Issari cried out wordlessly. He heard a hiss—a blade being drawn from a sheath. A weight lifted off his back. A flash of white flew before him. Tanin gasped—it was Issari! She leaped through the air, a dagger in her hand, and landed upon one of the blind moles. She drove her blade down, severing the creature's tongue which wrapped around Tanin's neck.

He gasped for breath.

Issari leaped again. She landed on his wing, thumping down upon the leathery surface. Tanin looked over his shoulder to see her lash her blade again, cutting down a demon. With a third leap, she landed upon a remaining mole, severed another tongue, and hissed like a wild animal. When first meeting the princess, Tanin had seen an angelic figure, a goddess of piety. Now, covered in blood, her eyes narrowed and full of rage, Issari seemed as fierce as any demon.

The princess leaped again, legs kicking in the air, and caught his neck. She swung around and landed on Tanin's back. The demons, bloodied and squealing, hovered before them.

"Burn them, Tanin!" she shouted.

He sucked in air. He blasted his fire. Demons burned and fell. Tanin kept blowing his flames, lighting the night, spewing sparks and smoke like a gushing volcano.

"Got him!" Maev cried behind.

Tanin turned and saw his sister spit out another window bar. Prince Sena—thin and pale, his lips tight—climbed onto the windowsill. Chains bound his wrists and ankles.

"Maev, lift him in your claws!" Tanin shouted. "He can't shift with chains."

Maev grunted. "Oh, I'm not carrying him. He'll fly." As Tanin blew more fire, holding off a new swarm, Maev grabbed his chains between her claws. She grunted as she snapped the bronze links—first around the prince's ankles, then his wrists, and finally the chains that wrapped around his torso.

"I've never flown before!" the prince shouted, standing on the windowsill. "I've only shifted in my room."

Maev grunted. "Now's your time to learn!" She flicked her tail, knocking him down from the window.

"Maev, damn it!" Tanin shouted.

Issari screamed.

As the prince tumbled down, Tanin made to dive, to try to catch the boy, already knowing he had no time. All he could do was watch.

An instant before Sena could hit the courtyard, the prince shifted.

A blue dragon rose, wreathed in smoke, blowing flame.

The demons, perhaps in awe of a third dragon joining the fight, screamed and cowered. Tanin found himself grinning, found tears in his eyes. It was true. All the stories had been true. There were other Vir Requis. There was hope.

Requiem lives.

The dragons soared. They blew their fire together. The three flaming jets crashed into the army of demons, scattering them, and the creatures fled. The dragons of Requiem flew into the night, ringed in fire.

ISSARI

 
ISSARI