Page 26 of Wrath of the Dragons (Fear the Flames #2)

Chapter Eighteen

Elowen

My dragons weave through the approaching storm clouds, their vibrant scales a stark contrast to the frothy gray domain, but they never go far enough to cross the Imirath border.

Despite the impending war, the Vareveth war camp is just as relaxed as it’s always been.

Soldiers congregate around firepits while stirring pots of stew, sharpening their weapons, and laughing while trading stories and drinks.

“I received a…concerning report today from a spy,” Saskia says, the wind carrying the scent of her jasmine-scented soap as she loops her arm through mine, which is probably for the best considering how exhausted I am.

For the most part, the roads through the war camp are dry, but there are some muddy puddles I’d rather not step in.

I spent nearly all night tending to the wounded with Nyrinn while the others oversaw settling my people in their new homes.

The images of the attack haunted me as I tried to sleep.

Not everyone who made it through the portal survived.

The antidote for netherwraith venom doesn’t always work depending on how far gone someone is.

No matter how much people begged me as they faded before my eyes, I can’t perform miracles, regardless of how much I wish I could.

“Where are they stationed?”

“Imirath,” she whispers, her dark eyes scanning the area. My steps slow, and I huddle closer to her. “A border scout reported seeing large cages being transported throughout the kingdom.”

“Cages?” My brows furrow. “How large? What was in them?”

“She couldn’t get close enough. They’re covered in tarps but there were no sounds to give away what’s within.

If they’re hiding beasts or monsters, I imagine they used silencing runes as they did on the dragon chamber.

The cages are under heavy guard and wheeled by ten soldiers each.

” She looks around again. “They’re coming for you, Elowen. This war is personal.”

Garrick knows he’ll never be able to defeat me with ordinary swords.

Whatever beasts he has, they will never surpass the power of a dragon.

This war has been personal from the moment he dragged me away from them and forced me to listen to their screams. “Good. It saves me the task of seeking them out if they’re brave enough to face me on the field. ”

“What if there was a way to see inside the cages?” she asks. “Would you be willing to try?”

“Of course.” I reach beneath my cloak to tug my pendant along its chain. “But you know I can’t sneak over again. Their defenses will be strengthened, same as ours.”

“I’m not talking about that.” She looks around again before pulling me into a tent filled with rows of shields and various weaponry but, thankfully, no people. “How old were you when you fled Imirath?”

“Eleven.”

Her dark eyes sparkle. “Magic manifests in a person when they’re twelve.

What if there is more to your bond than we know?

Mages in Galakin wield fire but are not bonded to five dragons.

They don’t have the same connection to the element as you do.

And there are those in Thirwen who can see through the eyes of their animal companions that they share a bond with. ”

“You…” I hesitate. “You believe I have magic? Wouldn’t I know by now? You know…accidentally light something on fire when I’m angry, which is quite frequent.”

“I think your bond became dormant due to separation—not broken, just dulled. All I’m saying is maybe you’re able to do more than just ride.”

I take hold of Saskia’s arm, dragging her farther away from the opening, nestling us in a dark corner filled with barrels of spears.

“Whether it be weapons or creatures in those cages, they’ll be targeting my dragons and I’d rather be prepared.

Asena might know something. I’ve been reading about dragons but there are missing details within the texts, and I don’t know anything about awakening magic. ”

“We’ll talk to her together but keep the details as limited as possible.”

I nod. “Have you told Cayden yet?”

“Only about the cages, not about my suspicions regarding your abilities. I thought it best for you to talk about that together.”

“Thank you.” It’s not that I planned on hiding it from Cayden, but I like feeling important enough to Saskia that she’d bring this directly to me.

“You’re welcome.” She smiles. “I’ll do more research today.

I have an extensive library in my home; so does Cayden.

Between the two of us, I’m sure there’s something to be uncovered.

” Her braids sway as she shakes her head.

“Gods, I wish I had access to my father’s library, though he’d probably throw me out before I ever crossed the threshold. ”

I’ve never understood why people have children if their hearts are so full of themselves that they don’t have the room to fit someone else. “Was he cruel to you?”

She laughs but it’s bitter and so unlike her. “He sold me into marriage with a man twice my age when I was fifteen. Ryder ran away with me before the ink on the betrothal agreement was dry.”

A child.

“If you give me his address, I’ll pass along your retribution.” Saskia ventured into enemy territory for me, and I’d do the same for her without hesitation. I’ll mount a dragon this very moment if she asks it of me.

She sighs. “For a man like him, the worst punishment is letting him live in his empty home without an heir to carry on the Neredras name.”

There are so many girls who don’t have the chance to be just that.

To enjoy their girlhood before someone tries to take it from them and turn it into something ugly and weak.

“There is an undeniable strength that comes from existing in a world that wasn’t designed for you, and I think it’s time we changed the way things are. ”

She reaches forward to squeeze my hand, but a dragon landing shakes the ground beneath us, cutting off whatever she was about to say. Several swords clatter on the ground, and the shadow of their wings spreads on the canvas like a figment conjured from darkness.

“The king has returned!” a soldier shouts. It’s probably Venatrix that landed beside the tent then. She preens under his attention.

I didn’t know Cayden had left the camp. He and Ryder were supposed to be going over battle plans before we meet with the Vareveth generals to discuss strategies.

We step outside, and even from a distance, I can feel the tension radiating off him.

He looks like he’s ready to head into battle right this moment.

“Where is Elowen?” The words come out raspy and rushed.

“I’m here!” I stride forward, taking pity on the soldier grasping the reins of Cayden’s horse, gaping at him in fear.

“I didn’t think we were meeting the generals until later.

” His hands latch on to my shoulders and slide down my arms as his gaze rakes over me, almost like he’s searching for anything amiss. “What is it? Where did you ride from?”

He shakes his head and loops his arm around my back, tucking me close as he guides us toward our tent. The same one we’ve shared since the night I tracked Cayden to the border while he was executing the soldier who had plotted my assassination.

He stops short of the entrance to address one of the soldiers standing guard. “Nobody is to interrupt us unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

I slip between the tent flaps while untying my cloak.

We haven’t been here since before the heist, and I must admit that I’ve missed it.

The castle is beautiful, but this place is far cozier.

It’s much more spacious now that Cayden’s bed has been removed from the front room, and his desk has been added back into the bedroom that once only belonged to me.

Well, I suppose it was his first considering he vacated it to give me a safe place to sleep.

He didn’t change any of the feminine decor, and when I made a comment about how his soldiers would tease him when they learned of their leader sleeping in a bed of flowers, he merely shrugged and said, If they could sleep in a bed beside a woman as beautiful as you, I highly doubt they’d even notice the flowers.

I sink onto the couch stationed beside the firepit and warm my hands. “If this is about the cages, Saskia discussed them with me.”

“The fucking cages.” He huffs a humorless laugh. “That report was worthless. We were already anticipating Imirath finding a way to target you. If they didn’t have anything noteworthy to say then they should’ve kept their ink off the page rather than endangering an entire chain of communication.”

His hand dips into his coat before shrugging off the heavy fabric, draping it over a chair and dropping two pieces of folded parchment into my lap. “I wanted to make sure you heard it from me first.”

I thickly swallow. “Are these from one of your spies then?”

He nods, claiming the chair across from me. “I have a chain of spies stationed within Imirath. A report was due so I rode to my tavern to retrieve it.”

I slowly unfold the first to take in the contents, and read it twice to ensure I haven’t made a mistake.

“My father is taking a new wife in the coming weeks.” Garrick never remarried after my dragons burned my mother and there were never even rumors of any mistresses.

He’s paranoid and lets his fear of the unknown rule him.

He may seem formidable to the eyes of Ravaryn, but to me he’ll always be a grown man who feared a little girl enough to lock her up.

“Read the next.”

I do as he says, bracing myself for whatever’s put him on high alert. Ice slides through my veins, freezing me from top to bottom. I should’ve known something like this was coming, and I don’t know why the first thing I feel is…anger. Not relief like I once thought I would.

“He’s promised their firstborn daughter to Thirwen’s heir. That’s how they’re solidifying their alliance.”