Page 33 of Wild Flame (Wild Bond #2)

Chapter Thirty-Three

“ S iren?” a voice murmured. “Leida? Leida wake up.”

My eyes opened, and I blinked several times at the light pouring in from an open window. For a moment, I forgot where I was as I glanced around the finely appointed room. A basin of water and cloths sat nearby, as did a small table filled with an apothecary’s worth of potions and vials. My head throbbed and there was a kink in my neck that ached. I blinked again and turned my head.

Malik was sitting up in the bed, staring back at me with a smile.

“You’re awake,” I cried. “How are you feeling?”

“Like a dragon sat on me,” he tried to joke, but it was ruined by his voice coming out all raspy. For the first time since I’d known him, he looked unkempt. There were bags under his eyes, and his normally closely cropped beard was a little longer than usual. He was shirtless, and the covers had fallen enough that I could see the clean white bandage wrapped around his chest and side.

I stood and quickly filled a glass with water from a pitcher beside the bed. He drank it gratefully. When he was finished, I took the glass from him. The bed moved then, and I glanced over as Azrun moved to Malik’s side, lay down, and placed his head in his lap.

“He was worried about you,” I said. Then I thought of how he had looked lying there all night, nearly lifeless, with his skin burning up and how my heart had clenched with fear when he had first fallen to the ground. “We both were,” I admitted.

“What happened?” he asked.

“You don’t remember?” I retook my seat, and he grasped my hand in his.

He shook his head and rubbed a hand down his face. “Everything is foggy. I remember fighting and then—nothing.”

“Manticore venom,” I explained, gesturing to his wound. “Luckily, it wasn’t a deep scratch. Even with the dragons flying as fast as they could, I didn’t know if we would make it here in time.”

Once we were airborne, it hadn’t taken us longer than an hour to reach the Farr’s sprawling villa. They must have been warned of our dragons’ approach because Otim and his lovely wife Alora had been there to meet us, even though it was the middle of the night. Once they had seen what was wrong with Malik, they had ushered us inside and Alora had taken over Malik’s care, directing us like a general with her troops as she worked to save his life. After she had given Malik the magical elixir that would enable his body to fight the venom, it had been a long night waiting for it to burn out of his system. I had no idea when I had fallen asleep.

Malik leaned forward and touched his forehead to mine. “You scared me,” I admitted. “You’re a rider. You’re not supposed to get hurt.”

He stroked a hand down my cheek. “Well, you must have done something right, because I’m still here.” Then he asked, “Where is here anyway?”

I sighed and leaned back. “Otim Farr’s house. Taj said his wife was one of the best healers in Zehvi. He said if anyone could help you, it would be her.”

Malik nodded in understanding. “I know them well. How long have we been here?”

“I’m not sure. We got here late last night . . . and I’m not sure what time it is now.”

The chamber door opened then, and a very pregnant woman entered. She was in her third decade, pretty, with her blonde hair braided intricately back from her face.

“Praise the Nine! I’m glad to see you awake, my king,” Alora said. Her Halmarish accent reminded me of home. I had been so consumed with worry for Malik last night when we met that I had barely noticed the woman hailed from my country. She jerked her head at me as she carried in a tray laden with two bowls of soup. “This one has been sick with worry.”

I refused to look at Malik as I rose, intent on taking the tray.

“Oh, sit down. You’re as bad as Otim. Just because I’m with child doesn’t mean I’m an invalid.”

Raising my hands in surrender, I sat back down.

“I guessed you might be waking up soon, so I brought you this,” Alora continued, setting down the tray. She glanced at me. “I brought you some as well.”

I nodded my thanks.

“Thank you,” Malik told her sincerely. “And thank you for what you did to heal me.”

She bowed her head in acknowledgment. “I could do nothing less for my king.” Her eyes fell on the bandaged wound, then back to Malik. “The fact that you survived means that you will forever be partially immune to the venom. It is a part of you now.”

“Will there be any other lingering effects?” I asked, fighting hard to quell the pit of worry in my stomach that just wouldn’t go away.

Alora shook her head. “No. He will be good as new in no time.” Her eyes twinkled. “Though your concern is admirable, my queen.” She smiled at Malik. “You picked a good one. Imagine my delight when I discovered our king shocked everyone and snagged himself a Halmarish princess.” She winked. “Not that I’m surprised. We do have a way about us.”

Malik’s health improved rapidly, and we only waited one more day before making the journey to the Obsidian Mines.

The mines were overwhelming, to say the least. When we flew in on our approach, I couldn’t believe the size of it all from above. When Azrun and Bhorag landed and we dismounted, I took in the stories and stories of wooden scaffolding and walkways along the rocky hillside. Dozens of mining shafts and tunnels led into the rock and underground. Sounds of clinking metal striking stone and voices echoed around us. The entire operation was an impressive sight.

Kheer, a tall man with a long scar on his cheek, and one of the few members of Malik’s Fangdar I hadn’t met, greeted us immediately upon our arrival. Malik gave him a back-slapping hug before Taj and he exchanged a similar greeting. Obviously, this was a man that had been truly missed. When Malik introduced me, Kheer took my offered hand and bowed low over it before murmuring respectfully, “My queen. It is nice to meet you.” He had the air of a man that was more reserved than Taj, but still had a ready smile. I liked him instantly.

“Likewise,” I murmured.

I had seen no sign of Kheer’s dragon, but the others waited outside as Kheer led us into a guardhouse of sorts that overlooked the entire mine below. It also boasted a desk and chairs and appeared to double as an office. To my surprise, we didn’t stop to talk. Instead, Kheer grabbed a set of keys from his desk and led us through the room, down a walkway, and into a tunnel.

The passage was just high enough that the men didn’t have to stoop as we entered. It trended downward and was lined with lanterns every few dozen feet, giving off a yellow glow to the rock around us as we descended. We passed several other passages that veered off in other directions and from which I could hear the sounds of voices and people working.

Kheer was before me, and Malik just behind, while Taj brought up the rear.

“Where do all the workers come from?” I asked curiously, my voice echoing slightly around us.

Kheer answered without hesitation. “They are all criminals, my queen. In this territory, those who are convicted of a nonviolent crime are given the option to work in the mines to shorten or commute their prison sentence.”

That was an interesting idea. “And what is the going exchange rate?” I asked.

He glanced back briefly. “For every year they work in the mines, five are taken off their sentence.”

I blinked. “That seems generous.”

He shrugged. “It’s hard work and can be dangerous at times, but for most, it is worth it in the end.”

I glanced back and found Malik studying me. Embarrassment overtook me, realizing they probably had more important things to discuss than assuaging my curiosity. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

“Don’t apologize,” Malik said, giving me a reassuring smile. Then he looked to Kheer.

“The theft happened just over ten days ago,” Kheer reported as we continued walking, “during the night shift, when the workers are asleep, and we have the fewest guards on staff. The guards working were killed. Their throats were slit. It appeared they did not even have time to draw their weapons. We have no leads as to who it was. The thief left no scent behind.”

The thief had been well prepared then and had resources. Scent canceling potions were by no means exclusive to The Order, but they were hard to come by and expensive.

We stopped at a wide door with iron bars that blocked the entire passage. Kheer used the key he had taken from his desk to unlock it. After we all passed through, he locked it again and led us further down. This time, it was only a few minutes until we came upon another locked door with three guards standing before it. They nodded respectfully to Kheer and Taj, then their eyes widened when they saw Malik behind them.

“Your Majesty,” they all said in unison as they put their fists to their hearts in The Sign of The Warrior and bowed low. Kheer then introduced me, and they looked even more shocked at my presence as they bowed to me as well.

They moved aside as Kheer took a key from around his neck and unlocked the door. We followed him down a flight of roughly carved stone stairs to yet another door. This one, however, had no handle and no lock. Instead, I could feel a pulse of something coming off the door, and there was a heaviness—a kind of weight to the surrounding air. Magic , I realized. Powerful magic.

Looking down, I immediately saw the source. Warding bones had been placed on the ground on either side of the door. The bones of magical creatures, when sprinkled with the wood dust from a gnarled Crone tree, could be used as a protection against intruders. The more powerful the creature, the more powerful the ward. Only a piece of the same creature’s bones could grant someone entry, acting as a key of sorts. I shivered. With all these precautions, I couldn’t help but wonder once again what had been stolen. It had to be more than just obsidian.

“How did the thief disable the wards?” Taj asked.

Kheer eyed me pointedly.

“You may speak freely in front of Leida,” Malik said.

Kheer simply nodded before reporting, “I’m not certain. The ward bones weren’t destroyed or tampered with. And they are griffin bones. The only thing powerful enough to disrupt a warding barrier of that strength would be—"

“A dragon,” Malik finished with a grim look.

Kheer nodded. “More specifically, dragon blood. And it would have to have been fresh—at its most powerful. The dragon would have to have been present.”

“Then you think a dragon rider is responsible?” I surmised.

All the magic in Palasia came from the land and its magical creatures. Humans did not innately have their own magic, so they used nature and its creatures to access it. This was what made riders so formidable, since dragons were the most powerful magical creatures of all.

Kheer shrugged. “It’s the only explanation that makes sense. Whoever did this was careful and wiped any scent or trace of the blood clean.”

No one said anything as Kheer placed his hand—now holding a small bone—on the door. The air shimmered, then the heavy weight lifted. We all stepped inside, to what I quickly realized was a small cave of sorts. There were no lights inside, so it was hard to make out any definitive details. Kheer took a small torch lit by the entrance and began lighting several other torches around the space.

And as I gazed around, my eyes nearly bugged out of my head. The entire cave was filled with bars and bars of obsidian. The black stone gleamed in the torchlight, sitting neatly piled in stacked rows. One bar of the precious stone would be worth a fortune, and there were hundreds of them.

“There are several of these caches all over the mines,” Kheer explained, for my benefit. “It’s a precaution, so all the obsidian isn’t stored in the same place.”

I nodded. That was smart. “So why did the thief rob this one?” I asked pointedly. “With how far we’ve traveled into the mine, there had to be one of these caches closer to the entrance.”

Malik’s eyes gleamed. “Obsidian wasn’t their only goal. The thief was after something else.” He tipped his head to Kheer, and he moved to one of the piles of bars and lifted up a section of the top layer—which I hadn’t realized until now was on a wooden slab—and slid it aside. I stepped closer and saw that inside was a hidden compartment concealing a chest. Excitement buzzed through me at finally getting to learn what had been stolen and what had warranted our traveling so far to see.

Kheer pulled back the lid. Inside were dozens of what looked to be clear to opaque river rocks of all different sizes. They were beautiful to be sure, but other than their unique coloring, I saw nothing special about them.

“How many did they take?” Malik asked gravely.

“A single chest.”

Malik looked surprised. “That’s it?”

Kheer shrugged. “Likely all they could transport without getting caught.”

“I’m confused,” I confessed. “ These are what they stole?” I stared blankly at the three riders around me. “What’s so special about some rocks? What am I missing?”

Malik reached into the chest and pulled out a stone. “This,” he explained, “is Moonstone. It is extremely rare, and the only substance in Palasia that can stop dragons from using their magic. As long as they are in contact with it, it prevents them from shifting, healing, or breathing fire.”

A mixture of horror and disbelief flooded me. “That can’t be possible.” Dragons were infallible. There were only a handful of things in our world that could even remotely pose a threat to one.

“I assure you, it is,” he replied.

“How did I . . . how does no one know about this?” I whispered.

“Because it is something only known to dragon riders. It is one of our most closely protected secrets.”

I swallowed hard. “Then why are you telling me?” Helene hadn’t even told me. And I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that realization at the moment.

“Because I trust you,” Malik replied solemnly. “And you are involved in this now. I’m starting to think that whoever is behind this, the attack on Taveran, the attempts on you and Zara . . . I’m starting to wonder if they are not all connected.”

I stared at him. I was beginning to think so as well. I was touched by his faith in me, even as guilt at what I was hiding from him reared its ugly head. I tamped it down. Trying to distract myself, I asked, “Why do you think the events are connected?”

“Only a rider would know Moonstone’s value,” he stated. “And few know about this location.”

“Who knows that it’s here?” I asked.

“My Fangdar. And now you. And since you only just found out, and my Fangdar would never betray me . . .”

“You’re sure?” I asked him. I had a hard time believing any of them would, and I didn’t know them like he did, but it would be foolish to not at least consider it.

“Not by choice,” Malik said. He stared at me.

It clicked into place then. “You think someone got the information from Ramin when they drugged him—when they made him attack the city?”

Malik nodded. “And if I’m right, that same person now has a chest full of Moonstone.”