Page 42 of Dragon Fight

My men hadn’t wanted to come here. They’d scoffed at Draven’s claim that wild dragons still existed, and for good reason. Queen Gloriana’s glorious forebears had been renowned for the skirmishes they fought with the various wild dragon clans. Dragons who owed no loyalty to humans, so they plundered our fields, our towns and our estates without compunction, burning, eating, destroying whatever they wanted. It was why the royal dragon corps was created in the first place, because in this case fire could only be fought with fire. But Hadrian, the last great king of the wild dragons, was slaughtered in battle by Queen Inara and she and her riders had then flown forth to… I peered at the craggy cliffs around us.

“This is—” I started to say to Ged. He’d held me close the entire way over here but he just nodded.

“A dragon settlement.”

Dragon Home, Glimmer told me in a much more decisive tone.

A dragon’s home? Are there dragons living here?I asked her.

No, Dragon Home. She wasn’t leaving out words, it was the title of this place, and somehow my dragon knew it.

Dragon Home is what it's called? So what is this place and how—?

A great thud had us all stopping where we were, dragon and human alike and when another thud came, the four riders of my wing pulled swords from scabbards which just made Draven shake his head. It soon became clear why, because the biggest damn dragon I’d ever seen came walking in through another massive gate, his wings flapping out to block the entrance.

And who have you brought to my settlement, young princeling?

The only dragon’s voice I’d ever heard was Glimmer’s, but this wasn’t my dragon’s voice. It was rich, masculine, and somehow I knew that it was weighed down with the knowledge of ages. When Draven dropped down on one knee, I found myself automatically doing the same, and so did the others.

“Great Hadrian,” Draven said, his voice one of perfect respect. “I bring some of my Royal Riders” —the dragon sniffed at that, obviously unimpressed— “and the young dragon I spoke of, Glimmer.”

“Hadrian…” Soren shot a look at me with a frown. “Hadrian died at the Battle of Two Queens.”

“Well, evidently the big bastard wasn’t told that,” Ged muttered, “because there he is.”

I dared a glance up and saw a massive set of amber eyes narrowing down. It seemed like Hadrian’s gaze cut straight through us. I fought the urge to lower my eyes, because the power this dragon wielded was palpable. But what was Glimmer’s response? I hissed at her when she took a step away from me, then another, striding across the plain of rock that dwarfed her as she got closer and closer to Hadrian. Then my eyes were drawn back to him, a shout of warning welling in my chest, as I saw his neck arch upwards, like a snake about to strike.

Glimmer!I shouted after her.Glimmer!

My dragon paid me no mind. She simply continued walking across the landing pad like a damn queen, head held high. And the rest of our dragons? They followed right on her heels, forming an honour guard for her as she approached. Hadrian’s head wavered like an executioner’s axe, and it wasn’t clear if it would fall or be set aside, as it seemed some dragonish conversation was being held. In response to Hadrian, Darkspire let out a low hiss of his acidic breath the closer he got. Wraith crackling with lightning, Glacier with ice, as Cloudy and Obsidian emitted small trickles of smoke from their nostrils, but when Glimmer stopped, they did too.

She was barely as big as Hadrian’s foot, but whatever spirit drove her, it was bigger than them both. She sat back on her haunches, fluttered her wings almost flirtatiously, then gazed up at the massive male dragon. And right when I thought my muscles would go into spasm due to how tight I was holding my body, the big dragon dropped his head right down, his whole body softening in an attitude of obeisance.

“Gods above…” Ged swore in little more than a whisper. “What the hell did she do?”

You can come forward now, Glimmer told me.It’s quite safe.

Is it now?I asked, hearing my mother’s frustrated tone in my mental voice.You might have discussed this—

The dragon seer has returned, Hadrian said, his voice cutting through my protest.Well done, little prince, you have brought us a treasure beyond measure.

Every daysince I’d married Brom had been one of surprises, but none more so than today. I looked around me as we walked into a settlement, no, a town, the like of which I’d never seen before. For one, the scale of it was an eye opener. Buildings were so much taller and bigger, made to dragon scale, not human. But it wasn’t just a city made large. The purpose of each building was created for dragon kind.

Welcome to Dragon Home, companions of Lady Glimmer, Hadrian said with a bow, as other dragons stuck their heads out of broad windows or came to land on the crests of rooftops to take a closer look at us. A familiar humming sound started up in multiple throats in response to his greeting, our dragons doing the same.

“We thank you for your welcome”, Draven replied smoothly, the rest of us too dumbstruck to say a thing.

Hadrian sniffed at that and then turned tail, leading us further into the complex.This way. You will meet with the elders first.

Glimmer.I sent out a frantic message and she turned her head to look at me from over her shoulder, but continued to march after the massive dragon.Glimmer!I pushed my way through our cluster, weaving my way past Wraith then Cloudy to take up position by her side.Glimmer, what the hell is going on?

Destiny, was all she would reply.

Please, if you care for me at all, can you expand on that just a little?

When we touched the crystal egg for the first time, when we heard Tanis’ voice, I felt like I came back to myself. I wasn’t an animal to learn consciousness by your side, I was a fully formed being, as I should be. Tanis was the first dragon seer and I…Her confidence seemed to falter then.I think I’m the next.

I sucked in a breath, not even knowing what to say to that, even as my mind raced to put two and two together. For a dragon with little life experience, she seemed to possess such certainty about so many things. About who my mates should be and what would happen. About Zafira’s reactions and… I stared down at her, unable to take in the beauty of Dragon Home when faced with the magnitude of what I thought she was telling me.

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