Fealty, Raz’zor sends out, my graying eyes locked with his molten ones, unshakable respect streaming between us. Time warps in that agonizing second as I take in everything about his eyes—their striations of shimmering crimson and tracings of purple against the hotter scarlet glow. His vertically slitted pupils that gleam like rain-slicked stone in the depths of night.

Pain cuts through my chest. These may be some of the last images of my life.

But I’m ready to die fighting for Erthia.

On fire with determination, I slide the bunched wands into my tunic’s pocket and pull myself astride Raz’zor, grasping hold of his ivory shoulder horns. He rises in one powerful motion, our joint fire rising along with us, just as the balcony’s door slams open.

“Elloren!” Or’myr’s voice rings out as I’m hit by his fierce lightning aura. Raz’zor and I whip our heads back to stare at his frozen figure, Or’myr’s horrified green eyes pinned on me.

“Cousin,” he says, his voice tight and careful. “What happened to you?”

I tell him, then lift my wands. “Raz’zor and I are going to fly to the Vo Mountains to rescue my fastmate, kill Marcus Vogel, and blow up his army.”

Shock blasts through Or’myr’s gaze. He rushes toward me and draws his purple, gem-encrusted wand, his violet lightning aura crackling around me. “Stop,” he commands, taking firm hold of my arm. “You’re not acting alone.”

Anger lights, swiftly whipping into fury as I glance at his hand, the gray in my vision intensifying while Vogel’s power slithers over my lines. “Take your hand off me, Or’myr.”

“Elloren.” His tone is low and measured, and he doesn’t loosen his grip. “Your eyes are glowing gray. That is not a good sign, my cousin.”

“I know exactly where Vogel is.” I jab my finger toward the center of the desecrated mountain range. “I have this one small chance to destroy him, and I’m going to take it.”

Explosions rock the city as my cousin’s face hardens. “I’m coming with you.”

“It’s too dangerous—”

“Which is why you need help,” he counters with some asperity. “You haven’t the foggiest idea how to shield a dragon properly. You’ll be struck down before you’re even halfway across the river. And...even if you are about to become the most evil Black Witch the world has ever known...you’re family. And family sticks together.”

I blink at him, stunned and touched by his bizarre, overreaching sense of family loyalty. “I’m going to level the entire mountain with Mage-and Wyvernfire,” I caution.

Or’myr’s eyes flick toward the wands. He draws in another breath, then nods, as if coming to full acceptance. “I’ll shield myself, if it comes to that. Or maybe I’ll get blown up too. But, regardless, I’m coming with you.”