OME OUT AND FAC

shaking the windows and sending frighten

ozen in the co

d come look

t one that claimed she

e whispered. "Why would

ssion had beco

behi

oors. The council members hurried after him, eager to see

foll

fe, people had made decisions about her without

she wante

ed the courtyar

ounds. Its enormous wings were folded against its body, and golden sc

earby, their weapons raised,

n turned

nded on Elena, it lowe

it

sp rose from th

bowed to a human!" one c

red at th

u bowin

deep voice en

he blood o

breath

s your

blood flows th

uncertain

know my

Something resembling sorrow

to you. I swore to protect her c

throat t

was. Tell me what ha

uld answer, Lucien s

our presence known. Now

n's eyes

the truth from

tyard fe

y turned to

t happened to

s jaw t

you are not read

everyone keep

, and she hated

powers I can't control. Now a dragon bows to me and claims my mother wa

said

pped away

other secret. I

gon suddenly s

itch

oked up

t wi

mbers the night

ful gust swept across the courtyard,

question, the creature disapp

it go, her h

turned

e to th

ession d

N

hy

rthern mountains, in a forest where ev

'll go

do no su

olded h

keep me pr

stepped

ng to keep

ing to find

seconds, n

Lucien lo

rrow morning. I wil

haustion from her earlier transfo

," she repeated.

nodde

before he could

ed the palace corridor w

le

stop

ridor w

's t

heek, carrying the faint sc

n's voice s

northern f

skin p

ou the

as waited eighteen

ll me what happen

the king is not the only one wh

toward the c

you talki

oice

nd the northern gate. When the moon reac

orridor be

to convince herself that s

mbol on her wrist

Elena coul

window, watching the moon

t in the morning. Yet the mysterious wo

the invitation

made it impos

ht be the only person who could explain why

on a dark cloak and sli

rtunately, the palace guards seemed more concerned with the myst

he found a narrow path

forest unlike any

a dark ceiling overhead. Strange blue lights floated between

tinued

utes, she heard a

oser, pr

ed toward

l over her shoulders, and a dark cloak covered her thin frame

," the wo

calle

studied El

ged. The amusement vanished, repl

," she whispered. "

eart bega

knew

fore the world tu

ck Elena like

len

itch

the blood of the ancient dragons, and her power fr

led to proce

er was a

ir to a throne that was

stole

d into the darkn

ome names are dangero

tepped

reated like a servant, rejected by my mate, and thrown out of

h's eyes

burned gold. Every dragon in the kingdom felt your arri

h pow

n and

stared

Elena's wrist and exam

ared. Your dragon blood is aw

that dan

arching for you since the ni

snapped b

iately released

sion turne

been fo

spun a

n black. His face was hidden beneath a hood, bu

epped in fro

whispered.

raised one

ugh the forest, extingu

golden power su

grabbed he

, do not let him

nger mov

sentence that made the

ust die before she discover