Page 87 of Wings of Snow

In a flash of magic, I released my dragon.

The world disappeared around me in an explosive cloud of smoke as my reptilian animal affinity transformed me from within.

Magic raced through my limbs as his massive body cut through the stinging red lasso as though it were paper string. The earth shook violently when my dragon’s giant feet landed on the soil and cut huge footprints into the land as a ferocious snarl tore from my throat.

Sven’s jaw dropped.

The Fire Wolf glowered at him and said something, the hunter’s movements agitated and angry, but I didn’t hear his words.

I towered twenty feet above their heads and opened my mouth just as Sven’s hands swirled through the air. The lasso-magic disappeared from around Ilara and my guards.

They immediately fell into a warrior’s crouch, swords in hand, as Ilara’s wings burst from her back.

In a blink, she hovered in the air beside me as balls of fire erupted from her hands.

“Prince Norivun!” the hunter called, a glacial scowl descending upon his face. “Calm down and let me explain!”

Kill them.

Kill them.

Kill them.

I opened my mouth and rained dragon fire upon them. Ilara screamed with equal fury as her elemental fire spewed down on the Earthly traitors. Streams of our joined magic erupted the land into flames.

Not even a second passed before black scorched soil appeared in a fifteen-foot circumference where the hunter and his friend had stood.

We’d fried them to death within seconds.

Panting heavily, Ilara withdrew her affinity just as my dragon stopped his murderous rage.

“Fucking traitors!” Ryder yelled.

Smoke billowed around where the hunter and his friend had stood, opaque as a thick fog. A slight breeze blew around us, and I shifted back to my fae form as my heartbeat finally calmed.

My clothes were in tatters, but I cast an illusion over myself, creating clothes to hide my naked body just as the smoke cleared.

“No way.” Nish breathed, his eyes widening.

My eyebrows shot up when the Fire Wolf and his sorcerer friend stood before us, entirely unscathed. Something shimmered around them, a barrier or perhaps a spell of protective magic. Whatever the case, it was nearly translucent, and from the expression on the hunter’s face, he looked ready to rip our heads off.

I stiffened, about to call upon my dragon again, but the hunter whispered a few words, and the barrier disappeared.

“This isn’t what you think it is.” Fury glowed in the Fire Wolf’s eyes, making his amber irises alight with crimson fire. “Sven wasn’t trying to hurt you or kill you. He simply didn’t know that we were coming, so he did what he always does to newcomers when they arrive. He detains them until he knows if they’re friend or foe. I tried to warn you of that,” he added on a low growl.

I relaxed my dragon affinity more, and Ilara’s eyes flashed to mine. That faint violet hue filled her irises again as her wings flapped. Her feet touched down until she stood beside me, and her beautiful white wings folded behind her.

“But, yourfriendsaid he was going to do experiments on us,” Ilara said firmly.

“It was a joke.” Sven held up his hands and gave a rueful laugh. “I apologize. My humor is a bit...unusual. Or so I’ve been told.”

“Is this a laughing matter to you?” Ilara’s teeth clenched, the sound audible when her jaw snapped closed.

“No one’s laughing.” The Fire Wolf’s nostrils flared as he gave Sven a nudge. The sorcerer’s grin disappeared. “Those red restraints were merely a precaution Sven takes. I would have explained that and would have asked him to call off his blaze-bands if you’d given me a minute, but you all assumed the worst and immediately went on the offensive.”

“Something I would do again in a heartbeat if my mate was threatened.” My lip curled.

“Svendidask if we were to be his experiments.” Nish reminded the hunter with a glower. “You can hardly blame my prince’s reaction.”

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