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Seeing them wasn’t the problem. Fighting them—beating them—was. “If you don’t mind a suggestion, it would be prudent to have additional sentry positions farther down the coast. A fit army could march back to Hopetown within a day from either Lowcliffe Beach or Gore Bay.”

And while neither had docks, both were naturally deep-water harbors that had often provided shelter for trade boats in fierce storms. Lowcliffe also had a sweeping sandy beach that made it very easy for rowboats heavily laden with men to land.

“I will approach the council with your recommendation.”

“It is a recommendation that would be wise to accept,” Kele muttered. “Our captain is one of the few who has witnessed the multiple levels of destruction these bastards are capable of.”

“And you are...?” the commander said, tone cool.

Kele snapped a little straighter, obviously remembering she was not facing one of our commanders, who tended to be a little more lenient when it came to backchat, and saluted. “Kele MacCaa, drakkon rider, and second-in-command, Brown Recon Team.”

Curiosity briefly flashed across the commander’s otherwise stern features. He returned his gaze to mine. “How many drakkon riders do we now have? I was under the impression you were the sole rider.”

“We now have three, but it won’t be enough.”

“You stopped them today.”

“We were lucky, because they weren’t prepared for the additional drakkons. Next time, they will be.”

“The drakkons are larger?—”

“And have no innate means of attack other than tooth and claw, and both of those involve getting far too close to riders armed with weapons that can tear through flesh and stone with equal ease.”

“But you have fire—we saw it in action today.”

I half smiled. “We are also human, Commander, with all the limitations that come with that—something you should be aware of, given you’ve no doubt been dealing with air and earth witches on a regular basis of late.”

Annoyance flashed through his eyes, but he gave it no voice. I suspected the only reason he didn’t reprimand me as he had Kele was because of who I was—the only daughter of Esan’s king.

“Fine. I’ll update the council while we await the arrival of your drakkon.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

He nodded, then turned sharply on his heel and walked back through the half-destroyed pillars and down the hill. I’d expected him to use a quill and tablet, but either he wasn’t carrying one—which would be unusual for any field commander—or he simply wanted to remove himself from the stink of drakkon that permeated our clothes.

Teagin continued her examination of my leg, muttering softly to herself as she gently probed the wound with fingers that were overly warm. It was then that I realized she was more a “diviner” than a healer. Diviners were able to “read” what was happening within the body, providing a clearer picture for those who healed or repaired with magic or knife. Most of them were very skilled herbalists, able to work medical “magic” with many of their potions and salves, but you didn’t often find them working as field medics. That was usually a position taken by “true” healers.

“I’m not sensing any major damage.” She sat back on her heels and studied me. “You were lucky, young woman. A wound like that could have easily sliced through any of the major muscles or arteries in your calf and bled you out. Good job on stabilizing the shaft, too, because that bastard is barbed.”

I frowned. “I can’t remember seeing notches on the other arrows they aimed my way.”

“You probably were too busy fighting or avoiding them to do that,” she said, somewhat dryly. “And the notches aren’t big, but they’ll rip your leg apart if removed the wrong way.”

“Your healers can remove it, though, right?”

“Sure can. I’ll not touch it—the numbing salve you applied will remain active for another four or so hours, but holler if it does start hurting, and I’ll give you a stronger potion.”

“Thank you.”

She nodded. “I’ll just head down the hill and order a stretcher, because you’re not walking on that leg until that arrow is out, I’m afraid.”

Amusement tugged at my lips. “And downhill just happens to be upwind of us. No coincidence, I’m thinking.”

She laughed and patted my knee. “Indeed not.”

Once she’d collected all her gear and the discarded bandage, she rose and moved away.

“The drakkon scent must be pretty odious, given the distance everyone is keeping,” Kele commented, “so why can’t I smell it?”

“Used to it, I suspect.”

“I suspect not . If that were the case, the odious scent of unwashed bodies during a five-day scouting mission wouldn’t worry me at all.”

I laughed and dragged some trail rations out of my pack. “I can’t disagree with that statement, though I will say that after five days of riding Desta through Mareritten scrub, my nose has generally desensitized itself.”

“Wish mine did,” she grumbled, sitting down beside me. “But maybe the men and women from the Brown Recon Team are more... ambrosial.”

I laughed again and, with a grin, she pulled the rations out of her pack and began to eat. By the time an hour had ticked by, the commander had disappeared into whatever hole he’d appeared from, Teagin had perched halfway down the hill on a freakishly undamaged chair she’d found from goodness knows where, and the soldiers guarding us had widened the circle by several yards.

Rua and Hannity appeared on the horizon just as the first stain of sunset was creeping across the sky, her scales gleaming with red fire in the day’s dying light. There were audible gasps from several men encircling us, and one reached for his sword. I barked at him to stand down, and the soldier instinctively obeyed, even though I was not his captain.

As they drew closer, I reached out to Rua and said, Sweep over us and land in the upper area close to the wall so Hannity can dismount. Did you find any boats?

Some. Not like ones we destroyed.

Good. I paused, checking the images she sent. How did Hannity go?

She good. I approve.

I smiled. Hannity will be pleased to hear that.

Rua swept over us, low enough that her claws were only yards above the soldiers’ heads, which had most of them instinctively ducking. I glanced at Kele. “Can you go tell Hannity she needs to grab all her gear and dismount?”

She nodded, thrust upright, and jogged up the hill to the landing drakkon.

Where queens? came Rua’s thought.

I sent them to a safe place to feed and roost for the night. I gave her the mental directions then added, Tell Kaia I said not to come back until I contact her.

I still hear, came her immediate comment. Hunting good here. Will come more often once gilded ones killed.

There’s other islands in the area with a similar abundance.

Must stop gilded fast, then.

I laughed. Wish it was that easy.

Is. I trust.

And the weight of that was getting heavier.

As Rua took off, heading west to join her queens, Teagin reappeared with two men carrying a stretcher between them. By the time I was lashed on, Kele and Hannity were beside me, the latter grinning fiercely.

“I take it the experience was an awesome one?” I said with a wry smile.

“You have no idea.” She paused. “Well, actually, you do. Wish I could talk to them like you, though. It would make things far easier.”

“It seemed to me you did work out a means of communication.”

“A very crude one, and not ideal under most circumstances.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s a shame the drakkons can’t flame.”

“We’re working on that.” My grip tightened briefly as the stretcher was lifted and we headed down the hill. “Did you see anything unusual out there?”

“We spotted a number of trading vessels, but they were heading away from Hopetown rather than toward. No galleons resembling those we destroyed here, though.”

“Any sign of gilded riders?”

“No, but there’s not many places for birds like them to perch in deeper seas.”

“Captain,” Teagin said, “we’re about to head down steep stairs, and, in a stretcher, it’s going to be unpleasant. I’ll knock you out?—”

“That’s not necessary?—”

“I believe it is, and in medical matters, my opinion is law. When we wake you, you’ll be in the hospital, all patched up, which is far better for all concerned.”

I glanced at Kele. “Grab the quill and tablet from my pack and make a quick report to the commander once we’re underground and safe. Hannity, add your report.”

They both nodded. Teagin barked a command for the stretcher bearers to halt, then gave me a few drops of some sweet-tasting and rather thick liquid. Within minutes, the world went black, and I knew no more.

* * *

The soft sound of steps woke me. I instinctively reached under the pillow for my knife, but it was gone. Alarm stirred briefly, then I smelled the sharpness of soap and antiseptic, and felt the cool impersonal touch of fingers against my wrist, and realized where I was. In the hospital. Hopetown’s hospital, situated Vahree only knew where underground.

I didn’t immediately open my eyes or acknowledge whoever was taking my pulse, instead reaching for Kaia. Everything okay on that island?

Feeding good here . Capra fat and lazy, came her thought.

Yara and Rua still there?

Want to fight. Can’t without flamers. We fly today?

If I have any say in it, yes.

Good. Need go.

Yeah, so do I , I replied, and finally opened my eyes.

The woman pressing two fingers against my wrist smiled. “Welcome back to the world, Captain. You’ll be pleased to know the operation was a success and there is no lasting damage.”

“The ‘no lasting’ portion of that statement suggests there was indeed some.”

“The arrow was a nasty beast of a thing, and several of its thorns broke off as we tried to remove it. That meant cutting open your calf more than we might have wished. You have yet another scar on that leg, I’m afraid, and it will remain tender for a few days, but you were extremely lucky, considering.”

“Sounds like it.” I briefly glanced around. The room—though it was more a cave carved out of black rock than anything resembling a regular hospital room—was small and sparsely furnished. Aside from the bed in which I lay, there was a square table to my right, barely big enough to hold a plate and a glass, and which had been placed on wheels so it could be pushed out of the way easily. A somewhat spartan-looking chair lay to my left, and a simple curtain covered the doorway directly ahead. “Where are we, exactly? Besides a makeshift hospital underground, that is.”

“We’re in the hills to the east of Hopetown, close to what many call Sinopa’s right knee.”

I blinked. “That’s a good distance from the port—how in Vahree’s name did your earth witches manage to dig tunnels out to here so quickly, let alone create a viable hospital shelter?”

“This shelter was created eons ago—it’s the remote emergency administration center—so all they really had to do was extend what already existed to include a hospital.”

“And the bulk of the population? Where are they?”

“In various older caves littered under Sinopa.”

“I thought they were creating new caverns closer to Hopetown?”

“I believe that was the initial intent, but given the urgency of the situation, the council considered it prudent to use what already existed, even if many areas are less than ideal by today’s standards.”

“Better to be housed in less than ideal than dead.”

“That is indeed my feeling also, but a surprising number of people disagreed and left.”

“What? Where did they go? Because we certainly didn’t see any indication they’d returned to Hopetown.”

“They headed inland, from all reports.” She released my wrist with a nod, then flipped the plain sheet away from my body, exposing my skin to the cool air. She ran her fingers lightly along my calf, concentration evident in her slight frown. Pain shivered up my leg. It was a distant thing, suggesting I still had plenty of painkillers onboard.

“And what about the two soldiers who were with me?” I asked. “Where are they?”

“They’ve been housed in the military quarters, but your second currently stands guard in the corridor, waiting until I give clearance for her to come in. I believe she’s in an agitated state and anxious to get going.”

“Too damn right she’s agitated and anxious,” came Kele’s comment. “We’ve been here too long already.”

I frowned at the doctor. “How long have I been unconscious?”

“Two days.”

“ Two days?” I repeated, a little shocked. “Why so long?”

“We needed to keep your leg immobilized for a period of time after the operation. After conferring with your healers back in Esan—we had to consult them to ensure you had no allergies to the strong potions we were about to give you, and also to check what had been done during your other recent surgery—it was decided the best way to achieve that was to keep you knocked out. Apparently, you have something of a history when it comes to not obeying medical orders.” She raised an eyebrow, as if daring me to disagree. I couldn’t, of course, so after several beats of silence, she added, “The benefit of doing that, of course, is that you’re now free to leave.”

“As in, right now?”

“Yes, although I do suggest you get dressed first. Your clothes have been washed and repaired, and hang on the hooks to your right. Your impatient second has your weapons and packs.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

She nodded. “Good luck with your drakkon riding. I’ll be praying for Túxn to gift you good fortune ridding the skies of this scourge.”

“We certainly need all the prayers and good fortune we could get right now.” Especially if Damon’s transference spell wasn’t workable.

As the doctor left the room, Kele strode in. She looked fresh and no longer smelled of drakkon, and I had no doubt that was due to the military folk insisting both she and Hannity take a long soak in a scented bath before they inhabited their area. Military personnel generally had a good tolerance for odious scents—bathing facilities on long recons weren’t exactly plentiful—but the reactions of the commander and his people definitely suggested the musk of our drakkons was a little too strong for their tastes.

“What news from Esan?” I swung my legs off the bed and warily stood. My damaged calf muscles twinged, and pain swirled yet again, a distant warning that I still needed to be careful. And one, no doubt, that I’d forget soon enough. I hobbled over to my clothes and began to dress.

“There’s been a couple of minor skirmishes with the Mareritt, but no further signs of the riders.”

“Were the Mareritt using the gilded riders’ tube weapons?”

“No, but the commander said they are building numbers up in the wastelands.”

“They’re readying for an attack.”

“It would appear so.” She placed our gear on the bed, then sat down beside it, her nose wrinkling. “We should be doing a preemptive strike now, while their numbers remain low.”

“Except for the fact that if the Mareritt are working with the riders, however peripherally, then the build-up might be nothing more than a means of drawing our strongest forces and our drakkons away from our fortress, thereby ensuring Esan isn’t fully equipped to counter an attack by the riders.”

“I’m not entirely sure we’re equipped now,” she replied, somewhat gloomily. “Three drakkons, however mighty the combination of them and us might be, will never defeat the sheer number of people they can put in the air. Presuming, of course, that rider wasn’t talking shit and they do intend to fill our skies with gold.”

“They haven’t done so yet, so there’s still time to figure out a solution. Even if it is simply getting more fire witches onto drakkons. Where’s Hannity?”

“She found a friend to play with last night. She’ll meet us in the mess.”

“Good, because I am starved.”

Not just for food , came Kaia’s comment. Mating heat high.

I just about choked. Kaia!

True.

“And it’s moments like this I wish I could hear the drakkons,” Kele said dryly. “Kaia obviously said something very... interesting, because your face is a picture right now.”

“Trust me when I say you really don’t want to hear them. They stick their noses into your personal affairs and make all sorts of comments, whether you want them to or not.”

She raised her eyebrows, amusement lurking around her lips. “I take it Kaia made one such comment?”

“Involving mating heat and how bad it rides me.”

“Well, she’s not exactly wrong. You are just married, and you do have a lusciously virile man waiting for you at home.”

He was certainly home, and he was certainly virile. Whether he was actually waiting for me was another matter entirely. I strapped on my sword and knives, then picked up my packs. “Enough of this rubbish. Let’s go eat.”

She chuckled, but grabbed her packs and followed me through the curtain. Once in the hall, I motioned her to the lead and followed her through the myriad of wide tunnels that connected the various hospital areas, and then on into the not-so-wide tunnels that were obviously a part of the older emergency administrative system.

The mess hall was narrow but long, containing two rows of stone tables and wooden bench seats. Smallish serveries sat at either end, and the delicious scent of roasting meats filled the air, as did a slight haze of smoke. Obviously the vents weren’t working to full capacity right now.

There were at least two dozen other soldiers dotted about, some in groups, some singular. Hannity sat alone at a table to our right and rose as we approached, saluting casually.

“Good to see you up and about, Captain. Commander Green was here a few minutes ago, looking for you, and said he’d be back in half an hour to escort us to the surface.”

I nodded, a little surprised he hadn’t relegated the task to a junior officer. But perhaps he was paying deference to my position at the palace rather than my military one. “Then we had best eat.”

I dumped my packs, then hobbled over to the servery. A big sweaty man in brown plated me up a meal consisting of roasted meat, four potatoes, a few rather sad-looking vegetables, and several slices of thick bread, then motioned me toward the end of the servery where there were several pots of steaming shamoke. I poured myself a drink in the largest mug I could find and then headed back to the table to eat. I was damnably hungry and would probably have gone back for seconds had not Green arrived with two other soldiers.

I stood up and saluted. “Morning, Commander. Any news regarding Hopetown?”

“There’s been no additional attacks, but riders have been sighted on high. We suspect they’re looking for any indication of additional fortifications before they send a new invading party in.”

“Or they’re looking for the drakkons,” I said.

“Indeed. Shame we do not have more of them.”

“If we can work out a means of nullifying the acidic weapons of the riders,” I replied, “then the need for drakkons would be lessened.”

“I can’t help but think an army of drakkons would be of benefit to Arleeon, especially when the Mareritt remain a problem.”

“Given how close we came to causing the extinction of the drakkons,” I couldn’t help but bite back, “it’s a miracle they’re willing to help us at all.”

He looked a little startled at that. “You don’t control them?”

“No, Commander, we do not.”

“Then perhaps that should be a prior?—”

“Commander, I would not finish that sentence. The drakkons are every bit as intelligent as we humans, and they are not ours to rule or force into obedience and servitude.”

“Captain, they are nothing more than a large animal?—”

“All large animals can either eat or kill you if they’re hungry or angry enough,” I cut in. “And the drakkons have very long memories.”

“Which doesn’t matter given she is not here?—”

“Except,” Kele drawled, “for the fact that our captain and her drakkon have an open line of communication, and our queen drakkon is no doubt listening to every word we are saying. I wouldn’t be roaming the streets alone anytime soon, Commander, because she does have something of a temper.”

Truth, Kaia said. Would crunch his bones and spit him out.

And I would definitely let you. I flexed my fingers lightly against the flames burning against my fingertips. “Slavers once considered the people of Arleeon and other nearby continents to be no more than wild creatures to be tamed and used. Do you approve of that, Commander?”

“That is a very different?—”

“No, Commander, it is not. Now, if you don’t mind, we need to get to Esan. Please provide us with a guide back to Hopetown.”

Annoyance flickered through his eyes, no doubt thanks to the inference I didn’t want him leading us, but he turned and snapped his fingers at the two soldiers behind him. “Greta, Marc, escort the captain and her people back to Hopetown.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

He nodded, spun on his heel, and stalked out. I couldn’t help but wonder what my father thought of the man. Maybe it was nothing more than his opinion on the drakkons rubbing me the wrong way, but I definitely would not have placed him in overall control of Hopetown’s fighting forces.

I collected my packs, threw them over my shoulder, then motioned to the two soldiers to lead the way. They did so at a good clip, and over the course of the next hour we passed numerous guard stations and several unmarked but extremely strong-looking metal doors. By the time we neared the steep steps I only vaguely remembered, my calf was beginning to ache. Obviously, the painkillers were wearing off.

Greta motioned us to halt, then quickly ran up and activated a vertical long viewer with an L-attachment at the eye end. It allowed her to use the viewer without the inconvenience of needing to squat underneath.

“All clear,” she said, after a few minutes.

Her companion ran up the steps, slid the hatch open, and quickly jumped up. After a few more seconds, he echoed, “All clear.”

Greta motioned us on. I went first and climbed out into the remains of what had obviously once been a grand building. It had no roof and only two walls remained, neither of which looked particularly stable, but the plaster that clung to the stone was brightly painted, and the windows were ornate in style even if no glass remained.

After Hannity had climbed out, I thanked the two soldiers, then waited until they’d retreated and closed the hatch. The thing all but disappeared. If I squinted hard enough, I could see the faint outline of one edge, but other than that, there was absolutely no indication it existed, and no sign of soil disturbance, meaning there was some form of earth magic happening here. Which made sense. I dared say there were multiple protections—aside from the guard stations—inside the tunnels that we hadn’t even noticed.

Near, came Kaia’s thought. Where land?

I glanced around and realized we were halfway between the green strip behind the admin buildings and the remnants of the older port buildings. Land on the undestroyed pier. It should fit two of you easily enough—you keep watch and land last.

Am biggest, need more room.

That too , I said with a smile.

The three drakkons appeared on the horizon as we made our way through streets littered with destruction and the vague scent of decay—the latter no doubt coming from the birds and the riders we’d killed and whose bodies remained scattered about.

“I will never get over the awe of seeing them,” Hannity said, her gaze on the distant specks that were the drakkons rather than where she was placing her feet. “Nor will I ever forget the fact I was lucky enough to ride one.”

“Me neither,” Kele agreed softly.

Or me, I echoed, though I didn’t say it out loud. “They’re going to land on the remaining pier. You two mount up first and then rise to keep watch while Kaia lands.”

“We heading straight home or on through Mareritten?” Kele asked.

“Why would we go through Mareritten?” Hannity asked.

Kele glanced at her. “Apparently the riders have three boats docked there in need of destruction.”

“I’m up for that.”

“We may or may not investigate that report tomorrow once I’ve discussed tactics with the commander, but for now, we’re going home. Kaia has a drakkling she needs to see.”

Miss , came Kaia’s comment.

I know.

“Not to mention,” Kele was saying, amusement playing through her expression, “that need she mentioned earlier in regard to you.”

“ That has nothing to do with my decision. You two harness up and head down, but on your way, can you collect some of the armor scattered about? Our mages and smiths can use it to design weapons able to pierce it. I’ll contact Esan to let them know we’re on our way.”

Kele gave me a sketchy salute and, once she and Hannity had their harnesses on and ropes at the ready to clip on, they moved out. I pulled out the scribe quill and its tablet and quickly sent a message to my father.

Be wary coming over Dante’s Peak, came his response. We’ve spotted riders flying there .

Dante’s Peak lay midway between the part of the Black Glass Mountains Kaia hunted over and the Beak, and it was just over an hour’s riding—not flying—away from Esan. He must have reinstated the old watch towers there.

I doubt they’d want to risk the destruction of any more of their “control” birds and riders just yet, I replied, and we should be well home by dusk and the time the rest of them rise .

Hope you’re right, but remain on guard.

We will. See you soon.

I tucked the tablet and quill away, pulled on my harness, and clipped on the various ropes, ready to connect, then slung my packs over my shoulder and moved down to the dock, collecting various bits of rider armor and stuffing them in my packs along the way. Yara and Rua swept in, the force of air coming off their wing sweeps had the whole pier swaying in an alarming fashion.

“I would suggest we don’t linger,” Hannity said, her expression dubious as she studied the pier. “Because that thing doesn’t look like it’ll hold too much more.”

“Then move fast but light.” I paused as the two drakkons landed, then added, “Go.”

They ran onto the dock and mounted their respective drakkons. Once they were both tied on, I ordered the two drakkons to rise. Kaia swept in under them; though she landed lightly, her larger bulk had the old pier groaning alarmingly.

I ran down to her, the old wooden planking swaying under my feet, and chunks of wood splashed loudly into the sea underneath. She offered her leg, and I scrambled up fast, wanting to get off the pier before the whole thing collapsed. She was rising before I fully strapped on; several large gaps appeared in the pier as wood disintegrated, but the bulk of it remained doggedly upright.

Kaia turned lazily and flew toward Esan, Yara and Rua taking up position on the left and the right behind her. We flew in that formation through the long hours that followed, stopping twice for privy breaks—which caused much amused discussion among the drakkons, who couldn’t understand why we simply didn’t defecate or urinate on the wing like them. Trying to explain caused even more hilarity, and their joint decision was that drakkons were definitely “better” designed.

I couldn’t actually disagree with that.

It was just after three by the time we finally reached the aerie. Rua and Yara preceded us, then Kaia trumpeted her return and swept in, landing on the strip then striding gracefully inside. Gria waddled over and twined necks with her mother, happiness radiating through her thoughts. Guilt twinged through me, even though I was well aware that Kaia could have returned home any time she wished. I detached everything then slid down her leg and removed the neck girth.

Fly tomorrow ? Kaia asked, presenting her eye for a scratch.

I need to speak to my father first, so rest up tonight and fly with Gria in the morning to feed. I’ll update you when I can.

Gria appeared under her mother’s neck. Must scratch.

I grinned and obeyed.

Harder , she demanded.

She’s going to be a queen one day, isn’t she? I asked Kaia. She definitely has the attitude.

My line always queens.

Except when they’re males, I said wryly.

My males always worthy of queens. Fact.

I chuckled softly and left her and Gria to their snuggling, carrying her gear over to the hooks. Once Kele and Hannity joined me, we retreated, walking through the shield and making our way at a reasonable clip through the myriad of tunnels.

Even so, dusk was settling in by the time we reached Esan.

Once we were through the gates, I collected the packs that contained the armor from them and said, “Go home and rest, both of you. If we do fly out tomorrow, it won’t be until after dawn. I’ll have word sent.”

They both saluted, then Kele touched my arm. “Make sure you take your own advice and get some food and rest tonight.”

“And ignore the mating heat?” I replied with a grin. “Unlikely.”

She laughed, squeezed my arm, and followed Hannity. I took a deep breath, then headed for the war room to make my report.

My father, mother, and Jarin were leaning over the main continental map, their expressions grim. Alarm slipped through me. “What has happened now?”

“A report just came in via Hopetown’s council. A trading boat who’d been hoping to restock supplies at the port scribed them an update on sea conditions.” My father glanced at me. “According to them, Ezu has been overrun by hundreds of strange golden birds.”