Page 14 of A Kingdom Threatened (The Vazula Chronicles 3)

Bianca sent him a look. “Grandmother is tough enough to handle it.”

Brody just grunted. “Any word at yesterday’s meeting about how long we’re all supposed to stay in Bryford?”

“I don’t know,” said Heath candidly. “I wasn’t listening to a word.”

His cousin chuckled appreciatively.

“What about your end of it all?” Heath asked suspiciously. “Any clandestine magic-wielding parties I should know about?” He paused. “You know what, never mind. I don’t want to know.”

“I like this new attitude on you, Heath,” said Percival approvingly. “It might have taken me almost getting murdered to achieve it, but I’m glad you’re finally figuring out which side you should be on.”

Heath refrained heroically from responding. Of course in Percival’s mind it was always about him. But the attack had nothing to do with Heath’s change in attitude. He felt no more eager to take sides than he ever had. Sure, he thought the crown was being foolish and obstructive to a true resolution to the tension between power-wielders and everyone else. But that didn’t make Percival any less foolish or obstructive.

No, the fact of the matter was that Heath’s focus was elsewhere. He remembered a time when he’d longed for a stronger magic, so as to feel more fully a part of his family. But now he’d found his magic, and it was nothing like his family’s. It didn’t make him feel a stronger connection to the power-wielders. It drew him toward a very different type of magic-user.

Waving goodbye to the other three, Heath slipped from the room, and made his way out of the castle. He had no other responsibilities for the rest of the day. What better way to spend the time than training?

“Reka,” he called quietly, as he rode out of his father’s stables a short time later. “I’m here.”

I know where you are. The familiar voice echoed calmly in Heath’s mind as Reka’s image leaped before his eyes. The dragon was flying over the ocean in a leisurely way. I always know where you are, because you are within my sight.

Heath couldn’t help chuckling. “If one human said that to another, we’d think a murder was about to be committed.”

Impossible, said Reka reassuringly. Even if I were to kill you, it would not be a murder. There is no consequence among my kind for dragons killing humans. Only for showing aggression toward one another.

“That is deeply comforting,” said Heath solemnly.

He looked around him, struggling to take in his immediate surroundings in his preoccupation with what he was seeing through his connection with Reka. Discovering that he was nearing the edge of the city, he urged his horse forward.

“Can we train?”

Chapter Four

Reka made no reply, but in his mind’s eye Heath saw the dragon put on a burst of speed, his surroundings rapidly becoming an indistinct blur. Heath grinned to himself. The dragon was on his way.

Their usual meeting place was a solid quarter of an hour’s ride out of the city, requiring Heath to leave the main road and ride across fields. His meetings with the dragon had never had to be clandestine before, but given the training involved using Heath’s magic, and that was now an offense, they’d had to be a little more careful. Still, it wasn’t a long ride, and by the time he arrived, the dragon was already there.

“I have some more questions about farsight,” Heath said, as soon as the proper greetings were complete—Reka might be casual as dragons went, but even he wasn’t immune to the creatures’ love of formality. “How do you keep your concentration when things in your immediate surroundings distract you?”

Reka tilted his head to one side as he considered the question. “Dragons have superior minds, I suppose. It is not difficult for me to focus on more than one thing at once.”

“That doesn’t help me,” said Heath dryly.

“Your focus will improve with practice,” said Reka, unperturbed. “What were you trying to see at the time?”

“You.” Heath grinned. “You were basking in the sun like a feline.”

Reka nodded sagely, showing no sign of discomfort at the information that Heath had been watching him from afar.

“That was likely accurate. I frequently spend time that way.”

Heath gave a small chuckle. “What was the purple in the rocks behind you?” he asked curiously.

Reka’s eyes were sharp as they considered him. “It was indeed an accurate vision,” he said.

Heath waited for the dragon to elaborate, or answer the question. He did neither.

“Do you wish to practice your farsight again?” Reka asked instead. “Or would you prefer to begin working on your other sight?”