Free Dragonfire: Freedom in Flames (Secrets of the Makai Book 3) by Toni Kerr

yourself. So you stay unhealthy to buy time.”
    Anger stirred in the pit of his stomach.
    “Meeting with Dorian sounds like a positive step, so long as it’s not just an excuse for a social call.”
    “It’s not.”
    “All right, back to what we know about dragons.”
    Tristan took a huge breath and nodded for Donovan to continue.
    “They may or may not know how to transport themselves. When Pink’s village knew a dragon was coming, they would gather on a mountaintop and watch them fly in. She has only ever seen one dragon, and remembers hearing they reside in caves, often collapsing the entrance to keep from being discovered. I believe this to be true, as it did appear to be a natural behavior when you were last a dragon, though we weren’t sure why you were doing it at the time.”
    Tristan grimaced. The human body was definitely not designed to withstand the crush of falling rocks.
    “They are quiet, analytical, loyal, and known as impartial peacekeepers among the races. This may be why they were chosen to uphold the contract.”
    “How much do you know about the contract?”
    “Very little.”
    Tristan wasn’t sure if he was relieved or not. “What about this gift of tongues?”
    “Perhaps you need to be a dragon to experience an internal translation.”
    Tristan shook his head. “I couldn’t think clearly when I was a dragon, and nothing you said made sense. It was all yelling and—” his eyes shifted briefly and a cold wave of terror stunned him into silence.
    Donovan didn’t appear to notice. “It could be that you were unwilling to listen to reason at the time, being in somewhat of a panic mode. Perhaps you should make a list of things to question the dragon spirit, if Molajah is no longer available.”
    The thought of Molajah’s last words filled him with confusion. How would he know who to trust, if he couldn’t trust anyone? Was Molajah’s soul destroyed? Jacques? Were the ghosts in the clearing on his side or not? If the council was falling apart, where did that leave him? Was he being blamed? How much support did he have, if the dragons were divided?
    He hadn’t realized he was swaying until Donovan gripped his shoulders, easing him onto a soft mat that hadn’t been there before. “I’m so tired.”
    “Landon and Victor will be here shortly, then we’ll go see Dorian.”
    Tristan nodded.
    “It may not be in your nature to sustain so much power, but you must not let it build like it was. Small tremors are far easier to handle than massive earthquakes.”
    “I understand.” Expelling so much energy had been a good solution, but a high price for Samara.
    “When you feel physically shaky or mentally anxious, find something to focus on. Something that takes a great deal of energy.”
    “What can I do that won’t damage Samara?”
    Donovan shrugged. “She will help you come up with something.”
    Tristan smiled. “So you admit the room is a she?”
    “It does have a female voice. Am I correct to assume you don’t wish to eat before we go to Dorian’s?”
    “Definitely.”
    “I do not think a vegetarian diet is the right choice.”
    “Why not? Lots of people are vegetarian—” Tristan’s eyes shifted as he gasped for breath, gripping the staff like his life depended on it.
    “The teeth. Very sharp. Most likely designed for...meat.”
    “I’m not a dragon right now, so just...let me have a choice.” He could only pretend he wasn’t a meat-eater for so long.
     

9

    TAKING SIDES
    ONLY A FEW moments of silence passed before Landon and Victor were letting themselves into Tristan’s cabin. Pink twirled in each corner of the room.
    “That wasn’t three hours,” Tristan grumbled to no one in particular.
    “Donovan’s checking it out now, and I’ll make the arrangements through Oliver if you still want to see her. We figure on catching them before Dorian gets into her routine, assuming she wants to see you. Will she?”
    “I think so. But you never know with her.” At