Now, preparing to leave, I ask him questions about the compound, including if he knows how many mages are being kept with the dragons there. He shrugs his shoulders sheepishly, offering me a crooked grin. “I haven’t needed to know.”
“I’m not asking because I’m going to judge you. I’m simply trying to learn information.” I’m not there to free the mages or interfere with whatever they were doing with the dragons and their bonds—not yet anyway. My main objective is to get Sunis out, Bali as well if she is there.
We enter the corridor to our wing, rounding a final corner and immediately coming to a halt. The beads of my veil hit each other with a tinkling sound, and through them, I stare at where Father Yamin stands in the center of the hallway.
“Divine Father,” Navin says, lowering into a bow that I do not duplicate. “How are you today?”
“Ah, Prince Navin, I am basking in yet another lovely day that our beloved Khaos has given us.” His smile is reedy as he shifts his gaze to me. “And Princess Myla. Where are the two of you being called to?” My name is said with disdain, and I smirkbeneath my veil and mask at the way he looks like he wants to repent after being socordialtowards me. I wait for Navin to answer for us.
“Actually, Princess Myla and I are off to the holy grounds to pray. We haven’t gone yet this year, and it seems like the perfect time to ensure we stay connected with our gods.”
The father has a good enough straight face to hide his initial reaction, except for his fingers flexing where they hold a scroll of parchment paper, making it crinkle. “That is wonderful to hear. Though, perhaps, it might be best for me to join the princess.” His robe flutters as he walks closer, the soft soles of his leather slippers whispering against the tile. I keep myself still as he rakes his gaze over me, like he is sure if he just ripped off the teal dress I am wearing, he’d see all my secrets spread out on my body beneath. Ironic, considering the only story my body conveys is the onehebeat into my flesh.
“I know you and the king have much planned for today, and I would not want to draw attention from His Majesty’s most important business. I’m happy to take my sister. Happy that she wants to try redeeming herself in the eyes of the gods.” I have to give my brother credit, he can sound convincing when he needs to.
“Then I hope it is a worthwhile visit for you both.” With a final glare shot at me, he pushes between us, continuing down the hall and out of sight.
“Asshole,” Navin whispers. I say nothing as we resume walking, entering our sitting room. “You have ten minutes.”
“I only need five.” Shutting the door to my bedroom, I take down my veil, tossing the garment to the floor. The dress comes off next followed by the chemise until I’m standing in only my undergarments and staring at a fresh pair of leathers and a matching cloak. The unease Father Yamin conjured with his presence calms the further dressed I get. By the time my hood isover my head, the dragon insignia on my shoulder clasped to my leather vest, my thoughts are clearer. Securing my blades, I let out a contented sigh before exiting.
I find Navin in the final stages of strapping his swords to his back, his own cloak flowing down from his shoulders in the same onyx shade as my own. Glancing up at me, he smiles as he draws a hand down his front. “Not to brag, but I think I look better.”
“Not to brag, but I think I look scarier.”
He barks out a laugh and nods. “That you do. Do you have your weapons?”
I tap the sides of my vest and the blade at my thigh.
“Then let’s go.” Navin opens the glass slider, allowing me to pass before he shuts it behind him. The sun is low, the sky a deep blue shade blended with lavender. “I locked the door to the sitting room, so if Leesi or anyone else gets curious while we’re gone, they shouldn’t be able to get in right away. Hopefully, they’ll think we locked it on our way out to the temple.” He climbs over the balcony railing first, edging around it until the landing platform on the side of the mountain comes into view. His leap to it is fluid, and I follow suit, landing next to him a moment later. “Idefinitelylooked better.”
I send my fist into his arm, earning a chuckle that draws a small smirk of my own beneath my mask. Navin lets out a series of high-pitched whistles, the call to Lan paired with pushing his intentions down the bond. Lan’s claws dig into the platform as he lands a few minutes later, his weight causing it to shake a little as it creaks. Without a word, we climb onto his blue-scaled back, and I clutch the leather strap tightly as he soars into the air. “The guards on the southern end will find themselves preoccupied with a distraction at their shift change. There will be a marginally small window where we should be able to land, and then you can hide, while I make sure we won’t be caught.”
I tap his arm in acknowledgement before leaning back and looking out over the side of Lan as he flies in the layer of mist that rises above the mountains. Small black peaks jut out within it, but Lan expertly navigates so that we don’t come anywhere close to hitting them.
After thirty minutes, Lan dips through the mist, right on the southern edge of the compound. Navin tenses in front of me, eyes scanning the sky in either direction. Though two riders on a dragon is rare, it isn’t completely unheard of, particularly with dragon bonds fading. With my hood and mask, I might not get questioned as to why I’m riding with Navin when I’m in the same leathers he is. But though my physique bares the evidence of nearly a decade of training, I’m nowhere near as thick as most of the males in the guard and King’s Riders. If someone looked close enough, they’d figure out I was female.
Hovering forward to fight against the pull of gravity as we dive, I squint my eyes against the rush of cold air until we level out, Lan’s wings catching as they expand wide and we move into a glide. Right into empty air space. Navin’s exhale is loud, even against the gusts of wind surrounding us.
When Lan tips to the side to find an inconspicuous spot to land, I get a good look at the compound in the last dredges of sunset. Large buildings are built both into and away from the mountainside, guards and their dragons meandering in the outdoor spaces between them. Keeping to the outskirts, Navin guides Lan down between two of the structures, its width onlyjustlarge enough for us to fit. The landing is jarring, my entire body rattling with the movement as my brother leans over and whispers something to his dragon. The beast rumbles low in his throat in response.
We wait in silence to see if we’ve been spotted, my hand going to the blade at my thigh on instinct. It smells strongly of sulfur, but there is something else mixed with it. I sniff again atthe air, picking up the metallic scent just as Navin leans back and says, “It’s all the magic here. It has a unique smell.”
“Mage magic?” I clarify, to which he nods.
“In my scoping of this place last week, I learned that this structure to the left holds the dragons that have just arrived. And this one to the right is where the mages are held.”
“How are they transporting the knocked-out dragons?”
“They attach harnesses and have a team of dragons fly them out. The King’s Riders ensure the space is clear for them once they’ve captured one.” Navin stands, holding out a hand that I ignore as I join him. Lan wiggles his body slightly as he turns to look over his shoulder at me. My eyes narrow when he does it again, and I swear the fucking dragon looks on the edge of laughing as I throw my arms out to balance myself.
“Rat,” I hiss out through my teeth.
“Enough, children,” Navin says, sending Lan a disapproving look. The dragon chuffs and returns his gaze to the landscape in front of us. “A mighty beast and a feared vigilante fighting as if they are toddlers.”
“Where ismydragon?” I ask, changing the subject.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been here in nearly a week.” He reaches behind him and slides one of the two swords that cross over his back free, the blade slender and gleaming silver. “Here. Just in case. Do you remember how to use it?”
