Free A Reign of Steel by Morgan Rice Page A

and a moment later, Gwen shrieked as she lost her
grip.
    Gwen
went tumbling through the air, head over heels, flying straight down toward
King’s Court. And Ralibar, instead of swooping down to catch her, flew off,
away from her.
    Gwendolyn
braced herself, shrieking, as the ground rushed up for her.
    She
landed hard on a floor of mud, feeling the pain in every part of her body. Yet
also alive.
    Gwen
got up slowly, wondering how she could have survived. She looked all around and
barely recognized King’s Court. It was all in ruins, and she lay in the center of
it, the only person left alive.
    She
heard a baby’s cry, and she spun, immediately recognizing her son’s wailing.
She saw, on the far side of the square, Guwayne. He lay there all alone, crying
up to the heavens.
    Heart
breaking, Gwen tried to run for him, but as she did, she found herself
stumbling in the mud.
    “Guwayne!”
she cried.
    Gwen
ran, stumbling, until finally she reached him. She scooped him up and held him
tight, crying, rocking him. She could not understand how he had gotten here,
all alone.
    Gwendolyn
looked up and saw standing before her, beneath the great arched gate to the
city, her father. King MacGil. He was expressionless, his face hard and cold,
and he stared back, grim.
    “My
daughter,” he boomed, his voice sounding so far away. “Leave this place. Leave
it at once.”
    Gwen
gripped Guwayne, crying and screeching in her arms; she was about to respond,
to ask her father what he was doing here, what he was warning against, when
suddenly she heard a flapping of wings. She craned her neck and looked up to
the sky, and she finally saw a dragon swooping down from the clouds. At first
she was elated, expecting it was Ralibar; but then she was horrified to see
that it was not him. It was a hideous dragon, yellow in color, one she had
never seen before, with long, razor-sharp teeth, a head too big for its body,
and wings covered in spikes and thorns.
    The
dragon arched its neck, shrieking to the skies, then lowered its head and breathed
fire, right for her. A wall of flame raced through the air, and Gwen screamed
and clutched her baby to her chest to protect him from the heat. She flinched
and ducked, yet try as she did to get away, she felt the flames slowly burning
her alive.
    Gwen
woke screaming. She sat up in bed, breathing hard, looking everywhere, trying
to brush off the flames. She jumped out of bed, and it took her a moment to
realize it was just a nightmare.
    Gwen
stood in her castle chamber, sweating, breathing hard. Slowly, she caught her
breath and looked out and saw the first of the rising suns through her window, the
room spreading with violet. She looked over and saw Guwayne sleeping soundly in
his crib beside her bed. She breathed deep, realizing all was well in the
world.
    Gwen
crossed the room, splashed water on her face, then gravitated toward the arched
open-air window. She looked out, bracing herself for the worst after that dream.
    But
all was peaceful in her kingdom. Her entire court was asleep and no one stirred.
From all appearances, there was no reason to fear.
    Yet
as Gwen stood there, her dream hung over her like a blanket. She sensed that
the visions she saw were real; she sensed it was all a warning, that she had to
get out of this place—and get her people out of this place. They had to
evacuate. She could not wait another moment.
    Gwendolyn
quickly dressed, crossed her chamber, and threw open the door.
    Her
guards turned and stared at her, stiffening at attention.
    “My
lady,” one said.
    She
looked back at him with the gravity of a Queen. She was resolved—whatever the
fallout would be.
    “Sound
the evacuation horns,” she commanded. “Now.”
    There
was no mistaking the authority in her voice, and her attendants looked at her,
eyes widening in surprise. But they executed her command, and immediately
running off and hurrying to do her will.
    Gwen
turned, scooped up Guwayne, and prepared to gather her most