Page 20 of Court of Dragons and Ashes

“They came to fight for their princess. The question is, are you going to fight?” Phobos asks, his question haunting me for an answer. “I’ve been looking into this world. They have the castle back, and it is safe for you. The dragons burned any of theremaining traitors, and the magic castle flung the rest out the windows for the dragons to eat as snacks. It was amusing to see.”

“It was disgusting,” Nevaeh exclaims, shaking her head.

He shrugs his shoulder, waiting for me. “Are you going back, or shall we leave?”

My heart pounds as I know my choice. Ellelin needs me and I’m not hiding here on Earth anymore. It was a mistake to ever do that in the first place. Ellelin didn’t hide, she stood up tall and faced everything. I push down my fear of that world, of death itself, and lift my head. “I need to gather some things to take.”

Sarcasm laces Phobos’s words. “Please take your time. We have all day.”

Nevaeh hits his chest, and he pulls her onto his lap with a growl. “He means to say you can take your time, as you might not be back for a while.”

“I think you’re a very good translator for him.” I grin at her, and the dark look that Phobos gives her sends chills through my blood. Thankfully, his mate distracts him from glaring at me as I pick up my dog and head inside. After feeding the dog, I grab the bag that I left packed, full of weapons, in my room. I stuff it with some food, a bottle of water, and my daggers from the camp, and then change back into my leather clothes for fighting. I had it all ready, just in case. I write a quick note for my mum and dad, explaining that I’ve gone back, that I need to go back, but I know they didn’t want me here anyway. I think, before my return, they had fully accepted that I was gone, that I was meant to go to that world to find my destiny.

I don’t belong here anymore.

When I’m done, I go back out into the garden and hold my hand out for the sword. Thankfully, it’s got a handle, and I quickly slip it over my shoulder, so it rides on my back. It’s a heavy sword, but the weight of it lies heavily in the magic I feel radiating down my spine. I want to drop it somewhereimmediately. “Tell my niece to come and see me soon. Tell her the sword is from her father, entrusted to me. I could not give it to her until she was ready, and now she is.”

I nod once. “I will make sure she gets this and the message.”

Phobos and Nevaeh disappear, leaving me alone in the garden with a magic sword and a portal to another world. I step through the portal back into Ayiolyn without another thought, to the world that I missed. As odd as it sounds to me, I completely, utterly miss this world. The portal disappears behind me as I stand in front of the castle, looking up at the tall towers stretching into thick clouds.

Terrin lands right in front of me, his black wings spread far. I look up at the massive dragon stretching his wings out in front of me. My silver dragon lands by my side, watching me with her eyes full of sadness. I didn’t expect that; I thought she hated me. “I didn’t want to leave you.”

“You returned, my rider.” My dragon shoots off, and anger floats down our bond. We are going to have to work on that.

Terrin brushes his head against mine, and for a moment, I can hear him in my head like my own dragon. “Why are you back?”

I lift my head. Sometimes it’s the simplest answer, the one spoken right from the heart, that matters. “For the princess. To fight for my friend.”

CHAPTER 11

It’s been two days since the fire test. Two long, excruciating days as we try to work out where exactly to go in the Earth Court. Grayson once told me that his people would be good at hiding and that no one came into the Earth Court without a guide. He wasn’t joking. Arden and his people are lost when it comes to the maps of the Earth Court, or lack of them. The Earth Court is a mysterious place, and it’s not until Aphrodite leaves a portal that we can even turn up. How did they manage to find where the court is and take it over so easily? Arden has been to it, but only through portals. He’s pacing at my side, both of us thinking the same things. “It’s a trap. She must be getting pissed that you’ve won two tests now.”

I touch his shoulder, and he pauses, looking down at me. “It’s Gray. I’m going.”

“I know.” He blows out a breath, touching my cheek. “The Earth Court could arguably be one of the most dangerous courts. They keep their secrets in the secret cities, buried deep within the ground. It’s like a maze, Gray once told me, and only the king can know the way around it. A mind map is inherited by each king, so the court is kept safe. That portal could drop us anywhere, and we would be lost in millions of miles of mazes.”

“Sounds brilliant.” I drop my shoulders. “It’s time to get Grayson back. We can’t just ignore the portal, no matter the danger. I’m going for my Gray. He needs me.” Arden doesn’t argue, leading me to the throne room. People bow as we walk past them, and some gawk at me, making me want to fiddle with the tight black armoured clothes I’m wearing. “Lysander should be here, maybe?—”

“I’m here.”

Arden goes deadly still as we both look behind us, watching as Lysander walks down the Fire Court like he isn’t the enemy, like he hasn’t done anything wrong. Oh, Lysander. His head is held high, like nothing’s happened, and he only stops when he is right in front of me. Lysander meets Arden’s fiery gaze, and both of them growl. “I would not leave you alone to face this.”

“Oh, now you’re honourable,” Arden sarcastically snaps with enough fire that I almost flinch away from them both.

“Enough.” I slip in the middle of them. They both leave zero space between my body, like they can claim parts of me with only their touch, and magic seems to lace the air I breathe with its own threat. They are huge, massive dragon shifters, and I feel like a tiny powerless human in the middle of them.

I’m not powerless. My shadows swirl around my feet, climbing up my legs and pushing them both a few steps back. “I mean it, enough! We have a lot to face today, and this is for Grayson, who you both care about. Right?” I turn to look at them both once, my shadows still dancing around me. “He’s not betrayed you, but he needs us. So does Emrys. We are going to put all of our problems behind us and go into another extremely deadly test as allies. I can’t fight the fucking gods and you two as well. I will break. I am holding on with everything I have to fix your mistakes by leaving me behind in the first place. So, unless you want that outcome, stop this.”

Both of them stay quiet. Lysander nods, looking at Arden. I follow his gaze, and a tic in Arden’s jaw pulses once, but he lowers his crossed arms. “For you, Ellelin, I would do anything. Even work with him today.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, letting my shadows go. We all head towards the throne room in the most awkward silence.

Lysander clears his throat, breaking the uncomfortable moment. “This might be more of a fight than we realise. Aphrodite might not let us enter the test with you, Elle. In the last test, she was welcoming to us both because it played a part in what she wanted.” Arden looks at him in disdain, but he says nothing, moving his gaze away. He tugs the throne room doors open, and I walk in, pondering Lysander’s warning.

“I’m not going to leave her side,” Arden states once we are all in the throne room, shutting the door behind us.

“Neither am I,” Lysander claims. “Her safety is everything to me.”

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