Ezra shot through the bedrock, his mind racing with questions, as the burden of knowing Agony's true name sank in. Did Avery know his true identity? If she did, that meant she'd been withholding it from him. His mind began to spin thinking that she'd withhold such a thing? He was her only hope of escape! Would she risk losing his help knowingly trying to help Grimore escape?

His mistrust of Avery began to eat at him as he soared through the bedrock. Dracgon flight through solid things was a thing he was still getting used to. He flew as a if in the sky his wings beating powerfully, but there was no wind whistling around his scales. No sun, stars, or moon's light bending and hurling Alabastar graced light off their surfaces.

He figured it was as close to flying in a tomb as he would come. Shooting through the halls and walls of Wanderer's Mountain had been a dark, solitary flight. Flying beneath the surface of Nazra was soul numbing, as if flying through death's cold bones, searing the soul with the cold, the loneliness, flying among the fallen of ages past.

He could feel them sometimes, the dead, those that had returned to the dust from hence they were created. At first his flights through the soil had been done with difficulty, he'd had to adjust to what he now called his 'dirt-vision'. His ability to see through solid object while in his ethereal form. He was finding that the more he used his Dracgon, the more the draca was becoming a part of him, knowing him.

His second encounter with Vex he'd not had the ability, having to rely on his hearing to tell him where he was at. Now, he could melt into a wall and observe those within the room. He was getting better at lurking about the Lance, but always aware of the dark shadow that partroled the keep itself. Agony had said that the presence within, was the Queens most potent of magics, that if the beast were to ever discover him that he'd be dead, plain and simple.

Ezra had no problems avoiding the Shadow of the keep, he'd avoided the castle since it had attacked him that day. It seemed that whatever presence that lurked within the castle was bound to it. With a war coming the Queen had given up on getting cozy with her Dracgons, her time was now spent plotting and planning. Her Generals, Dukes and Duchesses, and her advisers from Wreakers conferring, trying to prepare for a war none had seen coming.

It was troubling times, murmurs were even beginning to surface that perhaps Reyna wasn't fit enough to lead them through this war. The twelve nobles being killed within the walls of the keep had shaken manys faith in the Queen. People had grown used to peace, and now that it was threatened, they were in a panic.

He flew around the room that held Avery as prisoner, scanning each aisle, he found Avery sitting at the head of the study table. Drabbed in a dirty, wool robe, she sat nervously in the chair, it was then that he realized she wasn't alone. Queen Reyna stood coolly behind her, dressed in all black, her regalness unmistakable.

Ezra cursed to himself, he'd mastered seeing through the dirt while in his ethereal form. He couldn't risk flying around too many times, afraid the Queen might somehow spot him. He circled the room once more, the scared and nervous look on Avery's face bit at his stomach. He made up his mind, looking to the room where the bodies of the dead were lain, he drifted in.

He switched from Dracgon to human, from ghost to solid, his foot narrowly missing a bone as he now hid behind the wall. The smell of the dead and their excrement hole cast a strong, almost burning odor, he took shallow breaths to keep from gagging. Straining his draca hearing, he listened.

"I see your wounds have healed,' said the Queen coldly, "only a few discolored bruises still remain." The Queen lightly brushing Avery's cheeks, "You're skin is so lovely."

Avery sat, visibly shaking.

"I need a book written by a man named Merlin. The title of the book, Beastial Traits- A Darkening. Are you aware of it?"

Avery shook her head slowly, "I am sorry my Queen, it is unfamiliar to me."

"I'll return later tonight, find me the book." The Queens tone demanding, "and wash yourself, you're a Princess, carry yourself as such."

"Yes my Queen." Avery replied meekly.

Suddenly the Queen was gone, a vapor, and then nothing, a breath let out in the cold that disappeared. Ezra watched in awe, the Queen wielding a power he'd was just beginning to understand.

"I smell the blood Dracgon, you get bolder...or more foolish with each visit."

"I'd like to think it the first. Knowledge isn't always acquired, sometimes it must be boldly taken."

He walked out of the filthy room and towards the front of the library. "I need the book of Allures, Bindings, and Paths! Are you familiar with it?"

Avery now stood, the meek vampire that had sat before the queen now gathered herself. She didn't look in his direction as he walked up, letting him know that perhaps she was starting to trust him?

She walked around a corner of the table, "It is strange you ask for that book."

"It is?"

"That is the book that the Queen uses the most, I keep it here on the table all the time, she uses it so frequently."

Avery reached over the table and dug out a book bound in a elite purple dyed leather, gold embossed the borders, the title in gold as well.

She handed him the book, her eyes running over his bare skinned chest, they seemed to sparkle as they took him in.

He shifted uncomfortably, "Needed my shirt for this." He placed his bloodied shirt on the table.

"You can open the book?" She asked in a near whisper, he could feel her breath on his neck as she looked over his shoulder.

Ezra grimaced, "I've the knowledge, but I've never spun this type of spell."

"Is it difficult?"

"For me? Yes its hard, and if I can't get this book to open, we'll lose the key to open the others."

She gave him a worried look, but then rubbed his arm gently, "You can do this Ezra." She said softly.

Her touch sent a pleasant jolt of pain through him, the Alabastar in his blood stirring with the touch, painful yet erotic.

He focused away from her touch to the task at hand. The book was heavy, but the cover a soft, supple leather that was soft and smooth to the touch. He took his blooded shirt and did as instructed, a daub of blood at the top and bottom of the books binder.

He stiffly, yet carefully moved his fingers, feeling the draca beneath his finger tips. Spinning the draca was like playing the lute, his fingertips feeling the draca like the lute strings.

'That's it Ezra, you've got it, now the words.' Encouraged Grimore.

"Boula bi' Troon.' He said stiffly, his tongue stiff to the language, the words meaning, bound in blood in an old Nazra dialect. The draca on his finger tips now stirred and moved, the cover of the book slowly opening.

'Is it done brother?'

'Don't call me that Grimore!'

He could sense the dragon laughing, 'As you wish bro... Ezra.'

"You did it!" Avery said delighted, pulling the book away from him.

It was in a dialect he couldn't read, "Can you read it?"

Avery nodded, "Yes, now shut-up so I can concentrate." She sat back down, turning pages.

He'd gotten use her attitude, if he was honest he actually liked her. Even after centuries of imprisonment and abuse, she still carried herself as a heiress. At least to him. She was meek around Vex and the Queen, totally submissive and beat down. But to him, she was something else, something extraordinary, a sultress like no other.

She was dirty and grimy now, Vex giving her little water or soaps to wash with. Yet, to him her disheveled look was part of her beauty, all this time neglected yet she lived on, she fought on. Looking for an escape from a prison that seemed to have none.

"I've got it!" She said excitedly, "Dracgon, grab one of the bowls over there and bring it to me."

He did so without thinking, heading over to the living area and finding an old metal bowl. He grabbed in and quickly returned to her.

Avery grabbed it and then put it on the table, she placed the shirt and tongue in the bowl.

"Dump the vial in there."

Ezra removed the vial from his pocket, and removed the stopper.

Avery grabbed his wrist pulling the vial closer to her mouth.

"Avery! No!" He shouted as she pulled the vial even closer.

"At ease Dracgon, I only wish to smell it."

That's what she did, she sniffed it longingly, and then dumped it into the bowl. Her large eyes looked up and him, smiling, he felt his heart skip in delight.

"Here is the spell Dracgon." She slid the book back over to him. "You must have your hands on the bowl when you speak the words."

'You will be using the Alabastar fire as a purging agent. It will burn away everything but the blood. But be careful Ezra, too much heat and you'll destroy it all.' Cautioned Grimore.

'Now you tell me the risk!?' He lashed to Grimore.

'If I told you earlier that this plan has little chance of success, would you have helped?'

Ezra ignored him, he looked at the book, it was all signs and symbols which he had no clue of their meaning.

"This is pointless, I can't read this." He said to Avery.

The vampire looked at him, "I am a vampire we cannot work the magics or the draca, I found you the spell but that is all I can do."

'I can't read this Grimore, it's a language I don't understand.'

The dragon was silent a moment, hesitating.

'You may not understand it Ezra, but I can, let me use your eyes as you do the Rackals and...'

'You're unlit dragon, I would'nt have let Agony do that, and now that I know who you are! No chance in Hada that I let you do it now that I know who you are!'

"Come on Dracgon, were losing time." Urged Avery

"I can't." He replied, "I can't read it."

"Then let Grimore do it."

He froze, his eyes becoming angry slits as he stared at her, "You knew it was the dragon king?"

Avery looked at him, annoyed, "Do not waiver now Dracgon. Grimore and I may not have told you everything you wished, but we have not lied to you either."

"He just threatened to out me to the Queen!" He shouted.

Avery gave him that half smile that just teased, slightly showing the dimple on her left cheek, "That sounds like a dragon king. Now come on, were losing blood the more time we waste."

He was taken aback with her light dismissal of Grimore's threats.

"He threatened you as well." He added.

This caused a small pause from the pale vampire.

"You've a choice Ezra, let him use your eyes to open the books, or do nothing and never know that which you seek. You've told me before your mind has not felt your own since you were chosen by the draca. Wouldn't you like to have a chance to find out why? Or, perhaps even learn how to reclaim it?"

He thought on her words for a moment, she was right, his mind was not his own. What harm could come of letting Grimore see through his eyes this one time?

"He threatened you too Avery." He said again.

"I don't care Dracgon," she snapped at him, "if I am free to die than that is good enough for me!"

He stared into her wanting brown eyes, they didn't want him, no. It was the want of a caged animal lusting for freedom. He turned away, closing his eyes, but her beautiful face was etched in his eyelids. The hurt, the pain on her face a nightmare to him, he wanted nothing more than to take the pain away, to save her.

'Lets do this Grimore! My vision only, stay out of my thoughts.'

He sensed a cold peace sweep over the dragon, a wave of cold running up and down his own spine.

'As you wish, as you wish.' Was Grimore's reply.

Pog pouted and squawked as he severed the familiar connection with the Rackal. In order to serve as Grimore's familiar, his mind had to be free of the Rackal's bond. A shot of guilt cut through him as he pushed Pog away, his heart ached, he'd not broken the link with Pog in almost a year. The Rackals absence hurt him, he could imagine the pain that poor Pog was feeling.

'Lets do this Grimore.'

'Yes brother, lets.' The dragon said coldly.

Ezra felt the 'knot' tighten, much stronger than anytime he'd ever felt it before.

'You are brave Ezra Cleave. Most men would have run away from such revelations, but you embrace them.'

'Maybe I'm just a fool?' He scoffed.

'Not a fool, Ezra, not a fool.'

The dragon was in his head now, within moments Ezra lost focus, the dragon controlling his eyes. Moving them to scan the page, and the ruins held within. He felt his eyes move once again, Grimore wanting to see if he still held the bowl.

'All is in place brother,' the dragon thought to him smoothly, 'Diao, diao, ashwaa'

"Diao, diao, ashwaa." Ezra said aloud, instantly the draca sparked, the Albastar flames snapping and crackling to life. The shirt and the tongue consumed almost immediately. He held his breath as the flames danced and gyrated around the bowl, their sway mesmerizing and entrancing. The flames slowly burned out, the blood boiled and bubbled in the bottom of the bowl.

'Did it work?' Asked Grimore.

The thoughts pulled Ezra's focus from the flames, he'd been so enthralled with the flames he'd not even noticed the dragon had left his mind. Almost immediately he reached out to Pog, he could sensed the Rackal near hysterics. He comforted the bird as best he could, their link weakened with him this far below the surface.

'It worked dragon, it worked.'

He felt a sense of relief coming from the dragon, 'Then I will leave you to your search Ezra, this day has been taxing I must rest.'

The dragon's presence was there one moment, within the span of a breath was gone the next, leaving him alone with Avery once more.

She looked at him questioningly.

"It looks like it worked, once the blood cools I'll pour it back into the vial, looks like I'll have enough to almost fill it."

Avery nodded her approval, "You are now the biggest threat to the Queen, be wary, trust no one. The very fate of Nazra rest in your hands now Dracgon."

Ezra placed the stopper in the vial once more, before tightly clenching it in his fist.

"What will you do with it now Dracgon?" Asked Avery.

He put the vial in his pant's pocket.

"You best start looking for that book the Queen asked you for, if I were you I'd try and stay on her good side. While your at it, grab me all the volumes on the Reckoning, it's time I know the truth."

He'd visited her numerous times in the past, she always carried herself with an air of superiority, but she now just bowed her head gently and turned to peruse the vast shelves for the books she needed. Ezra sat down at the table, exhaling, wondering if he truly were doing the right thing? Or, was he just being played by the dragon and the gorgeous vampire?