A dragon.
Stone’s mouth hung open as he watched the beast sleep. It was enormous. Larger than any animal he’d ever seen. Maybe even larger than the Aquila. “See!” Birdie squealed. “If we hadn’t come, you wouldn’t have seen this. A real dragon.” Her face beamed as she peered farther over the edge.
“It’s incredible.” Stone was at a loss for words. This was the discovery of a lifetime, just like she said. Just as theastraand Ravki itself. They had unearthed centuries worth of secrets. They knew the way and yet… “We can never tell anyone about this.” He stepped back, away from the ledge.
“What?” Birdie joined him, a deep line creasing between her brows. “And why not? We’ll be famous, Stone.” She peered back over the ledge. “And filthy rich.”
Stone shook his head. Of all the things he wanted in his life, fame was the last of them. “They’ll destroy it. The kingdoms. We can’t tell anyone Ravki is here. We certainly can’t tell them a real fucking dragon exists.”
The fear in his stomach had uncoiled at some point, and had been replaced with deep, deep dread. If anyone in Vargah or Novaria or even the Outpost knew this was here–everything preserved in Ravki would be threatened. They would use every last drop of resource until there was nothing left, then blame the world for not providing, rather than facing their own greed.
“We need to go.” He reached for Birdie’s hand but she shrugged away.
“Not yet,” she said. “If you’re making me keep this a secret for the rest of my life, at least let me look a little longer.”
He peered back over the ledge. The dragon was incredible. Powerful, even from the distance at the top of the chamber. He couldn’t imagine the things it could do–would do–when it surfaced.
“How long do you think it's been here?”
Stone shrugged. “I have no idea,” he said. Its wings were tucked tight and hundreds of lines marred the wall where its talons scraped as it stretched. “My guess is a very long time.” He and Birdie stood for a while, watching the sleeping beast. Memorizing the shape of its wings and massive head and deadly talons. “We really should go.” He expected another protest but to his surprise, she nodded and turned back toward the chamber.
“Thank you for coming down here with me,” she said. “Bee couldn’t understand why it was important.”
“I’m not sure I understand either,” he said as they walked back down the long chamber to the entrance.
“I just wanted something for myself, you know. Something I can look back on and say, ‘I really did that.’”
“You’ve done so many things. Remember the time you and Bee stole Vic’s ship and sailed halfway to the Isles.” A smile stretched across her face. “He was so pissed when he found you.”
“Yeah but if it wasn’t for you and Patch, he would have killed us.” Birdie snaked her arm through his. “This was just for me, but I’m glad you’re here.”
Despite still thinking it was a shit idea, Stone was glad he was there too, but they had wasted almost an entire day, leaving little time to do what they actually needed to. Look for theking. “We need to–”
A deep roar echoed through the chamber, cementing them in their steps. Stone’s heart thundered in his chest, setting a bruising pace against his ribs. Another roar and scrape of talons against rock. “Stone…” Birdie’s grip tightened around his arm.
He dropped the torch and the light blotted out, leaving them in nothing but darkness.
Thirty-Two
Aesira
“What was that?" Bee asked as another piercing sound shot through the air.
“The dragon, or whatever that was, Stone and I heard last night." Fire spread through Aesira’s chest, her legs trembling. “We need to get them out.” Another roar tore through the ruins as they pushed their way in, weaving around vines and debris. “Stone!” Her voice echoed back to her, a pit of unease sinking in her stomach. “Birdie!”
The hatch.
She had to find the hatch. A root caught her boots, sending her toppling to the ground. Scrambling to her feet, she crawled the rest of the way to where she remembered the hatch was. The door was thrown open, the weak ladder trembling with the power ofanother roar. “Stone!” She couldn’t hear anything but the heavy beating of her heart in her ears and the roar of the beast.
Bee pushed her aside. “I’m going down.”
Aesira gripped Bee's arm and yanked her back. “And get yourself killed?”
“Birdie is down there!” The next roar shattered one of the only windows left, shards of glass cutting through the room. “Birdie!” Bee’s voice cracked as she reached for the hatch again.
“Bee?”
A brief pulse of relief pushed through Aesira's chest as Birdie's voice drifted up the hatch.
