Generations ago, shifters -- many with magic powers -- were accepted throughout Emylnor. But a war with the nearby dragon nation bred concern, and though Emylnor's forces beat back the invasion, the shifters retreated into hiding.<br><br>Akton is a weasel shifter who seems to have no magical talents. When he is hunted, Talfryn joins the fight, finally able to flex his salamander flame powers. But while they make a good team, the thrill quickly wears off when they uncover recruitment orders. A shifter named Basil is building an army.<br><br>Someone has to warn Queen Ylenia before Basil can launch Emylnor into another war. When Akton and Talfryn volunteer to deliver the information to her, they have no intention of getting deeply involved with the fight -- or each other. But to stop Basil, they need to learn to trust each other completely, and fast. Or all of Emylnor will burn ...

Flame and Snow

“Ylenia should have sent the Kynithremyln and the Guard to deal with him by now. Weren’t you the one who wanted someone else to deal with this?”


Akton gritted his teeth and poured the rest of the decanter of wine into their glasses. He imagined they’d been given the cheapest stuff in the palace and it was still better wine than he’d ever had.


“I can’t stay caged up like this,” he said. “There’s a reason why I can’t be in the menagerie. And I thought you said the queen wasn’t mentally there. How do we know she’s done anything about Basil?”


Talfryn pushed his empty plate away and leaned back with his wine, thinking. Unlike earlier, though, the glazed look was gone from his eyes and he appeared to be in the conversation here with Akton, which was a relief. Talfryn’s recent distance, even if it had been from awe and determination, hurt. Akton didn’t think he could leave Talfryn behind here. And suddenly confronting the issue with Basil seemed infinitely easier than dealing with that.


Chapter 69