“Why are you telling me this?” Apolla drew herself out of her throne, but she didn’t approach me, even as I drifted to a stop in front of the skull. My fingers ached to touch it, to complete this connection that had been knitting itself between us since the moment I stepped foot in the throne room.

“We have many holy books in the Fallen Isles,” I said. “Over the last few months, I’ve come to understand that all our books have more in common than I’d ever realized. We may prize our shadows or strength or silence more than someone from another island, but valuing family doesn’t prevent you from valuing cleverness as well.” I smiled her way. “I suppose I’m telling you this because in spite of our differences, I want you to know that I forgive you, and I think we probably have more in common than we don’t.”

The confusion began to evaporate from her expression. “Whatever you’re doing—”

“I am sorry.” I spoke quickly, because her guards were coming to life, slipping through the room as though they weren’t sure whether they were needed, only that their empress was frustrated. “I’d have liked to get to know you better. One day be allies.”

“Stop.”

But it was too late. I pressed my palms against the skull of the first dragon, heart beating in triple time, and power flooded into me. It was different from noorestone energy, more like flying into stars, but familiar all the same. Light flared from the place my skin touched bone, and in the alcove beyond, all the sigils flickered and went dark.

“I hope you’ll decide to forgive me one day.” I looked at Apolla and offered a smile. “You’re going to be angry, but I think you’ll understand why I have to do this. You promised to protect your people; I’ve promised to protect mine.”

Before she could protest further—before the guards could reach me—I climbed onto the skull and braced myself. Then, slowly, the first dragon lifted her head for the first time in two thousand years.

Apolla screamed, then slapped her hands over her mouth, as though she still couldn’t bear to be seen as anything like human.

The guards drew their swords, but I was high above them, with a nimbus of fire rippling down my body and all along the first dragon’s skeleton. Every pass of flame revealed night-black scales that shimmered with stars—echoes of the incredible creature who led the Sundering.

In the back of my head, shrieks of joy and recognition erupted, and nine living dragons hurtled toward the imperial palace as fast as they could fly—LaLa, Crystal, and the others who’d been sent here against their will.

A growl rolled out of me—or the first dragon, I couldn’t tell—and every one of the guards backed away to form a circle around the empress.

I gazed down at her. “I’m going to take this dragon home,” I said. “And the others as well. They’re already on their way.”