by Donna Grant
That changed when someone came up behind her and put a blade against her spine. If any of the other warriors saw, they chose to ignore it. Jeyra weighed her options for which way to move that would deliver the slightest injury to her when the stranger spoke.
“You’re looking into things you shouldn’t be,” the man said in a gravelly voice. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop.”
“Who sent you?” she asked, then winced as the blade pushed through her shirt to prick her skin.
He leaned closer so his mouth was against her ear. “Perhaps you didn’t hear me. Stop questioning others about the past. If you don’t, I’ll push this blade into your heart myself.”
She wasn’t one to suffer threats. Rankin had raised her. “Do you know who I am?”
“The only reason you’re not already dead is because of your affiliation with Rankin. Don’t test us. You won’t like what you find.”
Jeyra thought back to Varek’s warning. He’d known. So had she. But she’d ignored all the warning signs because she was a warrior. But, like Varek had said, she had no one to watch her back.
Suddenly, the pressure on her spine was gone. She whirled around, but only saw others training behind her. Any of them could have approached her. And unless she wanted to speak to every one of them to see if she could recognize a voice, she was out of luck. It might be better if she left things alone. She was alienated as it was.
The one place she had thought she was safe was at the training center because her fellow warriors were there. But they weren’t the only ones. The guards from wealthy houses came to train there, as well. Not to mention, the warriors were notorious for keeping to themselves. Friendships were formed, but none deep and trustworthy.
She’d never understood that. They were all one and the same. They had the same jobs. It stood to reason they would be inclusive. But that wasn’t how it was. Jeyra saw a handful of warriors she considered friends, but she couldn’t trust anyone now.
And she felt more alone than ever before.
Chapter Fourteen
Rankin stood outside the training compound as Bayard made his way to him. “Well?” he asked.
Bayard smiled as he looked from Rankin to Arn. “I think we got the point across.”
“You better hope so,” Arn stated angrily. “I thought you had this taken care of, Rankin. Why is she asking questions now?”
Rankin bristled at the council leader’s tone. Even though he could cleave the man in two without breaking a sweat, he didn’t. Killing Arn or any of the council members meant immediate death. For most of his life, Rankin had stood in the council room listening to things he wished he didn’t know. Rarely did he agree with what the council decided, but he was a warrior for the city, and he’d sworn to follow the dictates of the council.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
Arn turned to him and poked a finger against Rankin’s chest. “Find out. And do whatever is needed to stop her. Including killing her.”
“I’m not taking her life.”
Bayard smiled as he said, “I will. Happily.”
Arn sighed and sliced a hand through the air. “Stand down, Bayard. If I need you, I’ll let you know.”
Rankin glared at the younger warrior as he brushed past him, knocking his shoulder into Rankin’s. Age had mellowed Rankin somewhat, but he still recalled acting the idiot around other warriors. It was because of their need to be the best, to have everyone look to them for their safekeeping and well-being.
After Bayard was gone, Rankin looked at Arn. “I’ll do what’s necessary.”
“I warned you long ago that this wouldn’t stay buried forever.”
“I promised you it would. I’ll see that it does.”
Arn shook his head. “I don’t even want to think about what will happen if the truth gets out. It’ll be doom for all of us.”
“Nothing is going to change. It’ll be fine. You have my word.”
The council leader narrowed his blue eyes on Rankin. “You really don’t have any idea how Jeyra caught the Dragon King?”
“Not a clue. I’d tell you, you know that. You have my loyalty. You always have.”
Arn grunted in response. “See if she’ll tell you. I’m curious.”
“I’m sure I can get it out of her. She tells me everything.”
“Hmm. I know Jeyra means a lot to you, but this situation has gotten out of control.”
Rankin slowly released a breath. “My loyalty, my sword, and my life belong to the council. It always has.”
“You’ve proven that time and again.”
“You should kill the Dragon King,” Rankin blurted out.
Arn quirked a brow as he clasped his hands behind his back. “Why is that?”
“Jeyra captured him for justice. She and so many others need it.”
“Not you?”
Rankin ground his teeth together. He should’ve known that Arn would bring that up. He’d buried the past, along with the body of his beloved. That’s where it needed to stay. “I’ve learned to deal with death.”
“Everyone else has, as well. Everyone, that is, except Jeyra.”
Rankin held his tongue. With a stern look, Arn walked away. Rankin turned his head toward the arena where he knew Jeyra was. He’d never wanted children, found them loud and irritating. Yet Jeyra had wormed her way into his heart.
Now, he found himself in a precarious position with no easy way out. He knew what he had to do, though it wouldn’t be painless. But what other recourse did he have?
Chapter Fifteen
Varek couldn’t shake the feeling that Jeyra was headed into trouble. He knew with certainty that she would ignore everything he’d cautioned her about. Not that he blamed her. He’d do the same in her shoes.
It grated on him that he couldn’t be out there to help her. He knew that look in her eyes, the one that said she wouldn’t stop until she had what she wanted. Because he’d been there himself once. And had left a trail of destruction in his wake.
It wasn’t until he became a Dragon King that he found others he could trust—and who trusted him. The need to fight for everything then subsided. Not entirely because he was a King for his clan, but he no longer sought out things to clash over. It had been an eye-opening experience that’d changed him in many ways.
He sat up and ran a hand down his face. Varek was beginning to hate the dungeon. He wanted to stand up, to stretch, get some clean clothes. And be upright in a hot shower. The little water he had to wash himself did the job, but it wasn’t the showers he was used to.
With nothing else to do, he lay back and closed his eyes. He’d already finished the food Jeyra had brought, and no one would venture close to him until she returned. Unless, of course, that brute of a man returned, possibly with more clothes. Varek yawned and tested his body where he had sustained his injuries. They were almost healed.
That pleased him because he didn’t want to fight while injured. He could, but it would put him at a disadvantage. He had been at a disadvantage since he arrived on this realm, and it was time that changed.
He stilled as he felt something brush against his mind as soft as a butterfly’s wings. His eyes snapped open as he held his breath, listening to see if he heard it again.
“Who’s there?” he asked mentally.
Varek released his breath and slammed his fist against the ground when he received no answer. Was he so desperate for the other dragons that he’d imagined a voice? If he’d sunk to such levels, it didn’t bode well for his chances of escape. His thoughts turned to Merrill. How had he been taken but not Merrill?
“Because he was with a woman,” Varek suddenly said aloud.
He smiled as relief poured through him. He remembered something. At least now, he knew that Merrill wasn’t stuck somewhere on this realm. No doubt his friend had returned to Dreagan and informed Con and the other Dragon Kings about Varek’s disappearance. Unfortunately, none of them would know to look for him on another
realm, much less the one where the twins were. If that’s where he was.
“Erith,” he called, attempting once more to reach out to the goddess.
If he couldn’t contact any of the dragons on the realm, then she and the Reapers were his last hope. It also made him realize that he needed the city’s layout to devise an escape plan. When he saw Jeyra next, he would ask her for it.
He smiled, recalling their kiss. It had been unexpected, but he didn’t regret a single moment of it. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her before the kiss, and now, she filled every corner of his mind. No matter what he thought about, she was there. He could try to ignore the feelings growing within him, but it wouldn’t do any good. He had found his mate in the most unlikely of places. But found her he had.
Varek snorted, thinking of how angry he was at whoever had captured him. But if he hadn’t been brought here, he might never have found Jeyra. He would have gone the rest of his life without a mate beside him. Oddly, that thought hadn’t bothered him before. Until he looked into Jeyra’s amber eyes and saw the fire inside her.
She had many reasons to hate dragons, but he hoped she could overcome them to be with him. If her response to his kiss was any indication, she just might be able to.
His smile died as he recalled the story of her family. That kind of deep-seated animosity didn’t relinquish its hold easily—if ever. Jeyra wanted justice for what’d happened. No doubt many others did, as well. What would happen if he agreed to the marriage the council offered? Varek couldn’t imagine it sitting well with the humans. It would only breed more hatred. And he only knew the mortal’s side of things in this war.
Mortals. That was laughable. He wouldn’t exactly call Jeyra mortal, but she wasn’t immortal either. The truth of what she was, however, confounded him. Until the Fae and humans came to their realm, the Dragon Kings knew nothing of those species. The Kings and dragons didn’t venture to other realms, so they didn’t know of anyone else.
He wanted to bellow with frustration but held it inside. Only when he was fighting for his freedom would he release it. Then, those who thought they could hold a Dragon King would know the full wrath of one.
It wasn’t just the city Varek needed information about. He also needed to know what kind of weapons they had, and the size of the army that would come at him. With nothing else to do, he began to plan for an escape with various-sized cities, troops, and weapons to account for. He was so deep in thought that it took him a second to realize that someone had said his name.
He turned his head toward the bars and saw Jeyra’s silhouette. He made his way to her. “Is it morning already?”
She sat and reached for him as she shook her head.
Her hand was cold. Since she wasn’t wearing long sleeves or a coat, he knew it couldn’t be winter outside. That meant something had frightened her. “What happened?”
“You were right,” she whispered.
He got her attention and held her gaze. “Tell me what happened.”
As she explained to him about being followed and then the man who’d put a blade against her back in the middle of the training arena, fury consumed him.
“I can’t trust anyone,” she said and put her forehead against one of the bars.
Varek tightened his fingers on her hand. “That’s what they want you to think.”
“It’s working.” She lifted her head and sighed loudly. “If other warriors saw anything, no one said a word. I don’t think they would’ve helped me had I been attacked. What does that say about those I call friends?”
“They are no’ your friends. Friends would’ve rushed to aid you. They might be fellow warriors, but that’s all they are.”
She rolled her eyes, looking miserable. “In general, warriors tend to keep to themselves. I took it to the extreme, though. Rankin has always told me it’s because I don’t want to get close to anyone else for fear they’ll leave me like my family. Maybe he’s right. I always thought it was just that people got on my nerves, and it was better if I stayed away.”
Varek couldn’t help but smile. “Some are renewed by being in a crowd. Others benefit from keeping themselves separate. There is no right way or wrong way. There is simply your way.”
“True, but I don’t have any friends.”
“You have me.” She smiled, and his heart swelled at the sight. “I need something from you.”
“All right,” she said with a nod. “What is it?”
“How big is the city? What are the main streets, and what directions do they run? How many guards are there? How long will it take to get from here to the city gates? What kind of weapons will be used?”
She blinked at him. “You’re going to escape.”
“I am. And you’re coming with me.”
Jeyra grimaced. “Why would you think that?”
“Because if you stay, you’ll keep searching for the truth, and it’ll get you killed.”
Her lips twisted as she shrugged. “If there’s a chance you can get out, then do it. I’ll only slow you down.”
“I can no’ leave without you.”
She frowned, her nose wrinkling. “Why not?”
He wanted to tell her, but he wasn’t sure how she would take it. “Because I’d never forgive myself if I left you behind, and you died.”
“I’m your enemy.”
“That kiss we shared wasn’t between enemies.”
She looked away, her confusion evident. When she met his gaze once more, she said, “The city is laid out in a grid. There are four main streets that will take you directly to the gate, but those streets are also the ones guarded. I have another way for you to go. It’s longer, but you’ll run into less resistance while getting out.”
“How many guards are at the gate?”
“At any given time, at least six. If the alarm is raised, a unit of twenty can get there fast.” She grinned then. “If you take my route and move quickly, you can reach the gate before they get there.”
Varek returned her smile. “Weapons?”
“The usual. Swords, axes, spears, and such.”
That made him frown. “You’ve brought down dragons with such weapons?”
At this, she hesitated. “We have a bolt thrower.”
Varek knew all about ballistae. The humans had used them when fighting dragons on his world. They were catapults that could lob large stones or massive spears. The machines allowed the mortals to target dragons at a distance. He wouldn’t be worried about it any other place, but as long as he was on this side of the border, his magic didn’t work. And therefore, he was no longer immortal. If they aimed the bolt thrower just right, they could kill him.
Then again, that was only if he shifted. He could fly away quicker and cover more ground in his true form, but it would also give them a rather large target.
“Will my magic return when I cross the border?” he asked.
Jeyra slowly nodded.
“Do you know what’s keeping my magic from working now?”
“I don’t, sorry.”
“It doesna matter. Show me the plan for getting out.”
She gave him an odd look. “You trust me? I could be leading you into a trap.”
“If you are, how different will it be than this? At least then I could stand up and stretch my legs,” he said with a forced smile.
For the next hour, Jeyra drew a map of the city on the hard-packed earth with her fingers. She told him the street names, pointing out ones to avoid. He was impressed by the details she gave him about where the guards would be, and what areas they wouldn’t. Once the city map was complete, he was able to discern that he was as far from the gate as possible.”
“There’s only one way in and out of the city?” he asked.
She grunted and rolled her eyes. “It’s something I have brought up on numerous occasions. There’s no way we could get everyone out with one gate if we had to, but the argument was, that if they wanted to keep an enemy within the walls, that wa
s easy to do with just one gate.”
Varek looked over the drawing again. “The similarities between your village and many I’ve seen on my realm is staggering. The only thing missing is a castle.”
“Castle?” she asked. “What’s that?”
“A large building, usually made of stone, where the lord of the area lives with his family. They have postern doors or hidden doorways in their walls so people can get out if they ever come under attack.”
Jeyra stretched out her legs to the side and arched her back. “There might be a hidden doorway I’m not privy to. If it’s anywhere, it would be in the nobles’ district.”
Varek looked to that section of the map and noted how close some of the houses were to the wall. “The nobles are situated rather far from the gate. I doona imagine they would consent to being some of the last out of the city.”
“No, they would not,” she confirmed with a smile.
“There’s a doorway there. I’m sure of it.”
Jeyra shrugged and shook her head. “We don’t know that.”
“That’s what they’ll think. Everyone will be focused on me going to the main gate. Instead, I’ll head to the nobles’ district and search for the door.”
“If anyone can do it, it’s you. But you need to be careful. Each noble has their own set of guards. They’re more ruthless than those controlled by the council. If they spot you, they’ll go right for you. You’ll need clothes that will allow you to blend in. I can bring them tomorrow with the food, though I’m not sure how we’ll cover your tattoo.”
He smiled at her, wishing he was able to steal another kiss from her. “Thank you. And don’t worry. I’ll figure out something regarding the tat.”
“When you make it out of the city, you need to head west. The start of your journey will be in an open field of rolling hills. It isn’t until you reach the forest that you’ll have cover. Once you’re in the woods, keep heading west until you reach a brook. That’s the border. Cross it, and your magic will return.”
Varek jerked his chin to the nobles’ district drawn in the dirt. “What details can you give me about that area?”
