep your distance, Lord Drakharrow.”

He scowled, but for a moment, looked uncertain.

Lady Avari’s calm voice broke the tension. “Miss Pendragon, did you instruct Nyxaris to do that?”

Her question sent a ripple through the crowd. I felt all eyes fix on me.

Soberly, I shook my head. “No. Absolutely not.” I looked at the highbloods standing around her. “But this should make one thing very clear. Nyxaris is not bound by anyone’s will. Not mine and not yours. He acts as he pleases.”

Very accurate,Nyxaris rumbled.

I ignored him. I knew he hadn’t killed Lord Mortis to protect me. Hell, he probably wouldn’t have cared if I’d accidentally been burned to death in the flames. He’d just have found someone else to answer his questions.

“Lord Mortis insulted Nyxaris,” Lady Avari observed.

I nodded. “He did. More than once.”

Lady Avari and I looked at one another.

“If I recall my history lessons,” she said slowly. “One does not insult a dragon.”

Well, certainly not to our face. The man was a fool,Nyxaris chimed in.I’m surprised he’d lived so long.

I took a deep breath. “Nyxaris says Lord Mortis was a fool.”

There were murmurs from the crowd.

I glimpsed Kage standing to the side of the bridge, his arms crossed over his chest. If he had any fear of Nyxaris himself, he wasn’t showing it. Or perhaps his grandmother had simply taught him well.

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