Page 54 of Exquisite Monster (Dragons of Viria #2)

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

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KATALENA

T he clouds turned the night so dark it felt tangible. Something it was easy to move through unnoticed. Even for dragons.

I slid off Zovai’s back onto the roof of the Avimont palace.

Where we landed was hardly large enough for the size of each dragon, but we would take it.

This was where draygs had landed for years, and on the off chance someone saw us landing, they would hopefully think it was a very large drayg instead of a true dragon.

Keeping out of sight was ideal, but in the end it didn’t matter. We had ripped the veil from the human eyes and revealed that dragons had a human form. Everyone on the continent knew war was coming. Whether we were seen or not, we had to do this.

All of us simply hoped we would be able to get through this without any bloodshed.

Leaning against him, I pressed my hand to the tip of Zovai’s nose, just like I had the day of the wedding. “We’ll be fast.”

I do not like this.

There had already been more than one conversation about my going with the royals alone.

We needed them in the air to keep watch.

In case something went wrong, it would be faster if they could meet us anywhere instead of being trapped with us on the ground.

Dalas was a familiar sight around Princess Isaelle, and I wouldn’t raise suspicion.

Three large men who were not her guards would likely be attacked immediately.

“Go,” I said. “The sooner we go, the sooner I can come back to you.”

A low growl rumbled through his chest, vibrating the stone beneath me. But he pushed his nose into my hand and readied his wings to fly. I love you .

“I love you too.”

The force of his wings nearly made me stumble, but I didn’t fall, moving to the side to wait for the Isaelle and Dalas to dismount.

Here in the shadows, the dark clothes Someny provided rendered me nearly invisible. Not only that, they were stiff with some kind of protection. I couldn’t say what, but these were some of the garments meant for battle, and Zovai had nodded in approval when he saw them.

Belleo and Mesene landed in quick succession, leaving their charges .

Move quickly, mate , Endre said.

He couldn’t hear me, but I sent understanding through our bond.

Isaelle led the way. Down a set of exposed stairs to the top of the palace.

As soon as we were there, I lowered my hand into the bag, and a dart slid into it.

Varí knew which kinds of darts we were using right now.

Ones coated with dormeo —a potion that put one into a sleep so deep they would not wake until someone else woke them.

One prick of the dart would be enough, but I hoped we wouldn’t have to use them.

We clung to the shadows, easily avoiding the single pair of guards patrolling this piece of rooftop before going inside.

“Remember,” Isaelle said. “If we’re seen, I was visiting Dalas, and you are a friend from Zastea.”

I nodded once.

One good thing about it being the middle of the night, very few people wandered the halls. Then again, it made our presence obvious. This was still preferable.

We made our way through back passages and I grinned. I wasn’t the only princess who knew her way around the areas of a castle she was never meant to see.

“Shit,” Dalas muttered, and ducked backward before we could turn the corner.

A guard stood at the end of the hallway we were headed down. His back was to us, but it didn’t look like he was moving. We ducked out of sight. “Talk or sleep?”

“Sleep,” she said. “We’re still too far from the vault to get into conversations with every guard.”

“Will he be missed?” I asked in the softest whisper.

Isaelle shook her head. “Not here.”

Glancing at Dalas. “Catch him?”

I didn’t wait, sneaking around the corner toward the guard. If he was anything like the guards in Rensara, I knew exactly how he would react. With his hand on his sword.

“Excuse me?”

The man startled and whirled, but I was already moving, slicing the tip of my dart over the back of his hand where it had gone to grip the hilt of his sword. His eyes went wide, and a second later he crumpled into Dalas’s waiting arms.

The prince snickered softly as he sat the guard down inside the hallway and we closed him inside. “I’m not sure whether to be impressed or terrified.”

“Probably both,” Isaelle said. “Come.”

I didn’t bother to catalogue the directions we went. All I knew was that we were going down. And down. And down.

“It’s there,” she said, nodding around the corner. “Two guards at the door. There are more inside, but they won’t be a problem until it’s too late for them.”

Dalas took a brief look and then smirked at Isaelle. “Like old times?”

She nodded, and the soft smile on her face told me everything I needed to know.

He winked and stepped into the hallway in full view of the guards, swaying on his feet as if he’d been drinking the whole evening.

“I’m glad we met,” I told Isaelle, “if only so you could see what is possible.” More than one man. More than one lover.

“Me too,” she whispered, but her eyes were peeking around the corner at said lover.

“ You there .” Dalas slurred his words. “Where have you been? The captain of the guard has been looking for you.”

A rough laugh. “I doubt that, lad. You’ve been drinking and you shouldn’t be here.”

Dalas joined in their laughter. I could just barely see him sling his arm around the man’s shoulders. “I think I should be here though. You know what they say they keep down there?”

Both guards tensed.

“The key to Princess Isaelle’s heart. You wanna help me find it? See, I stole this key. A real key, not the heart key. It’s supposed to open this.” Dalas fumbled toward the door, and if I hadn’t just seen him entirely sober, I would have believed him.

“Hey. Stop that.”

“It’s fine.” He waved the guards away.

“Give me that.” The guard reached for the key, and Dalas leapt out of reach.

He glared at them while swaying on his feet. “How dare you.”

“Give us the key.”

The prince smiled. A crooked, boyish smile that told me this was a game he’d played before. “If you want it, you’ll have to take it from me. Imagine what will happen if you don’t. A stolen key to the royal vault?”

He sprinted down the hallway in the opposite direction with the guards following him at top speed. And leaving the door unguarded.

“Where will he lead them?”

Isaelle laughed quietly. “We learned as children the best way to distract and get rid of the guards. There’s more than one place in the palace where it’s easy to lock them behind a door if you’re fast enough.”

She held the real key, and though I knew the vault was below ground, I wasn’t prepared for the sight of the stairs disappearing into near darkness. Faint torchlight lit the stairs in front of us, but the fear still clogged my throat. Squeezed my lungs.

“This way.”

You are not there, Sirrus said, though his voice was soft and distant. And we will burn Avimont to the ground before you will ever be trapped inside it.

I took a shallow breath and followed. Around the first curve of stairs there was far more light, and this place mercifully did not smell like water. Simply dry earth. Like being in the library at Skalisméra. I could do this. I could do this.

She leaned in. “Two more. One here. And one at the doorway to the second vault.”

We stopped concealing our footsteps. Isaelle hadn’t been sure how much of Avimont or the palace guard was aware of her departure and absence, but on the chance it had been kept quiet, acting normal could help.

“Stars, I haven’t been down here in a while. But I know that bracelet is down here somewhere. I can’t wait to show you.”

“It sounds beautiful,” I said, putting on a laugh. “But if you can’t find it, it’s all right. I didn’t expect it to be in your dungeon.”

Isaelle snorted. “Trust me. This is much nicer than the dungeon.”

The guard was blank-faced with shock. “Princess?”

She stopped right in front of him. “What are you doing? Move.”

“I wasn’t told you would be visiting the vault.”

“Why would you be? I can visit the vault whenever I like. I have a key.”

He flushed and stammered. “They usually tell us so there’s more light and such. You shouldn’t be in the dark. I can?—”

I stepped around her and punctured the skin of his arm with the dart. We both caught him as he fell, and I winced at the clattering echo in the cavernous space beyond.

“I wish he’d just stepped aside.” She sighed. “I am permitted to go anywhere I want and yet I am questioned at every turn.”

“You don’t have to explain it to me. I’m more than familiar.”

We passed pedestals with art and vessels full of gold and jewels. It looked like the plunder of a thousand battles. A hoard.

“For what it’s worth, knowing Andaros even a little? I would have chosen the dragons too.”

“I have no regrets.”

Our last obstacle spotted us the second we turned the corner, and he startled just like the last one had. Isaelle turned on her royal charm. “You can stand down. It’s only me. I need to go inside.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. You aren’t permitted inside this vault.”

“According to whom? ”

He swallowed. “According to the king.”

Isaelle crossed her arms and made sure the vault key was visible in her hand. “The last time I spoke with my father, he assured me I could go anywhere I like. He even gave me a key. Why would he do that if I’m not allowed inside?”

“I-I don’t know, Your Highness. I just know I’m not permitted to let anyone but His Majesty through.”

He paled in the face of her glare. “Should we go and see him now?”

“His Majesty is not in residence.” Then he frowned. “You should know that. Should you not be with him?”

“Fine,” Isaelle said. “I’ll come back with the captain of the guard. We’ll see what you have to see then.”

“Wait—” He extended a hand, and I moved. I grabbed his hand and pulled, lifting the dart to his throat. “If you’re wise, you will not tell anyone we were here when you wake.”