Page 6

Chapter 6

Tahlia

H igh Captain Marius Leos Valentius. She had actually met him. Spoken to him. A stuttered breath left her. Just with his gaze, he’d given her lovely shivers.

“I lost you at the bend in the road.” Irritation clipped Fara’s words.

Tahlia held up a hand. She hadn’t meant to worry her friend. This place was just so incredible that she could hardly focus on doing anything. The sights and sounds and smells drew her attention back and forth and around again like she was watching a pitchball game.

“I’m sorry. I noticed the arena and just had to see it for myself immediately.”

A reluctant grin crossed Fara’s mouth. “Fine.”

“Did you ask what we need at the sign-up table?” Tahlia asked. “I assume you found it past that crowd?”

“I did. They want your blood for the test right now and they say if we don’t have it turned in by the next bell, you can’t compete.”

A grimace tugged at Tahlia’s mouth. “I had no idea there was a time limit.”

“Where are we doing this?” Fara was already fingering the hilt of her dagger.

Tahlia dug around in the bag strewn across her body. There had to be a bottle in here somewhere.

“How about over there?” she whispered.

Fara curled her lip. “Near the public piss pots?”

Finally, a cool, curved item touched Tahlia’s fingertips. She drew out a green vial, one that their former employer used to gather seeds of medicinal plants. “Yes, come on.”

She dragged Fara into one of the curtained toilet tents, leaving Daffodil chomping on a clump of weeds outside. Thankfully, this particular tent was empty. Uncorking the bottle with her teeth, Tahlia let loose a horrible groan.

Fara’s eyes went wide. “What is your problem?”

“If everyone thinks someone is sick in here, they’ll leave us alone.”

Nodding, Fara pursed her lips and gave a cough and a groan too.

Knocking the rest of the seeds from the vial, Tahlia grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

Fara used her dagger to make a small cut about halfway up her arm and Tahlia held the bottle up against the wound. Fara’s Mistgold Fae blood flowed into the vial.

Tahlia found a bandage at the bottom of the sack and helped Fara tidy up her arm and roll her sleeve back down. Tahlia took Fara’s face between her hands.

“Thank you for doing this.”

Fara grinned, her cheeks puffing around Tahlia’s fingers. “Just don’t die on me.”

“I’ll do my best to live on and annoy you forever.”

Back at the sign-up table, Tahlia handed the vial over to a barrel-chested, blue-skinned male. “My blood sample.” She gave him what she hoped was a winning smile as her heart rate increased and her hands grew clammy.

His features held no emotion. He took the offered bottle and set it beside a long sheet of parchment. “Name?”

“Lady Tahlia of Northwoods.”

“Experience in years?”

“With dragons?”

His gaze snapped to her face and he just stared.

“Oh, of course.” A nervous laugh bubbled from her. “Six years at Grimsbrook.”

The male’s grip tightened on his red feather quill. “Really?” He looked her up and down.

She tugged at her leather vest and raised her chin defiantly. She was so lucky the human half of her allowed her to lie. “Yes.”

He jerked his head in a nod and inked her name onto the parchment. “Sigil?”

“Tree and dragon tooth.”

Waving a hand to indicate he needed more detail than that, he paused in writing.

“The tooth sits longwise above an oak’s silhouette.”

“Ah.” He jotted down some unreadable notes, then set his quill down and cracked his knuckles. “Your interview will be at the Brass Lantern with High Captain Marius.” He handed her a scroll shut with a waxed blue and silver seal.

“But…”

“You’re lucky. With that level of experience, you will have plenty to discuss with him.”

Tahlia’s neck heated and she gripped the tiny scroll tightly. “Of course. Yes. Thank you. What time?”

“At sundown. You can eat together if he is in the right mood.”

Fara leaned over Tahlia’s shoulder. “Right mood?”

Tahlia imagined that Marius would be in a foul mood considering he didn’t agree with how she behaved with the youngling dragon. But she would win him over. Somehow.

The male chuckled knowingly. “You’ll see.” He shooed them on and began asking the male behind them the entry questions.

Fara urged the horse around a cluster of children trading painted stones. “You didn’t ask when we’ll hear the results of the blood test?”

“I am sure they’ll let us know at the interview if there was any issue, which there won’t be.” Each of the children’s stones had a sigil on it, perhaps of their favorite knight or dragon…

“It’s nearly sundown now. Tell me about that knight in the arena.”

They walked the winding path that wound through a market and along the higher cliffs that stretched into the peachy late-afternoon sky. Stairs ran along the cliffs and numerous Fae walked here and there. They lived in the caves carved from the mountain’s face and each cave boasted a crystal above its arched entrance.

“It was the High Captain.” Tahlia grimaced at Fara.

Fara gripped Tahlia’s arm. “What?”

“Yes, I didn’t recognize him. He seemed too young to be the male everyone talks about.” And too good looking. That whip on his shoulder made her mind whirl with thoughts that were decidedly unknightlike…

Fara’s grip on Tahlia’s arm went slack. “We are as good as dead.”

“Why?”

“Because.” Fara shoved her hands in her hair and turned in a circle. “Now he knows your face and you didn’t know who he was. A terrible first impression. He’ll know you’re sneaking in here,” she whispered in a hiss, “and that your blood is false and he’ll come looking for us and will have his dragon roast us for his supper.”

“Fara.”

“I don’t want to be someone’s supper.” Fara’s eyes were wild—a sure sign of her losing it. “I want to have a meal, not be one!”

Tahlia grabbed her by the arms and stared her in the face. “Fara. You must stop yelling.” Especially yelling about our secrets, she tried to say with her eyes.

Fara’s gaze took in the crowd around them. “Right.”

“But you didn’t let me tell you the best part,” Tahlia whispered as the crowd stopped paying them any attention. “He was tending to Ragewing. That dragon is glorious. The colors, the scales, the fire-bright eyes… And High Captain Marius wasn’t too bad himself with his immense height and that fierce stare. He has this powerful presence…”

“Yes, yes. Attractive and dangerous male. Just every idiot’s type. Now, can we go find our lodgings?”

Tahlia leaned close. “We don’t have the money for that.”

“They provide lodging to those who have one of those.” Fara jerked her chin toward Tahlia’s hand—where the small scroll was gripped in her fingers.

“Ah. All right.” The street branched out, and down at the end of the western route, an archway made entirely of crystal sparkled above the crowd. “I’m guessing that is the entrance to the inner bailey.”

The crowd thinned as they approached the archway and one of the four guards in Mist Knight livery standing at the entrance raised his sword.

“I swear on the Old Ones’ greatest crystal,” the guard shouted at the gathered folk. “If you don’t back up, I’ll lop the heads from the lot of you!”

“Calm down, Severin. They’re just excited,” another guard said.

“Only competitors! No rabble!” Severin said, glaring at the people straining their necks to see through the arch.

The second, more level-headed guard shook his head and waved Tahlia forward. “You have your mark?”

She held up the tiny scroll. “You mean this?”

He took it, cracked the seal, and read it over. “Yep. You’re in. This your squire, yes?” He was looking behind her at Fara.

“Yes. Where do I find our lodgings?”

“Straight through there.” He pointed down a side street inside the archway. “A stable hand will take your horse at that second archway. Then you’ll come to an unmarked door where competitor lodgings are given out. Remember, be on your best behavior. There is always a dragon watching the castle.” His smile was sharp. He elbowed her. “Just kidding you, knight. Get on in there and make your hometown proud!”

Tahlia’s heart thudded and her smile turned absolutely feral. She was more than ready to do just that. Fara shut her eyes—she was probably praying—and they passed into the legendary castle of the Mist Knights, the very heart of the Shrouded Mountains.