Apex [Imperial: Book 2]

Chapter 4

"Here we are," Amaroth grunted, flicking his tail towards the lake stretched before us, its surface rippling under the gentle breeze. Surrounded by forests, it almost immediately reminded me of the lake that Caelum had showed me so many months ago.

But it wasn't the same. Because, beyond the forests, the vast ocean stretched across the horizon, easily visible from where we hovered. Caelum's lake had not been near the ocean.

"This is the northern point?" I questioned, remembering the name that Amaroth had told Kronx.

Much to my surprise, it was Querra who responded, her yellow eyes glazed as she stared down at the lake."Yes," she murmured, her voice almost sounding mellow - lacking the bite it normally had when she talked to Rutilus and I. After a long pause, she added, "It was here that Argon declared himself the Dragon King."

A soft sigh escaped me. Yet again, they'd mentioned the former Dragon King. Surely they knew by now that whatever they said would not change how we thought of him? To us, he'd always remain the power-hungry dragon whom killed whenever he pleased. Whom had been hunting down Rutilus and I down, almost succeeding in forcing us to join his wing - had the humans not joined in the fight.

Yet again, Amaroth seemed to pick up on our irritation. "Not bad, is it?" Dipping his head in the direction of the lake, he carefully held our gazes - as if trying to make sure that he wasn't irritating us.

"It is quite nice," I agreed, running my gaze along its almost clear surface.

"Your mother thought so, too," the blue and white drake remarked, and I stiffened. I'd forgotten that they'd taught my mother once! How much did they know about her? Was she still alive? Did they know what had happened to her?

Excited and curious, I stared at Amaroth hopefully. Perhaps we'd be able to find her on the way back to Erakor.

Slowly, the blue and white drake shook his head. "Don't get your hopes up," he warned me, his turquoise eyes soft. Sympathetic.

I froze, staring at him. Was that his way of saying that -

His rumbling voice cut me off, confirming my newfound suspicions. "She's dead. She died during a great battle against the Dragon King... I've never seen a dragon as furious as she was attack him." 

Querra snorted. "She was the first he certainly regretted killing," I could have sworn that jealousy filled her voice.

The blue and white drake chuckled in amusement, and the two exchanged a long glance, whilst their words echoed in my head. She was dead - and the Dragon King had killed her. There was no way I'd feel anything towards Argon except resentment, even though he had supposedly regretted her death.

Releasing a long breath, I turned towards the two imperials, demanding to know more. "What was her name? What was she like?"

Before either dragon could answer, a dragon broke out of the lake's calm surface, sending water droplets everywhere as he spiralled higher and higher into the air. Bronze and gold scales glittering under the sun, he darted towards us.

"Terraz," Amaroth grunted, regarding the drake with annoyance as he rapidly approached.

Perhaps I should have been irritated, too. After all, I had been so close to learning more about my mother! But I couldn't help watch the drake as he slowed to a halt in front of us, his strangely familiar green eyes glowing brightly.

He was smaller than I had expected, barely bigger than Rutilus. Nonetheless, scars lined his flank - most of them recent enough to have been the result of the battle at Erakor. Perhaps that was why he seemed so familiar!