Dance of Wings, page 1
part #1 of The Dragon Portal Series
CONTENTS
The Dragon Portal Series
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Acknowledgments
Special Offer
Also by Jamie A. Waters
About the Author
Dance of Wings © 2025 by Jamie A. Waters
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cover Art: Deranged Doctor Design
Editor: Sam Everard
Proofreader: Tracy Dickey
ISBN: 978-1-949524-31-4 (Hardback Edition)
ISBN: 978-1-949524-30-7 (Paperback Edition)
ISBN: 978-1-949524-29-1 (eBook Edition)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022917735
First Edition *June 2025
THE DRAGON PORTAL SERIES
To Kill a Fae
By Blood and Magic
Facets of Power
Shadows and Twilight
Dance of Wings
Forest of Secrets
For Adriane, the little sister of my childhood.
You’ve shown me what resilience looks like—with grace, courage, and heart. You are a reminder that even in the darkest of times, light can shine through.
CHAPTER 1
“You should turn me into a dragon!”
Sabine arched her eyebrow at the tiny pixie peering up at her with wide, hopeful eyes. Blossom’s purple and yellow hair was arranged in some sort of design that reminded Sabine of flower petals. Ever since she’d received a magical boost in the underworld, Blossom had begun matching her hair with her dress and using a splash of glamour to make them as colorful as possible. She’d be a tiny rainbow terror in dragon form, creating havoc and leaving a trail of glittering pixie dust in her wake.
“I’m not turning you into a dragon,” Sabine said, turning back to stare across the horizon as a low thrum of fatigue plagued her. They’d need to land soon. She could feel Malek’s weariness through their bond growing with each passing hour.
Pressing her hand against one of his sharp claws that gripped their carrier, she sent a fortifying wave of magic over him. The rush of love that swept over her in return was as intimate as a caress. She lowered her head and smiled, marveling at how even a touch of a dragon’s power could make her heart soar.
Blossom’s wings twitched, her lips turning downward in a thoughtful pout. Sabine could almost see the wheels turning in the pixie’s head. The novelty of flying in a dragon’s clutches had worn off after the first day. Now Blossom was simply bored and looking for a new source of entertainment.
“If I were a dragon, I could challenge Malek to a race,” Blossom said wistfully. “Think how fast we’ll make it to the Sky Cities!”
Sabine made a noncommittal noise, peering over the edge of the makeshift carrier she’d created using branches from a silver tree. The ground rushed below them at an almost dizzying speed. The thought of going even faster had her stomach lurching in queasiness. Although, part of that could be Malek’s movements. No one said a dragon’s flight was smooth.
“We’re going fast enough,” Sabine said, shaking her head. Pixies might have wings, but the fae were never meant to soar the skies like birds.
“Give it up, bug. Sabine needs to conserve her strength,” Bane said, leaning back and closing his eyes. The demon had taken to resting while they were in the air and guarding them at night so she and Malek could sleep.
Blossom landed on one of the carrier’s silver branches and glared at Bane. “You’re just jealous you don’t have wings.”
Bane opened his amber eyes and glared at Blossom. “If I tear yours off, I’ll have a pair, won’t I?”
Blossom squeaked and dove onto Sabine’s shoulder. “I knew it! You are jealous! Everyone wants wings!”
Rika wrinkled her nose. “Been there, done that. I think I’ll pass on the experience.”
Sabine’s mouth twitched in a grin as she glanced over at the dark-haired teenager flipping through a book she’d found in their bag. Several weeks earlier, an accidental transformation turned Rika into a part-butterfly humanoid. Magic didn’t act quite right around human seers, and Rika was growing into her powers with remarkable alacrity.
“Sabine,” Malek’s voice slipped into her thoughts. The mind-touch speech ability was still new, but it was growing stronger every day.
She immediately pressed her hand against his claw to reinforce their connection and asked silently, “What is it?”
“We’re approaching Imenel, the city that acts as a gateway to the Sky Cities. We’ll stop there overnight and leave word for Levin and Esme before traveling to my clan’s home.”
Sabine turned to stare in the direction they were flying. All she could see was a blanket of trees below them. It was a welcome sight compared to the vast expanse of barren land they’d seen during their travels. Centuries had passed without the touch of the fae in many parts of the world.
She suppressed her instinctive desire to reach out to the land and focused on Malek instead.
“How long until we arrive?”
“I recognize some of the landmarks. The city and coast will be visible in another twenty minutes. I’ll land a distance away so we can enter on foot. It’s been several years since my last visit. I’d like to get a feel for things before we announce our arrival.”
“Don’t push yourself too much, Malek. Another few hours won’t make much difference. I can feel your fatigue.”
A gentle caress of Malek’s heated power trailed over her skin. “I’ll feel better once you’re safe within the Sky Cities. The Wild Hunt and your family can’t touch you there.”
Sabine sighed, unable to argue the point. Her enemies wanted her dead, and there were scarce few places in the world where she’d be out of their reach. If someone had suggested a few short months ago she’d be safe hiding amongst her once-feared enemies, she never would have believed them.
She pulled away and turned to her companions. “Malek says we’ll be landing soon. We may be able to stay in an actual inn tonight.”
“Finally.” Rika closed the book and placed it inside the traveler’s pack. The magical bags had been a gift from Faerie and miniaturized the contents to make traveling easier. “The thought of a real bed and a bath that’s not a lake or river sounds fantastic. And food. Delicious food that’s something other than travel rations or burned rabbit.”
Bane snorted. “Tired of traveling already, little seer?”
Rika grinned. “I got spoiled living in the dwarven city.”
Blossom rubbed her hands together. “Speaking of food, I bet they have some yummy new flowers down there. Lots of fae used to live in this area before the dragons claimed it. Only the bravest pixies still venture here. The ones who returned had all sorts of stories about what they’d found.”
Sabine smiled at the pixie. “I’m curious about the plants and flowers myself.”
Bane stood and leaned against the railing beside Sabine. He lifted his face to the wind and inhaled deeply. “I smell salt in the air. We’re approaching the coast.”
Sabine took a deep breath but couldn’t detect anything. Bane’s senses were sharper than hers. “Do you know much about Imenel?”
“It’s similar to Akros,” Bane said, referring to the mostly human city where she’d hidden from the fae for over ten years. “Many of the residents are human and closely allied with the dragon clans. The dragons and their hoarding tendencies have made it a fairly profitable port.”
Rika attached the traveler’s pack to her belt and stood. “Have you been there before, Bane?”
Bane didn’t reply right away. “Not i
Rika started to ask a question, but Sabine shook her head in warning. The teenager pressed her lips together and nodded in understanding. Bane was often reluctant in sharing details about his past, and any such discussions needed to be handled delicately.
Leaning against Bane, Sabine asked quietly, “Do we need to hide your identity?”
“That won’t be necessary,” Bane said, running a hand over her hair to siphon off a trace of her magic. “There is no one among the living who would dream of betraying me.”
Sabine nodded. Bane had been an extremely successful assassin for years. With his ability to sense and even manipulate someone’s life force, he had a natural affinity for such work.
Blossom landed on Sabine’s shoulder and asked, “Do you think Esme will be there?”
Sabine smiled. “I hope so. Malek said they’d planned to meet us in Imenel. Levin and Esme had a bit of a head start since they left Razadon weeks before we did, but we’ve traveled a more direct route. If they’re not there yet, we’ll leave a message letting them know to meet us in the Sky Cities.”
Bane straightened and stared across the horizon, his clawed hand tightening around the makeshift railing. Sabine looked up at him and then in the direction he was staring. There was nothing but endless blue sky and clouds ahead of them.
“What is it, Bane?”
“I’m not sure yet. Something’s not right.”
Sabine frowned. Trusting Bane’s instincts had saved their lives more than once. She’d be a fool to discount him now. She reached for him, supplementing his power with her own. His midnight skin glowed with an eerie blue light, his horns shifting to pale silver as he tapped into the full force of his magic.
Bane’s eyes narrowed. “Six life forces traveling this way and moving in formation. They’re moving fast.”
Blossom hopped up on the railing. “Life forces? Like a bear? They know all the good honey spots.”
“Not unless bears suddenly have wings. Let the dragon know we’re about to have company.”
Sabine pressed her hand against Malek’s claw and spoke over their mental connection. “Bane senses six life forces flying in our direction. Any idea whether they’re friend or foe?”
“A wyvern squadron shouldn’t be patrolling this far from the Sky Cities unless something’s wrong,” Malek said. “If Bane senses them already, they’ll be within sight in moments. Can you hide yourself from view until we determine their intent?”
Sabine quickly tapped into her magic, causing her skin markings to glow with a silver and gold light. Flinging her power outward, she used their shared bond to attach the illusion against Malek’s dragon scales. It wouldn’t stand against touch, but the glamour would shield the carrier and its occupants from view. Anyone who looked upon them from outside the carrier would see nothing but an obsidian-colored dragon soaring the skies.
Sabine pinned the other end of the illusion in place. It pierced her skin, and she inhaled sharply at the sacrifice the magic demanded. All magic had a cost, and she would accept this one gladly if it kept her companions safe.
“It’s done,” she said to Malek.
“Then hold on tight,” Malek said wryly. “You’re about to discover how dragons greet one another. I’m afraid this dance may not be as pleasurable as the private one I had planned for you.”
Sabine sent a pulse of her power outward to grow additional handholds in the branches of the silver tree. “Malek says our flight’s about to get a little bumpy. Hold on.”
Rika quickly looped her arms through the handholds and gripped the branch tightly. “Seeing as how the nearest exit is plummeting to our death, I’ll stay inside.”
Sabine arched her brow when Blossom landed on her shoulder. The pixie grabbed Sabine’s hair tightly, holding on to her makeshift reins.
“Really, Blossom? What happened to all your talk about having wings?”
The pixie grinned. “Safety first.”
Bane tensed beside her, his eyes flashing silver as he readied himself. Sabine turned back to the horizon, watching as six dark shadows eclipsed her view of the pristine blue sky. They were huge creatures similar in appearance to Malek, but lacking his monumental size and grace.
“Wyverns,” Bane muttered in disgust. “They’re the roaches of the dragon world. A pity they weren’t all exterminated millennia ago.”
Sabine didn’t respond, captivated by the unfamiliar sight. The wyvern’s wingspans were nearly half the size of Malek’s, and instead of four legs, they only had two. Their coloring was different too. Malek’s scales were the color of polished obsidian, each one glittering with what appeared to be stardust. They shifted and changed in the light, camouflaging him against the night sky. These other creatures, however, possessed the deep jewel tones of precious gems rarely seen outside the dwarven mines.
Without warning, Malek banked sharply. Sabine staggered, holding on tightly to the handholds while Bane and Rika did the same. The wyverns matched his movements, still on a path to intercept them.
Blossom yanked hard on Sabine’s hair and shouted, “Wheeeee! Do it again, Malek!”
Sabine winced. Despite her small size, the pixie had a powerful grip. “I’m rather attached to my hair, Blossom.”
Blossom managed a sheepish grin. “Oops. Sorry, Sabine. I got caught up in the moment.”
A sharp blast of Malek’s dragonfire trumpeted outward toward the approaching figures. Malek’s voice filled her head, the language strange yet eerily familiar as he called out to his brethren. Something about the cadence of his words reminded her of the ancient language of the gods, but she couldn’t make out the meaning.
The creatures didn’t alter their course or speed. They were still on a direct path toward them. Sabine frowned, sensing Malek’s unease increasing through their bond.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“They’re not responding, nor are they deviating from fighting formation. Hold on tight. We need to evade them.”
Before she could call out a warning to her friends, Malek dove downward, narrowly avoiding a wyvern’s sharpened claws. Rika screamed, the sound slicing through Sabine’s thoughts and fracturing her hold on the illusion shielding them from view. A wyvern broke out of formation and dove toward them, his glowing serpentine eyes focused on the carrier in Malek’s grip.
“Sabine, get down!” Bane yelled, covering her body with his as the wyvern’s jaws came within touching distance. Malek struck their attacker with the sharpened edge of his tail, but the wyvern merely renewed his efforts. Sabine lifted her hand and blasted the creature away from them with a strong expulsion of magic.
“The glamour won’t hold!” Sabine shouted, realizing in dismay that Rika’s seer abilities were interfering with the illusion. The other wyverns had realized Malek was carrying passengers and were now focused on them. These weren’t simple beasts, but intelligent creatures working together to attack their chosen quarry.
One of them slammed into Malek’s side, sending the carrier’s occupants sprawling across the floor. Rika crashed into Sabine with enough force to steal her breath. Malek banked sharply again and dove downward. Sabine’s silvery hair whipped away from her face as the ground rushed up to meet them.
Letting out a panicked cry, she and Rika slid across the floor of the carrier. Bane caught Sabine’s wrist and yanked her upright. She looped her arm through the handholds again and reached for Rika just as Malek pulled up, narrowly avoiding a blast of dragonfire from one of the creatures. It was impossible to fight and hold on at the same time.
