Page 25

My cheek scraped against the rough bark as I hugged the tree. My breath tumbled. When a hairy spider raced along my arm, I didn’t flinch.

I was like stone.

Stone…as the dragon snapped up a second wyvern. Stone…as I watched the wild spiral of the wyvern’s tail slide down the dragon’s gullet.

Stone when the monster smacked his lips over the unsatisfying snack before trumpeting his dominance, then looking around for more.

My heart kept beating.

The two halves of the mage chain dangled from the wrist cuffs, glinting in the intermittent light.

Below me, the dragon swung his massive body around, trampling the surviving shrubbery, then straightened, his spiked head rising higher…higher…

I would not be sick .

Bogo’s sire stared, mere feet from my perch. I stared back.

The dragon curled his lips and asked, What are you doing?

His voice was in my head, rumbling with disapproval; the unsettling sensation was also familiar. Hadn’t I spent the last seven years as Silk, digging into the minds of men?

I hugged the shaggy branch. “What are you doing?”

Saving you.

My mouth dropped open. “Why?”

Sarnorinth exhaled a stinking stream of warm air; the blast flipped the hair straggling across my forehead. The little one was worried.

“Bogo?” My heart thudded.

The dragon snorted. What kind of name is Bogo?

“The one he used when I was five. At least, that’s what it sounded like, his name, but I could be wrong because I was crying.

And you should know…” Once the confessions started, they refused to slow down.

Words tumbled. “I might have squished him a few times. He doesn’t like hugs, and I didn’t know what he should eat, but it was always healthy.

I’m sorry if he’s stunted, but I always thought he was a bat—”

The dragon’s lip quivered. A deformed bat—he told me.

I huffed at the disdain. “Once Tarian set me free, I was going to research. Find his home.”

You are the enemy.

“So are you.” My chin lifted. “Although we’re both the enemy to those wyverns.”

The dragon harrumphed, such a ridiculous sound, as if he was indignant after insulting me. Then his lips drew back.

You tried to leave .

I glanced at the ground. Too far, with a lot of sharp branches in the way. If I jumped, I’d probably die—if not from impaling myself on a branch or hitting the ground, then as a dragon snack.

“It’s called the Law of Loyalty.” My fingers flexed against the bark. “A man is true to what’s in his heart. I was going back to save my brother.”

The dragon made a humming sound.

“You should have expected it,” I said.

I’ve never heard of a Law of Loyalty.

“You’re supposed to be extinct, so I guess we both learned something new.”

“Senaria,” Kion said as he stepped into view. His sword was in his hand, pointing toward the ground, but I recognized the tension in his stance. “What are you doing?”

I peered down, half hiding behind my arms that were still locked around the tree. “We’re having a nice conversation.”

“Nice.” His lips firmed. “Sarnorinth?”

Nice, the dragon grumbled, although if that was his nice tone, I wasn’t eager to hear the not-nice version.

The Draakon slid the sword back in the scabbard, tipped his head and crossed his arms. “You can come down, now.”

“Actually…I can’t.”

He pursed his lips, possibly to prevent a smile. “Why?” he asked with neutrality.

“Because, you jerk, I’m…stuck.”

I can get her down.

“Oh, no you can’t.” I glared at the dragon. “You’ll probably eat me. ”

Never.

I closed my eyes, opened them. Nothing had changed. I wasn’t having a nightmare; all of this was actually happening.

No crying , the dragon snapped.

“Oh, shut up.” I moved my foot, found the notch of a branch, shifted my weight until I heard the wood crack. Searched for another choice, realizing I’d just told a monster who breathed fire and ate wyverns to shut up—where was Silk’s control when I needed it?

“This isn’t normal for me.” I moistened my lips, moved my foot until I found another branch. “But I’ve been talking to Bogo for years and years and he never answered back, so I’m sorry if I offend you with everything that comes into my head.”

I find you…interesting.

Kion had climbed the tree high enough to brace my ankle. His other hand closed around my thigh. “Relax,” he murmured when I jolted. “Move your left foot. Now your hand. What happened to the mage shackles?”

“A wyvern broke them. I don’t think the magic works.”

“Humm.” His hand shifted to my waist. I leaned into him and let him guide me to the ground.

I spent a long time brushing at the bits of foliage stuck to my clothes, letting my messy hair cover part of my face.

“You’re bleeding,” said Kion as he gripped my chin and tilted my face.

His silvered hair drifted around his forehead. I refused to look him in the eyes. Couldn’t get lost there again.

Train her , Sarnorinth growled. She’s a risk .

I frowned at the dragon. “I’m the risk?”

We will not talk, he said. Not while you’re weak. If you cannot meet the challenge, how can we trust humans again?

“How can you blame the Draakon for what I did?” I demanded. “You made me a curse. Gave him penances.”

I just gave him another.

Light sizzled across the medallion glinting around Kion’s throat.

“You…” I forced myself to breathe. Waited until the dragon aimed his glinting golden gaze toward me because he’d turned to leave, when I still had…something important to say.

“Bogo.” Clearing my throat did nothing for the huskiness when I’d wanted to sound strong. “He likes it if you sing to him at night.”

The dragon blinked. Sing?

“A lullaby. It helps him sleep.”

Sarnorinth stood, unmoving beyond the belling of his chest as he breathed. Then his wings unfurled, and with a mighty sweep of chilling air, he rose high in the sky.

Kion wrapped his arms around me, pressing my face against his chest to muffle the crying sounds choking in my throat.