Page 4 of To Sway a Prince (Tempting Thieves)

4

ANOTHER RESCUE ATTEMPT

I stiffened, my ears straining to catch every trace of information I could. Who was Ramiel talking to? Caein? My gut said Caein. Something in the air felt similar to his presence now that I focused on it.

Keeping my boots from scuffing on the polished stone floor, I eased closer. No wards or sigils here, but that was obviously not proof enough to move with any sort of confidence. Another two steps forward, and I halted.

"This will not be enough," Ramiel continued.

"You have made great progress," Caein responded. "It's fully contained."

"For now. But how much longer before it breaks free? I spent far too much on gnat."

I cocked my head, almost amused at that nickname. I'd certainly been called worse. Peering around the corner, I spotted him leaning over a glass orb on a desk, both hands pressing on it. Silver frost stretched over the orb, hints of purple and blue sparking among the runes in the frost patterns.

"Yes, well, you should have done more to ensure Zephyrus hadn't gotten himself attached. That woman is quite determined to free him," Caein said. "Do you simply intend to keep her until it is finished?"

The muscles in Ramiel's hands flexed though he kept his fingers near motionless. "If she refuses to swear to leave Zephyrus, I have no other choice. I can't let her interfere. The ritual requires at least eight of the weavers. Even with all twelve…" He fell silent. "I doubt she was any more reasonable when you went to her."

"No. You may need to be frank with her about everything regarding this situation, Ramiel. This is an exceptionally serious matter."

"Be frank with her? Yes, that sounds wise," he responded, the dryness in his voice intensifying. "If she thinks Zephyrus might even be wounded, let alone die, she will never leave. And we both know that it may be unavoidable. All may perish."

Bastard! My fingers curled tight against my palms, fingernails cutting into my skin. Cold rushed over me. I set my jaw as I drew back to avoid being seen, but I listened intently.

"Perhaps so," Caein said. "But you know what this is. It's a true?—"

"Yes, I know it's a true bond, Caein, but that doesn't matter," Ramiel snapped. He continued to trace patterns over the glass. "He disappears for all those years, goes out, and bonds with—" His jaw worked, surprising emotion cutting through his voice. "You have no idea how difficult this is."

"No, I don't. I'm certain Zephyrus never intended to, even though no one truly controls a dragon. Commands do not hold if they go against the dragon's will. If you just explain to her?—"

"I don't want to spend these last days explaining anything. This is challenging enough as it is. It is taking every ounce of my will." His shoulders tightened, his eyes hardening. "We are down to the final weeks. Possibly even days. They should not be spent in useless conversation. And Zephyrus should be allowed to be with his kin."

A bit of guilt twisted inside me.

"The bond between a dragon and rider is one of the sacred bonds. She knows his name. He chose her."

"I am aware," Ramiel said, his voice growing more stern. "This isn't going well. The leviathan stirs already. He is getting worse, and we're running out of time. Especially if the omenfang can't be stopped—ithoks!"

That sharp burst of profanity made me go rigid. The air had taken on a stronger scent, more like burning metal. I peeked in again in time to see that the glass orb was cracking. A pitch-black storm cloud had formed within it, and lightning flared inside.

"Steady, Ramiel, don't be so swift to believe the worst. If you become more agitated?—"

Ramiel made a hissing sound in response. He hunched over the cracking glass, arms braced. "Check the perimeter wards. Strengthen them. Cut them off from the aether of the Chasm. Make sure it doesn't enter, then return."

"If the omenfang—" Caein started.

"It won't make a difference if the wards are breached. The defenses will have to hold here. Go!" Ramiel shot an enraged glare up at the ceiling. The air pulsed for a moment.

I crouched down, still watching and unable to tear myself away. The magic in or around the orb carried a bitter, caustic scent now—like burned copper mixed with rotting seaweed. My stomach tightened, some instinctual part of me repulsed by the presence of that—that thing. What evil was that?

The glass shattered. Runic symbols flared around Ramiel's hands, bright purple lights that flared in all directions. Dark shadows coiled out like a wind funnel—a spectral kangaroo, towering over seven feet tall with eyes like burning coals. It reared back on its powerful legs and struck Ramiel viciously in the chest and against the wall—once, twice, three times.

Terror spiked through my veins.

Ramiel collapsed, gasping and clutching at his chest.

I barely caught myself before I rushed in to help. What was I thinking? Why would I help him when he was the reason Zephyrus was here and willing to sacrifice him?

Drawing back, I took stock of the hall and decided to continue straight ahead. Ramiel could sort out his own problem.

A low, pained groan confirmed he was at least alive in there. I stole a glance as I slipped past the doorway and padded down the hall. He lay on his back, gripping his chest. There were no signs of wounds, and he was breathing well enough. Whatever it was—the omenfang maybe?—had probably come close to knocking the wind out of him, but there wasn't any trace of blood on his silver brocaded tunic. His straight silver hair fanned out on the dark floor like a disheveled aura, and he had his hand pressed to his chest. Steady breaths at least. He'd be fine. Served him right for putting Zephyrus in harm's way.

My chest tightened, that thrum of guilt intensifying. Enough of that. I didn't have time, and I owed him nothing. If he'd been some stranger on the side of the path, I'd have helped. But he wasn't a stranger. He was a Sentinel prince who had summoned Zephyrus away and apparently intended to let him die.

I slunk along through the tower's twisting corridors, swift and silent. The walls seemed to breathe around me, ancient dark stone veined with faint blue. My fingers traced the cool surface as I moved and my aura reached out, searching for hidden mechanisms, secret pathways, traps—anything. The sigils and wards did not come near me. They did not even seem to notice me.

The hall branched again, and I chose the left. A few steps later and I caught that familiar scent. Zephyrus! Relief pounded in my chest.

A few steps more and I found another door like the one I'd found in the observation tower. The silence in this tower cut deeper and deeper. I half expected Ramiel to pop up at any moment or Caein to speak above me. But only silence surrounded me.

A few moments later, and I had picked my way back down into the stable. As soon as I was through the door, I set up a knotwork net that would mask my presence and muffle any sound. It stretched out with golden shimmering threads that vibrated ever so slightly with a light all their own.

Most of the dragons were sleeping again. Except Zephyrus. He lay with his head on his crossed forelegs like a cat before a fire, his tail flicking back and forth and overlapping with the purple dragon's. The larger deep blue-green dragon was curled up at the side of his cell, leg outstretched toward Zephyrus and tail reaching into another dragon's cell.

Zephyrus lifted his head as soon as I drew near, blinking those large amber eyes. His tail flicked.

My heart clenched. Though my plan was for us to run, I knew I had to handle this with care. There was no chance of moving a dragon who didn't want to be moved. And panicking might send him into a rage that resulted in either or both of us getting injured.

Besides, now I saw how many similarities there were between him and the other dragons. While each had different colored scales, there was something in the eyes and the shape of the head that had the look of family. Could I really take him away from his family when all I longed for was to be reunited with mine?

With the heavy clicks of his large talons, he rose to his feet, his leather wings rustling as he tucked them against his back. He chuffed, softer than before.

I approached, my brow furrowing. "Is this where you want to be?"

He tilted his head and blinked slowly. Then he stuck his head out through the bars and nudged me.

I hugged him, tears pricking in my eyes as I wrapped my arms as far as I could around his thick neck. "If this is your family, I'm not trying to take you away. I'd never do that, I swear. But I heard Ramiel. If you stay, you'll die. I'm not going to abandon you."

He growled low, then nuzzled me again. A blast of steam from his slanted nostrils followed, along with a croaking churr. One of his contemplative tones. Another rumble followed, similar to his laugh.

"This is serious," I said, moving back a step. "I heard him." Thrusting my fingers in my long wavy hair, I pushed the locks back. "I'm sorry. It's all so complicated right now. Maybe we can come back for the others." How much time did we really have? Was Zephyrus the only one at risk? I didn't even know what weavers and dragons did.

He chuffed again. His voice rumbled and vibrated, a soothing sound that I enjoyed most of the time. The way his ears pricked forward though, it was as if he was simply telling me that there was something I was missing. I glanced around. As I turned, he shoved me with his head and chortled with that low, growly voice of his.

I struck the flagstone hard, landing on my butt. "Hey!" I huffed back at him and scrambled up.

He snorted again, giving me that chiding look.

I struggled to my feet and scrubbed my hands on my trousers. "Come on. Let's get out of here. We'll sort out the rest later." To whom could I even go to learn the purpose of the dragons? My fairy friends at Thistledeep or maybe Star Petal might have some knowledge, but on foot, it would take me days to get there. And more importantly, I didn't want to leave Zephyrus here.

The other dragons slept on, and Zephyrus regarded me with that same quiet amusement he usually did after a brutal training session when he knew I was on the verge of remembering a technique.

"I wish you could talk," I said under my breath. But even if he could, we didn't really have time for this. I pressed my forehead against the cool bars of his cage, thinking it through. No, this was the right call. Ramiel had said Zephyrus could die, and Zephyrus did not belong in a cage. "We'll get out, and then we'll figure out what to do about the rest of your family." I wasn't sure that I could promise we would be able to save them, but it felt wrong not to at least try.

He nudged me again, and I stroked his neck while he purred. The first trap had been hidden inside the lock itself. My gut still warned against entering Zephyrus's cell even though there might be a door farther in. No. Not unless I had no other choice.

And…there were choices. I spread my hands and reached out with my aura to uncover any additional wards, mechanisms, sigils, or spells. The warm hum and tickle of the healing sigils as my consciousness neared them comforted me. And—yes! Yes, there on the far side of the dark-grey dragon's cell two down from Zephyrus were several levers. Hidden deeper within the wall was a series of mechanisms.

My magic made them light up briefly, and these mechanisms pulsed in response. Not quite what I expected. An ordinary mechanism, like the ones in old barns used to roll down special walls. And that mechanism also ran up into the ceiling but with stronger braces, suggesting that the entire ceiling truly could be rolled back, likely to allow the dragons to fly out.

All I had to do was select the right lever to release the proper counterweight, and Zephyrus's cell would open. Then it'd be a simple matter of going up the stairway. Probably best not to risk opening the entire tower unless I had no other choice.

Zephyrus nudged me again with his nose and gave a low rumble of approval.

I smiled at him wryly and pressed my cheek to his jaw. "Yeah, was that what you wanted me to see?"

A gentle chuff was his only answer, his head tilted.

That wasn't quite the response I wanted. It sounded more like he expected something else, but it wasn't a warning. The only ward or sigil specifically connected to those levers was intended to make it hard to see by outsiders and those unfriendly to the Sentinels and dragons. Still I moved cautiously, examining the air, floor, ceilings, and walls for any hint of a hidden trap. Ramiel had fooled me more than enough for one lifetime, and?—

The air crackled. Runes surged around me in a blinding spiral of light as a deafening hum filled my ears. A great force slammed into my aura like a battering ram, and a translucent barrier encased me. I fell back, striking curved walls and suddenly suspended once more in the air in what looked to be a glass prison shaped like a tapered bud.