The Dragon Queen Selection Chapter 167

LIRA

The voice came without warning.

Without mercy.

Without anything but hot blinding pain. 

'Lira.' 

Veyraxis.

Her voice filled my mind, loud and terrible and everywhere. It was so powerful I staggered. Fell to my knees. Pressed my hands over my ears, though it did nothing to stop the sound.

'Lira!' 

"Go away..." 

'My revenge is now.'

"Please..." 

'And your prince shall not be spared.' 

\-————————-

I opened my eyes.

Luna was on my chest, her silver eyes wide, her small body trembling.

'Lira. Lira, are you all right?' 

"Lira what's going on?! What happened to you?" 

Elora asked but I didn't even have the words to explain. 

I looked at the dragon.

At its massive body. Its scarred hide. Its one good eye.

"Can you take me to the palace?"

The dragon tilted its head.

'The palace?'

"Yes. I need to get there now. I need to warn Cassian."

'The trials...'

"I don't care about the trials. Veyraxis is coming. She's going to attack. And I have to—I have to stop her."

'You cannot stop Veyraxis. She is ancient. Powerful. You are...' 

"I know what I am." I stepped closer. "But I'm also bonded to Luna. She has to listen to me. I have to find a way!"

'And if your plan doesn't work?' 

"Then I'll find another way."

The dragon studied me.

For a long time.

Then:

'I will take you.'

"Thank you."

'Not for you or her hatchling.' It looked at Luna. 'For the chance to meet the great Veyraxis. To see with my own eye the mother of all dragons.' 

"That's enough."

The dragon hunched very low.

Beat its wings against the earth.

'Climb on,' it said. 'And hold tight. There is no saddle. No bridle. No straps. If you fall...' 

"I won't fall."

I turned to Elora.

"Come on."

"What?!!!' 

"Come with me. The palace is safer than this forest. And I..." I swallowed. "I don't want to leave you alone."

"Lira, the trials... I can't just leave with you. It's not right." 

"Veyraxis is coming. The red dragon. She's coming for war. And I have to, I have to do something. The least I can do is get you out of this forest so you can be safe."

Elora stared at me.

Then she nodded.

"Okay. But don't take me to the palace. Just leave me at the edge of the forest with the dragon keeper, that's safe enough. I can take the carriage back. You should go back to the palace alone. Because that would mean you have won." 

"Won what?" I asked in confusion. 

"The Dragon trials." She said as she smiled. 

She climbed onto the dragon's back.

I followed.

Luna curled against my chest, hidden in my cloak.

'Hold on,' the dragon said.

We held on.

The dragon launched itself into the sky.

\------------------

The wind screamed past my ears.

I clung to the dragon's neck for dear life, his scales rough beneath my fingers, his wings beating against the grey sky, his breath steaming in the cold air. Below us, the kingdom sprawled like a painting. Forests. Rivers. Villages.

And there, on the horizon... 

The palace.

We made it, I thought. We actually made it.

Luna was perched on my shoulder, her small body tucked against my neck, her golden eyes fixed on the sky behind us. She had been quiet since we left the forest. Since we left Elora behind at the edge of the forest. She was too quiet.

'Lira,' she said. 'Something is wrong.' 

Everything is wrong.

No. Something else. Something else. 

The palace rushed toward us.

\---

The large palace courtyard was packed. 

Crowds of people, nobles, servants, commoners who had gathered from miles around, filled every inch of space. They waved banners and threw flowers and screamed with joy.

But I wasn't looking at them.

I was looking for him.

Cassian. I looked at the raised dais where the King and Queen now stood in shock, their eyes fixated on me and the dragon overhead. I could see Aveline nearby with her dragon. Even Evander I could spot close to the courtyard gates. But no sign of Cassian. 

I knew he wouldn't be in the palace on such an important day. 

Where is Cassian?

Where... 

The dragon circled lower.

The crowd screamed.

Not in fear, in celebration.

"LIRA! LIRA! LIRA!"

They were chanting my name.

My name.

They thought I won. 

They thought I was riding the dragon because we were bonded. Not because I only needed a ride. 

The dragon flew low over the courtyard, close enough that I could see individual faces, could make out the guards stationed at the entrances, the nobles pressed against the barriers. Every inch I got closer the crowd just cheered louder. 

But no Cassian.

Where is he?

Why isn't he here?

'Lira.' Luna's voice was urgent. 'Calista.' 

I looked up, a massive gleaming dark blue dragon was descending, and Calista was on it.

Calista stood in the courtyard below, her riding clothes disheveled, her golden hair wild. Beside her, looming, massive, its scales gleaming like violet, was her dragon. She had bonded with a dragon. 

She had landed.

She was on the ground.

And she was staring up at me with an expression I had never seen on her face before.

Rage.

Pure, unfiltered rage.

She lost, I realized. She passed the trials too, but I passed them first.

And I won.

And she knows it.

The crowd was still cheering. Although some had stopped to murmur now, at the presence of Calista. 

For me.

For me.

"LIRA! LIRA! LIRA!"

The dragon banked left, circling the courtyard again. I scanned the crowd, desperate now, frantic.

Cassian.

Where are you?

Where... 

Nothing.

No sign of him.

No sign of Taheer his dragon either. 

'Lira.' Luna's voice was sharp. Veyraxis is in the skies above. I can feel her. She's in the sky.' 

My blood turned to ice.

"Where?"

Above us. She must have flown high enough in the clouds to avoid notice. 

I looked up.

The sky was grey.

Empty.

But Luna was right. I could feel her.

Ready.

\---

The dragon spoke.

His voice was deep. Resonant. Trembling with something that might have been fear.

'I must land. I must release you.' 

"What? Why?"

'Veyraxis is coming. You cannot fight her. I cannot fight her. It's best to stay out of her way. I shall try to protect you and the hatchling as much as I can. But I make no promises. Veyraxis is older and more powerful than me. Only Taheer can beat her.' 

"Then where is Cassian?! Where is Taheer? If they're together..." 

'There is no sign of them.' The dragon seemed to sigh. 'No sign of Taheer in the sky. No sign of the prince on the ground.' 

"Then where are they?"

'If they are not here, if they are not in the sky...they must be planning to attack.' 

"Attack where?"

Suddenly, a loud screech tore through the air. Loud and piercing. From above. 

A streak of red.

Burning across the grey sky like a comet made of blood and fire.

Veyraxis.