Chapter35: The Princess is Something Else

Kael Terminus is always cloaked in storms. The raging, jagged mountain peaks shine white with every burst of lightning as I soar into Ashton’s territory, parting the angry clouds and sending thick mist coiling around my dragon body as I tuck in my wings and spiral down into the shadowed valley of his territory. Ashton’s expecting me, which means I’m not bombarded by his guards as I glide onto a landing platform and slide to a stop near a set of massive iron doors guarding the mouth of his fortress. Unlike Starfall, the largest city in my territory of the Emerald Coast, Terminus is built entirely within the mountains under Ashton’s rule. Tunnels pass between the mountains, connecting his cities while protecting his people from the unforgiving elements. I shake ice from my wings before shifting back to my human form, breathing deeply past the stretch and pull of the transformation to fill my lungs with crisp, frigid air. The massive doors open, and Ashton steps out, flanked by guards dre