Chapter One

Devine jumped up in his bed. For one, long, drawn out moment, he could still hear them screaming—the sounds of his Clan folk as they hunted him and his brother in the halls, fighting for freedom from a tyrant.

Didn’t they know he was following orders? Didn’t they know he was only trying to keep his brother alive? So much pain, regret, and death—countless Dragons had died that day, and the others had fled never to be heard of again.

Screams of ghosts from the revolution that had freed him and his brother from that monstrous rock still stuck there in the middle of the frozen sea made up the song that woke Devine every single morning he still breathed.

He supposed he should be grateful, but just like everything else in his life, each day was another sad disappointment. As usual, it took him a moment to realize where he was—safe, I am safe. It was the truth. Devine was safe, his brother too.

Why am I still here when so many aren’t? Do I deserve to be here?