Elara POV
The demons move closer, their red eyes locked on me.
"Get behind me," the Dragon King growls, smoke spilling from his skin.
I stumble backward, but one of the demons is already between me and Cadmus. It moves so fast it's just a blur.
"The girl comes with us," it says, its voice like grinding stones. "She belongs to our master."
"She belongs to NO ONE," Cadmus roars, and suddenly he's shifting—bones cracking, skin moving, wings bursting from his back.
The monster lunges at me.
Something slams into it from the side. Princess Seraphina, of all people, tackles the thing. They crash into the wall.
"RUN!" she screams at me.
I run.
Out the door, down the hallway, my bare feet slapping against cold stone. Behind me, I hear roaring and crashes and screams that don't sound human.
Guards appear, running toward my room with weapons drawn. I press myself against the wall as they pass.
Then strong hands grab me.
