WREN Book Three Prince of Dragons

Moving forward

Zia sat primly with my head in her lap. She stroked my hair as she watched me wake. Upon seeing my eyes open, she smiled down at me. Her cool finger traced my lips, eyebrow and cheek. For a moment she said nothing. I could feel her contentment in this moment.

'Merkai brought you home late this morning. I could sense you weren't the same.' She offered me.

'Teach me! I don't dare even open my mouth!' I told her.

Shifting I sat up to face her. My head spun dizzyingly. She snorted.

"You're dehydrated." She said.

"We tried to get you to drink, but you refused to even allow us to part your lips." She told me.

Watching me stare back at her she lowered her gaze. Plucking at an invisible bur on her dress she didn't look at me.

"I have known all my life who he was. Zenithstarlight, my father. The most powerful legacy fire dragon there was." She lifted her eyes to me. They were wet with tears.

"Don't hate me for never telling you. He made me swear an oath to him that I wouldn't, not until he told you himself."

I reached out my hand. Cupping her face in my palm, I wiped tears out of her eyes. I chuckled to myself. To think that...

'How could I ever hate you? You save me nearly every time I see you. If it hadn't been for you, those knights at the school would have...' I stopped lowering my hand.

She caught it in hers. Gripping it between both of her thin ones. 'I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for you, Zyn. No matter what lies ahead for you, I will be at your side.' She vowed.

'I'm thirsty and hungry. Teach me how I can eat with this thing!' I gestured toward my face.

She laughed. "Come outside." Pulling on my hand that she still held, she got me to my feet.

Together we walked out side. Tanwen was leaning against a thick ice wall that she used to block the school from any collateral damage from me. Ash had a mineral wall set up to keep others back along the forest line. Neffy, Cordgi, Attroxia, Tempest and the twins stood before the sea. Merkai stood near them but there was no sign of his Nuare. They would be able to douse any flame that came too far.

I could see Shea, Greyson and Quinn seated on top of Ash's wall. Then the line of fire dragons. Ammedidon stood with Valkyrie, Valkor was slightly before them with Po at his side. I saw Averlien and Jacquien beside each other as well. Piper stood between his Nuare and the remainder of the hell fire squad.

'Preparing for the worst?' I asked Zia.

"What was it Shea always said to us? Prepare for the worst but hope for the best?" she smirked.

'Don't tell me he set this up?' I snorted.

"Hardly, this was all Cordgi." Zia spoke out loud as my boyfriend's face turned pink. I smirked.

'Thank you, lover.' I sent to him privately. His face went even redder.

'Alright, its quite simple.' Zia was all business now. She reminded me of Zelzada. I focused on her.

'The fire we use is controlled by a gland in our throats. You just click your throat muscles to turn it on or off.'

She did this while I was inside her head. I could sense what it was she did. She opened her mouth to send out a small puff of flame. Then clicked her throat to use her mouth to speak.

"See, do you get it?" She asked.

I hummed. This was going to be interesting. I would have to know what position this gland was in every time I opened my mouth! How annoying. Zia heard my thoughts and giggled.