Chapter 13 #2
I lifted my shoulder, giving her a sad little smile. “It was a long time ago.”
“Things from long ago can still hurt,” she said.
I turned to my desk, fitting scales along the pattern of wire.
“Since that night, I’ve been plagued with the need to craft something that might have saved his life.
I’ve always been told that a dragon rider’s fate is inevitable.
In the end, they burn. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?
What if we could try harder to save them? ”
“It’s hard to change the will of the king. Or any royalty for that matter. They’re very set in their ways, ruled by years of tradition.”
“That doesn’t mean I have to agree with it,” I said. “Look, I don’t expect to overhaul the kingdom, but maybe I could improve my small corner of Cai’amar. The world is an imperfect place, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying to better it.”
Vaela was on her feet again. She came up behind me. I felt her presence like the heat Min gave off. Warm. Prickling. Everywhere. She touched my arm, fingers hooking around my elbow. I turned to her. “Let me help you,” she said.
“Help me how?”
“You’ll need access to more scales, won’t you?” She nodded at my prototype. “And actual dragon fire to test this armor?”
I swallowed hard and nodded. More than the scales, dragon fire was the one thing that had eluded me thus far.
“I can get you both,” she insisted. “Min will be happy to help.”
I jerked back. “Didn’t you say your brother works for the kingsguard? It’s one thing to pretend you have no idea about what I’m doing and completely another to get yourself roped into it. You’ll be committing treason, Vaela.”
She shot me a cheeky grin. “Only if I’m caught.”
“It’s treason either way. But if you are caught, it’s not just you who’ll face consequences. Your entire family name could be tarnished.” Not to mention the fact that she’d lose Min if she were tossed in some palace prison. “You can’t seriously be considering risking all that?”
An even sillier smile curled up the side of her face. “Don’t tell me you’re worried about me?”
I huffed. “I’m worried about your priorities.”
“My brother and the rest of his company will shortly be leaving Ember Ridge in pursuit of the Wretch,” she said. “Taking the threat of the kingsguard with them.”
“So that is why they’re really here? For the dragon?”
Vaela nodded. “And while they’re busy doing that, we will be busy with our own project.”
“I don’t know,” I said uneasily. It was one thing for me to risk everything, but dragging another person into what could potentially turn into a mess? I didn’t feel right about it.
“Please,” she said, grasping at her hair with both hands. “I need something to occupy my mind or I’ll spend all my time fretting over Trystan, up there in those cursed mountains, trying not to die in pursuit of the Wretch.”
I watched her forehead crease with concern. If she needed a distraction, that was the least I could give her, right?
“Besides,” she said, her words soft but serious. “Why should you be the only one to risk everything?”
My heart hammered in my chest. I didn’t want to risk everything; I just wanted to prevent unnecessary deaths.
“I can help,” she said. “If you’ll let me.”
I stared up at her, studying those twinkling eyes. “I guess you’ve already proven to be quite reckless. I can’t say I’m surprised to hear you’re on board.”
She flashed me her bandaged hand. “Reckless? I’ve been taking excellent care of this.”
Amusement tugged at my lips as I feathered my finger along the bandage. “Excellent is maybe too strong a word.”
Vaela lowered her hand. “As far as I see it, this thing is simple. You need scales and fire. I can provide scales and fire. And in return—”
“In return?” I said, my voice leaping.
She laughed. “You didn’t think I was doing this only out of the goodness of my heart, did you?”
I crossed my arms. “I thought we’d just discussed the brother thing. And I figured some sensible part of you might have a desire not to accidentally be burnt to a crisp one day.”
“I suppose I would like that,” she mused. “But there’s something more. Something I need help with.”
I frowned. What could she possibly want from me that she didn’t already have?
Vaela reached down and unhooked her prosthesis, balancing on one leg as she placed it on my desk with a heavy thunk. “Since you’ve got a bit of experience, do you think you could improve the design to stop me from slipping on dragonback?”
I stared at it, intrigued by the design. By the coils of spring. The shaved wood. The bent metal. “Why not just ask a blacksmith?” I wondered.
“Because they’re not always the most gentle, and I’d like to not have to rebuild the prosthesis from scratch.
I need someone with a… softer touch.” Vaela held her hand out, giving me a small smile that warmed me down to my toes.
“Someone that can be resourceful with a few tools at their disposal,” she said, echoing my earlier words. “What do you think?”
I stared at the prosthesis. It looked like a puzzle box I wanted to solve. “I don’t know much about prosthetic limbs,” I admitted. “But if you’re willing to trust me”—I lifted my hand, palm sliding against hers, ignoring the sudden flash of heat—“I’ll give it my best shot.”