Page 99 of The Kingdom of Flames and Ash

All of a sudden, he descended straight toward the ground. The wind clawed past my face, and the earth raced toward us. For a moment, it reminded me of how Tavish had flown when he’d brought me back from Earth, but this time, there was no sense of attraction or safety.

At the last second, Pyralis flipped over, allowing his back to take the brunt of the impact. Still, my body jostled, causing the pain in my knee to flare up once more.

Pyralis’s hold loosened, setting us free. Stunned, I looked around. We were at the edge of the woods by a mountain. One that was smoking from the peak.

I surged forward, flapping my wings, but my back ached with discomfort. I could still fly, but I worried about Eiric.

“Pyralis,” she said urgently.

She slid from his talons and landed next to his face. He choked, and she pressed her hand to his cheek.

“We need to leave,” I whispered, afraid that others might be around. He’d brought us this way for a reason.We landed at the base of the volcano,I linked Tavish.

I’ll be there as quickly as I’m able,he answered, his frustration coursing through me.Struan, no!His panic heightened, swirling through me.

My stomach dropped.What’s wrong?

He… he died protecting me.Tavish’s heartbreak coursed through the connection.He did it so I could get to you. I’m on my way.

My heart shattered, thinking about Isla. It felt as if Ardanos itself was determined to keep us apart and slowly make everyone I care about suffer.

Not only that, but I didn’t understand why Fate would make us mates if she was just going to allow us to continually get torn apart.

I flew to Eiric and tugged her to her feet as Pyralis’s body began shrinking. I couldn’t let Struan’s sacrifice be in vain.

Pyralis was shifting back to his human form.

I didn’t care to find out why. I clutched Eiric’s hands, dragging her back. “Do you want to die? Because that’s what’s going to happen if we don’t get the blast out of here.”

“Lira, he’s on our side. If anyone should give someone a chance to explain their actions, it should beyou.” Her bottom lip trembled, and she didn’t look anything like the strong sister I’d always known.

Pyralis finished his shift, thankfully with his clothes on. His finger dripped a little blood, and he groaned, “Lira’s right. You need to leave immediately and protect yourself. If my parents locate you, they’ll kill you now. It’s written in your fate.” His attention flicked back to me. “Water is our weakness, but to wield it, you have to do what you just did to me—force it intoour throats when we’re about to use our flames. If you douse the flames within us, it makes us weak.”

I blinked, grappling with what I’d just heard. He’d clearly been messing with my sister’s mind, the twatwaffle ashbreath, and now he wanted to mess with mine as well.

I wouldn’t fall for it. “Says the dragon who communicated something to all the other dragons when you caught us. Did you tell them to follow us? E, I don’t know what happened during your time here, but we need to leave before you’re taken prisoner again.” I glared at Pyralis. “I don’t believe your lies for a second.”

“He’s not what—” Eiric started.

But Pyralis cut her off. “I didn’t alert them that I’d captured you. I informed them that you got away, hoping to divert attention from us. I was taking you to the volcano, someplace no dragon would think to find you because no fae can withstand the heat.”

I laughed bitterly, my parched throat aching. “If you don’t want to marry me, you don’t have to kill me. We already know the truth.”

His pupils turned into their dragon-like slits. “What are you talking about?”

“That you dragons manipulated the Unseelie king and drove him to madness so that the Seelie would be forced to enter an alliance with you.” I gritted my teeth, wishing I still had my sword. I could easily kill him. “The agreement is void, Pyralis. We were misled. I am under no obligation to marry you.”

His shoulders sagged, which caught me off guard, but then he tensed again.

That was when I heard the beat of sizable wings, and I glanced up and saw a pearl-white dragon and the scarlet scales of the king flying toward us. I remembered Tavish alluding to the white color signifying the royal family and guessed the other dragon was the queen.

Scales pebbling along his skin again, Pyralis focused on Eiric and growled, “Go.”

However, the four dragons that had visited Cuil Dorcha land appeared from other directions and surrounded us.

We were captured once again.

I’m surrounded—

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