I knew what I wanted. And nothing was going to stop me.
—CONSTANTINE
PROLOGUE
In the beginning …
From his earliest memory, Constantine had been mesmerized by the beauty of the world. It didn’t matter where he went, every inch of it was stunning. From the vast deserts full of sand, to the snow-covered peaks reaching high into the clouds. The grass that stretched endlessly from horizon to horizon, to the deep blue seas that constantly beckoned him to explore, and all the places in between.
Hot or cold. Wet or dry. He didn’t care. He loved the realm with every fiber of his being.
But not even that could compare to his devotion to the dragons.
His father had brought him from the cave the day after he’d learned to fly and told Con to look up. As soon as Con did, the sun was blocked by the numerous Golds that had taken to the sky to honor their new King.
Con’s father joined them in their flight. Not wanting to be left out, Con eagerly flapped his small wings and found a current. His mother remained beside him, helping Con reach his father so the three of them could fly together.
In that instant, in that very moment, Con knew that he would be the King of Golds one day. He didn’t know how or when, or even where the thought had come from, but he was certain.
Years passed. Good years, and not-so-good years. He found friends, trained hard, and soaked up every bit of wisdom he could from those around him. The more knowledge he gained, the more he wanted.
Before he knew it, his mother was gone. It was just him and his father. Con grieved deeply, but during that time, he felt the first stirrings that he was meant for something more. It didn’t take him long to realize what it was—he was to be the King of Golds.
Con said nothing to his father. Instead, he began watching the current King. He did it for as long as he could until Con could no longer ignore the insistence of the magic within him that demanded he claim what he had been chosen for.
He and his father flew over their territory to watch the sunrise as they had for many years. As they reached the spot where they always turned to head back, Con instead remained on course and went straight to the King without telling his father what he planned.
The King had seen Con watching him. He was a smart King, a good King. And he knew.
The battle was savage, violent. The King was ruthless.
But so was Con.
Constantine knew the magic had chosen him. He trusted that and didn’t give up, no matter how deep his wounds or how badly he ached.
By the time Con reared back to deliver the killing blow, the King was ready for it. Con saw it in his eyes. Even so, Con hesitated. He didn’t want to kill. He loved life and protected every living thing around him. And he remembered flying in recognition of this very King so long ago.
It appalled him to have to take a life to become King.
“It’s our way,” the King told him. “Take your place. You’re strong. You’ll lead our people well.”
Con closed his eyes as he ended the dragon’s life to become the King of Golds.
When he lifted his lids, his father stood before him, pride shining in his eyes. After rejoicing for a moment, Con made sure that they gave the previous King a proper burial, a memorial as he deserved.
The next years were busy, but every morning, Con made sure to meet his father for their flight. Yet there was no denying that his sire was lonely and still grieved for his mother, deeply.
One morning, his father hadn’t wanted to end their flight at their normal time. Despite the duties awaiting Con, he remained with his sire for the rest of the day. By the time the sun had set, his father’s soul had joined his mother’s.
Leaving Con alone.
Except he wasn’t totally alone. He had friends. The first to visit was Ulrik. They didn’t say a word. Simply sat in silence. It was enough that Ulrik was there. The brother he’d never had.
Ulrik was the only one who knew that Con wanted to be King of Dragon Kings. While others were finding mates and having families, Con had turned his focus on his clan. They were the strongest of the dragons, the ones others sought to have as allies. Con strengthened