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"I would help if I could. You know I would," I said, voice soft. "But what happens if we get caught? Frexin wouldkillyou. And that's justonepotential scenario! It's just too risky — especially when we're so close to the finish line."

Liam's jaw ticked as he stared at me from between the bars, frustration and sadness warring in his gaze.

"Why not use Serali?" Rien asked, gesturing to the little dragon sitting on her haunches on the bed, watching us argue. "She can get you down there without being seen. That's how we collected those berries for you, Kaiya."

I looked from him to the little dragon. Sothat'swhere they were coming from.

"Serali?" Liam asked. His brows rose. "You can't mean blinking there, right? Dragons can't do that anymore."

Rien ignored us. "What do you think, little one? Canyou take us to that room where people sleep and never wake?"

Serali looked at me, then Liam, and finally Rien, green eyes swirling faster and faster. She nudged Rien gently, as if she understood.

Liam stared at her, transfixed, and a chill rose up my spine.

"Wait! No —"

But everything had already gone dark, and my ears popped as I began to fall. To my relief, we landed on a hard, smooth stone with a loud "oof!"

I scrambled to my feet, crouched and ready for a fight as my eyes adjusted to the dim light of our new surroundings. Liam stood to my left, jaw agape, Rien beside him.

Where in the seven hells had Serali brought us?

We were somehow in a dimly lit stone hallway, lined in both directions with enormous steel doors, and at the end of the hall to our right was a wide stairwell leading up, and to its right, a massive, ancient looking lift.

We seemed to be alone. At least for now.

"Serali," I whispered. "I need you to take us back …"

Something plopped atop my feet, and I looked down to see the dragonling had fallen in a limp heap.

"Oh fuck!" I bent to scoop her up, heart in my throat as I pressed my ear to her scaled side.

Please, please, please!!

Lub-dub, lub-dub. Her little heart fluttered against my cheek, and she let out a littlesnuffling noise.

Thank the gods!I clutched her to my chest. "Someone had better tell me what just happened!"

Her eyes fluttered, as if trying to respond, but they refused to open.

"She took us somewhere beneath the city," Rien said, voice soft. "But carrying us all must have been too much for her. A day of rest, and she'll be fine."

Must have been too much?I glared down at the little dragon.What was she thinking, trying a stunt like that?!

She let out a little sniff, then nuzzled into my chest, and began to snore.

My shoulders relaxed. The poor dragonling was exhausted. She could sleep for now, but when she woke up, the two of us would be having a little conversation …

"She can blink?" Liam asked, voice soft as he reached out to run a hand along her side. "Gram told me stories, but I just assumed …" He shook his head, letting his hand drop to his side. "Do you know how she did it?"

"No," I said. "She does it whenever she's coming or going. I just thought it was a dragon thing."

"Well, it definitely isn't normal. Not anymore." He let out a long, slow breath, then turned away. "What I wouldn't give to use that ring of yours to ask her about it …"

That made two of us.

But the body mages carrying it hadn't arrived before Frexin attacked Dragon's Peak.