Shifter Queen Read online

  Cups in hand, Cinira linked her arm with mine and we strolled over to the edge of the roof, reaching the delicate border wall.

  Ashur stayed behind, giving us a little bit of privacy. He was so good at reading moods.

  We stopped at the edge of the roof, Cinira leaning against the waist-high wall as she turned to regard me, the light from the buildings below throwing her features into sharp relief.

  "I'm sorry if I was harsh with you earlier," she said quietly. "I hope you know that it's only because I care about you so much. I don't want to see you hurt."

  "I understand." And I really did understand that. I just didn't agree with her assessment.

  She shook her head.

  "I don't think you truly do," she murmured. "I know you think you do," she added. "But I don't know if you could truly understand unless and until you have children of your own."

  "I have Omari," I said quietly. And I loved him more than I would have thought possible. Maybe it wasn't the same as a child you physically birthed, but the comparison was inconsequential. I loved Omari and he loved me.

  Cinira nodded slowly.

  "That you do," she conceded. "Perhaps you do have some idea then," she murmured. She sighed. "You just remind me so much of your mother."

  "I do?" I frowned. I didn't think I was much like her.

  "Yes, you do," she said with a smile. "Passionate, headstrong." She reached out to cover my hand I had braced on the wall. "I admire it even as I worry about it," she admitted, her eyes sincere as they met mine. "I don't want you to be hurt like she was."

  I couldn't blame her for feeling that way.

  Life had been hard on Mom.

  Having to run from the father of your child, having to hide your identity, having to rebuild a life that wasn't much of one because you were too afraid to let anybody in, to be vulnerable in any way. She had a hard life. But I wasn't on her path.

  "I am not my mother," I said quietly, but firmly. "I will not run from this," I added, trying to convey how sincere I was about every word. "Mom ran her whole life. And for what? For a life constantly filled with fear? Always looking over her shoulder?" I shook my head. "I'm going to fight as hard as I can to make sure I don't have that life. That Omari doesn't have to live that life."

  She frowned, her expression almost pained.

  "Mia—" she started.

  But she was cut off before she could finish.

  "Incoming!" Ashur yelled.

  My head shot up at his voice.

  And I saw the fiery shapes lighting up the night sky.

  Large wings spread out, the figures arranged in a semicircle formation as they flew, their feathers aflame. The eye-catching orange, yellow, and blue flickered around them and in their wake.

  Pretty and deadly.

  Phoenixes.

  Chapter Five

  As we spotted them coming in, an alarm starting to blare across the entire city.

  Lumena and Fogor came to a stop next to Cinira, her eyes locked on the incoming invasion.

  "We must get you inside to safety," Fogor said.

  "I must lead from the front," Cinira said. She stepped back, into the open space in the middle of the roof. She didn't even bother to change out of her dress before she burst into her dragon form, the familiar star pattern on her hide.

  Maybe that was why she wore those gossamer dresses. They disintegrated pretty darn easy.

  Fogor and Lumena weren't too far behind in their changes, though they did strip first.

  Cinira launched herself into the air with her guards not far behind, her wings beating hard, making me crouch down and squint against the wind they created.

  "Mia!" Ashur called out.

  As I turned to him, he tossed a bow towards me. I snatched it out of the air.

  "Arrows line the edges of the roof," he said, and pointed them out.

  I followed his gesture, and there they were. At regular intervals, quivers full of arrows waited, ready to be fired. The sight of them focused me.

  I wasn't as practiced in my dragon form as everyone here, who had lived half their lives in their alternate shape, but I knew how to use a bow and arrow. As I felt the smoothness of the piece under my hands, I missed my own equipment. I'd have to replace it soon, but I could work with this.

  As I leaned over and grabbed some arrows, Ashur stripped next to me.

  "Stay towards the edge of the roof so you're less of a clear target," he said. "I'm going to be right above you, okay?" he said.

  "Okay."

  He stepped in close and gave me a hard kiss.

  There and gone.

  Then he was stepping back and bursting into his other form as well, the gleaming gold of his dragon's hide standing out clearly against the purples of Cinira's skein. I had a moment where I worried about the target he represented. Then he was gone. Crouching down, he launched himself into the air, fast enough that the burst of air almost blew me farther down the roof.

  I was on the roof alone. Time to do this.

  Looking up, I let out my breath and watched the pattern above me for a moment. It took me a bit to adjust to the swarming wings.

  Cinira and her guards were a strong triangle smashing directly into the oncoming onslaught of phoenixes. They blew fire out of their mouths in a concerted effort, catching one of the birds before the others maneuvered abruptly away from the flame.

  I'd never seen phoenixes fight before. They were slightly smaller but could also maneuver better for the size difference, their wings built differently. And while they didn't breathe fire, the feathers along their silhouettes, especially near their tails and the tails themselves, were aflame with a blue fire that was hot enough I could see it burning the dragons they bumped into, which they seem to be doing on purpose.

  Even as I watched, new lavender dragons were launching themselves into the air from the square below and the rooftops nearby, Cinira's defenses rallying impressively fast.

  The phoenixes met resistance, but I saw them still making a beeline directly for the tower I was standing on.

  It was no coincidence that they were aiming directly for me.

  "Come and get it," I muttered to myself, anger surging.

  Zeroing in on the nearest phoenix, its eyes locked on me as it shot towards my location, I reached the stillness I needed inside me. The quiet place that I went to when I had to shoot quickly and accurately. Where I didn't let anything distract me from my goal.

  I released the arrow, the construction of it letting me know it was built to penetrate armor. I was guessing it could also pierce phoenix feathers well enough.

  The arrow shot through the air in a clean line, heading directly for my target.

  And spearing it directly between its eyes.

  Direct hit.

  The phoenix dropped immediately, its wings crumpling.

  I had a moment where I worried about any bystanders below, but then I didn't have time to worry anymore.

  They were coming at me fast and hard even as lavender dragons beat them back.

  I got another one. And then another one. But then three came at me at once.

  Aiming for the one closest, I shot the arrow as the other two drew even closer. I knew I wouldn't be able to get them both.

  Nocking another arrow, I aimed for the one to the left. I would take out as many as I could.

  Even as I thought it, I caught the glint of gold to my side.

  Ashur. He zeroed in on the phoenix I wasn't aiming at.

  As I launched my arrow, he spit out a stream of blazing fire directly at the phoenix.

  My arrow hit just as the other one burned.

  Both dragons and phoenixes were resistant to fire for obvious reasons, but it still did damage when not coming from their own bodies. And judging by the fire pattern on the phoenixes, the entirety of their bodies wasn't meant to be on fire. And they didn't have time to change back to their human forms to heal, something I'd learned the hard way a change could do. Not only could they not spare th
e time in the middle of the battle, they were also flying in the air.

  I didn't know if they could change to human and back before hitting the ground, let alone if they could even focus to make the changes in that scenario.

  Not that that was my concern. My goal here was protecting Cinira's territory from this attack.

  Ashur and I fell into a rhythm. I shot at a phoenix, and then Ashur either blew a stream of hot fire at them or knocked them to the side and into a building, his greater mass taking them down. Working in tandem, we were able to distract them enough that they weren't able to maneuver away from the fire. Or from Ashur's body blows. Until there weren't very many phoenixes directly around me at all. I lowered my bow for a second, taking a breath.

  Cinira zoomed passed me in a flash of scales that caught my eye. Her guards separated from her, going in opposite directions but staying tight. I wondered what they were doing.

  But then they surrounded a particular phoenix. Rather than taking it down with fire or knocking into it physically, they literally clamped down on it with their bodies and flew down to a rooftop where others were already waiting with chains. A net was thrown over the phoenix as Cinira and her guards launched back off the rooftop again. And found another phoenix to prey upon.

  Prisoners. They were taking prisoners. And that was much more dangerous than simply killing. They were a well-oiled machine, obviously having practiced the maneuver many times.

  The lavender dragons in the air were starting to vastly outnumber the phoenixes still air bound. And I wasn't the only one who noticed. I watched a few of the ones farther out turn tail to fly away. They let them go. Maybe so they could take the news of their failure back to Emberich.

  When I looked around, I saw more than a few of the beautiful old buildings on fire. Phoenix bodies, along with those of some lavender dragons, were sprawled out on rooftops and on the narrow streets below, deep furrows carved into the buildings from their falling bodies. They were concentrated around Cinira's tower.

  Around me.

  Chapter Six

  The mood was somber as the fighting died down.

  Cinira and her guards touched down on the tower roof after Ashur and she walked over to the edge to survey the destruction of her city.

  The worst of it was nearby, buildings that were still on fire, though her people were trying to put them out. Parts of some buildings were also crumpled in and damaged from falling bodies, both dragons and phoenixes alike. What was just hours ago a beautiful fairy-tale setting now looked like a war zone. Which was exactly what it had just become.

  Ashur pulled me in close and I took a moment just to breathe in his scent, absorb the comfort of his arms around me. We were still alive.

  That wasn't the case with everybody.

  I pulled back and looked over at Cinira, lit by the glow of the fire from her city. The devastation she was feeling wasn't clear in her stoic expression, but I could see it in her eyes, in the way her shoulders stooped slightly when she usually had an almost military straight posture.

  I looked up at Ashur.

  "Go," he urged, his arms sliding off me. "She needs you right now."

  I kissed his cheek softly, sliding a hand down his chest. Then I walked over to Cinira. I could feel the stares from her guards, though they didn't try to stop me. I wouldn't have blamed them if they had.

  This was all my fault. I felt like wherever I went, destruction followed me.

  When I reached Cinira at the wall, I licked my lips, not knowing how to start.

  "I'm...sorry," I finally said quietly. "I should never have come here. They only attacked because they knew this was where I was." I cleared my throat. "We'll leave immediately."

  There was no denying that my conclusion was true. I was certain if I changed forms and flew above the city, Cinira's tower would be at the center of what looked like a giant bullseye.

  Cinira shook her head, not even looking over at me.

  "Don't waste time blaming yourself for somebody else's actions," she said in a hard tone. "You didn't order this attack." She turned to me, her eyes hard, all softness gone. This was the leader that her people knew would keep them safe. "But we both know who did."

  She turned sharply headed directly for the door leading into the tower. I hurried after her, Ashur and the guards falling into step with us.

  "What are you going to do?" I asked as we headed down in the elevator. And I realized she was going to her study.

  "I don't believe in beating around the bush when I can go straight to the source," she explained, marching into her study and sitting down at her desk, firing up her computer. "Emberich will be waiting for my message. The bastard."

  I met Ashur's eyes. He shrugged.

  "I wouldn't put it past him," he murmured.

  I moved to stand behind her and watched her as she typed out an email.

  It felt a little anticlimactic in terms of the mode of messaging someone after being attacked, but how else was she going to get this over to him this fast?

  Is this a declaration of war?

  That was all she wrote. She hit send.

  The response was almost instantaneous. Cinira knew Emberich well enough to predict that he would be waiting for her message.

  I don't know what you're talking about.

  That was it. I saw Cinira narrow her eyes at the screen, her lips pressing into a thin line.

  I have sustained casualties. And I have your people imprisoned. Don't play coy.

  She hit send again.

  Again, an almost immediate response.

  I do not know what you are talking about. If you have any of my people, they acted without my knowledge, my permission, or my orders. Do with them what you will.

  "That son of a bitch," Cinira muttered, leaning back in her chair. "He's just going to leave his people to rot."

  That was what it looked like.

  "What now?" I asked, frowning.

  What did you do when someone attacked and then denied the act itself?

  "This is an act of war, whether or not Emberich admits to it," she said grimly. "He's more of an idiot than I thought if he thinks otherwise. Perhaps this is simply a ploy to absolve himself of guilt in his own people's eyes in case they suffer any retaliation." She shook her head. "Some of my people are dead. I cannot—I will not—let that stand." She looked up at me. "It looks like you might get your wish after all."

  It was my turn to shake my head.

  "It was never my wish," I murmured.

  Cinira sighed.

  "Even so. If this is to be done, we will have to go through the proper channels. If Emberich decides to officially declare an all-out war, he has more than enough numbers to wipe out Ashur's skein and mine without breaking a sweat." She stood up and braced her arms against the desk, looking at all of us. "It's time to send out a call for the other Dragon Lords."

  Her eyes went to the window overlooking the flickering fires that were just starting to be put out, her eyes reflecting them eerily.

  "This is war."

  Chapter Seven

  Ashur called in the cavalry to bring in Sven. Fuera, Hathai, and Enzi showed up with Sven, with Enzi carrying Sven in a net caught up in his claws. Because of the time crunch, Cinira had given permission for them to fly in their dragon forms, though Sven had not gotten any such dispensation. Not that Ashur would have been okay with it anyway. We were still treating Sven with cautious suspicion, just in case he was a plant.

  Cinira's people surrounded Ashur's people as they flew in, security beyond tight after the attack. Though I didn't know how you could have really prepared for something like that.

  They landed in the square, surrounded by Cinira's people just as we were when we arrived. Maybe this was just the normal, intimidating welcome party here. They changed and pulled on clothes from the packs they'd been carrying.

  I'd been expecting Enzi and Hathai, as they were Ashur's most trusted people, but Fuera was still a bit of a question mark for me. However,
she was basically Sven's shadow as his prison guard, so I shouldn't have been surprised by her appearance. She was also hard to miss with that lavender hair she usually kept in a ponytail. Maybe they'd be more likely to give her a pass with that color.

  Hathai's petite frame partially blocked Enzi's wiry one as he wrapped up the net. She smiled seeing me then pulled something out of a pocket, walking over while holding a piece of paper in her hand.

  "This is for you," she said, offering it to me.

  Taking it from her, I unfolded the wrinkled paper. An explosion of colors decorated the inside, blocky figures drawn standing in front of a green house with an azure sky. A crude dragon form hung in the air over the two figures. The larger one had hair the same color as mine and was holding the hand of the smaller one. Looking from it to Hathai, I arched an eyebrow.

  "Omari says it's the two of you and you’re protected by the dragon," she explained.

  I quickly blinked away threatening tears. "Thank you," I said.

  Hathai nodded and went back to Enzi.

  Ashur walked over to greet the small group as I hung back. He said something to them quietly and they all listened intently before he led them back over to where Cinira and I were standing.

  "You trust this man?" Cinira asked, her eyes on Sven.

  I shrugged. That was a complicated question.

  "He hasn't given us any reason not to. Yet."

  Cinira smiled slightly. "All right."

  The group reached us. Fuera, Hathai, and Enzi bowed to Cinira, with Sven following their lead, his eyes watchful, his nerves apparent in the tenseness of his shoulders. Not that any of Ashur's people were particularly relaxed to be here in their former adversary's territory.

  "I hope for your sake that you're telling the truth," Cinira greeted Sven.

  "I would be a fool not to be at this point," he replied steadily. "I thank you for hearing me out."