Page 9

Chapter

Nine

EIRA

The storm hasn’t broken, but the sky seems to be pressing down. Even the dragons feel it. They’ve been pacing in their cove, and Harek has been going back and forth between them and us. It’s almost like Vash is becoming his.

After wearing myself out practicing alone with my sword, I find Einar in the library by the hearth, holding a book he’s not reading. His expression is distant, eyes reflecting flames but seeing something else entirely.

“You’re distracted,” I say.

He doesn’t answer right away. Just sets the book down, as if a world away. “I’ve been following rumors and whispers.”

“Meaning?” I keep my tone light to match his, but I’m eager to hear more.

My father plays with the spine of the book for a moment. “Before I found you, I’d already begun searching. Not for you,” he adds quickly. “For a noble of an old fae bloodline, tied to the some of the oldest hunters. Someone who may know how the curse originated.”

“It had a beginning?” I ask, unable to keep the surprise from my voice.

“Everything does.”

“It feels older than time.” But then a thought strikes me, and it gives me hope. “If it has a beginning, it could have an end. It can be stopped.”

“Exactly.”

I step closer. “Why haven’t you said anything until now?”

“Because there’s great danger in chasing myths. And even greater danger in proving them true.”

“That sounds cryptic.”

He moves to the window, looks out over the city. “Your mother didn’t want this life for you.”

“I know. But she also didn’t tell me the whole truth. She left a lot out.”

He goes still.

“What else did she tell you?” I ask. “Anything about being the Secret Keeper? Or any other surprises I don’t know about yet?”

His jaw tightens.

“ Was there more?” I stare him down.

He turns slowly, and in his eyes I see something raw. A silence stretches between us. “I don’t know much. Your mother was the most private person I’ve met.”

“That’s saying something, coming from you.”

“She came from a bloodline older than mine,” he says at last. “One she was trying to escape. She was on the run when we met, and she was still on the run when she left carrying you.”

I nod slowly, my mind racing. “Does that somehow tie into the noble fae you’re looking for?”

He looks me dead in the eye. “That I can’t tell you, but if we want to end the hunter curse before it takes one of us, then we have to find him. We should leave before nightfall.”

My stomach knots. This is really happening. “I’ll let Harek know.”

Einar nods before returning to his book.

The wind stirs hard against the mountain, pulling at the outer doors with low, rattling groans. Sapphire thrashes her wings restlessly, her scales shimmering like lit coals in the storm light.

“Easy,” I murmur, pressing a hand to her flank. “We’re not leaving you behind.”

Harek, busy filling the enormous food bowls with some kind of meat, manages to wave when he sees me.

Vash circles just outside the open doors, eyes glowing like cut emeralds in the dusk. He huffs and paces, his tail flicking with sharp snaps.

“He knows something’s wrong,” Harek says, coming over to me. “They both do.”

“I think they’ve felt it for days,” I say, smoothing a hand down Sapphire’s shoulder. “They’ve been restless.”

He moves to stand across from me, gently catching Vash’s reins as the black dragon prowls around.

I tell him what my father said about the noble. After a brief hesitation, I ask, “Do you want to come with us?”

His eyes meet mine, steady. “That’s not even a question. When do we leave?”

“As soon as possible.”

“You’re nervous.” He wraps an arm around me. “You don’t have to do this alone. I’m here for you always.”

I relax against him. “This could be dangerous. Einar and I are looking for a way to end the hunter curse. I’m sure we’re not the first to try and figure this out.”

“But you’ll be the last.” He rests his chin against my shoulder.

The wind howls again. Thunder groans far off.

“It’s going to be dangerous. I want you to know what you’re getting yourself into.”

He nods like he understands. Maybe he does. Not that any of us really know what we’re stepping into. “I’m up for anything, and I want to be part of this. No matter the cost.”

The words hit somewhere deep. “I don’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

“You can’t stop me. I’m already involved, and there’s no way I’m letting you leave me behind.”

For a moment, the only sound is Sapphire’s soft, huffing breath and the rhythm of Vash’s tail against the stone.

Then Harek brushes a strand of hair from my cheek.

I swallow, turn to face him.

His gaze lingers on me, stealing my breath.

The door creaks open, and we both leap back.

Einar steps through the door. “There you two are. We should plan on being gone a few days.”

I clear my throat. “I’m going to start packing.”

Harek nods. “I’m going to saddle Vash.”

My father turns to him. “You’re ready to fly on your own?”

“Yes. We’ve been communicating through our minds.”

“In that case, you are ready.” A look of what appears to be pride crosses Einar’s face before he returns inside.

Before heading in myself, I steal a glance at Harek. He’s only inches from Vash’s nose, and they appear to be having a silent conversation.

Time flies as we pack and eat, then almost before I know it, we’re all back with the dragons.

The wind roars louder now, curling down the mountain like a beast set on vengeance. Sapphire crouches low, her wings half-extended. Einar stands beside her, double-checking the leather harness and flight packs, his expression tight.

Vash stands farther back, tail flicking again, eyes focused on the sky. Harek tightens the final strap on the saddle. For a moment, he just rests his hand between the dragon’s shoulders.

I stand next to him. “Are you ready for this?”

He glances over. “You asking me or him?”

“Either.” I give him a slightly playful nudge.

He offers a wry smile, almost shy. “We’ll figure it out.”

Then he climbs up in a fluid, confident motion, like he’s done it a hundred times. Vash shifts under him but doesn’t resist. In fact, he stills, like he’s been waiting for this.

The sight hits me unexpectedly hard as I realize they belong together. Rider and dragon, shadow and storm.

Einar finishes his final check and looks at me. “You coming?”

I glance from him to Harek—two pieces of my story, two halves of different truths.

Vash huffs once, as if impatient.

Sapphire waits, steady as ever, blinking her jewel-like eyes slowly.

I walk toward Sapphire and place a hand on her warm, glowing hide. Then I turn and approach Vash and Harek.

He extends a hand to help me up without a word, and I take it. The saddle’s built for two. We rise into the wind together, dragons diving off the edge of the world with a single powerful thrust. For a moment, flying into the storm doesn’t feel like running. It feels like choosing.

My heart races as we fly over the city toward the forest. It’s strange not being squished between my father and friend, but there’s something freeing and exhilarating in this first flight without the expert dragon rider.

The wind turns sharp. At first, I think it’s just the altitude—the jagged, cold breath of the mountains slicing through my coat. But then Vash jerks hard, wings tilting sharply. Harek curses, pulling the reins tighter.

“Sapphire’s dropping back.” His voice is nearly lost in the wind.

I glance behind us. Einar’s dragon has slowed, weaving side to side. The movements are too controlled to be accidental. Something’s wrong.

I feel it before seeing it. My palm warms with energy and glows in the darkness of the storm.

Four figures rise through the clouds on sleek-winged gliders powered by pulsing violet magic. They arc toward us like hawks toward prey.

“Fighters,” Harek says. “But they aren’t on our side.”

As if to prove his point, one raises a glowing disc and hurls it like a blade. It sings through the air, nearly catching Vash’s wing before he rolls sideways with a snarl.

“Hold on,” Harek growls.

I cling to him tighter.

We dive.

Below, Sapphire roars, and I glimpse Einar hurling a javelin of bright gold energy straight through one glider’s core. It sparks, spins, then falls, screaming.

The others continue toward us. One peels off faster than the others, eyes hidden beneath a copper mask, arms covered in runes that pulse like veins.

“Message from the council,” he shouts, voice distorted by wind and magic. “Turn back or be claimed.”

I shout back, “Claimed by what?”

He doesn’t answer.

Einar and Sapphire circle, my father throwing more magic at the attackers.

One of them throws another disc at us.

Vash barrels under it while Harek rises to his feet in the saddle, hands crackling with fire. “Hold him steady!”

“What are you doing?”

He leaps. Onto the glider.

Sapphire darts underneath, clearly ready to catch Harek if he falls.

I stare in horror and awe as he wrestles him midair, shoves him off the glider, then somehow steers it toward us. At the last second, he dives, finally landing hard behind me just as Vash levels out.

Now only two gliders remain. One peels off. The other vanishes. They aren’t defeated, just retreating.

Vash growls low in his throat, and I understand why.

That wasn’t an attack.

It was a warning.