Page 157 of The Kingdom's Reckoning
"The Royal Seer had a vision."
"A vision? About what?" Kallie pressed, meeting him.
Terin clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. "We know very little. All we know is that a battle is going to break out in Frenzia’s capital."
"Are you sure?" Kallie asked, her knees growing weak. Immediately, she thought about the hoard of drakonises she and Graeson had seen when he was trying to shift. The group had been heading south. Were they heading to Frenzia? Was it possible that Sebastian was already calling for his troops’ return?
Graeson’s father was right. The war was not over, not even close.
"Yelsania’s visions haven’t always been the clearest or most reliable in the past, but this one was different. This one she was adamant about what she saw. She showed Mother it, and…" Terin swallowed, his eyes wet. "It’s not good, Kals."
"Does…do…" Kallie struggled to string her words together. There were too many questions to ask, too many people she needed to stay alive. She dug her hands into her hair. Her nails scraped her skull as she tried to keep the worries and fears from taking over.
This couldn’t be happening. They had won. She had ended the war.
"We don’t know who, but many people will die. Domitius and Sebastian will unleash their army, and death will reign."
Kallie snapped her gaze up. "Domitius is dead." The words felt sticky in her throat, but she pushed past the feeling. She would not grieve the man who ruined not only her life, but so many others.
Terin blinked at her as if she had slapped him. "Are you positive?"
"Yes, he—" She swallowed, recalling the fire that consumed the Borganian forest, the guard’s wings bursting into flames,his body tumbling into the trees, Domitius along with him. She cleared her throat. "Graeson burned him."
"What do you mean heburnedhim?" Terin asked, narrowing his eyes. "Graeson doesn’t set people on fire. That’s not—that’s not who he is, what he does."
Kallie pinched the bridge of her nose. She shouldn’t have said anything. This was not her secret to tell. Graeson was terrified that the others would not accept him for who he was. He deserved to be the one to tell them.
"Kallie, if Graeson has lost control, if you all are in danger?—"
"Graeson is not dangerous!" she blurted.
Terin jerked back. His lips parted and closed as his eyebrows drew together. "What happened, Kalisandre?"
Kallie chewed on her nails and began pacing. "A lot has happened since we parted ways in Tetria. Graeson…he’s different. He’s a demi-god."
"That is not news, sister."
"It’s more complicated than you thought—than anyone thought. He’s…" Kallie took a deep breath.
"We do not have the time for this. Tell me," Terin demanded.
"Domitius was getting away. As we were flying, Graeson?—"
"What do you mean you wereflying? You’re not making any sense."
"Graeson’s a dragon!" The words tumbled from her mouth.
Terin’s jaw grew slack, his entire posture curling inward. "Adragon?"
"Yes," Kallie said, rubbing her hand over her chest where her heart thumped loudly.
Terin squinted at her in disbelief. "Like a fire-breathing dragon with wings and scales?"
"Yes!" she repeated. "I would not lie about this. As you said, we don’t really have the time, now do we?"
"Shit," Terin hissed, spinning around as he pressed his hands against his temples. "That’s insane. That’s—" He shook his head, struggling to comprehend it. But Kallie knew he would not truly understand it until he witnessed it himself. "Is he all right?"
Kallie wrapped her arms around her torso and hugged herself tightly. "He’s dealing with it."
