Page 25 of A Court of Thralls and Thorns

I stopped myself.

Siergen was silent for a beat before responding.Your abilities. I am aware you have many of your own.

I tensed.It’s just healing.

If you say so.

A cold shiver ran down my spine at the way he said it.

I swallowed.Do you know why she hates me? Did I do something to offend her?

Her name is Kaelith,he corrected gently,and she doesn’t hate you. She hates riders in general.

I frowned.Do you know why?

Yes, but that is her story to tell.

Easy for you to say. She won’t talk to me.

Give her time. This is hard for her. She feels like she is being forced.Siergen sighed in my head.

And I’m not?

Siergen chuckled softly.Give her time to come to that realization. She has not involved herself in human affairs for over six hundred years.

Before the Unification.

Yes.

I exhaled, pressing a hand against my forehead. There was so much I didn’t know.

Siergen’s voice shifted, lighter, as if he were changing the subject.I understand you have a match with the prince.

I groaned.Unfortunately.

He is quite skilled,Siergen admitted.But he drops his left shoulder slightly before he attacks with his right. There is a split second where he is vulnerable.

I blinked.Why are you helping me?

There was wicked amusement in his tone when he responded.The prince has not lost a match in a long time. He needs to be reminded that he is not invincible.

I scoffed.He bonded the largest dragon in the horde. He kind of is.

Hein is the second-largest dragon in the horde.

I sat up.What? There is a bigger one.

Yes.

I stared into the darkness.Who?

The one you humans refer to as the Unifier.

My pulse spiked.The Unifier is still alive?

He is. Now, you must get ready and grab sustenance before your match. I must go.

Siergen—wait?—