Chapter 11 Kailin #2
"Commander Ravel had operatives stationed throughout the bar." Alar took over. "They intercepted the assassin before he could get close, threw him out, and tossed the backpack into an empty area in front of the bar."
"They wrestled the detonator out of his hand, but the bomb still discharged," I added quietly.
"Someone triggered it remotely. The blast was so massive that it blew out every window in the Lodge.
The assassin also had charges strapped to his chest, and those exploded as well.
I don't know if they were also detonated remotely or if he did that himself. "
Morek's face had gone pale. "Someone wanted you dead badly enough to send a suicide bomber with a backup plan."
"There's definitely a traitor in the Citadel," Codric said. "Someone who knew exactly when and where you'd be during your leave."
"These have to be two separate threats." I worked through the logic. "The dragon issue goes back forty years, which predates any current plots. Besides, dragons cannot communicate with Shedun. Nevertheless, someone in the Citadel must be feeding information to our enemies."
"The two might be connected," Shovia said. "What if the rebellious dragons are the ones passing the information? They could be using their riders, forcing them to do their bidding."
"Or the riders could be willing participants," Morek grumbled.
"We need to find out who the other riders are." Codric looked at me. "Odinah rides Vyrassin, but what about Ixilthar, Syltharion, and Morgateth?
I shrugged. "Don't look at me. I've never heard their names before. I could probably ask Onyx, or better, ask Commander Ravel. He has his own suspicions about dragons and riders that are connected to the sabotage on the trail and the bombing of the square."
Alar leaned his elbows on his knees. "I'm surprised that Ravel didn't mention the accidents."
"Maybe he didn't notice the pattern," Codric said.
"Maybe we can flush out the traitor?" Shovia suggested.
I arched a brow. "How?"
"Set a trap," Alar said. "Feed different pieces of false information to different people. See which piece gets back to the Shedun. Commander Ravel can help with that, and since he's your flight instructor, you can discuss it with him without anyone being any the wiser."
"So, we have two missions," Shovia said. "First, identify the riders of the suspect dragons. Second, find a way to identify the Citadel traitor without getting ourselves or the handsome commander killed in the process."
"Three," Codric corrected. "We also need to figure out what these dragons want. Why kill riders? What's their endgame?"
"Dragon politics," I said. "They have their own power structures that they don't share with us," I remembered the talk with Commander Ravel at the Lodge. "Some dragons might resent the pact. They might be trying to undermine Nyxath's authority."
"Or maybe they're looking for something," Shovia suggested. "You said they might be searching for specific traits in their riders. What if they're trying to find someone who can help them with whatever they're planning?"
"Like what?" I asked.
She shrugged. "Break the pact? Overthrow Nyxath? Take control of Elucia? Change the way we fight?"
"Have you told anyone your suspicions?" Alar asked his cousin.
Codric shook his head. "Who would we tell? Odinah? Someone higher up who might also be part of whatever this is? We don't know who to trust."
"Ravel is trustworthy," I said. "And my brother is as well, but since Ravel is already investigating this, he's the best one to approach. And I have free, daily access to him."
Realizing how that had sounded, I glanced at Alar, expecting to see a tightening of his jaw, but his expression remained neutral.
He glanced at his watch. "We should get in the showers before curfew is in effect."
"Yeah." Morek rose to his feet and stretched, showcasing his impressive muscles. "I'll see you all tomorrow at breakfast."
Codric unfolded himself from Shovia's bed and cast her a suggestive smile. "See you later, beautiful."
As she sent him an air kiss full of promise, I couldn't help but think of finally having privacy with Alar and imagined all the things I planned to do with him.
When the door closed behind the guys, Shovia immediately rounded on me. "Okay, spill."
Was she referring to the blush that no doubt decorated my cheeks?
I'd hoped that getting rid of my virginity would help rid me of this most annoying affliction, but evidently, it had not.
"What?" I asked.
"Don't 'what' me." She dropped onto her bed and fixed me with her penetrating stare. "Something's different about you. You look like you aged five years in three days. What happened during your leave?"
I hadn't been expecting that.
"Thanks for the compliment." I rubbed a hand over my face. "Someone tried to kill me."
"Not that." She waved a hand in dismissal. "What happened besides that? I know you are hiding something."
As impossible as it was, Shovia had guessed that I had gone through another seismic shift. She'd always had an uncanny ability to read me.
I leaned against the wall, feeling exhausted. How could I explain the dream without sounding like a megalomaniac?
"I had a strange dream."
Her eyes immediately sharpened. "Like the Podana one?"
"No, not like that." I started unbuttoning my top. "I would have sounded the alarm if it were one of those. This one was different."
"Thank Elu, for that." She let out a breath.
I removed the top part of my uniform, leaving on the soft shirt I was wearing underneath, and stood up to drape the dress top over the back of my chair.
"I dreamed that I was at the Circle of Fate, standing where Saphir stood during our ceremony, and there were thousands of pilgrims waiting for me to do something.
" I sat back down and removed my boots, one at a time.
"And? What did you do?"
I couldn't tell Shovia about being a shaman without Saphir okaying it, but everyone already knew that I had strange dreams, so I could tell her about this one and let her reach her own conclusions.
"I issued a telepathic call to the gifted, telling them to come forward as Nyxath did for us, but the call didn't stop at the circle. It kept going, spreading outward like ripples in water, and I could feel responses from other worlds."
Her eyes widened. "Say what?"
"I know it sounds crazy because we don't have space travel, so no Elucians could have ever left Aurorys on a spaceship, but that's how it felt.
" They could have left through the portals, but even though I'd told Alar everything, I wasn't ready to betray Saphir's trust completely and tell Shovia as well.
"It was just a silly dream, but it affected me.
That, in addition to the attempt on my life and the stress of waiting for another attempt, took its toll. "
I really needed to have another meeting with Saphir and ask that all five of our group be told so I could finally speak freely with them. Six, if Ravel was indeed the sixth member of the prophesied seven.
"Other worlds?" Shovia pursed her lips. "That's not the craziest thing I've ever heard. Dragons killing riders, assassination attempts, and you dreaming through animal eyes, why not other worlds?"
"You think it was real?"
She chuckled. "At this point, if you told me you'd dreamed that you could shift into dragon form, I'd just wait for it to happen."
A laugh bubbled out of me. "Maybe one day I will. If I dreamed of doing what only Nyxath can, why not dream about being her?"
Shovia didn't look amused. "Your abilities keep growing, Kailin, and they are unlike anything that has been seen before. I wouldn't put anything past you."
I groaned. "Why me? I'm the daughter of sheepherders, the granddaughter of an apothecary. There is nothing in my bloodline to make me special. Where are these things coming from?"
"No clue." Shovia sat beside me on the bed and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "I know that you are scared, but there is a reason Elu chose you to bestow all these gifts on. You have a mission to fulfill."
Should I tell her that Elu couldn't bestow anything because he wasn't a deity?
She was right about the mission, though. I had shamans and eggs to find, and perhaps a conspiracy to solve, but at least I wasn't supposed to do it alone. I was part of the prophesied seven, and that made it a little less terrifying.
"Are you going to drink the tea tonight?" Shovia asked. "Maybe the dream will come back and be clearer this time."
"Yes. I'm not looking forward to it, but I will." I sighed. "For Elucia's safety, and to explore the limits of my ability, even if I'm not sure I want to find out."
Entering the mind of a dragon seemed terrifying, even if I didn't find any conspiracies against Nyxath or Elucia.
"Knowledge is always better than ignorance," Shovia said. "Even scary knowledge. At least when you know what you're dealing with, you can plan accordingly."
She was right, of course. I'd drink the tea, wear the medallion, and see what visions came. The thought filled me with equal parts of dread and anticipation.
"We should head to the showers as well," I said. "I need to get out of this stiff uniform."
"I'll help you unpack," Shovia offered. "It will go faster."
I was just tucking the last items into my drawer when a presence brushed against my mind.
Not Onyx's familiar warmth or the general awareness I had of other dragons when they passed nearby, but familiar nonetheless.
Nyxath.
"Kailin Strom," her mental voice was like silver bells and thunder combined, gentle and powerful at the same time. "I wish to speak to you. Come out to the landing platform closest to your dormitory room."
My throat suddenly felt dry, and I had to swallow to bring moisture to it. "Of course. But curfew is near."
"Don't worry about that. Your hall monitor will be informed that you have special dispensation to see me."
The connection withdrew, leaving me gasping as if I'd been holding my breath underwater.
"Kailin?" Shovia grabbed my arm. "What's wrong? You just went white as snow."
"I've been summoned," I managed. "Nyxath wants to see me."
Shovia's eyes narrowed. "Why?"
"I don't know." I wrapped my arms around myself. "Maybe it has something to do with your investigation."
Or so I hoped.
I had abilities that potentially rivaled the dragon queen's. What if she saw me as a threat? What if she'd decided to get rid of me? What if the attempt on my life had been orchestrated by her?
"Maybe it's a good thing," Shovia said, but her voice lacked conviction. "Maybe she wants to congratulate you on Podana?"
"Perhaps. I have to go." I rose to my feet and reached for the uniform top that I'd just removed minutes ago. "If I don't come back, tell Alar I love him." I slipped it on and started buttoning it.
"Don't be so dramatic." Shovia squeezed my hand. "You'll be fine. You're too valuable to Elucia for anything bad to happen to you."
I wished I shared her confidence. Value didn't always equal safety. Sometimes the most valuable things were also the most dangerous.