Page 3 of Shadows of Light
Lexi leaned her face into the tiny body as the one on her shoulder nuzzled her cheek. It was as if they felt her anguish and sought to comfort her.
“They’re beautiful,” Lexi said. “What are their names?”
“My son, Astarot, is the one nibbling on your finger; he is the future speaker should something happen to me. My daughter, Belindo, is on your shoulder, and my other daughter, Nithe, is licking you.”
Lexi giggled when Nithe’s tongue tickled her cheek. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you. You should know they’re the first dragons born into this realm in a thousand years.”
So lost in dragon snuggles, it took a second for Alina’s words to register. When they did, Lexi looked up at Alina. “I don’t understand.”
“I laid their eggs a thousand years ago, shortly before the arach lost the throne.”
“It takesthatmuch time for dragon eggs to hatch?” Lexi asked incredulously.
“No, it normally takes about three months.”
Astarot stopped nibbling her finger and hopped onto her other shoulder. He curled against her face, yawned loudly, and went to sleep. His sisters continued to play, but Nithe yawned too.
“So why did it take these three so long?” she asked.
“No dragons have laid eggs and no eggs have hatched while the usurpers sat the throne. Your ascension to the throne has brought healing andlifeback to Dragonia. We dragons feared we would die out one day, but now, that will not happen.”
Unexpected tears burned Lexi’s eyes as Belindo settled onto her lap. She stroked the dragon’s soft scales as she ran her hands down Belindo’s back and across the small spikes on her tail.
“You are meant to be here;thisis another reason why we’ll follow you. You are our queen,” Alina said. “You have sacrificed much and will sacrifice more throughout your life, but this is your home and rightful place in the realms.”
“I know.”
There was still so much to do and accomplish. So many would try to take the throne from her, but it washers,and she would fight for it.
This was where she was supposed to be… even if it had cost her Cole.
CHAPTERTHREE
Cole’s feetdidn’t touch the ground as he glided naked through the darkness. He didn’t bother to dress, there were no clothes for him here, and he didn’t care about his nudity as he moved toward the surface.
The shadows churned and screamed around him. They still sought blood and hammered incessantly at him to satisfy their ravenous appetite.
It would have been better if he stayed below, where the darkness suppressed the shadows more. But even below the earth, where there was no light for the shadows to live, he couldn’t shut them out completely.
He required access to their knowledge of the world outside his cave so he could protect Lexi. Minutes ago, they started whispering about a new danger to her.
There would be many threats to her, and it would be better if he were at her side to destroy them, but he didn’t have enough control over the shadows to stand next to her. They were monstrous, ravenous things that battered his mind and sanity with their bloodlust.
She’d seen enough death and destruction; she didn’t need to experience anymore.
And that was what he’d become.
He was death, and he embraced it.
As the shadows carried him out of the cave, he emerged into blinding sunshine that chased away some of the shadows. Lifting his hand, he shaded his eyes to block out the sun while his eyes adjusted to its light.
He smiled as he cloaked himself with the remaining shadows and made his way toward the portal. The shadows would take him to the threat, and he would eradicate it.
* * *
“You have breathedlifeback into this realm,” Alina continued. “A miracle none of us expected. It is time to start acting like a queen, and queens donotscrub floors.”
