Chapter 37
Auren
Daughter. The next morning I was sitting on the keep roof, watching the sun rise, barely able to suppress my irritation. We should have left yesterday. Waiting felt like slow moving death and yet that’s what I was doing as my father landed beside me. I hear you are going travelling.
Of course, he already knew. Sometimes it felt like dragons were more gossipy than humans were and that was saying something. He leaned forward, and I pressed my forehead to his in greeting.
Yes, Father. I intend to find Drathnor’s tomb, I replied as I pulled away. Ancient queens were terrible, fierce creatures. I’m willing to bet that no creature, human or dragon, hounded them. Somehow my kind has changed and I wish to know why.
My eyes met my father’s, and I stared into them, waiting for him to provide me with what knowledge he possessed.
So I hear. He looked out towards the horizon. You will fly unmolested now. The general and I have had a conversation. No corp dragons other than those authorised to travel will come near you, but does your interest in Drathnor have anything to do with these three?
The sounds of wings beating announced the males’ presence. As I turned around, I saw that all of the silver dragons had joined us, along with Viridian.
The morning sun suits you, my queen, Slate said, stalking across the roof as the others landed. It has your scales gleaming as brightly as newly minted gold.
It is not flattery I need, I replied, but directions to the Tomb of Terror. Perhaps you could show me the way and I—
We’ll show you the way. Brightfang joined his brother. It will take some time to get to Blackreach. There will be long days in the air, though we could stop more often if you need to rest. Whatever you need, my queen.
Viridian’s head jerked up.
Auren is strong enough to keep pace with any of us. She is so fast you’ll have to fight to stay abreast of her.
We’ll keep up. Argent was the last to come forward and those silver eyes held mine. And you will find all the answers you need.
His confidence was both infuriating and reassuring in turns, but my focus shifted back to Father.
The silver dragons are not my concern, I told Father. Just a means to find out what happened to Drathnor.
So you say. His dry tone had me shifting restlessly, but Father moved closer. His neck wrapped around mine for just a moment before he withdrew again. You were always the fiercest of my daughters. I have little doubt that you will achieve everything you set out to do and more.
I had retorts prepared, ready to argue with him, but that acceptance, the warmth in his tone, disarmed me completely.
A gentle huff made clear that this might’ve been a deliberate ploy by Father.
I didn’t care. His warm regard was something I’d always craved, yet did not dare ask for when I was older.
Sometimes it felt like I could have my freedom or his approval but not both.
“Ready?”
We all turned to see Fern had arrived. She was struggling under the weight of her bag, but before she could stagger forward, Viridian’s rider was there, plucking it from her grip.
“I’ll take that for you,” the male said, then approached my side.
“Fern, Auren, I assume you are new to saddlebags?” I turned around to see him undoing the catches of two large leather flaps on either side of the saddle.
“Auren didn’t have a saddle before now, so let me show you how these work.
Both bags are capacious, made to carry a corp rider’s entire kit.
” Viridian’s head swooped in, looking curiously at what his rider was doing.
“I’ll pack yours in a moment, lad. Just let me show the ladies something. ”
He liked being the one to teach Fern things, this Lance. He stood taller, his tone softening when she gazed up at him. Apparently, human males enjoyed being seen as bigger, stronger, just like dragons did.
“You need to distribute the items equally on both sides. It’s not about size, but weight. An unequally balance saddle puts extra pressure on the belly band—”
“I can do it.”
Fern was normally appreciative of things males did for her, but not now.
She took her pack from Lance’s grip and then went to work, packing things on this side of my saddle before moving to the other.
He wanted to protest. I could feel the frustration pouring off him.
The protective instinct that ruled males was making his life a misery right now as he forced himself to step back.
If he hoped to wallow in that sensation, he wouldn’t get a chance, as a sharp voice cut through the air.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
The silver dragon riders had arrived, but so had some of the corp. The ones with the pretty metal insignias were all flush faced and using the sharp voices humans used instead of a threat rattle. “The two of you turned up to the keep gates drunk, then slept the day away.”
“Weren’t good for much else,” Slate’s rider said with a bare of his teeth. “We were drunk as lords.”
“You’ll be lords of dragon shit today.” One of the corp riders swept an exaggerated bow. Normally, that was a human gesture of respect, but there was none of that in his tone right now. “This way, cadets. The dung awaits.”
Viridian’s rider let out a sigh, then marched over to the group.
“The general assigned the cadets to me,” he told the others.
“You’re the one taking care of their punishment?
” The corp riders made that rude sound humans make when taking pleasure in another’s pain.
“May the gods be with you, lads. With Lance Axton on your case? You’ll end the day wishing it was us that was keeping you in line.
” The male turned to Lance. “Make clear to these riders what happens when they ignore keep rules.”
“And exactly what is our punishment?” Kael asked when the males with the insignias disappeared back into the building. That dark look, that baring of teeth. I knew a dominance display when I saw one.
“You’re going to organise your saddlebags, then get on your beast’s back so we can move out,” Lance replied.
“As you’re the ones that know the way, you’ll be taking the lead.
” Kael’s teeth baring grew more pronounced.
Lance paid him little attention. “The general assures me that the corp dragons will remain grounded until we clear Wyrmpeak, but all of us will need to be on high alert to protect Auren and Fern. We can’t… ”
His voice broke, but I didn’t need to wonder why.
Great swirls of guilt, of shame, radiated off Lance.
He hated what had happened to Fern, felt like it was his fault she was thrown from the saddle, and while that was not how I felt about the incident, his care for my bondmate raised him in my estimation.
Unfortunately, she did not feel the same way.
“We will not have a repeat of what happened at the bay,” he said finally.
“Won’t happen if Fern rides with me.” Slate’s rider ambled over to the two of us, but his focus was entirely trained on my bondmate.
This male, he dared to lean into my side without even a request for permission.
He was trying to sidle up to my bondmate, that much was clear.
“Won’t have to worry about a thing if you spend your time on Slate’s saddle.
I’ll be right there, and once I have you in my arms, there’s nothing anyone could do that would make me let you go. ”
Breath huffed out of my nostrils as I watched the two of them. I’d burn the male to a crisp the minute he upset Fern and damn the consequences. There was no need for me to intervene, because while my bondmate might not have scales or claws, she had fire of her own at her disposal.
“Yes, but if I had to spend three days in the saddle with you, I fear I’d be forced to throw myself over Slate’s side from sheer irritation,” Fern replied.
At that, I gave Kael a shove with my shoulder, forcing him to stagger back.
Brightfang’s rider burst out laughing at that, which earned him a dark look from Kael, but Lance stifled his own response. Just a little lip twitch and then he turned back to Fern.
“You’ve done a good job of packing the saddlebags,” he said, hefting each one. “Nicely balanced.”
“You’re welcome to ride with me,” Lorien said with a sweep of his hand. “‘Fang is a very enthusiastic, if not skilled, conversationalist and I promise there will be about eighty percent less clumsy attempts to seduce you.”
“Only eighty percent?” Fern’s hand went to her hips. “What do I need to do to make that one hundred?”
Lorien’s smile faltered, but that was the point when Argent’s rider shouldered forward.
“We should get in the air as soon as possible.”
This male was a strange creature. If he was a dragon, he would be covered with the long spikes that ran along our spines to keep the whole world away from him.
Instead, he was just a thin-skinned human and I think that made existence doubly hard for him.
He didn’t bother to wait for a response, marching over to Argent and then shoving his belongings into his saddlebags.
“You know, if you’re worried, I’m happy for you to ride with me and Viridian.
” Lance’s voice was pitched low so only Fern could hear him, but I caught it, too.
Concern warred with desire in this male.
Kael said plainly the thing that all four of them wanted, but each made their play in very different ways. “We could start some of your training.”
I will keep Fern safe. Lance glanced up as my head moved, placing it between Fern and everyone else. I swore I would protect her and I will. What happened over the bay was only possible because I was taken by surprise by the corp dragons’ actions. That won’t happen again.
Fern’s hand landed on my neck, stroking the scales there.
“I’ll be fine.” She pulled herself up into the saddle, but spend some time tightening the stirrups to keep her legs in place. “We will train at another time. If this trip is going to take days, we should move out.”
Fly well, daughter. Father backed away, giving me room to turn towards the lip of the keep roof. Fly strong and don’t stop until you’ve found everything you need.
I intend to, Father.
Flapping my wings out, running towards the edge of the roof, I felt a surge of excitement that found its twin in Fern.
To Blackreach and beyond, if the answers can’t be found there, she said, leaning into my neck.
To Blackreach and beyond, I agreed, before taking flight.