“Would you like me to carry you in this form or my draka form?” he asks with a roguishly handsome grin.
Their draka form is several times the size of their humanoid form and looks like a medieval dragon from a legend. It still scares me a bit. “This form is fine.”
A deafening roar splits the air and my gaze snaps toward the sky. Panic races through me when I notice over a dozen dragons flying toward the city. Their white and gray scales shimmer iridescently beneath the red-orange sun. Panic stills my heart. That coloring means they come from the Wind Clan—the dragons who stole Skye.
“Run. Hide,” the Fire dragon tells me. I freeze as he transforms in a whirl of dust and wind into draka form, turning into a massive crimson dragon before my eyes. He looks down at me again. “Go. Quickly!”
He spreads his large wings and lifts into the sky, racing to meet the Wind Clan invaders head-on.
Sirens blare throughout the city, muffling the sounds of terrified cries and screams as people rush to find cover.
Stunned, I watch as Fire and Wind draka collide in a rage of teeth and claws above our heads, raining obsidian blood as they tear into one another. Buildings crumble and explode where they crash down, showering chunks of rock and debris onto the streets.
Complete chaos erupts as people scatter in all directions, searching for a place to hide. A gust of air behind me pushes me forward, nearly knocking me down. I brace myself against a nearby wall. A bellow sounds overhead, so close the sound vibrates through my body. I turn to meet massive, green eyes with elongated pupils. A scream bursts from my lungs when a large, taloned hand covered in gray scales wraps around my body, ripping me into the sky.
My long brown hair whips around my head, obscuring my vision as I thrash and beat my fists against the Wind dragon’s hold, desperate to escape. A blur of red in the corner of my eye draws my attention, and I turn just as a Fire dragon rams into the side of my captor.
The Wind draka roars loudly, and we begin a tight, spiraling fall. The ground races toward us with dizzying speed. At the last second, his wings snap open, halting our descent only a few feet above the ground. Another dragon attacks, lashing out with his claws and tearing into his flesh.
He relinquishes his grip on my form and I drop the last few feet to the ground. The air is forced from my lungs as I slam against the stone walkway, flat on my back. The world shifts into slow motion as I stare up at the sky, dazed and gasping for air. My ears are still ringing from the drop and everything sounds muffled all around me. I know I should get up, but I cannot make myself move. Not yet.
A deafening boom splits the air overhead and time speeds up as another dragon crashes into the wall beside me. An explosion of dust and debris rains down from the impact. Blinding pain rips through my side and the sharp snap of breaking bone fills my ears as a rock hits my torso. Despite my injury, I force myself to stand, bracing one arm against my ribcage.
Two dragons, white and red, fight above me. A long, white tail whips out, smashing into what’s left of the wall nearby. I jump away too late. Something hits the back of my head and my world goes dark.
Chapter 2
Kaj
I stand on my balcony, surveying the mountains and the vast forest below. I leave tomorrow for Fire Clan territory, though I am loath to return to the desert plains. The dry air and crimson sands are a barren wasteland compared to my Clan’s territory. I don’t know how their people manage to live in such a place.
The Fire Clan territory is as different to Earth Clan territory as night is to day. Varus’s castle sits atop a mesa that looks out upon a great desert beyond. But here, our castle is built into the side of a mountain, surrounded by dense vegetation. All of the various houses and residences are carved into the mountains around us.
Drakarians in two-legged and draka form fly overhead as they go about their day. Many of them are preparing for the flower festival. It is still a few cycles away, but it is always a large enough event that they take much time with their preparations.
The air is slightly humid from the constant rains we’ve had these past few weeks and I inhale deeply, appreciating the strong and earthy scents of the forest. When I look off to the side, I notice several of the vines that climb up the castle walls are already dotted with small buds, readying to bloom within the next few weeks.
I have visited all the various territories of this world, but nothing compares to our territory here. Perhaps I am biased, but I feel that none can rival the untamed and raw beauty of Earth Clan lands.
I lift my cup to my lips and inhale the steam of my valo tea. I take a sip, savoring the warm liquid that rolls across my tongue. With a sweet tang of citrus, berry, and just a hint of spice, this is the best blend of the season so far. I must make a batch for my friend, Prince Varus. The blend he usually drinks is so bitter, I don’t know how he stands the taste.
However, I never did enjoy tea before he introduced me to valo. He would always bring a mix when he and his sister came to visit. We’d sit together for hours on end playing narku on the balcony while we sipped at our drinks.
Then the plague swept through our
