43. Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Three
Blue and black wings spread wide, flapping, soaring my massive body through the clouds, and across the lake behind Crystoria’s palace.
The water was so clear with my dragon vision. I could see every creature’s body signature swimming around in its depths.
I wish this dream was real.
Feeling the wind rush over my scales, coasting through the damp clouds, and past the mountains where two crescent peaks came together.
I was free.
My core tapped inside my massive skull. A feeling, a knowing sensation that I was meant to be here in this place right now.
Turning around, I flew back to those mountains and narrowed my sight. The very essence in my blood hummed the closer I got.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
A steady beat echoed in my ears, like that of a heart pumping in the land.
There.
There.
There, the voice in my head said.
Nothing stood out in the mountains, but perhaps it was the angle, and I needed to be on ground level.
The shift came easily as I landed between those twin peaks.
Dream powers were amazing. I didn’t feel the cracking of bones at all.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
“What a clever little gem you are,” Verin’s voice called from behind. I spun around, my hands out, ready for an attack.
The nightmare portion of the dream had finally arrived.
“What are you doing here?” I asked before noticing a petite woman standing next to him. She was pale, with pointed features, and long black hair. She looked familiar, but I’d swear we’d never met.
Verin tilted his head to the side, a terrifying grin growing on his face.
“I was waiting for you to find the Heart Tree for me, and you did. I knew you’d be useful to me one day.”
I was surprised when the woman’s high-pitched laugh didn’t wake me. It would be an opportune moment. This was not a scenario I wanted to play out.
“Ah, yes. The sleep walking... Or in your case flying... It’s a side effect of the fever setting in.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Father.” I still had a part to play, even in my dreams.
The woman snarled and Verin held up a hand to silence her like a leashed dog.
“Your mother and that bastard dragon hid the truth from me very well. I’ll admit I was surprised to find out they fucked and created you.
Made sense, though. You were too good to be mine.
Bravery and loyalty to a fault.” He shook his head, then picked at his nails.
The woman tossed her long hair back and sneered.
“This is the daughter that bitch of a wife pretended was yours, Father? Look at her. I could break her in two. Shall I dispose of this imposter?” Her voice had a slight shrill to it that made me want to punch her in the face.
Verin held out his hand and waited. “Another time, Lethirya. We have much work to do. After I take care of the princess, I’ll leave you to search for the cave’s entrance.” He looked at her softly, like a proud father. Something I always wanted and rarely got. Then the evil king faced me.
“Well, it’s time to go, little gem. I can’t have you remembering the location to Heart Tree when the fever vanishes in the morning.”
“You’re crazy.” I stepped back.
Wake up, wake up, wake up, Sapphira.
“Lethirya, retrieve her. We’ve got a busy schedule to keep.”
No, no. I don’t think so.
Stomping hard, the ground cracked all the way to their feet. Verin stepped back and seethed.
“That cursed mate of yours will be a problem with that power. He will be the first I convert to my side when the war begins.”
Verin talking about my mate cost me. Lethirya grabbed me around the waist, careful not to touch my skin as Verin appeared in front of me, a hand on my forehead.
“Oof. Looks like your body tried to use the absorbed power from me to quell the poison inside you and got it wrong. You’re closer to dying than you should be.”
I’m dying?
My gut clenched, and I thought I’d vomit all over him. Good, I hoped I did.
His golden eyes lingered. “We can’t have you dying before the finale, my little gem. No, no, we can’t have that. I need your parents to see you descend slowly…” His nose ran along my cheek, and I shook violently against his hold.
“Slowly into madness before you die, my sweet niece,” he whispered and it was as if he threw me in a freezing lake.
I thrashed, my body so cold. My heart was pounding, fingers searching through the pain for heat.
For fire.
I was fire.
I was earth.
I was a fucking dragon.
“This will all be a dream, little gem. I’ll see you soon,” a voice whispered and everything grew dark.