A Dawn of Dragonfire - By Daniel Arenson Page 0,33

For how they hurt me, and how they hurt you. I killed for my lord, the Sun God, and all that he's given me. But I do not wish to kill you." She took a step toward him, breathing heavily. "But if you refuse me, Elethor… if you fight me, I will hurt you. Turn me down and I will kill you. I will kill everyone who huddles in your tunnels."

He stared away from her, watching Requiem burn between the gazebo columns. "I am king of this land now. I never wanted the crown. I never imagined that I'd wear it. But I am King of Requiem, and I cannot abandon her. I cannot abandon all those who still live here."

"You will abandon them." She grabbed his shoulder, digging her fingernails into it, and spun him around. She snarled. "You will surrender this land to me, Elethor. You will return with me to Tiranor. Do this, and I will spare your life, and I will spare those of your people who still live. Refuse me, Elethor… and you will all die. You will die in fire."

He stared aside, jaw tight, fists clenched at his sides. She saw the turmoil on his face.

"You know my answer," he said.

She pulled his face to her and stared into his eyes. "You are loyal to your friends. That is admirable. How would you serve them by refusing me? Would you watch me burn them? Because I would make you watch, Elethor. You would watch them die in agony before I killed you." She turned her back to him and spoke through clenched teeth. "Go to your tunnel, weredragon, and think. Think of those you love. Return here at sunrise to surrender to me. If you still choose to fight me, my fire will consume the world."

With that, she left him and walked downstairs to the courtyard. Her fingers tingled and a trembling smile found her lips.

I love you, Elethor, she thought, breathing hard. But if I cannot have you, I will destroy you.

MORI

She stood in the corner, hugging herself, and listened to the adults argue. Elethor had returned with the news: They had until dawn to surrender. Everyone seemed to have an opinion, which they were shouting. Bayrin Eleison, who would tug her pigtails in childhood, shouted that he'd charge through the Tirans and kill Solina himself. Lord Deramon grumbled that surrender might be the only option they had. Others stood around them—the Lady Lyana, a priest, two wounded lords, a group of guards—calling for war, for prayer, or for surrender.

Only Mori was silent. She stood in the back, cloaked in shadows, and dared not speak. She worried that if she opened her mouth, her voice would tremble, and tears would fill her eyes. An iciness lived in her belly, twisting and growing. Her shame still ached, a deep pain she worried would never leave her.

She remembered his tongue, a wet serpent, licking her cheek. She remembered his stale breath, his hands crushing her, his body above her, her mouse dying under her chest. She remembered the pain, and she closed her eyes and forced herself to take deep breaths. Before, in the battle, she had found no time for shame. Now it flooded her.

"Stars, I've heard enough!" Bayrin shouted, so loud that Mori's ears ached. "You can't be serious, Father. To let Elethor go with this… this creature of fire back to her lair?"

Lord Deramon was glaring at everyone and everything. "How do you suggest we fight the phoenixes? Dragonfire only feeds them. Claws cannot cut them. Even if we could stop them from entering the tunnels, we'd eventually die of starvation and thirst."

Bayrin crossed his arms. "Our water reservoirs and our silos are here underground. We have enough to last all winter."

"And what then?" Lady Lyana interjected, clutching her sword so tightly her knuckles were white. "Will you have us linger underground all winter, only to starve in spring? That's assuming we can even hold back the Tirans that long."

For a moment everyone shouted together, and Mori felt like a mouse herself, a small thing that made its home in shadows, unseen and frightened. She looked at her brother Elethor. He stood between her and the others, eyes dark. Only he seemed to notice Mori; he looked toward her, and his eyes softened. His chest rose and fell, and such sadness seemed to fill him that Mori wanted to embrace him.

Our father is dead. Our older brother is dead. Elethor and I