Page 94 of A Dance of Water

At being denied what he felt he was owed—to see her, tied and shivering in the Temples of Aedis. A sacrifice to be deemed worthy by his dragon before Vale takes her pleasure. Locked in a dark roomunderground, Vale would shift, letting his dragon take control while the Chosen remained tied to a post for the entirety of the night.

If she lived, he would claim her on a slab of stone. If she died… the blooming flowers would wither, damned to the cold months of winter.

What they were all so worried about with this Winter Solstice—the unpredictability of his dragon.

The Solstice could not go on, at least for the time being. And his dragon was not happy.

Mine. Mine!

Mine!

Take her.

Vale ran to the doors leading outside, trying to ignore the taunting reminders from his dragon that her room was not far.

Flakes fell softly to the ground, his feet sinking into the snow. The air no longer held the biting threat of sleet or the frigidness of unnatural winter, but pure, soft snow fell sweetly upon the lands of Serpentis.

The tops of the apple trees were coated in snow. Blue veins of thawing ice scattered amongst the red, plump fruit.

The King could not contain his dragon any longer.

He huffed, loud and irregular as his skin rippled and shifted, his beast gripping the bars of his cage with yearning.

Vale closed his eyes, diving deep into the place he rarely entered—unlocking the dragon’s cage just as the bars bent and groaned under his claw-tipped grip.

He wasn’t sure if it was by his will alone that his dragon surged forward, or if he was losing control…

Clothes tore, scales replaced his skin, and smoke filled the air as his dragon let loose a loud, mournful roar.

The leaves shook in the wake of his transformation.

His large, powerful wings carried him away as he flew from the castle. The call urged him to go back, but he did not listen.

Turbulent ocean waves roiled under him as he flew away, wings stretched wide in the snowy air. White flakes melted from the heat radiating off his body.

The air was warmer than it had been in days prior. Something was changing.

Luellawas changing.

As the dragon flew through the night, droplets of water fell from the thick expanse of white clouds, mingling with the snow.

30

MOURNFUL WARNING

LUELLA

The sun cut through the thick clouds in the sky, casting thin rays of gold over the somber affair.

Luella’s hands fumbled before her as she stood, silent, a few paces behind the King.

"We are gathered here to mourn those who have lost their lives. The fallen will be remembered for their strength and resilience. The Tenebrae thought he could defeat us as we celebrate, but he doesn’t know that we are stronger when we are together…"

Luella let Vale’s words wash over her, turning to a soft drone as she stared out at the unlit pyres before them.

Snow fell from the sky, but something had changed. The flakes used to stick and freeze—but they now melted, leaving puddles of mushy white on the castle grounds.

She wore a thick cape over her dress, keeping her warm and safe. Black, for mourning. Even though this kingdom was not hers, her heart felt sorrow for the lives lost.

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