Heart galloping, she shouted, “Micah!” The two beasts swung around, pinning her with the weight of their neon red gazes. She kept her gaze on Micah. Remember, your orders cannot contradict Aveline’s. Very well. “You will ignore Bane’s beast completely. No matter what he does, you will only try to kill me, the princess.”

Both beasts sprinted in her direction, the injured Drogo a little slower. To her shock and delight, Micah obeyed her, focusing solely on Nola.

Red alert! Incoming dragon with murder on his mind... She stood her ground, chin up, shoulders squared, her stomach churning with more dread. Closing in... The closer they came, the more she smelled soot and ash. The better she saw murder in their eyes.

Had she made a terrible mistake?

For this to work, Drogo had to want Micah dead more than he wanted to end a princess’s reign. Almost within striking range... If he still wanted to end her reign?

Micah tilted his head back, preparing to roast her alive. If the Blood Rite kicked off, the Blood Rite kicked off. She had to believe Bane would find a way to destroy Micah and finish the job, ensuring her survival. But, just before Micah could expel a single ember, Drogo clamped his tail in his jaws of death and used his entire body to fling the beast across the sky, away from her.

Yes! Her plan was working! Drogo was free to attack at his leisure, without any resistance.

He dropped down, landing several feet in front of her, his every action stiff and lumbered, without a shred of grace. The look he gave her...ferocious, anguished. Her heart stuttered, then skipped a beat.

Micah regained his footing and pawed at the ground, spraying hunks of dirt behind him raging bull-style. Then, he charged at her once more.

Drogo charged him, the two colliding halfway. Again, to her utter delight Micah paid Drogo no heed, even when Drogo...

Oh, good gracious. Drogo—utterly—unleashed. Blood sprayed, and bones snapped. Hanks of muscle plopped to the ground. An eyeball rolled away from the body. As he bit off Micah’s hands—yes, these dragons had scaled hands—he used his razor sharp tail to slash the male’s vulnerable underbelly.

Despite his growing list of injuries, Micah did his best to fight his way to her. But, no matter the damage Drogo sustained, he always blocked, safeguarding her.

Another swipe of Drogo’s claws maimed Micah’s remaining eye, blinding him. The beast swiped his stumps at his bleeding face, and her dark side thrilled, adoring the view.

The male who killed my parents suffers. As he should.

Nola began to wonder if she had more in common with Dark Nola than she’d ever realized; she wondered if they maybe...balanced each other? If Dark Nola was a type of beast she had to learn to control, the same way Bane had learned to control Drogo.