Page 190 of Smoke and Lure

Since Khuzaimah will not step down for at least another year, I’d like to assign Avalore as our liaison on the new security council for the humans, to assist them with establishing order.

I think she’s proven to be the right person for it.Pride filled Liekki’s mental path.Hell, it may take Iskah and her Court that long to get through the screening of all the humans and the bear-shifters to organize the rebuild and realignment so the humans can flourish as one.

Agreed.Aodh widened his pathway to include all the dragons assembled with him.Ready for our approach.Fire on my mark.

Nose down, the Mckenna dove, the rest followed, pulling their wings back for maximum speed, sights set on the big gate at the front entrance.

The closer they drew, the more people on the ground came into sharp focus in his dragon’s eyes.In a matter of seconds during their rapid descent, the people went from appearing as a colony of ants to taking a clearer human shape.

Most of the humans on the ground were pointing and screaming, some of them running for cover as if they thought any of their flimsy structures would protect them from dragons’ might or fire.

Hell, a few wing flaps and most buildings and homes would topple over.Aodh was appalled at what he saw.What government allowed its people to live in such a way, scratching out a menial existence?

These people deserved a change, and the preternaturals were bringing it to them.Once they dealt with Muskrand, the Fae Queen would assemble all the humans and deliver the speech the council had devised to begin the long, arduous process of helping them realign and change.Humans had to be better.

The Mckenna snapped its wings out wide and brought its head up parallel to the ground, gliding over the district with its fellow dragons doing the same, maintaining their formation.

Dov, his Beta, Turi, and the other members of his sleuth with him had fanned out along the thick, high barrier that went for miles and miles left and right, dividing the humans, keeping those considered less out; more than a few well-dressed bodies littered the ground around their feet.At the top of that harsh wall were flags standing up high with a similar mark as had been placed on Morlie, Avalore, Michaela, and Kairos.The unequal symbol on the flag didn’t have the same mark, spear-like line cutting through it, but it was represented by the spikes established at the top of the wall to ensure those in the district stayed out.

Anger boiled in his core and caused a lava river of heat to flood his insides.Muskrand must die tonight.

Fire!he ordered as he shot a blazing stream out of his mouth, aiming directly at the wall.

The other dragons’ flames struck out and helped Mckenna torch the iron wall and turn the flags into waving flames.

Behind them, the screams of frightened humans became a roar of cheers as the iron and steel wall melted away.

Aodh had no concern that those in the district area would rush toward the providence to loot and pillage, placing themselves at risk for an armful of items.The bear-shifters would keep them at bay.

The dragon continued, flying over the dimly lit half of the area and towards the well-lit horizon of the fortress-like Governor’s city.

Up ahead.Aodh’s dragon locked in on the coordinates given for the dome's whereabouts.

Once they were hovering over the widest, gaudiest, well-developed building standing two stories above ground with four large harpoon spears, their bases angled in the direction of the Drahk territory, but currently with tips down.

Aodh gave the order to melt them, rendering them inoperable.

Avalore stated that the human government leaders are going crazy watching you destroy the weapons, Mckenna.Liekki chuckled.

Good.I hope they know we’re coming for them next.

Once, Aodh received confirmation from both Avalore, through Liekki, and Hugo that all those fighting with them had now left the command center, and only after the others had ensured they’d blocked both exits so, Muskrand and those with him could not exit their secured dome, Aodh then sneered to his Thunder,Get me to the People’s Governor.

In complete agreement with his orders, the dragons began to slam their massive, powerful hind legs through the cinder blocks and wood structure of the first two floors.The materials erected with such selfish pride crumbled under the heavy dragon attack.

When he discovered the final iron flooring guarding the last level to the dome, the Mckenna, Liekki, Edjer, and Hydra made a circle while the Drahks stood back.They spewed fire over and over again until they burned a hole deep enough to see the top of the glass encasement below and sufficient for Aodh’s dragon to fit through with ease.

The Mckenna’s massive, burnt-orange frame dropped down carefully onto the clear ceiling.Not because the dragon was concerned about injuring anyone below or inside.

Fuck, no.But because he wanted to take a moment and stare into the face of the man he was going to kill.Hold Muskrand’s gaze and watch the momentthe People’s Governorrealized he was facing his death and today was his reckoning.

The Mckenna stood there in the large hole, balanced on the glass, ensuring it kept its claws raised so as not to pierce the dense glass just yet.

Aodh rose inside the big beast and watched all the other men and women who had supported the asshole for years, scurry away like the cretins they were, racing to the walls and underneath the big commander’s table attempting to hide, protecting themselves from Muskrand’s fate.

However, Muskrand, gaze locked on the dragon above, knew better than to move.Perhaps because Muskrand stupidly thought this situation before the dangerous beast above meant that if he froze in place, the hulking dragon would perceive his stationary form as less of a threat and go away.

Ha!Never.Aodh and his beast both knew that physically, Muskrand didn’t pose a threat.Everette Muskrand was a tall, sour-yellow-haired man, with splotchy, flushed red pigmentation and a bulbous nose from too much drink, a potbelly, sagging jowls from overeating, with narrow shoulders, and small, fat hands.

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