Tarik approached, examining Dion from nose to tail, walking along the length of his body. ‘This one was the first. We need to find out what’s wrong . . . if he’s refusing to eat or unable to.’ He scratched the melted-looking tissue on his face. ‘I’m going to take his collar off so he can change.’ He crouched, scowling as he stared into Dion’s eyes. ‘Don’t forget what we can do to your woman.’

The magus put a hand to his collar, accompanied by a sudden burst of heat.

But then the collar was gone.

The sense of relief was stronger than anything Dion had experienced before. With barely a conscious effort, he felt the sensation of changing, and then he was lying face down in front of the two watchers. He realized he was gasping.

He was clad in the same tunic he’d been wearing when Kyphos came to his palace, but the material was ragged and crusted with dirt. His body felt like another garment, something worn rather than part of his being. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he sucked in deep breaths. The more time he was spending in another form, the more he was becoming like a domesticated animal.

‘Well?’ Tarik asked, collar held in one hand, staff clutched in the other. ‘What is it? Is it the food? Do you want it raw?’

Dion rolled over and sat up, head spinning. He finally licked his lips and managed to speak. ‘I want to see her.’

‘His woman,’ Tarik snorted, raising an eyebrow at the other magus. He turned to Dion again, frowning down at him. ‘Here is what you are going to do. You are going to change back again, and then you are going to eat.’

‘No.’ Dion slowly shook his head. ‘I won’t.’

With a growl of irritation, Tarik handed the iron collar to his companion. He then took his staff in both hands and stepped forward. Tilting the staff, he brought the iron claw hovering near Dion’s abdomen. ‘Don’t test my patience, half-breed. We can force you to change.’

Dion looked from side to side, taking in the other dragons, all penned in cages like animals at a slaughterhouse. He remembered the thoughts of fear and confusion his eldran senses had picked up.

‘These others didn’t even know they had eldran blood. They weren’t in control of it.’ Dion’s lips thinned. ‘I am. Push me off a cliff, or whatever it is you do. I’ll only die.’

Tarik snarled. He pressed the iron claw against Dion’s side. The black metal at the end of his weapon glowed.