Page 120 of Draekora

Zain looked at the glow of thevaeliana, seemingly entranced by how it made her skin shimmer.

As far as he was aware, she was still sketchy with her ability to use her Meyarin senses, so without being able to explain how it was now her natural setting, all she could say in response was, “What are you looking at, Zain?”

He gave her a small, comforting smile, but even that seemed to take great effort. “No one has bonded with a draekon in my lifetime—it’s strange to see the physical mark I’ve only ever heard tales about.”

Feeling a sharp pain in her chest at the undeniable proof of his memories being gone, she played along and asked, “Physical mark?”

“A golden lustre to your flesh,” he said. At her fake wide-eyed look, he said, “Don’t worry, little human. It’s not noticeable to anyone but a Meyarin—or you, when you eventually learn to control your senses.”

Alex squinted at her hand as if she were trying to see it. “I’ll have to take your word on that. But ignoring this new bond of mine, what else has happened? Is there a reason we’re… wherever we are?”

His face tensed again as he moved back to his explanation. “The draekon, it turns out, was both a desire and a distraction.”

Apprehension flooded Alex and she waited for him to explain.

“For whatever reason,” Zain said, “Aven wanted to get his hands on one of the ancient beasts. But while he was closing in on his downed prey, he had another plan in effect as well. To assassinate his father and brother.”

Alex’s heart stopped. “What?”

Zain’s face showed a storm of emotions. Fury, pain, fear, sadness. It hurt Alex’s eyes just to look at him, and when he didn’t respond, she dreaded the worst.

“Zain, please tell me,” she rasped out.

He swallowed and said, “King Astophe is dead.”

No. Not Astophe.Alex closed her eyes as images of him flew across her mind, from the first time she met him and felt the comfort of his presence, to all the times they shared together in the past—the dinners, the breakfasts, the moments in between. A sharp pain punctured her chest when she remembered how he’d patiently taught her how to play Stix, acting like a proud parent every time she’d won a match. Hours and hours they had played together—but never again.

“What happened?” she somehow managed to ask.

Zain’s jaw was clenched so tight that Alex feared he’d break it. “The king was slain by the sword of the traitor Niyx.”

Alex felt the room spin around her. “What?”

“His fellowGarsethfound a way to free him fromTaevargand he went straight for the palace,” Zain said in a hollow voice. “It was the surprise of it all, I think, that gave him the advantage. From what I hear, when he burst into the throne room, the full council was in attendance, but they were all too stunned by his appearance to stop him from throwing himself at the king, spearing a blade right through Astophe’s heart. He died instantly. And in the chaos, the murderous traitor managed to disappear.”

No. It couldn’t be true. Itcouldn’tbe.

NIYX!she screamed in her mind.Niyx, answer me, damn it!

But there was no response, no matter how loud she yelled for him.

With watery eyes, she focused back on Zain and, remembering his earlier words, forced herself to ask, “Roka?”

Zain’s eyes closed in one slow, defeated motion, and Alex felt a sob well in her throat.

“He’s still alive.”

She slumped forward with relief. “Oh, Zain. For a moment there, I thought—”

“He’s also… not.”

Her breath hitched. “What—What do you mean?”

Zain stood despairingly to his feet. “Come. I’ll show you.”

On leaden legs, Alex rose and followed him out of the tent and into the crisp, winter air. She had to shield her eyes from the late afternoon sun, blinking to clear her vision, but when she was able to properly see where she was standing, she felt her body lock with recognition. It looked so different to when she’d last been there, covered now in snow as it was. The crescent of mountains still looked the same, with their white-capped peaks, but they reached down to touch a dead meadow reminiscent of a desolate icy tundra, the bioluminescent flowers now a lifeless, sickly grey.

Turning away from the miserable wasteland until her eyes stretched over the open horizon, Alex had to bite her cheek to keep from releasing a sound of anguish at the sight before her. The once vibrant Draekora was now reduced to a bunch of crumpling, ruinous islands. The thriving forests were dead. The lakes had dried up. Even the volcanoes no longer spurted with fiery life. It was as if when the draekons disappeared, they’d taken the heart of Draekora with them.

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