Epilogue
Three days later…
The bright sunlight made the thick layer of snow covering the terrace sparkle like diamonds. Fedra’s boots had left a trail from the door to the railing as she expectantly scanned the clear sky.
“I’m nearly ready,” Ryder shouted from inside.
“Not yet,” Fedra replied. “Marcus isn’t here yet.”
Snow crunched from behind her as Ryder walked onto the balcony. “He’ll make several passes.”
She shook her head, leaning as far over the railing as she dared to look to the side. “I want to be here. Your machine can wait.”
“Fair point,” Ryder said with a chuckle. “How are you enjoying the palace?”
“It has its benefits.”
Ryder made his way to her. “There’s something I’ve no’ told the others yet about your stasis pod.”
She glanced at him. “What’s that?”
“I was bothered by you saying you kept waking up while we were in the city. The power source should’ve kept you asleep for centuries.”
Fedra forgot about searching for Marcus and looked at Ryder. “Did you find something?”
“I did. Water somehow got into the membranes, causing them to corrode. It caused interference with the power source and caused you to wake so often.”
She frowned. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
“It wasna good. If it had failed, and you were woken, you would’ve been trapped in that chamber with no way to get out.”
“It makes me think that everything really does happen for a reason.”
“Maybe.” Ryder jerked his chin to the sky. “Take a look.”
Fedra jerked her eyes to the sky and spotted the shape coming toward them fast. Her heart skipped a beat as the huge form flew over them.
She turned to follow Marcus as he soared past and dipped an enormous, angular wing to swing around.
When he flew toward them, he did so at a much slower speed, allowing her to get a better look at him.
Sunlight glinted off lavender scales with those on his belly wider and darker than the rest of his body.
Fierce sapphire eyes watched her. There were two horns atop his head and several small rows of tendrils that ran down the sides of his jaw.
His lavender wings had jagged edges and were almost see-through.
He made several passes. Some above her, some below her, so she could see every side of him. She drank it all in, including the sight of the rows of sharp teeth and the talons at the end of each digit.
He let out a roar on his next pass, and she smiled as he began his descent. Once he landed and shifted, he’d make his way through the tunnels to her.
“Now, can we take the X-ray?” Ryder said, his frustration clear.
Fedra spun toward him, a huge smile on her face. “Let’s get started figuring out what Sevrion did and see if we can undo it.”
“What the hell was that?” Eurielle demanded as she stormed into the room.
Sevrion slowly turned away from the window to face her. “What do you mean?”
“You weren’t going to help me.”
“What use are you if you need my help?”
She snorted a laugh. “You haven’t changed a bit. You would’ve let me die if I hadn’t gotten away.”
“The only reason I’m talking to you now is because you managed to get out on your own.”
Her jaw worked as she narrowed her eyes at him. Finally, she crossed her arms over her chest.
He laughed softly as he glanced at the ground. “What? Did I hurt your feelings?”
“You and Villette love these long-term plays with the Dragon Kings. That isn’t how I work.”
“You know nothing, so don’t pretend that you do,” he snapped. “I’ve tolerated you because I thought you could be of use, but if you’re going to act like a petulant child, then you can leave.”
“I know enough,” she argued.
Sevrion drew in a frustrated breath and released it. “You’re just now getting into the game, little sister. I’ve been at this for a long, long time.”
“Exactly. What have you achieved in this long game of yours?” she asked mockingly.
He was in front of her in the blink of an eye, his hand around her throat. “Don’t. Test. Me,” he warned.
She smiled and shoved magic into his chest. He flew backward, toppling head over heels.
He landed and slid back several feet. Sevrion looked up from the floor to her with new appreciation.
Maybe Eurielle wasn’t as useless as he had first thought.
Few of his siblings could break out of his hold.
Apparently, there was much more to his sister than he realized.
He straightened and dusted off his clothes. “Impressive.”
“Don’t ever lay hands on me again,” she told him, her eyes glaring daggers.
Sevrion smiled. “Perhaps you have a point. Maybe we should come at the Kings a different way.”
“You think I’ll work with you again?”
“I don’t need you,” he said as he turned away.
She came up beside him. “I take it you have a plan.”
“You’ve taken down a dragon. You know the cost to us.”
“I do,” she bit out. “No one told me that killing one would drain my magic.”
He laughed as he looked out the window. “It isn’t something we’ve wanted the dragons to learn. They know we can kill them. Can you imagine what the Kings would do if they discovered how weak we become when we take one of their lives? Besides, you only killed a dragon. You didn’t take on a King.”
“How much worse is it with a King?”
“You don’t want to find out.”
She released a sigh. “No wonder you and Villette set up such elaborate schemes for them. Do you have another one going that I don’t know about?”
“No.”
“Will you implement another?”
He shook his head. “I’m tired of fate always siding with the Kings. It’s time that changed.”
“How?” she asked, turning her head to him.”
“By creating a dragon killer.”
Brandr followed Con into the chamber where the stasis pod had been to find Rhi, Eurwen, and Vaughn. Once they were all inside, Eurwen pressed the lever on the floor and shut the door.
Everyone had been uneasy since they learned of Sevrion’s connection to Fedra and the city. Add to that everything Ryder had uncovered, and every soul in the city was on edge.
“What’s going on?” Brandr asked.
Eurwen was the first to speak. “I’ve been trying to figure out why the corridor leading to this room had been the only one in this area damaged. I think it was done on purpose.”
“I was thinking the same,” Rhi said.
Vaughn looked around at the blank walls. “Things certainly doona make sense. Sevrion and Fedra’s people went to a lot of work to make this chamber into something other than it is. Yet Marcus, Evander, and Ryder felt as if something was repelling them from here.”
“As if someone was trying to keep Fedra from being found,” Con added.
Brandr crossed his arms over his chest. “But why?”
“There’s only one reason,” Eurwen said.
Con nodded slowly. “To protect the dragons.”
“That’s assuming whoever it was knew what Sevrion was up to,” Rhi said.
Brandr released a long, frustrated sigh. “It would have to be another Star Person. But why not do more? Or at the verra least, show themselves.”
“Maybe they couldna,” Vaughn said. “If someone caved in the hall and made it so no one would want to walk down it, then Fedra would never be found and the dragons would be safe.”
Con said, “You’re forgetting how Ryder and Marcus lost their memories.”
“Hector was affected like that,” Eurwen replied.
Rhi leaned against Con’s side. “Are you suggesting that something specifically targeted certain people?”
“That would mean the being would need to be close,” Vaughn said.
Brandr dropped his arms to his sides. “Do you really think there’s a Star Person lurking around Iron Hall?”
“I think anything is possible,” Con stated.
Brandr looked at his father. “The city is too big. They could be hiding anywhere.”
“Then we’ll need to find a way to locate them,” Eurwen said.
Thank you for reading DRAGON SIEGED. I hope you enjoyed reading Marcus’s book.