The dragon froze.
For a single, stretched heartbeat, the four of them simply stared at one another, the air thick with tension.
Then the dragon moved.
He pulled himself free from the woman without haste and rose to his full height, completely naked, scales faintly shimmering beneath human skin that could no longer fully hide his true nature. Power rolled off him in waves.
His eyes—vertical slits burning with molten gold—locked onto Chiron and Silmarien with naked hostility.
"How did you get in here?" he demanded.
The words were calm, but the intent behind them was murderous.
This was his territory, and the way his fingers flexed told them he fully intended to kill intruders first and ask questions later.
Claws began to push through his fingertips, black and curved, scraping softly against the marble floor.
Before Silmarien could react, Chiron stepped forward.
