Page 8

8

Vaylen

“V aylen Everett Stormsong,” she says, her perfect teeth grazing her lower lip at the Vs. It’s as if she’s tasting me and liking the flavor.

Fuck!

I knew I shouldn’t have chosen her. She may be the most powerful candidate I’ve ever tested, but she spells trouble. Forget the way our powers reacted to each other—it’s unheard of, and I still have to figure out what that was all about. And the way my body responds to her… well, that is also unprecedented. When we were on the balcony, I thought I’d struck gold. Instead, I ran into a treasure trove of the forbidden, the illicit.

Fuck my luck .

I have to nip this in the bud.

“Skysinger Wyndward,” I say, leaning closer to make sure she gets the message, “earlier, I thought you were a mere guest. Your pin was missing. If it hadn’t been, I would have never… interacted with you the way I did. In no way, shape, or form are you to entertain any ideas that there could ever be anything between us besides the relationship between a Skyrider and her mentor and leader. Is that clear?”

She smirks. She actually smirks. Something like anger unfurls in my stomach, but I’m not so sure that’s what it is. This woman might make me regret giving her a dragon.

“Erase that smirk off your face, Skyrider. This is not a joke. Or should I remind you of the clause I mentioned earlier?”

The smirk disappears. “No need, High Prime.” She pauses, and I think we’re done, but then she says, “May I ask one question?”

The way she pronounced the word one is wistful, almost as if she’s saying, What could be the harm? With her, I’m starting to suspect the harm could be catastrophic, if I don’t keep my guard up. This isn’t the first time one of my female subordinates has behaved this way, but it’s certainly the first time I’ve felt tempted. If only she were unattached to my world.

Perhaps, there’ll be no harm if I allow one question, the last foray into her dangerous territory.

“What question is that?” I ask.

“Why didn’t you say your name was Vaylen? Do you prefer your middle name?”

Not a harmful question, after all. Still, an important one.

“No, I don’t prefer my middle name,” I answer, knowing full well that’s not what she wants to know. She wants to know why I tried to hide my true identity, my rank as High Prime. Everyone knows the name Vaylen Stormsong, after all. Still, I never said I would answer her fairly.

She waits expectantly, but I have no more to add. I can almost hear her thoughts scrambling as she searches for a comeback, but she never gets a chance because someone runs in, screaming hysterically.

“Neutro Cindergrasp’s been murdered in the privy!”

Shock strikes me. A murder? Here? Who would dare? Neutros aren’t popular folk, but we are in Castle Stonefall.

I look down at Rhealyn.

No! Not Rhealyn. Wyndward or Skysinger Wyndward, nothing else.

She’s watching the chaos unfold, frowning and rubbing at a spot in her right hand. Earlier, on the balcony, I thought I noticed she had?—

“Primes, join me,” the Commander calls, climbing onto the dais and urging us with quick hand gestures.

“Go join the other Skyriders,” I tell Wyndward, then leave without a backward glance.

I cut through the agitated crowd and reach the Commander before the others.

She shakes her head. “This is bad.”

I nod in agreement. This isn’t our jurisdiction, but we are trained for this type of emergency, and no one else here is. We have to take charge. Commander Voltguard isn’t one to shy away from responsibility. She has been my mentor in more than one way. I wouldn’t be here if not for her. Whatever orders she has for me, I’ll see them through.

When everyone arrives, she says, “I know the Rite of Flight isn’t quite done yet, but it may have to wait. Right now, we need to act quickly and manage this situation. Emberstone, secure the crime scene.”

Isolde Emberstone, the Skyblaze Prime, leaves without a moment’s hesitation. I’m not the only one who is loyal to the Commander.

“Wavecaller, secure all the exits. No one is to leave until the proper measures are taken, except for Rockshield.” She turns to the Skydune Prime. “Go and fetch Chief Inspector Cragmere. Do not return without him. Make haste.”

The Primes leave, the crowd parting as they run to follow orders.

“The rest of us,” she says, “let’s appease this crowd. Keep your eyes open for anything suspicious, ask if anyone saw anything. If they did, take down their names, so we can expedite things for the Chief Inspector.”

“Yes, Commander,” we say in unison.

Before I can leave, however, she grabs my arm and holds me back. “You’re in charge of the Skyriders,” she says. “Gather them in one place and question them. I hope to Heratrix none of them had anything to do with this.”