Page 26 of The Lost Nation

Eerie silence settled over usas the Aldurians took in the shock of what had just happened. I nudged Kali towards the edge of the balcony, where her people had gathered down below in confusion and relief.

“The queen! The queen saved us!”

“Her seawitch blood saved us!”

“Long live the queen!”

Kali looked stunned. I poked her in the side with a claw.

“Smile. Look like you knew what you were doing.”

Kali grimaced, and elbowed me back. I smirked, but the smile she was directing towards her people was radiant.

“Thank you!" She began. "We must alsothank our draken allies, who came to our aid without any request from us.”

The people went from staring at my warriors in confusion to utter awe. Gently the children were lowered back into the outstretched arms of their parents. I snorted. How easily the sheep were led.

“Stay and handle the situation." I huffed. "I need to check on Wren.”I jumped from the balcony, not waiting for an answer.

Now that the immediate danger had passed, I was anxious to get back to Wren and ensure everything was fine. I shifted back to Lyoness.

Chapter 13

Xana

Ifelt the wards shimmer, even as the witches gathered on the coast. The males left with King Benedict, so I felt safe to walk up to the witches perched on the cliffs. Wren was there too, and I wondered what was going on. It was odd to feel so unguarded, and out in the open. Almost like it was before I was taken prisoner.

Wren glanced at me for only a moment, smiling as I came up to her. The witches always treated me like I was made of glass. At leastWren tried to act normally around me.

“What is happening?” I asked. The only thing that would lead to a mass exodus of males was a battle of some kind.

Wren sighed, her smile strained. “Aldur is under attack. Benedict took the males to assist, and left us to guard the island in case of a trap.”

Her eyes widened, sparkling brightly as she gazed at me with wonder. “You probably know everything about voice magicks!”

It was hard not to blush at the adoring tone in her voice.“Of course. I was the top of my class.” I preened, sticking out my chest. “When we had such things, of course.”

All of our training buildings were gone now, then instructors long dead. So much knowledge gone forever.

Wren’s gaze grew sad. “It was such a loss when your people died, and more so than just the lives.”

I nodded, grateful that she understood. The amount of wisdom lost was astounding. The only history and lore than Wren and the new draken children would know would be what the males andIcould teach them.

The burden hit me like a rock slide, and sweat dripped down my back. Anxiety gripped my heart and squeezed, and it was suddenly hard to get a breath in. I needed to fly. No, I needed to hide in the lava. I could't make decisions—my brain was paralyzed by panic.

“Is something wrong?" Wren asked.

I swallowed, and shook my head. “N-nothing,” I stuttered. The one witch shot me a glance, but I took to the air.

“I will watch from my normal position,” I offered, mostly just to getawayfrom their stares. So many females looking at me—it was like the dead of my own race were judging me, and finding me wanting.My faces of my teachers sneered at me, chastising me for not paying closer attention in lessons. I didn't want to learn history...I'd just wanted tofight.

I glided down about a mile to a familiar rock out in the ocean, far away enough that the others could still see me, but not much else over the crashing waves.I dug my claws into the familiar rock, finally able to take a calming breath.Something familiar...something sure.

This rock had been my permanent post when I was an official warrior. It was my favorite spot for sunbathing, relaxing, and just...thinking.

The wards shimmered again, and I frowned. It was much too soon for the males to be back, wasn't it? Was something wrong? Unfamiliar magick reached out to greet me, a tight ball of controlled white and black.

I gasped, realizing it wasn't totally unfamiliar. The black draken!

---