Page 55 of Cage Me

It didn't take as long to fly home as it had to get to Africa in the little plane. He almost wished they could float up here in the sky together forever.

But, all too soon the canals and rivers of his homeland came into view. He hoped someday she would learn to appreciate the waters around The Lindens.

If not, he would build her pools, and springs, and fountains. He would build her a whole damn aquarium and fill it with every creature in the sea, just for her.

He would even send some of his warriors to find her sisters and bring any that would come to her. No mermen would ever be invited to his estate. Mermen could all go to hell, and without Azynsa.

In another few minutes The Lindens came into sight.

He lost the ability to fly for a minute and they dropped hundreds of feet. The sky went dark, or maybe that was just his vision.

Azy screamed and clung to him bringing him back to his senses. He cupped her tight, his talons secured around her and glided toward the ground.

His home was not the peaceful place he'd left it.

He circled the grounds and took in the carnage below. The main house had been razed to the ground. Only a few burnt timbers and glass remained. The bodies of several gold dragons lay strewn around his home.

First Dragon above, what had happened here?

For the first time since he'd grabbed her, Azy spoke. “Oh my God. Cage, oh my God.”

He circled the grounds once more and found a band of his warriors on the far side of the training field. One of them raised his arm. Gris, waived them in, indicating that it was safe to land.

Cage carefully set Azy next to Gris and shifted into his human form. He grasped his Second on the arm. “What happened?”

Gris was covered in burns and the ground all around the surviving warriors was littered with black stains, the indication of so many demon Dragon deaths, the ground was barely visible beneath the layer of ash.

“A horde like I have never seen. They came out in the middle of the day.” Gris shook his head. “I've never seen them in full sunshine like that. They were…bigger, stronger.”

Like the ones Jett had spoken to in hell. “The Black Dragon?”

Gris nodded. “If that's who he was. He’s the one who killed the warriors guarding the house.”

Cage had felt his home would be safe. How wrong he had been. How arrogant to think that he alone could protect anyone just because he was a Wyvern.

“How many golds are lost?” How many more would be lost in this war?

That's what this was. Before, his life had been a series of battles. He and all dragon warriors had played at games. Now, when the real deal showed up, they were unprepared.

He had let that happen.

No more. If war was what the Black Dragon wanted, it was what he would get.

Gris looked down at the ground, his hands were shaking. “Three that we know of. But, more are unaccounted for. Captured.”

“Zon?”

Gris nodded. “And Portia.”

“Why would Kur-Jara want the succubus now?”

Gris blew out all long breath. “There's more. The succubus Geshtianna is working with the Black Dragon. She and her coven. They were here and worked against us.”

Holy shit. “We knew Portia had ties to them. Did she betray us?” Again Cage’s arrogance came up to bite him in the ass. He hadn't thought Portia was a threat. He thought he could use her.

“No. Never.” There was more force in Gris's voice than Cage expected. “She fought by our sides. She was taken because she was defending Zon.”

“Are you sure? How else would the black Dragon and the coven –”

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