The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

awake and spent those hours like I spent all the hours when
we took breaks to rest or eat.
I practiced fighting like a god.
Picking up the short sword, I sheathed it as I looked
around with a slight frown. “Where are…?”
“The draken?” Delano’s eyes glimmered with
amusement as he nodded to where the cluster of trees still
stood straight and proud. “Reaver is over there, currently
engaged in an epic stare down with Kieran.”
A faint grin tugged at my lips as I squinted. I could just
make out the form of Kieran, lying low on his belly. Several
feet from him, a relatively large-sized draken, idly picked at
its front teeth with its claws. The draken wasn’t as big as
Nektas, but he was the length of five Settis and about three
times the width.
Reaver was the one who’d almost bitten Kieran.
I arched a brow. I hadn’t even seen Reaver in his mortal
form. Nektas, who’d remained behind in Iliseeum, was the
only one I’d seen for any length of time in their mortal form.
I’d only learned Reaver’s name because another, a female
draken called Aurelia who’d been in her mortal form briefly,
had given me their names. She and another were the only
two females who’d awakened. Apparently, female draken
were rare.
“It’s time,” I called out, securing the hook on my cloak.
“Remember the plan.”
A huffing sound came from Reaver as he rose, stretching
his large, purplish-black body as he lifted his wings. That
made me a wee bit concerned that he would not follow said
plan. Kieran rose, and I half-expected him to flounce away
from the draken, but he managed a rather sedate prance
over to me.
I turned to where Vonetta and the remaining wolven
waited with Naill and Emil. “Be safe.”
Steely determination rose from them as I turned and
began walking toward the city with Delano at my side, in his