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I blink at him, not sure what I should say. I had planned on traveling alone, to sneak out as quietly as possible. If my destination wasn’t far away, I wouldn’t even wait for a dragon to join me.

“You’re going with me?”

“Of course I am.” He gestures to the room that’s been more of a waystation than a home since I started spending many of my nights in Sterling’s bed. “Need anything else from here?”

I shake my head. Words are too much for me to manage right now.

Bastian doesn’t wait for my answer. Simply gathers our bags with the ease of an experienced dragonrider. He strides toward the door, and I follow, trailing in his determined wake. As we pass through the palace, the clack of our boots echoes off the stones, announcing our departure to the arching hallway.

I reach for my pack, but he refuses to give it to me. “You really don’t have to come. I’ll be fine. And Leesa?—”

“Is in good hands. There’s nothing I can do for her now anyway, and seeing her like this…it’s killing me. Going with you is exactly what I need to do.” Bastian glances at me from over his shoulder, his voice laced with grief. “After last night, Agnar wanted to come, but Knox?—”

“Agnar promised to keep watch over Knox. Him staying behind is the only reason I can leave.” The weight of responsibility settles on my shoulders like a cloak.

The fire paddock looms ahead, with stone and sand and expectation. Chirean, Nailah, and Kaida raise their heads, the dawn casting long shadows over their scales.

As I communicate my need to travel, Chirean’s disappointment trickles in through our connection. When he relays images of his mate and the eggs, I know my friend will be staying behind.

I think the dragon may have already gathered my mission, though, because he shares images of Nailah and Kaida next, as if he already chose and prepped the two traveling companions to accompany us on this journey.

“Nailah. Kaida.” Though I’ve sensed their emotions, I’ve never flown on these two before. I’m more familiar with Kaida since Leesa rode him during our trip to the Lost City. He’s a black male who’s slightly smaller than the others since he’s younger, but he’s still enormous. Nailah is a magnificent orange and yellow female.

Both lean over Bastain, who keeps his head down, waiting for their approval while their snorts ruffle his hair.

Kaida shifts, discomfort radiating through him like an itch he can’t scratch. Bitter regret flows into me, along with guilt.

He feels bad for his sudden and unexpected departure during our last journey.

The mystery of his sudden abandonment got lost in all the excitement, but I think I understand now. His instincts probably reacted to Leesa’s burgeoning corruption.

I soothe him with reassurance before turning to Bastian. “Ready?”

With a nod, Bastian mounts Nailah. I follow his lead and mount Kaida, and we rise into the predawn sky. Chirean, free of rider and gear, rises with us before veering north, his powerful wings slicing through the air toward the eggs.

We head south, surging upward into the clouds and shrouding ourselves within their gossamer cover.

Flying within this cotton-like fortress, our world shrinks to mist and the sound of wingbeats.

Soon, we cross the boundary of Tirene and soar over the water. After hours of flying, the northern tip of the continent comes into view, and Aclaris stretches like a slumbering giant beneath us.

At one point, I sense emotions from a distance. Dragons. A patrol comes into view, dragonriders mounted on gaunt dragons whose scales seem to drink the light around them.

Shit.

“Bastian!”

I point at the threat and urge Kaida into a nearby cloud formation while attempting to activate my emotional shield.

I really hope Alannah’s lessons work because if those Aclarian dragons sense us, we’re screwed.

Tension grips me as we wait. Once the patrol passes obliviously beneath us, my muscles finally relax.

We divert our trajectory a little to avoid them and continue southward, skirting the edges of Aclaris, where the land kisses the sea. The sight below startles me.

A procession of military might sprawls across the landscape like a swarm of iron ants. Alicorns outfitted for war march as a single unit, their hooves kicking up dust trails that shimmer in the sunlight. A few dragons walk among them, their riders clad in gleaming armor.

They’re all heading south toward Kamor.