Skye: The Dragon Kings Book 4 Read online

  She looked down and jerked it away. “Rowan, you know I don’t feel that way about you. Besides, this isn’t the time.”

  Blood rushed to his face. He hadn’t meant it like that. Of course he wanted more from her, but he was willing to just be her friend. He always had been. He backed away. Her rejection stung, but he was two minutes away from never seeing her again. He couldn’t let her go. He thought fast.

  “I wasn’t trying to make any moves. Did you stop to think that I value your friendship too? I can’t stay here and watch Aspen and Sid make googly eyes at each other or Theo and Ella attempting to do the nasty on every surface of this house. Seriously. Why don’t I come with you?”

  She grabbed at his hand this time and hope blossomed in his chest. Her face softened.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But I need to do this alone. You go back to your life. The one you deserve. You’re a different person now. Embrace that. Ask Tori out. Go have fun and enjoy your life. Forget about me.”

  Rowan grimaced. She still didn’t get it. “I don’t want to ask Tori out or go back to my life. My life before you sucked. I have no desire to return. It sounds like you’ve got a tough road ahead of you, and you’re going to need a friend. Let me come with.” Not to mention the thought of asking Tori out made him gag. He wasn’t sure what he saw in her in the first place.

  Skye frowned. “What will your family think? They’ll worry. We could be gone for years. Time moves differently for dragons. We live too long to make hurried decisions.”

  Years. With Skye.

  Yes, please.

  “I’ll leave a note for my mom and dad. Tell them we ran off to Vegas to elope and we’ll be honeymooning in Fiji and not to expect me back for another six months or so. If it takes longer than that, we can get word to them. They know you and Sid have money.” It was a long shot, he knew that, but he was willing to try anyway. Normally he wouldn’t be so brave with his words, but he had to try something.

  “They won’t buy it.” Skye crossed her arms, but Rowan saw the wheels turning in her head. It was risky to put out the fantasy he’d been playing in his head for the past few months, but at this point, he had nothing to lose. Plus, Skye didn’t know what the story meant.

  “Maybe. They’ll question Aspen and Sid about it. They’re both smart. They’ll play along. Hopefully, everyone will assume I’m happy and not worry about me.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip. “The trip is going to be dangerous.”

  “All the more reason for me to go with you.”

  She took a few deep breaths, and Rowan let her think. Hopefully, her thoughts were along the lines of how he helped her. Though he’d be lying if he said the danger didn’t bother him a bit. He thought about asking, but he was afraid if he pushed her to tell him how it would be dangerous, she’d change her mind. The knots in his stomach twisted.

  “No. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  Rowan pulled at his hair. “Don’t you understand? I need you. No one else treats me like a person. My parents, Aspen, even Sid, they all pity the poor Rowan who can’t seem to step out of his front door without help. You’re the only one who never treated me any differently. Please don’t leave me alone here.”

  Skye was too important to him. He didn’t know how to do real life without her. She was the reason he started taking chances. She was the one who helped him overcome his fears. Skye’s eyes flashed understanding. He was close to winning. She hesitated for a few seconds more.

  “Okay, fine. You can come. But you can only take a backpack with you.” She spoke fast, as if she didn’t get it out, she’d change her mind.

  Rowan had to sit down. He wasn’t expecting her to actually let him go along. He had to think quickly. “Give me two minutes. We’ll run by the house, leave the note, and go wherever it is we’re going.” He hoped she’d actually tell him once they were on the road.

  Skye nodded, looking absentmindedly around her room.

  He escaped to his own room, not quite sure how he’d gotten so lucky. Now he had to make sure he didn’t blow it.

  SKYE TURNED onto the road to the park, still trying to warm up. The car had been sitting for a while, and it was freezing. Thick snowflakes fell on the windows. Rowan sat in the passenger seat, tapping his knee. She shouldn’t have agreed to bring him, but the thought of doing this alone terrified her. She very nearly kissed him when he offered to come with. Not because she liked him, but because she was so pleased to not go by herself.

  He’d said she made him feel like a person, and she felt the same way. No one treated her like he did. The thought made her feel all warm inside. It filled that ache that Everett created. She didn’t want to leave Rowan behind.

  Though, if the prophecy were being fulfilled, this would be dangerous. She’d be hunted, and war would begin. She’d be putting him at risk. This was a mistake. He could get hurt. Maybe she’d let him go into his house and leave without him. Her heart clenched. He’d be crushed, but it was better than him dead. Which was entirely possible. The prophecy spoke often of death, and they were going to fly right in the middle of it. She still wasn’t quite sure how she was still alive. She had to find out what Sid and Aspen did to save their own lives.

  After they passed the park gate, she looked up to the sky.

  As soon as daylight hit, they’d have to hole up somewhere until night fell again. She couldn’t risk being seen, not now that she was black. Everett had to know first. Maybe he could get rid of the loyalty seal, though she shuddered at what the cost might be. She wasn’t sure she’d survive another hole in her heart. She frowned. Every possibility ended up with her dead or wishing she were. This was impossible. She couldn’t think about that. She had to focus on the here and now. They probably only had an hour or so. It wasn’t long enough to get to Everett’s cabin.

  She clenched the steering wheel. She had to stop thinking in “we’s.” Rowan would not be going with her. She would leave him. She had to. But she really, really didn’t want to be alone. Being alone with the burden she was carrying was nearly unbearable. It’d been a long time since she shouldered something alone. She’d been with Sid for over a hundred and fifty years. Then she spent time with Everett after that. Not long after that, she and Rowan starting spending time together. She didn’t know how to be alone.

  The engine sputtered, and the steering wheel quivered in her hands.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “Aspen’s jeep is always acting up. Just keep driving. We should make it home.” Rowan leaned forward and peered out the window. Maybe he was nervous and looking out the window soothed him. Either that or he was looking for the danger she promised him.

  Seconds later the engine died, and Skye coasted to a stop on the side of the road. She rubbed the back of her neck. She didn’t know what to do now.

  “We’ll have to walk,” Rowan said. “It’s not far, about twenty minutes by foot.”

  “Okay, you walk home. I’m going to go.” He’d argue with her, but she could fly off without him. She should. He’d be fine. She could do this alone. She didn’t want to, but she could.

  He blinked at her. Those gorgeous green things would convince her to let him stay. She knew it, but she couldn’t look away. “No, come on, Skye. It won’t take that long. All I have to do is leave my parents a note.”

  “We’re losing darkness. We have to move at night. If I walk with you to your parents’ house and wait for you to leave a note, the sun will be coming up. We can’t risk being seen.”

  Without waiting for a response, she opened the car door and gasped. It was colder outside than she remembered. Quickly, she moved around the front of the jeep and changed into her dragon form to keep warm.

  She had to abandon Rowan. Discovering how she became a king would be too dangerous for him. She might die. If she died, Rowan didn’t stand a chance. If something killed her, it would most definitely be able to kill him. She couldn’t bring him with.

  The oth
er car door opened, and Rowan scrambled out, slipping on the fresh snowfall as he made his way to her huge form. He looked so small. But he held himself tall.

  “You can’t go without me. I’ll come with you. Send my parents a voicemail or something.”

  This simply isn’t going to work. I’m sorry.

  “You were going to leave without me anyway. Unbelievable.” He marched to her side, anger blazing in his beautiful eyes. She thought he was going to kick her or something, but instead, he climbed up on her back. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. His hands were resting lightly on her neck. His comfort was unnerving. She shouldn’t need him.

  Rowan, get off. She appreciated his tenacity, but she didn’t want to be responsible for his death. And death was coming. She felt it.

  “You’re going to have to throw me off.” He clutched his arms around her neck. “Now let’s get going before we lose any more darkness.”

  Dammit. He was right. Skye spread her wings. She had a problem, and the longer she stayed in Yellowstone, the more likely it would be that Sid would catch her, and she’d have no explanation of her scale changing color.

  She wasn’t about to toss Rowan off, because then he’d get hurt. Deep down she knew he’d get more hurt by going with her, but her logical mind was having a hard time convincing her heart of that. She took to the sky, flying northwest, and hoped she’d be strong enough to keep him alive.

  So, I thought you were one of those blue dragons.

  Skye dropped a few feet, surprised he was able to talk to her. They’d never actually discussed dragons. Aspen told her that she had to tell Rowan, but Aspen made it seem like Rowan was terrified by them. In fact, Skye thought he’d run away when she turned into a dragon. She certainly didn’t expect him to know how to talk to her.

  How do you know how to talk to dragons?

  He held on tighter and didn’t answer for a few seconds. Obsidian taught me. But don’t avoid the subject. Aspen told me only the dragon king is black. How are you black?

  Rowan had no idea how close he was to the heart of all her problems. He was good at doing that. She loved that about him. He always knew what was wrong before she told him.

  That’s what I want to find out. My scales changed a few hours ago, and I have no idea how or why.

  Does that mean Sid’s dead?

  No, if he were dead, I’d be dead.

  Why?

  Skye didn’t even know where to begin explaining things to him. It’s a long story. Did Aspen ever tell you about the sealings?

  Yes.

  Skye was surprised by his response. She thought he was pretty much in the dark as far as dragon things were concerned. He seemed to operate on the “less I need to know” model. Apparently he knew far more than he’d let on.

  How much did she tell you?

  That she and Sid will never be able to love anyone else. Basically that they have to be together.

  Right. But Sid also has to take a queen, and so that means she’s the only one that could be possible.

  But she’s human.

  Skye looked around. They’d left the lights of town, and the sky was pitch dark now. This was good. No one should see her. The night was clear and cold, and she flew toward a forest in Oregon where no one would find them.

  The dragon queen is always human. That’s not the problem. The problem is that the council always chooses the queen. So Aspen and Sid decided to go behind the council and tried to create their own council by invoking what’s called loyalty seals. They almost got away with it too, but the council took Sid tonight. Anyone who has a loyalty seal will die when he dies. That’s why I thought I’d be dead by now.

  But you’re not.

  That means Aspen is probably the queen.

  Either that or they were delayed for some reason. Maybe she should’ve stuck around to find out what happened. But then someone would’ve found out about her, and she wouldn’t get the answers she needed.

  A strange voice entered her mind. Who’s next?

  Skye’s heart stilled. There were other dragons around. They had to get out of the sky. Even with the cover of darkness, she might be seen. She dropped quickly, and Rowan clung tighter. She dove in between a few trees.

  What’s the matter?

  There are other dragons around. At least three. I caught part of their conversation. If it were only two, they wouldn’t project. We need to get on the ground. If someone sees us, it’s all over. No one knows there is more than one dragon king out there.

  She landed hard and waited for Rowan to climb down, changed into a human, then headed for the trees where she heard the voices. This wasn’t common dragon territory, and she wanted to see who was out here.

  “Where are we going?” Rowan asked.

  Skye spun around and pressed her finger on her lips. If these were unfriendly dragons, they could get hurt. Rowan didn’t understand these things. He would get them both killed. Once again, Skye doubted her decision to bring him with.

  She froze when she saw three dragons in a clearing. A royal, a canyon, and an arctic. It was a strange combination. She knew the royal dragon though. Kingston. He was one of the five who was a potential king before Sid got the job. He was always standoffish, and the last she heard, he’d flown up north and sealed himself to an arctic dragon. But what the hell were they doing with a canyon dragon?

  She dropped down to listen and pulled Rowan with her. He fell onto her, but recovered quickly. He adjusted his glasses and stared at the three dragons. Skye grinned at his desire to appear with it. They might not make it out alive, but at least she’d be with him, and he always made her smile.

  Jolantha and Olwen were easy. Sid didn’t have protections placed upon them. The rest won’t be so simple, said Kingston.

  Skye gripped Rowan’s hand. They were talking about dragons who gave their loyalty to Sid. What did they mean they were easy?

  Oh please, you act like we’re juveniles or something. Sid isn’t almighty. We can find the others easily. Skye recognized the accent of an arctic dragon.

  Skye and Stella are all staying with him. Damien and Athena are probably the easiest targets. I don’t know who the underground dragon is, but considering they never leave the caves, that shouldn’t be too difficult.

  Kingston and these others had betrayed them all. She couldn’t figure out why he was targeting them or how he even knew about them.

  Can you show us the location of Damien and Athena? This came from the canyon dragon.

  Sure, but don’t expect it to be unguarded.

  We will go immediately after the meeting. Now let us go before we lose any more time. There is no time wasting in war. The faster we kill all those with a loyalty seal, the faster we get to Sid.

  Kill. He said kill. She was being hunted. Not because she was king but because she had a loyalty seal. The arctic dragon took flight and the other two followed behind. Skye had known that everything would be dangerous, but she didn’t realize someone was murdering those with loyalty seals. This changed everything. Her head began to throb. Part of her wanted to take Rowan, fly to a deserted island, and not worry about her problems. She’d even be willing to live out her days as a human, and she had no doubt Rowan would be happy. But that would be the cowardly thing to do.

  Skye sped toward the road, confused. The eastern horizon started to lighten, and they’d have to find a place to hole up for the day. She had to stay human now and couldn’t let anyone find her. If they were going to kill her for having a loyalty seal on her chest, they’d definitely kill her for being the second king.

  War.

  The prophecy was actually being fulfilled. She’d known that when she turned black, but the fact that dragons were killing one another was another sign. This was definitely becoming more real. She wondered if the arctic dragons even knew there was more than one king or if the kings were coming about because the war was starting. The idea made her head spin.

  Rowan grabbed her arm just before she reached the road.


  “Skye, what the hell was that all about?” His anxiety was through the roof, and that was distracting her. She took a deep breath and turned off her ability to feel his emotions. Normally she liked to know what he was feeling, but now she had to concentrate.

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s getting light. We need to hide for the day. Especially now. I cannot be seen. We’ve got to get to Everett. Stupid backstabbing Kingston. How could he have betrayed us like that?”

  She turned around again, found the road, and walked toward the cluster of buildings that looked to be a half mile away.

  Rowan jogged to keep up with her. “Can you explain what they were talking about?”

  Skye sighed. She didn’t want to. If she did, it made him more involved, and he didn’t need to get in any deeper. But by explaining it, she might understand it better herself, and she desperately needed to make sense of things. She slowed down so they could talk.

  “First I need to give you some history about the dragons. We don’t all get along. Also, different dragon races have different temperaments. The royal dragons send out ambassadors to keep the peace between the other races. And the canyon and arctic dragons have been the most difficult. The arctic because they think they should be in charge and the canyon because they’re always warring amongst themselves.”

  “The arctic are the white ones, right?”

  Skye saw his breath as he talked. It was freezing, and she’d barely noticed. But as she clenched and unclenched her fingers she felt how cold they were.

  “Yes, and the canyon are the orange.”

  Rowan crossed his arms and rubbed his biceps. “Why do the arctic think they should be in charge?”

  Skye had to think for a second. For as long as she could remember, the arctic dragons had been seeking power. But she’d never thought about why.

  “They live five thousand years, five times the length of most dragons, so a king would be in power a long time. Most of the other races think it is dangerous to have a king who can live so long. But the arctic dragons have always been power hungry. That’s why no one was surprised by the prophecy. Everyone figured they’d try to take over someday. Most of us interact with other races quite a bit, but the arctic dragons choose to isolate themselves. Nobody’s seen one this far south in several hundred years except at council meetings, and that’s only the council dragon.”