Page 24 of Exquisite Monster (Dragons of Viria #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

________

KATALENA

“ I droal, is there any way the Heirs would know Gleym released the command?”

Only if they tried to go against it and discovered they could fight back.

My heart sank. “So they don’t know?”

I hope they do , they said. But it is unlikely. They would not waste strength fighting a binding command. Especially after all this time .

The moon made the landscape bright as we flew above. It shone off the river that passed through Rensara and wove through the mountains. We were much closer now.

I thought I might feel something when I saw Rensara again. Some sort of longing or attachment. I didn’t. The only longing I felt was to see Helena. Or Taia and Baris. It was a testament to how empty my life had been that I held no affection for the city where I had spent my entire life.

My father?

No longing there. Though I did not doubt he loved me in his own way, I was still more a princess than a daughter to him.

Had Andaros told him the truth? Or did he think I’d been killed by the dragons?

Would I see him in Caelora? Seeing a dead woman appear in front of every human ruler would certainly be shocking.

“You said the human leaders have gathered in Caelora?”

Yes , Ravi said. When we left, every delegation had arrived.

I elevated my voice so every dragon flying would hear me. “From what you know of where they are, would the best plan be stealth or force?”

Stealth , Sotai said. They have too many soldiers and weapons for force.

“Would a distraction work?”

It’s possible .

I pressed my lips together, knowing I couldn’t take the words back. “A distraction like showing myself to the human leaders, including my father, the King of Gleira, and telling them the truth?”

Shocked silence spread through the skies.

It is very possible they will kill you if you do so , Idroal said.

“Does my immunity from dragonfire keep me safe from scalefire?”

Yes, but it does not shield you from a blade .

No, it didn’t.

“Think on it. There might be a way to use this gathering against them. ”

We passed Rensara and began to cross the mountains of the bowl. That was where it happened, the moon nearly full above us, glinting off dragon scales.

Something stirred in my chest.

And then it flared into fullness, though it was still weak with distance. I gasped, my hand flying to my chest.

I drowned in feelings all at once. Relief, longing, love, and fear . The fear was so sharp and visceral, I almost couldn’t speak.

“I feel them,” I managed. “I feel them.”

Good .

“They feel so afraid.”

Andaros sent men after you with the goal of bringing you back, and he certainly didn’t have good intentions. The Heirs do not know we are involved, so feeling you, to them, would mean Andaros was successful .

Oh, no. They thought I was being dragged to them for the sole reason of being used against them. I loved them a little more for that, though I wasn’t sure how much more could exist.

I closed my eyes and focused on the bonds in my chest and brought forth feelings of safety, determination, and happiness. Not fear. If they could feel that I wasn’t afraid, maybe it would be better for them?

We near where we will rest , Mesene informed me. The area around Caelora is open. There is little cover. It is why we have not been able to get closer .

All seven dragons dropped and skimmed the tops of the mountains. Even in total darkness, they took no risks, and I appreciated it. The last thing we needed was Craisian soldiers sneaking up on us with scalefire weapons.

The small valley we descended into was barely big enough for them to land. And as soon as they did, they moved around setting up a camp with synergy that spoke of the last months working together.

Energy danced under my skin. Now that I could feel them I was even more desperate. It wasn’t all mine. Their longing bled through my chest just as strongly. We couldn’t linger, and we couldn’t wait long. All four of us would snap otherwise.

As soon as the dragons had settled and were eating, I stood near the fire and cleared my throat. “Have you thought about using me as a distraction?”

“If the Heirs find out we used you as a distraction, the seven of us might be in more danger than we already are,” Idroal said.

“We do what we can,” I murmured.

“What?”

I shook my head. “We can only use what we have. And—” breaking off, I looked at them. “Feeling our bonds again, I’m restless, and I still have the feeling that speed is necessary. Please tell me if you need rest before we talk about it.”

Erryn straightened, everything in her posture speaking of eager anticipation. “Continue, Lena.”

“You know what’s stacked against us. A full army.”

“Though,” Ravi pointed out, “where your mates are being held is on the opposite side of the city from the barracks. Many soldiers, yes, but if we move fast enough, we won’t be dealing with an entire army.”

That was good. “They have scalefire. They have knowledge of the layout and the city. We have your powers, what potions I have, the ability to fly and move swiftly, and Andaros’s feelings about me.”

“How does he feel about you?”

A shock ran through me. I realized that none of these dragons knew who Andaros was to me. I hadn’t described my life before I’d appeared at Skalisméra with my mates, and there’s no one else who would have been able to tell them. Idroal might know more, but they stayed silent.

I sat down. “I was betrothed to Andaros. A political arrangement for the purposes of an alliance.”

“Fucking stars,” Belleo muttered under her breath.

I nodded. “But I already knew he was a monster. My grandmother knew the truth about dragons, as much as any human did. Not everything, but enough to raise me without hatred. I did not want to marry him. I—” Swallowing, I lowered my voice, unsure how they would feel about the news that their Heirs would never bear a child with me.

“I snuck into the city to study the craft of potions from potion adepts. Using those skills, I made sure he would be unable to continue his bloodline through me.”

All seven pairs of eyes turned to me, but I saw no judgment. More curiosity.

“My mates interrupted the wedding. They had been sent there to kill me as an attempt to destroy the alliance our kingdoms were making.” They might know that.

I’d announced that at the circlet. “But I touched Zovai. His flames were rising, and I placed my hand on his nose and asked him… I said ‘please.’ He didn’t kill me and took me instead.

It wasn’t until later we knew why they found themselves unable to kill me. ”

“Amazing,” Karadi whispered. “That you are mated. I have hope it means more mated pairs might exist once again.”

“I hope so too.” I shifted, aware of how they all stared at me, waiting for me to finish.

Now we were nearly at the story that was familiar to them.

“Andaros and his father were injured in the fight. His father died from his wounds, and Andaros bargained with the Elders for the dragons who’d killed his father.

But not for one second do I believe Andaros cares about revenge. Not in that sense. The rest you know.”

Ravi blew a spark of fire into his hand and rolled it over his knuckles. “Thank you. Being thrown down Evrítha was enough for us to know he didn’t like you, but that makes sense.”

“Andaros hates me,” I said. “I will be a distraction, and a good one.”

“The Heirs won’t hesitate to kill me if I put you in danger, Princess,” Idroal said again.

I leveled a stare at them. “You recruited dragons who not only feel sympathetic toward humans but also have unique skills that can be useful in a rescue. If you hadn’t thought I was alive, you might not have bothered to bring dragons who did not hate humans.”

“Or I wanted dragons who would be willing to leave innocent humans alive,” they said gently.

Sotai rose and placed something in their bags before returning. “Please understand our hesitation. Going into enemy territory such as this is different for me than for you. I am not a dragon’s mate, Your Highness. Using me as a distraction is a risk I am willing to take.”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take too.”

“Katalena.” Idroal sighed.

“No.” I stood and paced away from the fire before turning back to them.

“I understand why your only goal is to protect me, and I know you’re all far older with knowledge I could only dream of.

But you don’t have knowledge of this. You didn’t spend your life in a human court with all the politics and intricacies of protocol.

I did. If you have a plan that doesn’t involve a distraction, and that you believe can actually succeed, please tell me. ”

No one said anything. Because there wasn’t an option. We needed room to move and maneuver, and the only way to do that was to draw the soldiers and citizens away from where we needed to be.

My father might not have wanted to train me to rule, but I’d eavesdropped on my fair share of meetings, including those which discussed strategy. The odds weren’t with us, so, no matter the danger to any of us, we needed a plan with the greatest chance of success.

Turning to Sotai, I put my hands on my hips. “You can look like me, but you don’t have what’s in my head. That will kill you just as fast as walking into the court as you are now.”

Erryn watched me with a quiet smile. “What’s your plan?”

“What makes you think I have one?”

Her smile deepened. “Just a suspicion.”

I swallowed. There was every chance this could sound foolish out loud. But I looked at Sotai once more. “You managed to get inside? ”

“Yes. Briefly.”

“You could do it again?”

They nodded.

“If you pretended to be a soldier and sent up the alarm, saying something had happened… Either the Heirs escaping or?—”

“Setting all their crops on fire?” Ravi suggested.

“Or that. Something that would make Andaros feel he needed to see to it personally. As soon as that’s complete, you would take on Andaros’s appearance and march me into the gathering. It will cause chaos.”

Mesene inclined her head. “It is a good idea, but there are flaws.”

“Tell me.”

“Sotai cannot conjure clothing. Only their own appearance, which was why their entry into enemy territory was so brief. I do not think expending the energy to steal the King’s clothing is worthwhile. Not to mention those clothes would not be the same as the ones he left wearing.”

“Or prevent what happens if he comes back early,” Idroal added.

My shoulders slumped as I sat back down. “Fuck.”

“The plan isn’t a bad one,” Erryn said. “It simply needs to be modified.”

We all waited for her to speak.

“You’re right. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves, but to someone or somewhere else.

All we need is enough time to release the Heirs.

Or help them. Hopefully Idroal can let them know the binding command has been lifted.

Setting fire to their crops might work, considering how badly the human world needs them. ”

“Not all of them,” I said. “As much as I want to hurt Andaros, not every human deserves to starve for his crimes.”

“Yes,” Mesene said. “We agree.”

Karadi leaned back on his elbows and stared at the flickering flames. “If we torch the crops, there is still a chance Andaros will come himself. He spends much of his time in the quarter where the crops and Heirs are held.”

“His most precious possessions.” I rolled my eyes. “Of course.” At the moment, I was choosing not to think about how Andaros was spending his time while he was near them. What he’d done?—

“If you believe he will react so strongly to you,” Erryn said, “a distraction still might work to keep him occupied. But you would have to appear as yourself.”

I said, “That’s fine,” at the same time Idroal said, “No.”

Glaring at them, I crossed my arms. “I will not sit quietly while you rescue them, Idroal. It is not an option I will accept. And no, my mates will not execute you for it. I will make sure.”

They threw up their hands, exasperated. “I am not disagreeing out of fear for my own life, Lena. I am disagreeing out of fear for yours . If you walk into the throne room, will he not try to kill you immediately?”

My laugh shook. “Actually, no. It wouldn’t be good enough for him. He’d want to use it to torture them. So he’d try to take me, but not kill me. Yet.”

“That doesn’t make the plan better.”

“There is one more aspect to this, and it has nothing to do with the rescue.”

Belleo tilted her head and rested it on her folded knees. “What?”

“Every human delegation is here. They are here because they owe Craisos for their food and the weapons they believe are meant to protect themselves. I have no doubt Andaros will leverage his hold on them to march on dragon lands. And frankly, most of them might agree with him. But they will all be in the same room, and I am living proof that dragons are not what humans believe.”

Tense silence dropped over the fire. It felt as if the silence rang outward and encompassed all the mountains.

“Are you suggesting to reveal ourselves to them?” Mesene asked carefully.

“Yes. I’m suggesting I try to make them doubt.

If they understand that dragons are not a mob of violent creatures coming to burn them alive, maybe there’s a chance they will say no to Andaros.

If they realize they have been lied to, there is a chance things will change.

There are more humans who do not hate dragons than you know, just as I’m sure the reverse is true. ”

“ That is something that would get us executed by the Elders,” Sotai said.

“And the rest of this isn’t?”

They laughed. “A fair point. You speak the truth. We have already crossed that line.”

Idroal sighed and dragged a hand over their face. “It still does not solve the problem of Andaros taking you captive the moment you step into the room, putting us back in the exact same situation.”

A thought came, and then my smile. “But you brought dragons with the skills to help, remember?” I looked at Karadi. “Just how impenetrable is that shield?”

Sickness swept through me with terrifying swiftness. Roiling, retching, and uncomfortable heat. I nearly fell over because the feeling was so strong. Until I realized the feeling wasn’t mine. It was Sirrus .

“Lena?” Belleo called my name. She was next to me and I was on the ground. “Lena? What’s happening?”

“Sirrus,” I managed. “It’s Sirrus. He’s in pain.”

Belleo and Erryn leapt into action. They helped me get to the bedding we had and rest as the awful feelings washed over me. “Is he in danger?” Erryn asked.

“I don’t know.”

From beyond my sight I heard Idroal’s voice. “Let’s fine-tune this plan. Lena is right. We have little time, if any, to get them out.”