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A soft noise woke Tamryn. She scrambled to sit up. Fresh in her mind were the nightmares that had plagued her while she slept. Skin-hunters flooding the castle, their teeth made of knives. They told Tamryn that if she came quietly, they would spare her mother. Her father already lay in a heap on the stone floor, his blood creating rivers that flowed toward Tamryn’s bare feet.
In this small cottage, all was quiet.
Except—except for that one sound that did not belong. It wasn’t the large box that held cold within it; she’d heard the low humming noises coming from that several times throughout the night. This was a different sound. Someone was here.
She raised her nose and sniffed the air.
The witch walked into her bedroom. Her time away had made her more youthful, if that was possible. Tamryn wondered what kind of magic could rid Illary of the streak of gray in her hair, the faint lines on her face. Powerful magic. The kind of magic that burned, that could force someone into sleep.
Tamryn held her arm out, ready to fight. The witch would not put her in that burning spell again. Everyone she loved was gone, and now she was in a strange land of strange people. Everything here smelled of fur and wilderness. She missed the cool scents of her castle and her family.
Illary held up a tray. “I brought you some breakfast, Your Majesty. The shifter Margot cooked it for you. She said you don’t have food in here.”
Your Majesty, Illary had said. Because Tamryn was no longer a princess. Her parents were dead, her brothers were dead. She was a queen.
She’d trade the title in a heartbeat.
“Please don’t address me as ‘Your Majesty.’ I don’t want to be called a queen. And I’m not hungry.”
“Eat anyway,” Illary said. “You need your strength so you can learn to take your dragon form.”
“I don’t want my dragon form.” Tamryn knew she sounded petulant, like the spoiled princess her older brothers had accused her of being, but she couldn’t help it. The dragon form invited death.
The dragon form was why she no longer had older brothers, or parents.
As if sensing Tamryn’s fear, Illary didn’t argue over the dragon form. Instead, she said, “We have to find Charles.”
Tamryn jolted. She didn’t know why she had expected to remain here with this clan of shifters, but a part of her was disappointed she would be leaving. Heat filled her cheeks because she shouldn’t be selfish. Charles was likely just as lost in this new landscape as she was; it was ungenerous to even consider remaining here while he might need assistance. “Of course. Do you know where to look?”
“North of here. The country of Canada, formerly the colonies of Canada and Acadia. Charles’s spell lost its strength somewhere in that area.”
“Formerly the colonies...” Tamryn’s voice trailed off. Then she focused on Illary. “What year is it? How much time has passed since you placed me in the spell?”
“It’s 2020.” Illary’s voice was gentle. “It has been a little over two centuries. Your kingdom is gone, destroyed by the skin-hunters.”
Tamryn wanted to pull the blankets over her head and pretend none of this was happening. She was even more out of her world than she had guessed. So many years gone. Her kingdom gone. She had missed so much.
“How are you still alive?” she asked Illary, her voice miserable. “Did you put yourself in a spell, too?”
Illary shook her head. “No. But I am more than a witch.”
“What are you?”
“My kind does not have a name. Witch will do, but it is not entirely accurate.”
That made some sense. Tamryn remembered her father’s excitement when Illary had come to the castle. He’d seemed much more enthusiastic than he would have been for meeting a regular witch; those could be found anywhere, even powerful witches, even shifter witches.
But now wasn’t the time to think on these matters. There was work to be done.
Tamryn would have to be strong as her mother had told her to be.
“Is it a long journey? Will we be taking a carriage?”
“Oh, Your Majesty, so much has changed,” Illary said. “We’ll be taking a machine known as an airplane. It carries people through the air, much faster than a carriage can travel.”
Tamryn blinked several times. A machine to carry people. She’d flown on her father’s and mother’s backs when she was young. But a machine? So many things were different. She would have to grow accustomed to surprises. “When do we leave?” she asked.
“Within the hour. I’ve already created the necessary documents that we’ll need to travel.”
Although she still had no appetite, Tamryn forced herself to finish the plate of food in front of her. The sausage and eggs tasted good, but she barely noticed; she was too concerned with completing this task. Illary watched her eat, and Tamryn bristled at the thought that she needed a supervisor for her meal.
“I’m only trying to help,” Illary said, likely sensing Tamryn’s mood. “I can wait outside if you prefer, Your Majesty.”
“Please,” Tamryn said, shaking her head. “I’m no longer a royal, am I? My parents are gone. My kingdom, destroyed.”
“Your parents are still with you in your heart and in your blood,” Illary argued. “You remain a queen to me. Now let’s go.”
“I have no gowns,” Tamryn said.
“Some of the shifters here have donated clothing for you to wear.” She gestured at a stack of clothing. “Gowns are no longer necessary.”
Despite the dark feelings surrounding her heart, Tamryn brightened slightly at the idea that she wouldn’t have to wear gowns anymore. She’d never liked them.
Illary explained a contraption called a “bra,” and if Tamryn hadn’t been so distraught over the revelations of the past twelve hours, she would have giggled. Once Illary had helped her put it on, Tamryn muttered, “I both adore and despise this invention.”
As soon as she was dressed, she followed Illary out of the tiny cottage to where several shifters stood around the fire pit. The scent of cooking meat, much like what she’d just finished eating, filled the air. As she stepped off the little porch after Illary, all of the shifters turned to look at her. She noticed one face in particular—the large blond man who’d spoken to her in the darkness last night. Nolan Marks. Her heart sped up in her chest and she vaguely wondered if he was dangerous. She didn’t sense danger, only attraction.
However, he wasn’t looking at her despite her obviously staring at him. He’d been friendly at night, charming, even. Now, he ignored her. It was a conundrum.
Jameson, the alpha, approached her and Illary. “Margot has packed a bag for you, Tamryn.”
“Thank you,” Tamryn said. “Your hospitality is very kind.”
“Of course,” he said.
A woman with wavy brown hair came up beside Jameson, holding an infant. She extended her free hand and smiled. “Hi, I’m Nina. This is Lucas.”
“I’m Tamryn.” She shook Nina’s hand.
Illary cleared her throat, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Tamryn and Nina both stared at her.
“This is Tamryn Firebringer, Queen of Estrayla, Kingdom of Dragons,” Illary said.
“Oh,” Nina said, dropping Tamryn’s hand. Her cheeks looked flushed. “I’m sorry if I was...forward or something. I don’t even know what to call you. Your Highness?”
“None of that, please,” Tamryn said, shooting a glare at Illary. “My kingdom is gone. We don’t need formality.”
Still, Nina took a step back. Tamryn wanted to follow her and explain further, but someone else spoke up. Kayla, if Tamryn was remembering her name correctly. She had very short hair. Her t-shirt depicted a crude drawing of a bear and the words I’m sorry for what I said when I was hangry.
“Wait just a sec,” Kayla said. “Kingdom of dragons?”
“Yes,” Tamryn said. “Why? Is there another kingdom of dragons?”
“Noooo,” Kayla said slowly. “It’s the dragons part I’m curious about.”
Illary spoke up. “Tamryn is a dragon shifter.”
Kayla burst out laughing. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Then she realized no one else was laughing, and stopped. “That...that wasn’t a joke.”
Tamryn smiled at the affronted look on Illary’s face, and the shocked look on Kayla’s. Then she realized what Kayla meant. “You’re surprised...because you’ve never met a dragon?”
At Kayla’s puzzled expression, Tamryn turned to Illary. “What has happened to my people?”
“Hidden and scattered like you and Charles,” Illary said quietly. “Or murdered.”
Tamryn’s knees felt weak and she wobbled on her feet. Dragons had been hunted to the point of...extinction? She wanted to cry, to rage. But she was a princess. No, she was a queen.
She couldn’t dodge the royal title. She had to reconstruct her kingdom and revive dragonkind.
That meant she had to do whatever it took to find and protect anyone who was left of her kingdom. “Starting with Charles,” she said in a voice that sounded much steadier than she felt, “I’ll gather the dragons together again. We’ll rise, stronger than ever.”
“We’ll help you in any way we can,” Nina said, her voice fierce as she took Jameson’s hand.
Jameson nodded.
Illary said, “Then we need some space so I can work with Tamryn before we leave.”
Tamryn glanced around at the Rock Creek Clan shifters, who had started to disperse, likely to provide the space Illary was asking for.
“We’re not sending them out of their own home,” she said, frowning at Illary. To the rest as a group, she said, “I just need a quiet place to speak with Illary.”
“Out of doors, preferably,” Illary said.
“There’s the cairn, where we found you,” Jameson said, nodding at Tamryn. “It’s out of the way, and we’ll give you privacy.”
“Thank you,” Tamryn said.
The other shifters watched her walk away with Illary, but Tamryn was most conscious of Nolan’s attention. He seemed to regard her with something like betrayal in his eyes. She couldn’t sense his emotions as there were too many others around, but the hurt in his eyes was clear. She wondered what had caused it. Maybe he was upset that Tamryn was a dragon? Or a queen? She should have spoken more to him last night.
“Come,” Illary said. “We don’t have much time. I’ll help you calm your mind and ready yourself for taking your dragon form.”
Tamryn wrinkled her nose, but led Illary to the pile of rocks in a clearing surrounded by a circle of pine trees.
“I was in there,” Tamryn said, pointing to a low grouping of rocks. Next to it was a large pile. “They had to disassemble their cairn to find me.”
“This is a sacred place,” Illary said. “And a safe one. The spell’s magic chose it well.”
Tamryn pursed her lips. She wasn’t sure she agreed; they’d just completely disrupted this entire clan of shifters. Luckily for the Rock Creek Clan, Tamryn and Illary would soon be leaving.
“Come, Your Majesty,” Illary said. “Let us sit and breathe.”
Tamryn sat facing Illary on the pine needle-strewn ground. The earth was cold beneath her legs and she shivered in her borrowed clothing. How would they ever pay back these generous people who had sheltered her?
“You’re thinking too much with words,” Illary said. “Focus on your breath.”
Tamryn inhaled and exhaled, trying to lose herself in the sounds of her breathing, but instead she heard the far-off sound of a river or stream, buzzing insects, and the calls of birds.
“Your breath,” Illary reminded her.
Right, her breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. She could remember the first inhale she’d had after coming out of the spell. She remembered the warm hand on her back, steady and reassuring.
“Now think of your dragon,” Illary murmured. “Imagine cloaking yourself in scales and power.”
She remembered cloaking herself in Nolan’s t-shirt. He smelled good.
“You’re not working hard enough,” Illary said.
Sighing, Tamryn went back to deep inhales and exhales. Quiet footfalls tore her attention from her fruitless task. She looked up to see Nolan, the handsome polar bear shifter. Serious and strong. Steadfast.
“It’s time for us to go,” he said.
Illary gracefully stood and stepped after him. Tamryn scrambled after them, stunned. Nolan had said it was time for us to go. He was going, too? Why?
More puzzling still was the fact that his presence seemed to matter to her, one way or another.