Now she understood why everyone who could change into a dragon had issues with controlling their temper. Nothing could match the power coursing through her veins. She didn't want to change back into a human. Never.
Until Jarrett's face flashed into her memory again. Her heart tore in two. One half wanting forever to be a dragon. The other half wanting forever to remain human with him.
She shook her long neck. Not now. There was a battle to be fought.
Tressa reared back, screaming at the sun. The day would be hers and so would the victory. She flew into the battle, slashing with her claws and whipping her tail. Red dragons screamed in agony, but they couldn't compete with Tressa's newly born bloodlust.
Her talons gutted the Red. Her teeth bit into their scales and snapped their necks. Her fire burned their eyes, blinding them.
Tressa was the bringer of death, and quickly they knew it. The Red turned tail, fleeing back north. This time the Black did not retire to the ground. They gave chase, letting the Red know they would not win. Not today. Not ever. The Black pursued with fire and claws and swords. Their human riders screamed obscenities.
They gave chase until every last Red was dead, littering the ground like leaves after a storm.
Mestifito took the lead, flying north until they found a meadow large enough for all of their dragons to land. Tressa coasted to the ground, landing on her feet. Her talons scraped at the grass. She closed her eyes, let out a breath, and collapsed.
A cloak spread over her body. Her eyes fluttered open. She was human again. And naked. But she did not care. Her blood ran with fire now.
"Well, wasn't that something?" Fi said, prancing around Tressa like an excited pony.
"It was unexpected," Granna said, standing next to Tressa, tapping her toe. "You could have gotten yourself killed."
"I almost did," Tressa said, sitting up. "If I hadn't changed into a dragon, I'd be dead back there with the rest of them."
"And I think Tressa's fighting spirit gave us all the boost we needed," Fi said, defending her. "We might have been the dead ones if she hadn't found it within herself to change."
"And now that you have," Granna said, "you will be flying right back to the Ruins and going into seclusion until you have mastered what it means to be a dragon and what it means to join the Black horde. We do not take our dragon forms lightly.”
"Neither do I," Tressa said. "But there is a war to be fought. I have friends to find. Once I've done all that, I'll go underground and meditate or whatever it is you want. But I will not be herded like a child when I can be of use here."
Granna stared at her, turned on one heel, and stalked away.
"She still thinks of me as a child," Tressa grumbled.
"You are nothing like a child," Fi said. "She just worries about you."
"You're always defending her," Tressa said, pouting. "I thought you were my friend."
"Sophia is the queen. She speaks for Mestifito. Questioning her isn't wise."
Tressa snorted, feeling a slight burning sensation in her nose. Curious.
"I can fly back to the battlefield and find someone your size. You'll be needing clothes, since you so carelessly ripped yours." Fi winked. “Don’t worry, you’ll learn soon enough how to change your clothes while turning into a dragon.”
"Thanks," Tressa said, blushing.
"Lie down." Fi patted her on the shoulder. "You can get dressed when you wake up."
Tressa nodded and nestled into the cloak. Soon she drifted off to sleep, visions of dragonfire dancing in her mind.
Chapter Twenty
Bastian held Elinor in his arms as she sobbed. The wounds Jarrett had given her had closed on their own within moments. Bastian wanted to ask her how, but all that mattered at the moment was that she was okay. Dragon bodies lay all around. Limbs carpeted the floor, mingling with fresh blood. Connor clung to the only remaining dragon.
“Where did Jarrett go?” Bastian demanded.
"I'll kill him. I swear if I ever see Jarrett again, I will rip his arms from his body," Connor said. "I will shove his legs up his arse and feed him his own heart. I will pluck his eyeballs from their sockets and—”
"That's enough," Elinor shouted. She pulled away from Bastian. Her wounds were gone, but blood stained her gown. "I have no idea what happened here. Jarrett was supposed to be our friend. Did the island do something to him? Or was he always like this?" She whirled around, glaring at Bastian. “He’s your old girlfriend’s new lover. Can we trust any of them? Can I even trust you?” Elinor inched away from Bastian, scooting closer to Connor and the baby dragon.