Page 97 of Enchanted Queen

These lives we lived were precariously perched, bare threads seeming to keep us from alternate endings. And while happy endings were granted for a few, grief,deathwas granted for all.

I let out a sigh, hoping to expel my melancholy mood from my body. I could have kept sleeping, though my magic was at least somewhat recovered. I hoped I could sleep more later in the day. I willed myself awake when the others had, knowing we needed to head back. Though most of Dra Skor respected the sanctuaries, I didn’t think whoever was doing all of this was really playing by any sort of rule book. We needed to leave Esta’s lair and head back.

Just in time to say goodbye to Serkan.

“Ready team?” Emric said with a smile. Even his brown eyes normally so full of laughter and mischief were duller this morning.

Grief, it seemed, did not discriminate. Nor did it come on gently. She was a thief in the night, stabbing aimlessly.

Malachi pushed his nose against Emric’s hand, and Emric gently patted down his neck. At least those of us in our human forms could hug, drawing strength from one another.

Let’s go home,the queen stated, more of a command.

Malachi was taking me and Amory, Emric on Whit, and John on Zaccai, the winged lion who had offered his services.

Though I thought maybe we would fly to the castle rather quietly, considering the very real threat we had been in just the day before, as soon as Esta was out of her cave, she took one look in the direction of Serkan’s lair, and let out a shattering roar.

She bowed her head down in that direction, and before any of us could even ask how she was feeling or if she was able to fly, she was gone to the sky.

Not wanting her to fly alone, the rest of us quickly took flight.

Within a minute, every hair on my arms stood straight up. I was certain I had seen almost all the shifters after we changed the lake at The Aaruk, but I was wrong. Shifters were everywhere I looked, flying wing-to-wing, in a formation protecting the queen. This had to be every last one of the winged shifters.

All but one.

And on the ground beneath us ran the land shifters. Their feet pounding together, a sizable dust cloud rising as they ran.

Land and winged shifters alike moved in silence, other than the beat of wings or pounding of feet. No jesting, no laughing, no barking or yipping or roars. Silence.

This was entirely the opposite of my trip to The Aaruk the day before. This was what Dra Skor in mourning looked like. Equally as powerful and moving as Dra Skor in celebration.

I also couldn’t help but think that this would be what Dra Skor at war looked like. This time the fury was not pointed at Wylan. Instead, it was at a ghost of an enemy. One we couldn’t even yet target.

We?

Somewhere along the line I had added myself into the equation when considering Dra Skor’s troubles, though I was far from an accepted local.

The queen let out another roar I felt in my soul. Amory quickly explained that Serkan’s funeral service would be held the following day. They typically lit the pyre on fire and then sent the body downstream where it would eventually head to the sea. The land dragons would have to assist, as Serkan’s body was so large, the stream might not be able to carry him downstream. Rather than allow his ashes to be stuck, the land dragons would make sure he made it to the open sea.

As for today, Serkan’s body was atop the pyre near the stream for people to pay their respects.

We had flown around the castle, and now I knew why. As I looked past Malachi’s large black wings, I saw a limp dragon form on a bed of grasses and hay not far off. Two torches were on either side of him burning in the day despite it being light out.

The queen landed before him and again let out a roar.

“Leave her,” Amory said loudly from in front of me to the others. “Leave her to grieve her fellow dragon.”

Malachi headed to the castle with us, and at least a dozen winged shifters followed.

I slipped off Malachi’s back at my balcony, John and Emric dismounting their rides also.

“Please rest up,” Amory said with a sad smile. “Tomorrow morning is the funeral, and you are of course welcome to celebrate Serkan’s life with us. We ask that you not use your magic to change anything more as of right now. We usually have a period of mourning without work for two days. Though that may not be your customs, I am afraid if you tried to do anything in that timeframe, some of the other shifters may see it as a sign of disrespect.”

I only had the pond left to change, other than the shifters themselves, and I was certain Esta needed a minute before we went back to The Drak to work on changing her back. I also needed another day to eat and sleep in recouping my magic. “Showing Serkan disrespect is the last thing I would want to do,” I assured her.

“I know,” she said gently. “I know.” After Malachi’s snort she added, “Oh, there will be multiple shifters guarding you at all hours. Might as well get used to your balcony being full.”

“If there is anything you need today, Amory, even if it is just another voice, please let me know.”

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