I kick the shock-collar laying at my feet. The source of my kind’s downfall — and now, I’m about to wear one.

“You put on now,” Xnath says. “Before fly.”

“Can’t we wait until we’re closer to the Fortress?” I ask. “It is at least an hour away.”

The Qroq shakes his head. “Pain great. You faint in sky. We all fall. Die. Put on here.”

Amelia puts her hands on my naked shoulders and kisses me between my shoulder blades.

“I’ll be right here,” she says.

I turn and grab her hands.

“I’m afraid I’ll hurt you,” I admit. I’ve never been this open with anyone. As the prince, I have to be strong and proud. However, with Amelia, I feel like I can be myself. “I don’t know what will happen when I put this thing on. I’ve seen greater, stronger dragons go mad.”

“You’re the strongest dragon I know,” she says. “I have faith in you. “You’ll pull through.”

I nod.

She’s right.

I’ll pull through.

Just by looking at her, I feel stronger than ever. I care so much for my curvy human mate — I’d lift mountains for her. Wearing a damn collar for a short trip shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

My people have had to suffer because of this device for years. Now it’s my turn.

I pick up the heavy thing and hand it to my mate. I grab a tight hold of her and give her one final, long, passionate, deep kiss. As our lips meet, my fear, my doubt melts away.

Time to save the world.

I shift into my dragon form. My body grows, transforms, my hands turning to claws, wings sprouting from my back. Only moments later I’m back in my familiar, dragon form.

I nod and present my mate with my slender neck.

She tightens the collar around my neck, and instantly, an unimaginable pain courses through my veins. Wave after wave of pain, each one growing in intensity, overwhelms my consciousness.

The unrelenting, unending hurt brings me to the edge of insanity. My vision is reduced to dark, throbbing spots, while all sounds fade away into the distance.

“Are you okay?”

A voice, in the distance.

“Tau, are you okay?”

I follow it, like a beacon in the darkness. The warm, gentle sound lifts me up, rising from the depths of my own mind, the underbelly of my soul, back to the surface.

Back to reality.

I have to grit my teeth to endure the pain, I have to focus all of my attention on Amelia’s voice, but by doing so, I regain control of my own mind.

I have to persist.

“Hard, huh?” Xnath says. “Fortress is an hour west.”

One more hour of this pain.

Sixty minutes of torture.

Let’s do this.

* * *

Every flap of my wings hurts. Every breath stings. Every muscle strains.

Yet, I persist.

Amelia and Xnath are riding on my back. The Qroq hasn’t tried anything, yet. I do not fully trust him, but what he said about the Qroq’s society was certainly interesting.

I never entertained the thought that the Qroq’s were anything but bloodthirsty slavers. The idea that life used to be better for them before Qotl united them is interesting… because it means that if he falls, they might simply lay down their weapons.

Perhaps the Qroq are as enslaved by their emperor, as my people are to them. This doesn’t mean their crimes are excused, or that I will show them mercy… but perhaps life is not as black and white as I have grown to see it.

First I have an emperor to kill.

Then we’ll see how the world looks when the dust settles.

The Fortress dooms up in the distance, the giant statue of a Qroq dominating the plains. This sacred hunting ground has been turned into a fortress, an abomination, an ugly statue ruining the view.

This is where it will happen.

Either the emperor dies, or I do.

Several dragon riders notice us approaching and begin to flank us. This is the hour of truth: Will Xnath stay true to his word?

Or was this a clever ruse by the small monster?

“Xnath! Is that you?!” one dragon rider screams, his voice barely audible through the wind.

“I have human!” he answers. “Tell emperor!”

All according to plan, so far…

The dragon riders speed towards the Fortress. I’m going as fast as I can, but the excruciating pain is slowing me down considerably.

I hope I enough energy left to take the damn emperor on, and I do not simply collapse out of exhaustion when faced with my nemesis.

The crown of the statue is now in sight.

This is it.