by Lola Ford
Graith kept staring at the stone dragon. The immense size amazed him, and he couldn’t imagine anything so huge actually moving or breathing.
Is… Is this a realistically sized dragon? he finally asked Zel, looking between her and it.
Possibly? Very few dragons live long enough to reach this size. Grandpa Cimmeris is the only one even close to it that I know.
She seemed less than interested in the statue, not bothering to look at it again. Not quite getting the answer he wanted from her, Graith turned to Kali. She’d finally pulled herself into a sitting position from where she’d thrown herself onto the ground.
“So, we’re here. Now how will your client know?” Graith asked as he leaned against one of the large legs looking at the girl. The stone was warm through his clothes even though it was the middle of winter.
“See those fire pits?” she asked, as she pointed at two large cauldrons - one near each of the dragon’s legs.
“Aye.”
They were the only things illuminating the statue and surrounding area.
“Doreen gave me a packet to burn. Should produce a bright colored smoke for a short amount of time. Was told to do it at first light.”
She pulled a small paper envelope out and waved it at him.
“And then we just hope they see it from the city? What if they don’t? What if the wrong people see it?” he asked, disturbed.
The plan was a little too vague for his liking.
“Our client will have people watching for it. If someone else comes to see, we just tell them we were praying to ol’ stony here.” Kali shrugged. “I’m fairly sure that the Siturans consider dragons gods or something. Hell, look at this thing. You don’t construct something this large to venerate your enemies.”
They both looked up at the colossus once again. Graith’s skin crawled as he thought he saw the eye move so high above them.
Kali shrugged again, “Anyways, get some sleep. I’ll keep watch.”
You should sleep too, Kali. I’ll keep watch, Zel told the young woman.
Kali didn’t argue. Instead she leaned up against the stone dragon’s tail that wrapped in front of them. It isolated the area in front of the statue, creating a private sanctuary.
“A little shut eye never hurt I guess,” she said, eyes already closed.
Graith climbed into his usual spot under Zel’s left wing, but he was unable to fall asleep right away. He hoped that Alix was all right. His mind turned, wondering what if something happened? What if the ship didn’t make it into the port safely? What if…
Alix is fine. He’s current asleep. Zel’s voice cut into his turmoiled thoughts.
You can sense him all the way from here? Graith asked her, surprised.
He was quite sure they were much farther away from the ship than she had once told him she could hear.
You. Alix. You two are my family now. I can sense you much farther away than I could before.
She gave a mental shrug.
Oh. Graith was quiet for a moment, then said, Thank you for checking on him Zel.
You’re not the only one who worries Graith, Zel said, squeezing him lightly with her wing.
Graith, his worry abated for the moment, finally drifted off to sleep. The last thing he remembered was the warm green tone of Zel’s mental state surrounding him.
CHAPTER FIFTY
Nerie
Nerie wanted to say that going to court had made her feel better.
In fact, it had while she was there.
However, the moment she’d gotten back to her rooms the illusion she was harboring fell away. Her dinner was still cold, her mother was still gone, and the flower she had been embroidering for Alaena sat in its hoop waiting.
It’s only while they search for the people who set the fire, Kiriga told her for what seemed like the hundredth time.
This time. What about the next time someone doesn’t like the idea of me being queen? Am I going to be locked in a cage to keep me safe? Nerie asked angrily.
Kiriga didn’t have an answer. Instead she sent waves of love and adoration to the princess, who continued to shove the cold food around on her plate.
Maybe I’ll have Karina finish that flower. Then Alaena can’t complain.
It was childish, but at that point Nerie thought she might throw the hoop in the fire if she picked it up again.
Alaena will know, and I doubt Karina would do it unless you ordered her to do so.
Nerie glowered but knew that the dragoness was right. Karina seemed to be the only one on her side, so there was no point in ostracizing the maid.
I could tell you some more stories, Riya offered.
The dark dragoness had spent all of her time since she had reached the palace talking. To Soros, Eras, Ilex, Kiriga or Nerie. It didn’t matter. She just chattered along, happy to be near enough that she wasn’t mentally yelling across the country at her family.
Most of the stories she had told Nerie were about her great – great – grandfather Justan. Now, there was nothing wrong with Justan, but Nerie didn’t want to hear another pointless story.
The way that Riya recoiled her mind with a dark cloud, and Kiriga’s instant hiss at Nerie let her know that her thought had been less than private.
She flushed in shame.
Of course, Riya wanted to talk about Justan. He’d been her partner, her other half. It would be like Nerie losing Kiriga and having to live the rest of her life without the dragoness.
Only through a flicker of a thought, Kiriga gently reminded her that one day she would outlive the Nerie. The flush that had formed on Nerie’s face drained along with all her feelings. To think that Kiriga would have to live without her… It was more horrifying than the thought of living without the dragoness.
Don’t think about that. Kiriga’s voice was stronger than Nerie expected. You are here with me, now. That’s what matters.
As Nerie went to respond, a strange stillness overtook the dragons. Their thoughts, which normally buffered against Nerie’s mind, stopped. She could nearly feel their heads turn in unison to the west.
Nerie felt herself rise, and walk to the door, trying to get to Kiriga.
Something was wrong.
She couldn’t even form the thought to ask what was wrong. She was running down the hall when her mind finally caught up with her instincts.
What’s going on? she asked once, then a second time as she got no response.
As she entered Soren’s quarters - the only entrance to the courtyard where all the dragons lounged - she found Soren standing in the doorway. He’s face was scrunched in a frown, and his eyes were locked on Ilex.
She walked past him, laying her hand on the golden hide that was just outside the door. As her hand made contact with the warm scales, the young dragoness jumped.
Nerie, Kiriga said, her focus still elsewhere.
What’s wrong? Nerie asked for a third time, her heart racing as she waited for one of the dragons to tell her what was happening.
Wyla has left Cian.
Nerie’s brows furrowed. But she protects us from invasions by Lutesia along the border?
Yes, she’s supposed to stay there.
Why has she left? Has something happened in Cian? Nerie’s stomach clenched, thinking about Kora and Karsen. She would be horrified if anything happened to her cousins.
That’s the thing - she won’t say. Only that there hasn’t been an attack.
A soft whoosh was all the notice they got before Eras launched himself into the air, and within moments was out of sight. For a dragon as large as he was, he was rocketing across the landscape.
I will find out. Do not let anyone within an hour’s flight of the capital until I return.
In instant response Riya, Mazen, and Soros all alighted from the palace rooftop.
It had only been moments, but all that were left in the courtyard were Ilex, Kiriga, Soren and Nerie. Nerie looked around, as if coming out of a daze. She saw that at some point Soren
had walked to Ilex and his frown had deepened. He seemed to not notice that Nerie was outdoors with him.
Silence hung heavy in the courtyard, and Nerie’s stomach twisted. She glanced back at the palace and decided that she was going to wait with Kiriga until any news came. She climbed onto the dragon’s golden back, settling herself as comfortably as she could without the harness that made it possible for them to fly together.
She closed her eyes and let herself see what the others saw as they relayed the information to Ilex and Kiriga.
Eras was flying so fast that the ground blurred beneath him. Riya was flying to the east and back. Mazen to the south. Soros to the north.
Their patrols, along with Eras’s flight lulled Nerie to sleep as she waited for something - anything to happen.
The sun has barely started to set when she was torn from her slumber.
Eras.
He’d made it all the way to Cian in less than half the time it had taken her and Kiriga. Wyla was outside the city, walking along the road. She was in the middle of a large caravan. Her wings were tented, and her scales were raised from her body, like a cat with its fur puffed out. Her eyes whirled red and orange.
She looked angry - angrier than even Eras when Alluvia had been attacked - but not distressed. She was willfully walking along. Nerie’s attention was pulled to the banners that hung from each cart and wagon and the carriage at the head of the line.
She didn’t recognize it - but the dragons did.
The royal coat of arms for the king of Lutesia.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Nerie
Nerie had been so caught up in riding along in Eras’s mind that when he saw the banners, she felt his thorny scales rise.
She couldn’t see him, but she imagined he looked like a cactus with all his spines pointed outward.
Before she could even register what, she was seeing through his eyes, the free access to his mind was gone. A wall slammed down between one heartbeat and the next.
Nerie was forced back into her own body and mind. She was dazed for several long moments as she tried to get her bearings. She was still in the courtyard, laying along Kiriga’s back and it was early twilight. There was a crispness to the air that hadn’t been there when she’d stopped paying attention to her surroundings, but it carried the scent of an early snow.
As she looked around, she saw Soren sitting on the ground, his back firmly against Ilex’s side. He too looked as if he had left his body behind for the duration of the flight and had been kicked back into his body.
“Kiriga, can you still hear what is going on? See anything?” Nerie’s voice was ragged - as though she’d not spoken in years - rather than the few hours it had been.
I… don’t know. I can still feel Father and Wyla - however they have cut themselves off from us.
She rustled from one foot to another as she spoke, her head turned to the west and Cian. A growl could be heard from Ilex, and Nerie had a feeling that the other dragons were growling as well.
Why are they here? Riya hissed to no one in particular, but no one answered.
Nerie could hear the dragons reaching out to Eras and Wyla but getting no response. She slid down from Kiriga’s back, slowly walking over to the dazed looking king. He had made it to his feet and the blood was coming back to his face.
Running her hands nervously down her thighs, she approached Soren.
She wanted to ask, ‘What is going on?’ but she knew she had just as much information as the king did at that moment.
Instead, she chose to ask perhaps the more pressing question, “Why would Lutesia send an envoy here?”
Soren gave his face a quick rub before focusing his eyes on her.
“I don’t know. We have an ambassador in their capitol Tesia - his name is Tobis. They also have one here, Myles. You’ve met him at least once during a gathering of the Curia Regis. Keeps to himself for the most part.”
Soren was leading her into his study as they spoke, a place she hadn’t been in the last few weeks.
Not since the fire.
There were new detailed maps of Alluvia and the surrounding regions and letters from guardsmen and the nobles that lived there. Laying all around the desks were notes and a few used goblets where Soren had clearly stayed up with a drink, going over the multitude of papers that needed his attention.
As Nerie looked around, Soren was dug through one of the many piles, muttering under his breath.
After a moment, with a flourish of his hand, he waved a sheaf of paper at her.
“Tobis’ latest report.”
He scanned the pages, handing her each as he finished. Most of it seemed to be weather and crop reports, and the daily ins and outs of court life in Lutesia.
As Soren got to the end, he ran a quick hand through his hair with a sigh.
“Like I thought, no mention of an upcoming visit of any type. He would have said had there been even a hint of one.”
He turned to the doorway where his loyal seneschal waited, “Vizen, please summon his lordship Myles.”
Vizen took off before Soren had finished his sentence.
Nerie wanted to read more of the report, even if it was mostly economic, however the dragons were getting restless.
She overheard Riya complaining more than once that she wanted to go check on Eras and Wyla, but Soros had firmly told her that she was to wait for word from Eras first. It was apparent to Nerie however that Soros was just as worried as her daughter and had flown to the western bounds of the city limit.
Mazen was quieter than his female kin, but he had expanded his range, and was investigating every person he encountered on the road. More than one poor farmer probably had a heart attack as the massive dragon landed before them.
There was a knock at the door and Vizen bowed a harried looking man into the room. Once both were in the room, Vizen resumed his traditional place in the shadows.
Seeing his face, Nerie did recount briefly meeting the man before. However, his hair - now tussled from bed - had been stylishly done, and his clothing had been one of the many jewel tones so popular in the court and Curia. As he stood there trying not to cross his arms in front of the king, his robe hung loosely, his night clothes exposed below.
With a deep bow, he acknowledged Soren, “Your Highness, whatever might I do for you at this late hour?”
“Myles, thank you for coming. Have you received word recently from home?” Soren’s tone was light, but his eyes were cold as he stared at the man.
“My monthly correspondence, your highness, but nothing out of the ordinary. A few letters from home, my sister gave birth to a healthy boy…”
Soren cut him off, “Nothing from King Oron? Any word of a planned visit to Situra?”
“A visit?” Myles’ voice was contemptuous, “Why would any citizen of Lutesia want to visit here? I only do it as I am paid well.”
“I’m sure - however, there is currently an envoy making its way from Cian to the capital. They are flying the personal crest of the king.”
Nerie watched both men as they spoke, feeling out of her league.
“His Highness would never come here,” Myles sputtered.
“Well someone is, and they are flying Oron’s crest. You had no news of this?”
“No… No! When will they arrive?” He twitched his robe closed, looking around as if his kinsmen might appear out of thin air.
“It’s an eight-day trip,” Soren said. “It looks as if their delegation has no intention of rushing.”
Myles relaxed slightly.
“They truly fly his majesty’s crest?”
Soren only nodded before dismissing the man.
“If neither ambassador knew of this visit, why would it have been kept secret?” Nerie ask pacing the large room.
“It depends. If Oron himself is for some unknown reason coming here it would be a matter of national security. If it’s someone traveling in his name? It could be urgent business of some sort. But weather
reports have said that Lutesia is having a mild winter, so I doubt its anything like that…” He trailed off, shaking his head, as frustrated as she over the lack of information.
“All we can do now is prepare. Perhaps Eras will inform us who will be gracing us with their presence before they arrive. For now, you should head to bed.”
Nerie wanted to go back out to the courtyard with the two dragons, but Vizen was shutting the door to the courtyard. With nowhere else to go but her bed, she left the king’s quarters.
She walked down the quiet halls, her two guards once again at her heels. When she arrived at her rooms, she found that Karina had laid out her nightgown and heated her bedsheets. Even as she changed, Nerie felt herself dragging, the emotional energy of the last few hours draining away.
By the time her head hit the pillow she could barely keep her eyes open.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Graith
The sky was a pale gray when Graith was poked awake by Kali. She had dark rings under her eyes, and Graith wondered if she’d slept at all.
Standing and stretching with a series of pops that echoed loudly, Graith grubbed the sleep from his eyes. Kali was already over by one of the large cauldrons of fire and was motioning for him to join her. He hadn’t paid much attention to the fire last night, other than the fact that it illuminated and warmed the area - but standing there now, he saw that there was no fuel for the fires.
A bright flame seemed to burn on nothing but the bare stone of the fire pit. Kali also gave it a strange look before she tossed the envelope into the heart of the fire. A pink cloud of smoke burst to life before floating slowly into the air. It only reached halfway up the statue before it dissipated in a stiff breeze.
Kali threw herself back onto the ground against the stone tail once again, closing her eyes.
“Now we wait.”
Graith shrugged and sat with his back to Zel. The sky was lightening by the minute, and Graith saw that the stone of the dragon was a white marble. Zel stood out against the stone, now that the shadows from the night were fading.
