by Haley Ryan
Trust Ryker to ruin the moment with his skepticism. “Or because you want to spy on her for your father and figure out her weaknesses so you can exploit them.”
Okay, mushy feelings all gone.
“Um, point?” I said, raising my hand. “Draven already pretty much knows about my weaknesses. We’ve fought together. Almost died together several times. And if it wasn’t for him, I would never have learned to shift. Would never have thought to defend myself or go looking for answers. Honestly, none of us would be here without him, challenge or no challenge. So I think maybe you should both cut him some slack and trust him because frankly, I could use all the help I can get.”
After a long, heavy pause, Ryker finally nodded. “Okay,” he said. “If that’s what you want. Just so we’re clear that it’s you I trust, Kira, not him.”
Awkward silence.
“So,” I drawled, “now that we’re all friends again, what’s the plan?”
“We teach you to fight.” Declan sounded much too grim.
“And prepare for what happens if you lose.” Ryker didn’t sound much better.
Draven, however, was looking weirdly relaxed for a guy who faced an impossible task while surrounded by enemies. “I’ve seen Kira take on monsters with nothing but a cell phone and her bare hands,” he said calmly. “She’s not going to lose.”
Oh, how I wished I shared his confidence. But had he seen how big real dragons were?
I mean, I knew he had, but still…
“How long do we have?” Draven asked Ryker.
“The council will schedule the fight for sometime in the next month.”
“Can we convinced them to push it out as far as possible?”
Declan nodded. “They’ll be tied up in knots for a while over the issue of Morghaine and whether to grant Dathair’s request. Which actually works well for all of us. I believe I can ask Callum to ensure that they neither approve nor disapprove of that request for, oh, about a month. That way, Draven will have to remain here while awaiting our official response.”
He rose to his feet, signaling that the council of war was coming to a close. “Ryker, you’ll scout practice grounds while I have a little chat with Callum?”
“Better you than me,” Ryker said. “Mother and Callum will have found out about the challenge by now, and I won’t lay odds on whether the Great Hall is still standing.”
I wished I could have spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out with Draven, maybe even giving him a chance to explain what he meant when he said my life was important to him. Alas, my brothers were too vigilant to let that happen, so they dropped me off at my room on their way to accomplish their individual errands.
And I didn’t have a chance to sneak out, because when I got back to my room, I found it not as empty as I would have liked.
Skye stood by the window, waiting for me while tapping her fingers on her folded arms.
“There you are,” she said, sounding weirdly relieved as I walked in. “Ryker told me what happened. How are you holding up?”
I couldn’t quite conceal my frown at the idea that Ryker had confided in her. “Why are you here, Skye?”
It took her a moment to answer. “I could say because Ryker asked me to be, but the truth is, I don’t really want to be your enemy.”
“You didn’t exactly greet me like a friend.”
“I greeted you like the unknown that you are,” she corrected. “Dragons in general are even more suspicious than humans in their approach to the new. We have a certain tendency to test everything, and we’re slow to accept what we don’t understand. It’s easier to simply stay as we are, and we will go to great lengths to avoid change unless we know for sure it will benefit us.”
All very interesting, but why was she telling me this?
“Dragonkind was thrown into chaos when we came to Earth from Idria. We were forced to change, but no one could agree on how. The reason Tairen has been such an effective queen since then is that she cuts through all the bullshit. She has a very head-on style, which forced everyone to reckon with her, and because she’s a terrific fighter, she also forced everyone to shut up and cooperate while they built a place in this new world. And it’s worked, up until now.”
I decided to hear her out and flopped on the bed. “I’m listening. You seem to be implying that it’s not working anymore.”
She shook her head emphatically. “The opposing factions might have had to go along with her policies for a while, but like I said, they just don’t do change that well, or that quickly. They sit back and wait for the opportunity to do things their way.”
So which group was Skye a part of? The one that supported Lady Tairen? Or one that would just as soon see her step down?
And should I be worried about her motives for sharing this information?
“Essentially,” she continued, “there are four main factions here at the enclave, though they wouldn’t come out and name themselves as such, nor do they meet to talk about their plans like tidy little clubs. Everything is below the surface, but pretty much everyone knows who belongs to which group.
“You could say there are traditionalists and progressives. About half of the traditionalists are happy about your reappearance because you represent continuity. They don’t want the upheaval of a change in power. But there are also traditionalists who won’t want anything to do with you, because you represent the world they are forever trying to shut out.”
I turned my head to regard her quizzically. “You mean, Earth?”
“Essentially.” She shrugged. “They would have us live here, isolated in our enclave, forever keeping to the old ways that we followed in Idria. There are a few extremists who want us to hold more power and think we ought to rule even the humans, but fortunately, they’re few and not very vocal.”
“So they don’t like me because I was raised outside of your traditions. Because I know more about how to be human than how to be a dragon.”
“Correct.” She nodded approvingly. “But then there are the progressives. Many of them are thrilled at the idea of a queen who understands the human world, and who, they hope, would help us integrate better so that we aren’t so isolated here.”
“And probably some progressives who are equally cranky because they think I’ll just do whatever Mother says.”
Skye grinned, and the look was a little evil. “Obviously, you’re grasping the gist of the situation.”
“So, what does this challenge have to do with it?”
“We won’t know until we figure out which faction is behind it. But from listening to the whispers since Weldon’s challenge, I think it’s obvious that your status as a complete unknown has galvanized support for those who want to consider new options.”
“Meaning kicking Lady Tairen out?”
She nodded as I sat up to face her.
“And if I get dragon law correctly, if the collective opinion is against her, someone might decide to challenge her for the throne. Such as it is.”
“Unless she chooses to step down, yes,” Skye admitted, a crease forming between her perfectly tweezed brows.
“And if she did, the one who might be expected to step up is your mother.”
I probably sounded a little accusatory, but Skye acknowledged the truth without hesitation.
“Yes,” she said. No denial, no explanation.
“So why should I believe that you’re not plotting to turn all of this to your advantage and put her on the throne?”
“Because,” she said bluntly, “I’m grateful to her for raising me, but she would be a terrible queen.”
I thought that over. It seemed an odd way for her to talk about her mother. Lady Tairen had mentioned Jaida several times, and never with anything less than exasperated affection. “How so?”
“Because she’s never here,” Skye explained, not quite meeting my eyes. “She’s pretty and fun and full of life, but she’s been flitting in and out since I turned eighteen, never staying more than a fe
w days.”
That fit with what Lady Tairen had told the council.
“She tells me it’s better for everyone this way, but she never really talks to me anymore, and rarely attends council meetings. I suspect she simply prefers to avoid her responsibilities.”
As a girl who’d recently spent a lot of time questioning the genuineness of her relationships, I thought I recognized the stoic mask she wore.
“She left you,” I said matter-of-factly. “And it feels personal.”
Skye shot me a startled look, followed by a wan smile. “You are definitely your mother’s daughter, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t know,” I told her frankly. “But, I do know about being left behind by the person who you thought cared for you the most.”
“Yes, well…” her smile was brittle. “It’s possible that she simply decided I was a mistake.”
She must have seen my shock because she hastened to explain. “Maybe no one told you, but I was adopted when I was twelve. My family lived outside the enclave until my parents were killed in a car wreck.”
“That must have been horrific,” I murmured. And not just in an emotional sense. I couldn’t imagine what kind of car wreck could kill two dragons. “So, Jaida adopted you and brought you here?”
“Yes.” Skye focused on her nails for a moment. “It was only two years after you disappeared. I was dealing with my own trauma, and I’ve always felt like your brothers resented me for intruding on their grief over you. We had a rocky start, and it’s only been recently that I’ve been able to get to know them a little. I’ve never…” she paused and threw me an oddly uncomfortable glance. “Never really felt like we’re cousins. Which we aren’t, really. Not by blood, at least.”
It seemed like a strange point for her to make, but she didn’t give me a chance to question her further.
“Anyway,” she said in a determinedly offhand tone, “it’s been over ten years since Jaida left, so I’m hardly still broken up over it. I’m an adult now, with my own life and my own goals.”
“And what are those goals?”
“To be valued for my contribution, not for a name that isn’t really even mine,” she said simply. “That’s why I want to help you. Because I know my way around this enclave. I know who the players are, and I know how to get information. I don’t want this to be about my mother versus yours, I want to work towards making the right decision for all of us. That won’t happen unless we can get past this ridiculous and cowardly challenge.”
It was quickly becoming evident that I was at another crossroads. Did I trust Skye to help me? Or should I reject her, as much for her connections as for the obnoxious way she’d tested me in the beginning?
I didn’t want to accept her help just because I was desperate. That had gotten me blown over a cliff in the past, and I wasn’t eager to repeat my mistakes.
No, if I was going to trust her, it would be because I’d chosen to believe what she told me about her motivations, and about the past. Because I’d decided to overlook her attempt to humiliate me and hope for something better.
I really hoped my instincts were improving, because I desperately wanted her to be telling the truth.
I wanted a friend. A female friend I could talk to. Ever since I’d lost Morghaine, and then Misty, I’d been surrounded by guys. All of them had proven to be loyal, but none of them were likely to want to bond over Jane Austen movies and pedicures. Or over the painful reality of knowing that your mother figure wasn’t quite the person you’d always believed her to be.
“Okay,” I said, bouncing up and sitting on my hands on the edge of the bed. “It’s not like I can afford to turn away help, but I really don’t want to be your enemy either.”
I didn’t need Declan’s empathy to sense her relief.
“But if you try to humiliate me again, this is done,” I told her firmly. “I haven’t really had any girlfriends before, so I don’t think I’ll have much patience for girl-against-girl nonsense. If we’re going to be friends, we support each other, and that’s the end of it.”
Skye smiled, and it appeared to be genuine. “As long as you don’t expect me to love shopping,” she warned me. “Because that is one thing I won’t do, even for a friend.”
“Agreed,” I said solemnly. “But movie nights with barbecue takeout and gallons of sweet tea are a firm requirement.”
A wrinkle formed on her porcelain forehead. “I don’t think I’ve ever had sweet tea.”
“That’s because you live in Oregon. I don’t think they know about fried okra either, but don’t worry—I’ll either find some or make some, and you will realize what sweet, sweet perfection you’ve been missing out on.”
She didn’t look convinced, but convincing people was basically my specialty. I would bring her over to the dark side in no time.
I spent the rest of the day in my room, alternating between worry and frustration until the rest of my team showed up to convene our council of war long after dark.
Callum wasn’t thrilled that we were trusting Draven, but even he was eventually brought around to realize that we needed the insights of someone from outside the enclave.
Lady Tairen didn’t attend our little get together, which worried me a little. I could tell it worried my brothers too—she wasn’t willing to talk to anyone about the challenge yet, but they knew she was devastated. It was far too soon after finding me to be suddenly confronted with the possibility of losing me again.
I think they were also afraid she would do something crazy, like going after Weldon herself, which would definitely sway popular opinion against her. But for now, she was at home, resting, a status we hoped would remain stable.
The plan we hammered out was a three-pronged approach. Callum would be working to extend the scheduling of the fight and to draw out the response to the fae king’s request. Skye would be listening behind the scenes to determine who was pulling Weldon’s strings. No one seemed to believe it could have been his idea alone, especially given that he was one of the more vocal proponents of a change in leadership.
Ryker and Draven would be focusing their efforts on training me to survive, while Declan went searching through what little history remained to find whatever he could on bronze dragons.
Just as Draven once told me, it had been around three hundred years since a bronze dragon survived to adulthood. As far as anyone knew, the last one before me had been born two hundred seventeen years ago. Declan wasn’t very hopeful that he could find much more information—very few historical documents had survived the fall of Idria—but after what I’d done to Callum, it seemed worth looking.
Because without some sort of special magical powers? I was dead meat, and maybe literally.
“So,” I said, yawning widely before I could continue, “we start tomorrow then?”
“Early,” Ryker informed me. “I’ve found a remote spot that should be perfect for practice, but I don’t want to risk anyone following us. I think it will work to our advantage if we can hide exactly what Weldon will be facing until he actually meets you in the arena.”
“He’s going to laugh,” I warned them. “Everyone is.”
“Then they’ll be more likely to underestimate you, just as Llyr did,” Draven pointed out. “Ryker is correct. This isn’t about points or saving face or honor. This is real. And throwing him off balance by revealing what you are is just another stroke in your favor.”
I really, really hoped he was right—I would be happy to use all the favors I could get.
One by one, my team pulled out—first Skye, with a noticeably reluctant expression, then Callum. Declan stood up next, but he seemed determined to take Ryker with him.
Ryker was obviously just as determined not to leave me and Draven alone in my room.
Finally, I’d had enough. I stood up, crossed to the door, opened it, and gestured towards the hall. “Brothers, out. Your protective instincts are cute and all, but not necessary. If you had any idea of half the things I got
up to before you even knew I existed…”
My middle brother’s eyebrows lowered ominously, but he edged reluctantly towards the door. “I don’t like this at all,” he said grimly. “What if he…”
“He won’t,” Declan said firmly, drawing a startled look from Ryker. “Yes, I checked. I might not be an overbearing alpha male about it, but I am just as invested in Kira’s safety, and I wouldn’t leave her alone with someone who meant her harm. Of any kind.”
I’m pretty sure I turned bright red.
“Get out, both of you, before I decide violence really is the answer!”
“I think I’d take my chances,” Ryker muttered. “But fine, I’m going. Just make sure you text me when he leaves.”
I rolled my eyes so hard I think I sprained an eyeball as I shut the door on their heels.
Which was when everything suddenly got super quiet and unspeakably awkward.
“I’m a little surprised you haven’t tried to offer me tea,” Draven said, breaking the silence and drawing a bit of a chuckle from me.
“I figured you’d be disappointed—I left the unicorn mug at home.” I moved over to the window seat and curled up in it, facing him where he perched on the arm of the couch. He looked weirdly relaxed, despite being on enemy territory, surrounded by people who obviously found him suspicious, verging on an immediate physical threat.
But whether tense or relaxed, it was hard to tear my eyes off him. I could swear he affected me more every time we were in the same room. Not just because he was hot—though he certainly was, especially in casual clothes. His shoulders were currently in the loving embrace of a dark, close-fitting henley, while his thighs were perfectly outlined by a pair of artfully faded jeans.
Was it weird to be jealous of a shirt?
When we first met, I’d had a serious crush on him. I mean, who wouldn’t? He looked like the poster-child for tall, dark, and dangerous. But he was so much more than that. We’d fought monsters together and won. He’d forced me to acknowledge my own strength and stood up for me to my brothers. That thrill I felt when his silver-gray eyes met mine had changed into something a lot deeper than a spine-tingling crush.
