St. Andrew's was a lush green place with a large castle sitting on a seaside cliff. The towers offered defense from the surrounding land and any ships that may come. We remained high above the bustling activity below, watching in anticipation at what may occur. My heart sped up as I spotted Agnolo emerge from the fortress. I could feel the heat rising in my body. Blue light emanated from my fingertips as the anger bubbled in my gut.

"Calm yourself, Evelyn," Draco said.

Reginald snorted a plume of dark smoke. "I do not like this."

"What's wrong?" James asked.

"It is entirely too easy for us to get close."

I let my fingers play with the vial of the mortal potion the witch gave me. I kept it on me at all times waiting till the moment I could use it on Agnolo, Berard, and Githa.

A swarm of assassins ran out from every door of the castle, gathering in the center courtyard. An uneasy feeling clenched my stomach as a large catapult was dragged from beneath one of the towers.

"We need to move. Now!" I shouted.

A large fireball whizzed past my head moments after saying it, singeing part of my hair. Sweat beaded on my forehead from the heat as Draco flapped his massive wings taking us higher into the clouds.

"How did they know?" James asked, shouting over the wind.

"Who knows? They know everything!"

"It doesn't matter. They know we're planning something. We must get to the elders."

"To Kirkcaldy."

As another fireball emerged from the clouds, we left the place. The assassins vanished just as quickly as they'd appeared. There were too many for us to destroy on our own. My visit to Italy had done nothing to stop the Guild.

As we neared the two sheer white walls, I held tightly to Draco. He held his wings in as we dove toward the ocean. Once he was a few feet from the water he released his wings and glided over the choppy ocean. Reginald and James followed close behind. At the base of the cliff wall, Draco stretched out his talons and grasped the rock, climbing slowly. I tightened my knees about his neck and clung to his scaly shoulders with all my might. A low rumble seemed to erupt from the earth, shaking the very cliff we climbed. Reginald and Draco replied with the same deep rumble. A large white head emerged from the top, smoke billowing from its nose.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"The oldest of all dragons. That is mother dragon. Syrrith."

"Mother of all dragons?" James asked.

"She is the first of us," Reginald responded.

A second dark blue head emerged, smoke billowing from its nose as well.

"And that is?"

"Father of all dragons. Fafnir. They are the sun and moon. Day and night."

"Wow."

Draco let out a high-pitched yelp which seemed to cause my insides to jiggle about my body. A fireball from Syrrith was replying to his call.

"What did that mean?" I whispered.

"They are not pleased."

"Why?"

"The situation of the world."

"Oh." I pursed my lips and took a deep breath. "Are they going to eat us?"

Reginald let out a low chuckle. "No. The dragon elders will not eat you."

We finished the ascent up the side of the cliff, emerging to a flat grass circle. Large white stones scattered the area as other dragons went from one to the other turning them and letting out soft, throaty gurgles.

"What are they doing?"

"Singing to the babies."

"Those are eggs?" I asked surprised.

"Of course. We're in the nesting grounds."

Draco followed Syrrith and Fafnir to a far wall and into a cave. The narrow tunnel led to a large, open cavern. Dozens of other dragons sat on rock ledges facing us. I felt small and insignificant in front of such majestic beings.

"Why do you bring humans here?" Syrrith asked.

"They are our bonded riders."

"The girl. She is different," Fafnir replied, sniffing the air.

"We had something interesting happen."

"A deep bond occurred," a red dragon to the left of Sayrrith said.

"Yes, Sirrush. Before we departed Edinburgh we bonded again. I've never heard of such a thing."

"The girl is a dragon heart," a yellow dragon below them answered.

"A dragon heart?" Draco asked.

"Yes. Once every few hundred years one is born of dragon to humans. We have not seen one in a thousand years."

"What is a dragon heart though?" I asked.

"You, child, are not fully human. When you were born you were born with dragon in your heart."

"What does that mean?"

"When you perish you shall become an elder. The last who was sits before you now."

"Who?" Reginald asked.

A large dragon the color of the night sky emerged. His golden eyes bore into my soul. He wasn't wholly dragon. He was something entirely different.

"Who are you?" I asked, sliding from Draco's back, and walking toward him.

"My dragon name is Vasuki. When I was of your form, they called me Edward."

"Edward?"

"Yes, child. I am of your lineage."

"My..."

"Is there anything your family isn't?" James whispered.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Our family is always destined for greatness. Whether to simply rule a country, become an assassin, or are a dragon heart."

"Why?"

"It is one of the great mysteries of the world, child."

"What happens now?"

"You must defeat the Guild. You must stop them before it is too late," Syrrith said.

I shook my head. "It's not possible."

"It is," Fafnir replied.

I pursed my lips and stared, waiting for them to tell me what to do.

"The potion the witch gave you mixed with your blood will be lethal enough to end them," Vasuki said.

"My blood?"

"The blood of a dragon heart. It is toxic blood."

"I am toxic?"

"No, sweet girl, you are not toxic. Your blood is though when mixed with that potion. Used any other way, it could heal wounds and save lives."

"Like I saved Draco?"

"Yes."

"We must bond other dragons," Reginald interrupted.

"Agreed," Fafnir answered.

"I'm not so sure," Syrrith responded.

"Not sure?" James asked. "If we do not have bonded dragons and riders, we'll never win."

"I do agree with that," she replied. "But a bond cannot be forced. A dragon must choose to bond. If one does not find a human that matches their soul, a bond will be tragic."

"How so?" I asked.

"An ill-bonded dragon and rider are sure to meet their demise."

"Draco's first rider."

Syrrith nodded her majestic head. "Yes. He was not meant to be Draco's true rider. You were always meant for him."

Draco hung his head low, a solitary tear sliding down his rough face.

"Do not trouble yourself, Draco," Fafnir told him. "The boy was meant for his destiny. The stars unfolded his story in such a way. He died as he should have."

Draco nodded, I wasn't entirely sure he believed it. A pang of sadness tugged at my heart.

Is that Draco's feelings?

"How do we find out if they can bond?"

"We shall send out a few to scour the lands. A matching soul will sing to them."

"Sing to them?" James asked.

"Yes. If a soul matches a dragon, it will sing to their hearts. Then they will know."

"Will the human?" I questioned.

"Sometimes. Sometimes they will hear the dragon's heart song."

"I didn't hear Draco's."

"You don't have to. He heard your soul sing to him. Which is why his bond stuck and you have the deep bond."

I nodded and climbed back onto his back.

"Fly. Return to Edinburgh. We shall send word once the dragons return. If they have bonded we will continue sending out groups until there is an army large enough to fight the Guild."

We departed from the cave. A deep sense of awe and a lot of confusion filled me. I wasn't sure what to do with the newfound knowledge or even if anyone else in my family knew of it. No other dragon heart had been born of the world in a thousand years. I would become a dragon when it was my time to perish.

When was my time?

Would Draco also perish? Or would he become stronger?

The trip back to Edinburgh was silent as tons of new questions filled my mind. The sun had set by the time we returned. I slid off Draco and rubbed his neck. He pressed his forehead to mine before retreating to the barn. James wrapped his arm around my waist and led me to the castle. I didn't bother dressing into a nightgown. I lay on the bed and drifted to sleep within moments. James's arms wrapped around my body, no care who found us in the morning.