Page 120 of Blackheart

“Elora!” a spunky voice called out.

Amzee walked alongside Zephy, waving from across the clearing.

Lady Jocelynn caught up, her chest blotching red.

“There are so many,” she said, holding tightly to her reins while I dismounted.

My orb glowed faintly, as if it wanted to see the bladebreather’s just as desperately as I did.

Amzee made her way to us. “I wasn’t expecting you to come this soon. I’m impressed.” She grinned. “Who’s this?”

If Lady Jocelynn didn’t care for me, she was certainly going to detest Amzee, but she would have to get over it. “Amzee, this is my brother's friend, Lady Jocelynn.”

Lady Jocelynn frowned. “That is what you see me as?”

I wasn’t sure what else she expected. It would have been worse to introduce her as Lord Draven’s wife.

“It’s so nice to meet you. The red cutie over there is Zephy.” She pointed to her bladebreather, who had run off to fly with a smaller, young one in the sky.

Lady Jocelynn grimaced at the beasts.

“We could try to find your match. Both of you, if you want. So few people are willing to try anymore. I assume that’s why you’ve come all this way,” Amzee added.

My heart skipped a beat.

“I needed to see Moonhill and the bladebreathers firsthand. Now that Lady Jocelynn and I have witnessed their magnificence with our own eyes, I’m hoping my brother, King Xavian, will have an incentive to advocate for more riders.”

Amzee didn’t react to my brother's identity, as if she already knew.

Lady Jocelynn and her steed backed away. “I will be going nowhere near them. I have children and a husband waiting at home.” She stuck her chin up at even the idea of trying to match with a bladebreather.

Amzee smiled at me. “Well, we can certainly try with you, Elora. Lady Jocelynn, you’re welcome to watch from the woodline if you’d feel more comfortable.”

“I don't need comfort. I need both of you to hurry up and either live or die so I can make it back for evening tea, if your brother does not kill me first.”

“No need for dramatics,” I said. I’d had enough of Lady Jocelynn for the day. “Amzee, what do I need to do?”

Actually approaching a bladebreather was slightly terrifying. I wasn’t exactly sure of their temperament, or what to say or do.

“Well, it’s probably best if we approach the youths. One near Zephy’s age would be ideal.”

Pointing down the valley, Amzee noted two little bladebreathers, one black and one green. “Zephy plays with them a lot. We could walk down there first and see how it goes.”

“How long do they take to mature? I don’t want to take a baby into war.”

She laughed. “I wouldn’t call them babies. They’re very young adults. They’ll fully mature in the next year or two.”

“I’ll follow you then.”

Lady Jocelynn rubbed her temples disapprovingly, but didn’t try to stop me.

“Moons, this is thrilling!” Amzee exclaimed, linking her arm with mine as she led me through the field. I shared her excitement, but nerves churned in my stomach.

If Amzee could do it, then I could too.

We were about halfway across the field when a shadow loomed over our heads. Amzee tensed, letting go of my arm as a massive beast landed in front of us. The ground shook. It bared its sharp teeth and released a thunderous growl.

I froze.