Page 148 of Ash

“I-I’m sorry,” he stammered. “Broken. I’m broken.”

“It’s okay,” Tyrez soothed. “It’s just too soon. Try to relax.”

“We need to know this.” The old Dragon shifter’s jaw was set and his eyes flashed fire.

Tyrez rounded on him. “If you hadn’t sent the Legion out against Rindek, with no consideration for how he’d killed those rogue Dragons, we wouldn’t be in this mess now. This is on you, not him.”

The Emperor drew himself up. “I could have you executed for such comments.”

“If you wish to do so, have the courage to do it yourself. Perhaps it is time to question whether you are fit to lead our people. Before you are responsible for feeding the rest to Rindek.”

“I am trying to stop that from happening!” the old Dragon shifter bellowed.

“What are your plans, then?” Tyrez let go of Ash and placed himself firmly between him and the Emperor, forcing his father to take a step back. “Are you going to send a bunch of half-trained recruits against an Archmage armed with parasitic bombs?”

The Emperor’s blue eyes had gone incandescent. “What would you have me do? Wave a white flag? Form a truce with a monster?”

“Everyone has a stake in this, Father.” Tyrez’s voice had dropped a full octave. “Dragons aren’t the only warriors in the realms.”

The Emperor snorted. “You are proposing we form alliances with what? Werewolves?”

“That is exactly what I’m proposing.”

The room went deathly silent.

The other five Dragon shifters stared at Tyrez, their eyes glowing. Ash couldn’t tell if they were excited, or angry.

There was no mistaking the Emperor’s reaction, however.

“Werewolves are working with Rindek,” he hissed. “And they are just as monstrous as him.”

“SomeDires are working with Rindek,” Tyrez corrected. “But many more are out there, waiting to see how things unfold. We could recruit an army of our own.”

“They’d never join us.” Taran butted in. But his head tilted a little, as though unsure.

Tyrez pushed. “We’d need the right incentive to entice them. So contact the Cryptid council. They have the power to offer it.”

Razir stepped forward. “You want the council to drop the moratorium on recruiting females from the human population?”

Tyrez’s younger brother rubbed his jaw as he considered. “The Cryptid council has forbidden them to recruit females from the very beginning.”

“The council will never change that policy,” Taran interjected.

“We will never work with werewolves,” the Emperor declared.

Tyrez’s lips had pulled back from his teeth, and he looked ready to tear his father to pieces. The hostile energy ricocheted around the room and Ash’s angst ramped up.

The Watcher glanced at him before stepping between them. “I suggest you all cool off. This needs to be considered with care, and this is not the best place to do it.”

“We need information if we are to fight the Archmage,” the old Dragon shifter hissed.

“Out, Thadus. If and when I deem that Ash is ready to provide such information, I will let you know.”

Ash had to admire the Watcher. The Dragon sent her a look that could have peeled paint, but she remained unmoved.

The Emperor transferred his glower to Tyrez. “I want you out of the Gryphons’ realm,” he snarled.

“I am here by invitation. That is within the purview of the exile rules. I will leave when Ash does, and not before.” Tyrez’s deep voice broke as he attempted to keep it calm.

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