Prologue


Ember

I am being squeezed. Squeezed very, very tight.

Probably because I am in an egg with my sister. We are squeezed tight together, scrunched up tight. Her scales are hot. Hot, hot, hot, and it hurts to touch her. There is fire in her scales.

I lean back against our egg. More space! More space!

And then it's cracking. I push harder.

Peril

My brother is leaning against the egg.

Oh! He's trying to get out!

I put a talon on the ceiling.

The egg is crumbling underneath my talons, white fading to black. Then the ceiling caves in on us, and then I see light. Lots and lots of beautiful light.

I love the world.

Ember

The ashes fall on top of me, scorching hot. It doesn't matter, though, because I'm free.

A beautiful dragon looks down at me. There are rubies sparkling above her eyes. The world is so beautiful, I think pleasantly.

But then I see her eyes, and they are full of cruelty.

My heart fills with fear, and I know I am going to die.

Kestrel

They are beautiful, both of them.

Too bad our time had to be cut so short.

Peril

Is this my fault?

Ember

They take us to a river, and the ruby-eyed dragon tells Mother to kill one of us.

Please, I plead with my eyes, don't do it.

Don't you love me?

Kestrel

What choice did I have? I didn't have a choice.

I don't want to kill my son, but I know I have to. I can't kill my daughter. She is bigger, and she has firescales. I literally can not kill her.

Peril

I don't want this to be my fault.

Ember

Somehow, I know Mother will go for me. I am weaker than my sister, smaller, and more vulnerable.

My own mother dives her claws into my chest.

Peril

I can't watch.

I can't watch.

Mother is killing my brother.

Please, please, please don't let this be my fault.

Ember

My last glimpse of the world is of my sister, looking at me fearfully with those dark blue eyes.

I'm sorry, her eyes say. I'm sorry it had to be this way.

Peril

I'm sorry this is happening.

I wish I could find some way to stop it.

Ember

The earth is trembling underneath my talons. The light is vanishing from my eyes. Why do I feel so lightheaded-?

Peril

There. It's over. My brother is dead.

Kestrel

Why did I do this?

Peril

This can't be happening. Why is this happening?

Kestrel

Scarlet tells me to kill my daughter, too.

I can't do this.

Peril

Mother tries to scoop me up, cradling me in her talons. I know my heat hurts her. I wish I could stop it. Why can't I stop it? Why am I burning her?

Kestrel

I try to take her with me.

I can't hold onto her. The pain is too much.

I have to leave.

Peril

I fall to the ground, and a shock goes through me, knocking the wind out of my lungs.

I look up, and she's flying away, leaving me in the beautiful dragon's mercy.

Is she going to kill me?

"Peril," she says in a sickeningly sweet voice. "I have big, big plans for you."