Page 107 of Black Crown

All of that was replaced by Tyrrik blaming himself for being too weak to resist.

Anger, fiery hot, pulsed, and in an instant, turned into a roaring inferno of rage.

“Draedyn,” I yelled, seizing the emperor’s emerald power in my own. What did he plan to do if Tyrrik and I did have children? Take them for his own? Raise them in his soulless image?

I followed the strand of emerald power to his core and hurled a blast of my raging fury at him, going further than I’d ever dared to go. Returning to my mate, I wrapped our Drae energy in my Phaetyn net.

“It’s not your fault,” I grumbled, opening our bond wide to let Tyrrik see the only anger I had was with my father. I scooted to the edge of the bed. The knife was by the door, and I picked up the blade and waved it at Tyrrik. “Phaetyn blood on this one and not mine, so be careful.”

I stormed toward the door. This wasn’t over. I could count on one hand the amount of times I’d been so murderously enraged. He’d gone into my mate’s mind. And I’d left Tyrrik alone as he slept, vulnerable. Not only that, I felt wild protectiveness surging through me at the thought that Draedyn might try to control any future family we had.

I couldn’t let this rest.

Wait—

Don’t tell me—

I just need to get dressed.In a blur, Tyrrik stood by my side, dressed again in his black aketon. He opened the door, his features hardened, and said, “Let’s go.”

We charged through the castle, side by side, my mind tracing Draedyn’s emerald power through the palace like I’d done a moment before. I couldn’t feel the core of it like before, but the traces were strongest from the levels above.

Doors slammed, and the sound of footsteps pounded behind us.

Druman, Tyrrik said to me.

We both ignored the mules.

The dining room was empty when we arrived. I glared at the rough-hewn table and the otherwise empty space. Where was he?

“Out here,” Tyrrik called from outside on the terrace.

I blurred out to join him, noting the sun halfway up the horizon with its daily climb. Tyrrik pointed to the sky, and I swore, my fury over personal grievances settling into horror for the entire realm.

In the pale-blue-and-gray dawn, two dozen dragons were flying toward Azule.

* * *

My insides twisted in horror,and I grabbed Tyrrik’s arm. “He’s heading for the army!”

My terrified shout was superfluous, but the dread spilled out. Dyter was out there. Hehadto be! And Lani and my Gemondian friends. The entire rebellion would be on fire.

“Lani has the shield up over most of the army,” Tyrrik reminded me. “We’re not fighting this alone.”

But his eyes scoured the ground, and I followed his gaze. Hundreds of Druman scrabbled out of the mountain like ants, leaping and bounding along the ground toward Azule after their father and master.

The emperor was making his move. I’d been so upset aboutwhathe’d just tried to do I missed thewhy. That he might’ve had another layer of motive to his action hadn’t even occurred to me.

If I’d surrendered to Tyrrik’s bite, we’d have been none-the-wiser to Draedyn attacking the army. And he’d lied about the number of Druman he had.

My talons and fangs lengthened. “What do we do? They’ve got a head start.”

Tyrrik and I stared into each other’s eyes, our bond swirling around us.

“Draedyn is away from the palace,” Tyrrik said, gripping my hand. “It’s the perfect chance to destroy his base.”

“But the army,” I whispered, pointing out to the valley.

“We’ll have to trust Lani and the others. We’ll light his palace up—”