Page 119 of The Shadow Wand

“You know what, Raz’zor?” I throw out, worn to a frayed nerve. “Fine.You go ahead and deliberate about your fealty while the Gardnerians get stronger and stronger. But,please,” I snipe, my own fire rising, “take all the time you need. Really. While the Gardnerians burn down your beloved forest, enslave all the Wyverns, and slowly take over the entire of Erthia.”

The dragon blinks at me, his small head pulling back, as if affronted.

Fuming, I turn to Sparrow and Thierren. “How did you ever manage to get hold of an unbroken dragon?”

“He was bait,” Effrey chimes in.

“Pit dragon bait,” Sparrow adds.

“I freed him,” Effrey adds with a touch of defiance that surprises me.

I look to Effrey in confusion. “But...he’s powerful. I can sense it. Even though he’s so small.”

“He’s not small,” Effrey counters with an emphatic shake of his head. “He’s full grown. He’s kept small by the rune collar. But when we get to Noi lands, we will find a way to free him of it.”

My eyes widen at this as I turn back to Raz’zor, taking in the collar around the dragon’s neck, the metallic band marked with glowing deep-green runes.

“Why in the world would they waste such a powerful dragon as bait?” I ask them all.

Raz’zor’s fire flares, as if in hot appreciation of my words, his reptilian stance lengthening.

Effrey’s lip tenses with obvious reluctance to answer, and he glances at Raz’zor. “He’s a moonskin. They’re unlucky.”

Ah.I’d forgotten about that age-old Western Realm superstition. Because white dragons resemble the Eastern Realm’s dragon goddess. Making him lucky in the East and unlucky in the West.

I let out a long sigh and rub my newly throbbing head.

“So,” I say, massaging my temple as I look to Effrey. “You’re a geomancer and a boy.” I turn to Sparrow and Thierren. “You two are allies.” I give Raz’zor a pointed look. “And you’re a full-grown dragon who was pit bait and who is also empathic.” My gaze darts back to Effrey. “Andyou can talk to dragons with your mind.” Everyone is quiet, considering me in their guarded, unified way, which I find somewhat infuriating right now. “Just figured I’d stateallthe obvious things.” I set my gaze back on Sparrow and gesture toward Raz’zor. “I wish you’d told me about all this.”

Sparrow nods, her expression grim. “Perhaps I should have.”

I blow out a breath and turn back to Raz’zor, resigned to this new bizarre situation, as I make the split-second decision to go for broke. “We should join forces, Raz’zor.”

The dragon glares at me, seeming a bit startled.

“What do you have to lose?” I press. “I’m perhaps the only being on Erthia who is even more unlucky than you.”

I have a sudden sense of this small dragon’s pain in how jaggedly his core fire is now whipping about. His head lowers slightly in an almost cower. And I realize that part of him, deep inside, is beaten down low. It prompts a remembrance of how Ariel was treated by the Gardnerians and, unexpectedly, my heart goes out to this small, threatening dragon as I come to a rapid, reckless decision.

If this small dragon wants formality, formality is what he’ll get.

And if I’m the Black Witch, then it’s time tobethe Black Witch.

I straighten to my full height as I hold Raz’zor’s ruby stare. “Pledge fealty to me, dragon,” I challenge. “If I ever gain control of my power and get to Noi lands in one piece, I’ll find Naga and fight for Wyvernkin.UnbrokenWyvernkin.”

The dragon gives me a long measuring look as if considering a very dangerous thing. We stare at each other, everyone silent, tension vibrating on the air.

And then Raz’zor’s fire solidifies into one hot, churning stream, his eyes narrowing to slits. He steps toward me, his talons scuffing against the carpeted floor as he sniffs the air, as if scenting me. He comes to a stop before me, his small head rising as he sends out a stream of hissing and clicks.

Effrey’s eyes widen with obvious surprise as the child translates, “He says, ‘I will pledge fealty to you, Black Witch, friend to Naga the Unbroken.’”

I blink at the dragon in astonishment, amazed this formal approach actually worked. I quickly compose myself as I consider him. I push a tendril of my invisible affinity fire toward the dragon, who responds by sending his own tendril of reddened fire out to meet mine.

“Free Dragon,” I tell him. “I accept your pledge.” I exhale, my shoulders slumping. “I could use all the fealty I can get, Raz’zor.”

Raz’zor looks to Effrey.

“You need to hold out your arm,” Effrey tells me somberly. “The bond of fealty requires a blood bond.”

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