Page 1 of The Lost Nation

Prologue

Wren

Astorm rolled across the island, black clouds billowing in faster than was naturally possible. The wind shifted, and an undercurrent of danger lurked in the electrified air. Lightning sparked overhead, giving the island a breathtaking display of power and might. The grass under my feet felt soft and cool.

“The storm isn’t natural. Where’s Benedict?”

Kieran landed at my side, checking on me before turning his gaze back to the sky. I didn’t answer him. My tattoo prickled in anticipation, my stomach nervous and churning. The rain came next, sending most of the witches and drakens in the valley scurrying inside their tree huts to wait out the storm. I turned and embraced it, opening my arms wide. Kieran laid a hand on my shoulder, but I refused to budge. The next clang of thunder was loud enough to shake the island, and then suddenlya shadowed figure appeared.

Thad stood before us, his dark hair matted to his skin as the storm raged around us. He was darkness personified in his draken form, only the glimmer of obsidian scales giving away his position. I didn’t need to see him to know he was staring at me.

We locked eyes, and then I was shoved roughly to the side by Kieran, who tucked me behind him.

“It’s taking all of my self-control not to kill you where you stand.”Kieran snarled.

Benedict appeared between Thad and I, quivering with rage. A second storm roared from the west, rising up to clash with Thad’s. I heard the roar as they met, a literal hurricane churning above as the two kings faced each other. I fought off Kieran and pushed in front of Benedict.

“What are you talking about?" I demanded. "All he ever did was save me, again and again and again!”

Benedict’s eyes glowed in the darkness, his blood magick sigils glowing against his skin.

“He marked you with a tattoo," Benedict argued. "Like heownsyou.”

I reared back, blinking rain out of my eyes. “That’s not it at all! I’d stupidly got sucked into some white magick, and it needed balance! You said yourself it was the only thing saving me right now!”

Benedict snarled. “He attacked you and you’re still in pain.”

Thad jerked, and I rolled my eyes. “Right, because what was the likelihood you were going to let me go to him to heal it?”

I shouldn’t have bothered. Benedict was beyond rational thinking, his draken only seeing a threat against his mate. Benedict growled, and lunged at Thad.

“NO! STOP!”I screamed.

Thad fought back, using his shadows to block and dodge Benedict’s claws and fangs. Amethyst met black in a whirlwind of fury, Thad flipping Benedict over and flinging him up against a rock. Benedict shook his head wildly, stunned. When was the last time he’d met a draken bigger than him?

“I have only ever tried to help her!" Thad roared. "Would I have come to you for blood if I didn’t? I could have kept feeding her mine, and practically forced her into a mateship! I got your blood so she at least had a GODDAMN CHOICE!”

My jaw dropped in disbelief. The bitter taste in everything he gave me made sudden sense, and my heart clenched with emotion as I realized how much he'd cared for me. I blinked rapidly, my breathing heavy. I turned to Kieran, pleading.

“Do something!”

Kieran sighed, his face resigned. I turned around, but Ronan looked how I felt.

“It’s a dominance battle. We can’t interfere. If you try, one of them might kill us in a rage.”

I snarled, and flared my wings. Thunder boomed overhead, making it difficult to hear anything.

Thad was bigger than Benedict, and had control of the shadows and darkness. Unfortunately for Thad, Benedict had a thousand years of experience, and quickly narrowed down his opponent’s weaknesses. Benedict took out Thad’s leg with a quick swipe, and he fell hard. His wings fluttered uselessly as he didn’t know how to properly wield them, and with a grunt Benedict stepped on both. A raw scream ripped from Thad’s throat as Benedict slowly tore a claw through one wing, his screams echoing off the rocks of the cliff. THad gathered his magick to strike back, but I’d had it.

“ENOUGH!”

My tattoo flared white hot, my blood magicks sparking to life. Benedict’s eyes went wide as seeing how much of my body was covered in it. I didn’t hesitate, throwing myself between the two of them. Benedict snarled and lunged, so I threw myself over Thad’s body. His blood was warm against my skin, his breaths coming in short, pained gasps. Our bodies rose and fell together in rhythm.

Benedict’s eyes flashed in pain and anger. “I don’t care if he’s a draken! He’s taken control of the demon hordes. He’s our enemy, Wren! Move aside and I’ll kill him, and we can destroy the demons in the fortress! We can finally take back Dorea!”

I thought of the demons back in the keep, and the half-breeds. Thad had said they were just people like us—people looking for a home. Would it be worth the price of peace to kill them all? Was it even possible for such different races to live together?

I didn't care. I'd make them try.And unfortunately for Benedict, that changed everything. It would be bloody, and it wouldn’t be easy. But if it was possible to live in peace with the demons, I had to at least let Thad try. I wasn’t sure if he would agree to my crazy scheme, but I remembered the loneliness of his scent, seeping into his soul like a stain far worse than any magick I had ever seen.

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