Page 113 of The Serpent Prince

The largest beast dropped onto the tower. Stones and shingles fell. It roared, and Imani couldn’t help but scream in return, her black shadows encircling her in protection. He seemed to be searching for something, or waiting for the right time to strike.

Finally, he leaped from the tower in a steep fall, soaring over the gates where Jonik stood.

The monster opened its maw and released a stream of blue and orange flames so large it crushed a hole through the entire wall in mere seconds. The fire cut through the clouds and darkness.

Imani’s heart pounded, a strong feeling of coming home overtaking her. Violent. Terrifying. But something to be revered rather than feared.

Doused in flames, Jonik appeared to die instantly, unlike the other men who screamed and flailed about before either falling to their deaths or dropping to their knees.

Nightfire, Zadie had told her it was called. The distinct blue and orange color made it impossible to mistake.

How had nightfire and these dragons come to their realm when they only existed in the Under? The most logical way would have been through the doorway—the one only Kiran knew about. But she didn’t have time to ponder the issue as another roar made her cover her ears.

Turning around, the black beast dipped back down and shot another column of fire through the second gate. The glow broke through the mass of the atmosphere like a comet. Then it took off, ascending higher in the sky until it disappeared.

Her mouth fell open as the middle wall between the gates caught fire and crumbled, effectively creating an opening the size of the castle itself. Wide enough to fit an army through.

That was when she saw them.

A group of soldiers streamed through the rubble, many of them elves. The castle’s guards spread out to meet them, blades clashing and casting magic with wands.

More fire rained down from the other flying beasts, too. The searing colors of nightfire stung her eyes. It consumed most of the edge of the forest, but just happened to miss Imani.

Her heart almost pounded out of her chest, and she took deep pulls of air into her lungs. She could have just died.

Imani observed the damage. She could hardly catch her breath. The scene before her was one of pure carnage. Most of the top parts of the castle were burning, blasting ash and smoke into the sky for miles. The screams of dying people above could be heard mixed in with the shouts of soldiers and the roar of the creatures. The fire was mostly confined to the top floors of the castle.

Another wall collapsed, and the screaming crowd ran for the edges of the garden as the black dragon swooped into view again.

The beast landed gracefully on top of one of the towers overlooking the huge city of gigantic buildings and dragons flying over them. Its massive feet crunched into the shingles, which tumbled to the ground.

The creature was beautiful and otherworldly. An enormous triangular head swiveled from side to side as it searched the crowd, its rocky, black scales almost the same shade of darkness as the sky it had descended from. It opened its mouth, and the most deafening choral voice spoke words in something too transcendental to be language.

In the next second, the black dragon spread its enormous wings, flapped them with great beats, and took to the air. He loosed another roar, and flames ripped through the south end of the palace.

Spinning around, Imani watched in horror as whole parts of the castle burned, and the black dragon’s rage, its anger, was so magnificent and terrifying that she screamed.

The beast dropped down again to the only standing part of the gates that remained. Perched on the ledge of the immovable, sleek, shining obsidian wall, the beast stood stock-still. Then, as though awakened by the simmering violence, it slowly lifted its immense reptilian head in the direction of the forest. In the direction of Imani.

Waves of nausea slammed into her. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, and she could hear him ascend from the roof.

A shadow circled overhead, tracking her. When she glanced up to see its eyes watching her, there was no mistaking who was inside that beast.

CHAPTER 41

Her mind reeled, shocked to see Kiran’s eyes in a massive beast cutting through the air above the palace. Mismatched—one green, one black.

No, no, no.

All her plans crumbled in her mind. Imani had never—never—been so terrified in her entire pathetic life. For one moment, she couldn’t even breathe. All she could think about was how she had no idea what to do.

Worse than her sister’s betrayal, this couldn’t be blamed on anyone but Imani herself.

Kiran looked to be in full control of the entire horde; a proud beast, destined to rule them all. He was breathtaking. A dragon, Zadie had called the creature. Gods, he was massive—a twenty-foot wingspan … He didn’t need physical magic; he could make every shifter in the kingdom cower in fear. Even Saevel. Even … Magnus.

His flames blasted holes through every defense, like a knife through butter. He was so strong.

He had never been a snake, nor was he ever a Drow. He only looked like an elf. Like her, whose looks only appeared Norn, Kiran’s breed was something else entirely.