Page 99 of I Dream of Dragons

“But he has died many times.”

Death is just a gate. A passage of transformation.

We pass by open doors and salons where the fae nobility is playing games. Right now, a fae lady is trying to fish a blackapple out of a bowl filled with rose wine. In the next salon, two fae nobles are competing in growing seeds held in their palms. One of them is already a small tree in full blossom. The other is black and withered.

As we cross another salon, movement catches my eye and I turn to see a lady hurrying away, her pale gown streaked with crimson designs. Small beads drop to the floor as she runs, bouncing off the marble floors.

Pearls.

She glances back at me as she flees, and I stop in my tracks. That face… and the look in her wide eyes… I know her.

But a fae man appears beside her, grabbing and yanking her away so fast she stumbles.

“Wait!” I shout.

The boy sighs. “My lady, we are in a hurry. We are already late.”

“Rae?” Jai catches up with us. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Lynn!” I start in her direction. “Did you see her? I have to find her.”

“Who’s Lynn?”

“The girl whose place I took in the trials.”

“All right.” Jai easily keeps up with me as I rush after Lynn and the fae man. “Why do you have to find her?”

“I thought she had been returned to the land. I didn’t know she was still here at the palace.”

“Well, be that as it may,” the boy says, “we must press on.”

“No. She looked scared. Lynn!”

“Do you think she’s in trouble?” Jai strides alongside me, the boy’s grumbling fading behind us. We hurry past open doors.

“A fae man was with her.” I check inside one room, then another. “Lynn! Are you okay? Where are you?”

Why doesn’t she answer? Why is she still here?

I check in every room we pass, but she’s gone. There are stairs up ahead. Could she have gone up there?

“My lady,” the boy says, appearing before us suddenly, “the king is waiting.”

“We can’t go just yet.” I turn. I think I hear footsteps, voices… “Lynn?”

But it’s not Lynn. A group of guards is hurrying toward us.

“Athdara! There you are!” a familiar guard shouts.

“Ark? What is it?”

Now I recognize him, too, in his helmet and leathers, though I don’t see Tru.

“There is a sea drak attack on the lower levels. Come, we have been looking for you.”

“Sea drak attack?” I breathe.

“I’m coming.” Jai is gone, replaced by Athdara the warrior, the king’s sword. The shadows rush around him, materializing his black armor and the twin swords on his back. He turns to me. “Go, but please… come back to me,makhair.Don’t let him keep you, mark you more. Don’t let him make you doubt me again.”