I moaned and clutched my head, the pain wracking through my body was unbelievable. An agonizing headache pounded against my skull and my right leg felt like something had clawed it off. It was fine, my body was fine. It just hurt even more because I knew it wasn't my pain, it was Soren's.

It was dark, I had flown back to the mountain where I grew up to try and get some sleep. There was a room that could only be opened by using my magic, I was nestled into one of the corners, putting as much pressure as I could on my head as I begged Skylark to make the pain stop. Why had I ever thought possessing the general would be a good idea? It was a plan that had been thwarted so easily, and by a bunch of measly younglings as well.

The cave smelled like burnt scales, I hated it. It was the only place that had been safe enough for me whenever my magic took me over. I can only imagine the scared faces of my parents as they watched me, a young dragonet, tear through the rock like it was butter. Tears pricked at the corner of my eyes. Abandoned by my parents, defeated by hatchlings, left sobbing in a cave with no friends of family as my own magic ripped me apart.

I just want Soren back. The thought that he was alone and hurting on Earth was agonizing. It had been about a year since I was forcibly thrown through a portal I accidentally created myself. I just left him there. Another wave of pain spiked through my skull and I cried out in frustration, steaming dragon tears falling down my face. I can't use samtvinnuð because ever since I left Soren my magic's been all messed up and causes me pain, which causes him pain. If he's in as much pain as I'm feeling the last thing he needs right now is for me to add to it.

    I'm stuck. My last chance was to posses General Benjamin so he could get Amanda to open a portal for me. I knew she could have done it with the other dragon's souls that I had collected for her. Only I was stupid and didn't count on the fact she would kill herself to get some help. Or that she was smart enough to tell the scrawny red dragon how to reverse all my spells. I also didn't count on the fact I had kidnapped the mother of the current King.

    You did also want to use Benjamin's influence to take revenge on Soren's family. My quiet conscience peeped up from the back. Shut up, they deserve what was coming to them. I told myself firmly, I knew I was right. I had worked so hard to get those souls. It was almost as agonizing as being away from Soren.

    More tears pooled around my face as I realized just how easily I had been defeated. Maybe it was time to give up, maybe I should just beg Amanda to do help me. Surely I wasn't that prideful, was I?

    My head jolted up, as I realized something. Maybe I could still make thing work. You can do this Cerin, you find Soren again. I slunk out from my cave and found an exit. The wing blew gently in my face as it always did around this mountain. Then I spread my wings, crouched, and gave a short hop into the air.

I coming Soren.

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LET ME MAKE SOME THINGS CLEAR:

    NO, I have not started a new book. I'm honestly simply tired of not being able to show off the cover, because I worked gosh darn hard on this cover.

    I do not plan to continue this any time soon. I plan on starting this book as soon as I'm done with the three Rider Trilogy books, starting with Dragonslayer, which I AM currently working on, and you CAN expect to be updated.

    If you wish to know what happened previously to this book, you can read Grendal's Game, which is COMPLETED, but not necessary to read for this book, or Dragonslayer.

That is all, enjoy ~