Page 31 of Queen of Legends and Lies (Dragons of Tirene #4)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The rising sun bathes the fire paddock in a soft glow, and the gravel and sand muffle the sounds of my boots. I’m able to slip slowly into the midst of the creatures—some slumbering, a few stirring—unnoticed by the palace guards.

They never think to check the paddock, and apart from cautious caretakers and riders, no one would dare intrude on the dragons.

And if someone did, they’d become a snack in short order.

Dragons ruffle around me, shifting their majestic wings in acceptance of my presence. I run my hand gently over the warm scales of those who welcome my touch, inclining my head respectfully to the ones who prefer distance.

Even with their eyes closed, when I’m not using dampening as a shield between their emotions and mine, they can always tell where I am. The same way I always know where they are.

Perks of the dragoncaller bond.

Gently, softly, delicately, I convey a simple concern. Does anyone else want to go out into the night and stretch their wings with me? To ensure I get my message across, I project an image of flying across the ocean while imagining the cool breeze on my skin.

A flight to Aclaris on my own isn’t impossible, but a roundtrip by myself in a short period of time would be exhausting.

Dame’s melodic trill reaches my ears.

Her eggs are keeping her restless. Chirean can deal with them for a while.

I approach the beautiful reddish-brown dragon. Her pale yellow underwings flutter in anticipation.

Dame’s golden eyes practically sparkle, like she appreciates the welcome distraction from brooding over her nest.

I smile as I step up onto her raised foreleg and climb onto her back, settling down in the nestle between her shoulders.

Her powerful muscles bunch beneath me. She’s more than ready. Eager, even.

With a mighty leap, Dame launches us into the sky. The wind whips through my hair as we soar above the palace, the world falling away beneath us.

I lean forward, savoring the rush of flight and the momentary escape from the weight of my responsibilities. As we leave Tirene’s capital city behind, I relay the cryptic messages from the gods to this dragon as best I can.

Dame’s confusion echoes my own. She does not deal with gods, but she trusts me.

Hours pass as we fly in contemplative silence, the landscape blurring beneath Dame’s powerful wings in a whirl of green and brown hues. There’s nothing up here to distract me. I can trust in this dragon to take us where we need to go. I am just a rider in this part of the quest.

The ocean gives way to land, the sound of surf slapping against the beach intruding on the silence.

In my peripheral vision, I sense a flicker of movement. I squint, straining to identify the shapes in the distance.

“Dame, do you see that?” I push a visual of the borders beyond Tirene’s waters through our link. “It looks like an army.”

The dragon’s keen eyes confirm my suspicions. A ripple of angry disgust rises up. She spies a vast army and their auras…and they reek of corruption.

My stomach churns with unease. Rows and rows of herds, tents, boats…they just keep stretching on and on.

Dame angles her wings toward a jagged precipice. The area where Celeste said the caves would be. Thankfully, it’s nowhere near the corrupted army or Flighthaven. It’s a remote section of land, full of rocky outcroppings.

Sand-colored stones.

This is it. Just like Hallr said. Down there, somewhere, is the entrance to the cave.

I let Dame know we need to go lower, and we leave the higher, thinner altitude. As we descend, I keep an eye out for anyone or anything that might notice us.

This land belongs to the drachen now. They could be hiding in any shadow, any crag of rock, any cave opening…

So far, we encounter nothing else. Nothing to worry about.

For now.

We land at the edge of the outcropping, the late summer air raising goose bumps on my skin. A frigid chill mixes in with the damp air. Like a breath from underground.

Senses on high alert, I dismount in the darkness and unfurl my wings.

Instantly, my vision sharpens, and I spare a moment to survey our surroundings more closely.

Satisfied we’re alone, I impress on Dame the safety of the sky and the danger of staying on the ground.

I also assure her I will reach out if I need anything.

Dame lowers her head to my eye level, then exhales a puff of steam in my direction. The indignant expression she shoots me is eerily human, and I get the distinct impression if she could talk, she’d tell me she’s not a damn dog ready to obey my every command.

Despite her obvious annoyance at being told what to do, concern floods me. Her concern.

“I’ll be careful,” I whisper, rubbing her scaly cheek as I steel myself for whatever lies ahead.

Navigating over the rocks, I follow the damp scent until I find the cavern. Like an upside-down smile, the dark opening spreads under the stone.

With a final glance at my faithful companion, I pivot and step into the yawning mouth of the cave, allowing the darkness to swallow me whole.

I duck as I enter, tucking my wings in tight so I won’t bump them against the walls or ceiling. I’d magic them away, but I need the enhanced vision.

The low, narrow entrance forces me to stoop. My boots scrape against the rough terrain, the sound bouncing off the walls.

After a few steps inside, my body practically vibrates, almost like my magic is gearing up to fight whatever unknown lies ahead.

Tiny hairs prickle on the back of my neck.

I take another step. Then another. My left wrist tingles.

I rub my arm and inspect it. Nothing there.

The vibration stops, replaced by an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Probably just nerves.

Boulders and pillars of granite rise up before me. I have to clamber over them, seeking handholds and footholds in the craggy rocks.

It’s slow going.

Or at least, time seems to drag. My focus is solely on locating the next place to put my feet. The farther I venture into the tunnel’s depths, the more lost and switched around I become. By the time the roof is high enough that I can walk upright, I have no idea how far or how deep I’ve gone.

What if I can’t find my way out? What if I’m trapped down here forever ?

My heart races, and my breathing accelerates.

There are no real branches, no dead ends to worry about. But panic flutters in my chest like a caged bird. It’s so dark and cramped, and my toes and head hurt from banging into stone.

I’ve come this far. Just have to stay calm. At least there’s no pit of doom to plunge into if I lose my balance and fall. Just rock, uneven ground, and darkness.

What I wouldn’t give to be in Kinneck’s class, doing one of his ridiculous training exercises.

Feeling marginally better after my little pep talk, I summon my fire magic, focusing it into a torch to cast more light.

But it sputters weakly, barely illuminating a few feet in front of me. Is the lack of oxygen smothering my flames? The dampness?

Still, it’s enough light to make out glimmers along the walls. I lean closer to inspect them.

Crystals, embedded in the stone, catch and reflect the meager light. As I pass, they wink and shimmer. The deeper I go, the more numerous they become, until the walls are encrusted with them, glittering in a mesmerizing array.

Amethyst, citrine, emerald…every color imaginable. Their beauty robs me of my breath, and I almost forget about the knot of dread in my stomach.

Almost.

I have to keep moving, to uncover whatever’s hidden in the heart of this place. To unveil the answers I desperately seek.

But gods, I wish Sterling were here, and not just to behold this beauty. His steady presence always anchors me, keeps me from flying apart. Balances out my impetuousness.

With effort, I wrench my mind back to the task at hand and press onward. I have to do this on my own. For the sake of my kingdom, my people. No matter how much my wings ache to fly me out of this ethereal crystal labyrinth.

The only way out is through.

So I keep putting one foot in front of the other, trailing my fingers along the glimmering facets, and letting their refracted radiance guide me into the unknown.

The tunnel curves and narrows, which forces me to shift sideways and shimmy through a tight passage. My heart pounds against my ribs as the walls press in, threatening to trap me. I can’t let that happen.

I won’t.

I suck in my stomach and slip through the gap, the rough stone scraping my arms. And then I’m out and stumbling into a small chamber. The crystals are thin here, giving way to dark, craggy rock that seems to swallow the meager light.

But something else snags my attention.

A door.

In a cave?

The dank, foreboding cavern surrounds a massive slab of a door, the golden surface of which features intricate carvings and symbols. An iron lock stands out in stark contrast, the size alone enough to deter any intruders.

What in Ziva’s name is this place?

And how did this monstrosity of a door get down here? The thing probably weighs as much as a baby dragon.

I approach cautiously and run my hand over the smooth surface. Who could’ve built such a thing? And more importantly, why? What secrets lie behind this imposing barrier?

Bracing myself, I press a shoulder to the door and push with all my strength. Nothing happens. It doesn’t so much as creak, let alone move.

Panic flutters in my chest. I glance around wildly, but there are no other exits. If I can’t get through…I’ll be trapped.

Calm down.

Not trapped. I can always go back.

But then my trip will be for nothing. Narrowing my eyes, I focus my power and aim a white-hot stream of flame directly at the lock.

The fire flickers out before it can even leave my fingertips. Dammit. I’ll have to pick the lock the old-fashioned way.

Minutes—or maybe hours—later, I’ve managed to get it open.

I waste no time.