Himika

Aurek stripped off his clothes, quickly in the bitter cold, wrapping up a flask and tying it all up with a thin rope.

“Oh, dear. That old neighbor lady is watching you,” I said.

“Well, something for her to enjoy. Step back.” He turned into a dragon, fitting awkwardly on the small balcony, and bit the rope in his jaw to carry the clothes.

“Is that flask some of my tea?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“You brewed it when I wasn’t around?”

“And mixed it with whiskey so it would keep. I’ve been waiting for the right moment. Climb on.”

I belted the swords to my waist, a little disconcerted that he had clearly prepared for this even after he promised he wouldn’t fight. On the other hand, I was glad because we didn’t have time to waste.

“Eek…don’t take off yet.” He got as low to the ground as possible, but I still struggled to climb on and get a good hold while maneuvering around my pregnancy with the heavy weight of the swords, especially Aurek’s. Thank goodness I wasn’t any farther along.

“Okay…I think I’m ready. Go easy on me.”

He carefully climbed onto the roof of the house. Phoebe came running out. “Himika! King Aurek! Oh my gods—don’t—!”

Aurek spread his wings and took off. I was so focused on clutching the ridges of his back and gripping his body between my legs that I couldn’t even look at Phoebe.

“Don’t worry!” Aurek cried.

“I suppose the king and queen aren’t supposed to just go flying off.”

“If it’s to save the true king, then…it’s allowed,” he said. “Tell me where Seron is,” Aurek said.

I pressed my foot against his scales to the right. “He’s circling around over there…”

Seron certainly saw us. He hovered in the sky, waiting. I had to admit he looked very menacing. I glanced down and saw Ezeru and Oszin on the road beyond, and I had some misgivings. I told them not to get killed, and they’d kept their promise, so if I got killed along with the babies, that would really be…

I huffed, shaking it off. “We’re going the right direction. Just stay the course.”

Below us, the ground was a sea of trees, some bare and some clinging to their fall colors, against a light snow cover. Up here, it was so cold that my teeth were chattering. I could feel Aurek’s unfettered joy in the way he soared over the land. I heard Ezeru let out a roar of dismay and warning below us, to my left side, as we left the town behind.

As we got closer, Seron dove toward the ground, disappearing under the trees. His dragon body vanished.

“Aurek, he turned human!” I exclaimed.

“He’s waiting for us,” Aurek said. “Maybe he wants to talk.”

“He’s in the clearing…start to lower a little…just a little…”

Aurek let out a bark, sending an echo along the ground. “Tell me where the tree line ends.”

“Okay. Almost…” I saw Seron standing in a field, dressed and holding a sword.

He really doesn’t look like Seron…

“Careful…there are some big rocks and an old collapsed barn just to your right. Okay. Seron’s standing ahead of you.”

“King Aurekdel!” Seron shouted.

“So he is,” Aurek said. His feet hit the ground, spraying up snow. He folded his wings and lifted his head, waiting for me to climb down.

I did, under Seron’s steel gaze.

Oh, gods. This was a mistake after all.

It’s true. It’s really true. That isn’t my Seron.

I pushed my nerves away. No, I just had to snap him out of it. “Seron,” I said.

“My name is Tanu.”

“Tanu! That’s some name she gave you. Queen Izeria is trying to—”

“Enough out of you, girl,” he said, turning to Aurekdel, who had just transformed back and slipped on his robe. “Pick up your sword.”

“Seron…you don’t remember me at all? I’m not ‘girl’. I’m Himika. I’m your mate. I’m pregnant and—”

Aurekdel quietly fastened the clasps of his robe and tugged on his boots. Then he held out his hand. I gave him his sword. Seron still wasn’t even looking at me.

“Seron!” I sobbed. It was like he didn’t even hear me or see me, not even the pregnancy that I knew he wanted more than anyone.

Seron held out his blade. “I am here for one thing. To kill you, the impostor king.”