Page 101 of The Dragon King
“Weakness?” I asked. “I think it’s a strength. Because if Khazmuda hadn’t saved you, you wouldn’t be here now, about to save his race.”
He gave me that signature hard stare, the kind that looked into my face endlessly.
Queen Eldinar approached our campsite, her eyes on Talon. “After much deliberation, Macabre has agreed to fuse with me. He’s spoken to the other dragons, and over half of them have offered to do the same.”
I couldn’t believe it. “I’m so happy to hear that.”
Her eyes remained on Talon. “They will only fuse with elves, not humans. So, if you have someone in your army who wishes to fuse with a dragon, that will not happen.”
“I accept his terms,” Talon said. “And that wasn’t my intention anyway. The elves are the ones who have risked their lives to help their race. You’re the only ones who’ve earned that right.”
She gave a slight nod in appreciation. “Then I will pair my best fighters with the dragons who have agreed to fuse.”
“With the exception of Inferno,” Talon said. “He’ll fuse with Calista.”
The queen studied him with her intelligent gaze as she considered the request. “If he agrees.”
“He will,” Talon insisted.
“Then we shall begin the process,” Queen Eldinar said. “And we’ll meet you at the port of Shadow Stone.”
“You can fly with us, Your Majesty,” Talon said.
“Thank you for the offer, but I stay with my people—always.”
I walked up to Inferno in the field. He was the last one to wake, like he’d been up later than the others or he was simply more tired than usual.
He opened his eyes first before he raised his head slightly.WHAT NEWS DO YOU BRING?
“Macabre has agreed to fuse with Queen Eldinar. Some of the dragons have also agreed.”
THAT DOESN’T SURPRISE ME.
“I was wondering…if you’d like to fuse again.” We had been fused before because it was essential to our circumstances. We weren’t bonded the way Talon and Khazmuda were, who wanted to spend their eternal lives in each other’s company. “Talon prefers it because I’ll be safer?—”
NO EXPLANATION IS NEEDED, CALISTA. I AGREE TO THE FUSE BECAUSE I DESIRE IT. YOU’VE UNFUSED WITH ME BEFORE, AND I DON’T SEE WHY YOU WOULDN’T DO IT AGAIN.
“Of course.”
AND I WANT MY STRENGTH TO KEEP YOU ALIVE. YOU DESERVE TO LIVE A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE, CALISTA.
My eyes softened. “Thank you.” I wanted to live forever with Talon, but I would never ask Inferno or another dragon for such a gift. Now I understood why Talon’s uncle had enslaved their kind to the south, just for the immortality. And I understood why they’d enslaved the dragons with dark magic, because they never would have agreed to give such a gift.
ARE YOU READY?
“Yes.”
Inferno reached his snout toward me, pressing it against my palm. He closed his eyes.
I closed mine and felt the connection between us, an energy I couldn’t describe. It was a moment of peace before the world tumbled and I felt my feet leave the earth even when I hadn’t moved. My stomach churned before everything went still, and I opened my eyes to see that nothing had changed.
Inferno’s wild eyes stared into mine.
Everything looked the same, but I felt different. I’d forgotten this feeling, the burn in my blood and the power in my veins. While I remained who I was, I felt a burst of energy that hadn’t been there before, a strength in my muscles that defied their size.
YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR MY KIN. SHARING MY STRENGTH IS THE LEAST I CAN DO.
“I would still do it, even if you didn’t want to share.”